One.
1106 Words
Chapter One.
Love's POV.
The smell of blood and damp earth cling to the earth as I dragged the sharp edge of my knife across the deer's body.
Poor thing.
It was already dying when I saw it, gasping for breath. I knew he wouldn't make it.
"Your life wouldn't be wasted. You'll be art." I promised. I had come here to paint the trees, but this would be better.
My fingers worked without my thoughts, slicing through muscle, separating the sinew, watching the rich red stain spread across my hands. It was calming.
Until I heard my sister's voice.
"Love! Love, run!"
My knife slipped from my hold, landing in the dirt with a dull thud. Ronnie was tearing through the trees, her wild brown curls whipping behind her. She looked terrified, and her arms flailed around as she stumbled towards me.
"What is going on?" I asked, but she grabbed my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin.
"They called your name." She gasped, her chest heaving. "They called you for the sacrifice."
What? No.
It couldn't have been me, not yet, at least.
"I can't go." I shook my head. "We have to go now." My voice was calm, although I was screaming on the inside.
"They said that they'd kill everyone else if you don't come." Ronnie started to cry. "What do we do?"
My legs started to move before my mind caught up. I shoved past her, ignoring her cries as I ran towards the village.
How could I think of running away? My name had been called. If I didn't present myself, my family would be killed in my place. I would never let that happen.
The entire village had gathered, and a lot of them looked eager with bright eyes and some even had the audacity to smile. The high priest stood at the front with his crimson robes billowing in the cold night air. He raised a bony hand.
"Is she the one?" He asked. "Love Cyllan?"
I nodded.
"You are the next offering to the werewolf gods." He was enjoying this.
"This is wrong!" I said, my voice shaking. "You can't keep doing this. Killing people is monstrous."
People started to laugh.
"You think your words matter, child?" The priest sneered. "The goddess demands sacrifice. If you refuse, we will take your family instead."
I swallowed hard.
I thought of my parents and siblings. Ronnie, and out little brother, who was too young to understand the cruelty of this world.
Looks like Dameen would never meet me when he's old enough to remember.
There was no choice.
I forced my feet forward, wanting to look calm. I searched the crowd and found my mother crying. I tried to smile at her, but I felt tears forming. I looked away immediately.
The crowd parted, watching me with morbid fascination. The moment I got past the boundary stones, I was seized.
"Wait—" I gasped, struggling, but it was useless.
Thick ropes bound my wrists, and a piece of cloth was tied around my open mouth. Last thing I saw was the cloth coming over my eyes.
And then the chanting began.
I never thought my life would end this way. If I was ever asked how I thought I'd died, I'd always reply with... nothing.
I never thought I'd die. I knew one day, I would had no choice, but it felt like I had so much time to do whatever I wanted.
And if I wanted to die, I wanted the choice to be mine. Poison, maybe.
I stumbled over tree branches and got out of my head. Instead, I listened to the priests' chants filled the night, their voices sending chills down my spine. I couldn't see where we were going, but I could hear the shuffle of the others beside me.
Nine others, just like me, chosen to die.
Some were crying, some whispering prayers, and some were deathly silent. I tried to listen for my sister's voice, but all I could hear were the murmurs of the villagers and the heavy footsteps of our captors.
"Can you hear something?" One of them asked.
"It's from afar. Maybe a human hunter." Another voice said. "If they hunt here, we'll kill them."
I hated how they sounded. I wanted to understand that perhaps they thought they were killing us to save themselves, just like how I was doing so to save my family.
But this? It was clear that they hated us.
A sudden dip in the ground sent me falling forward, my knees hurting the rough earth.
"Get up." A deep voice growled, followed by a hard yank on my arm. I was in pain, but I gritted my teeth and obeyed.
I tried to keep my balance and catch my breath. Then, a familiar voice reached my ears.
Ronnie!
"Please, please let my sister go!" She cried.
Foolish girl. What was she doing all the way out here?
I jerked against my restraints, trying to call out, but the gag muffled my words. The moment I moved too much, a hard slap landed against my cheek, making my head snap to the side.
"Silence!" A voice spat.
"She's all I have left." She pleaded. "You already took my others. Please, I beg you!"
I struggled again, harder this time, but a boot pressed against my back, forcing me down onto my knees.
"Enough of this nonsense!" I heard the werewolf high priest's voice, silencing everyone. "We have made our choice. The sacrifice must be completed!"
The blindfold was snapped away from my face, and I was able to see Ronnie, along with other lines in my vision. I had been blindfolded for too long, it was getting dark.
She was being held back by two men, and she was in tears. Her hair disheveled from struggling. Her eyes locked onto mine.
"Love!" She screamed. "Fight! Don't let them take you away. Come on—"
A sharp blow to her stomach cut her off, and she doubled over, gasping for breath.
"Stop!" I yelled, my voice hoarse. "Leave her alone, she's just a kid!"
The man who struck her went on to grab her chin, forcing her to look up.
"Weak little thing. Crying won't bring her back, she's going to die."
My body shook with anger. If my hands were free, I would've clawed his eyes out.
I turned to my sister one last time. Our eyes met.
"Don't worry, Ronnie. Just go home." I said, fighting to keep myself strong.
I had to get out of here. I had to survive.
- Writer
