Chapter Two
1019 Words
Donna
“Donna Shavihai. The time has come for you to leave the tribe for the first time.”
This is it Donna, say something, anything.
“You will infiltrate the human society, learn their ways, learn how to exist among them but not to be seen. Do you understand all this?”
Say you don’t need to do it. Say you don’t want to leave.
I weakly bobbed my head and flitted my eyes to my father. His steely gray eyes were staring intently at me. Could he sense my reluctance? Could he see through my impassive features?
“You will gain their trust. Learn their habits. See how easy they are to fool. See how healthy they are. Do you understand?”
It’s now or never Donna.
My heart thumped ferociously against my chest. My palms had become clammy with sweat. I felt small under all their gazes. I was in the middle of the hall staring at my father’s second in command, Thomas. The rest of the council members were either standing in the shadows or plopped on the floor. During each meeting, someone from the tribe would be tasked with arranging chairs in the hall. During each meeting, only two out of eight members bothered to make use of those seats.
“Donna, I asked you a question.”
Silence, poignant silence.
“Donna, do you understand what I am saying? What the tribe needs from you?”
Silence, suffocating silence.
“Young girl, you understand who I am and the power I hold right?”
My eyes briefly averted to my father. He was leaning forward in his seat, his eyes curious.
“With all due respect Thomas, I am the leader’s daughter. That makes me more powerful than you.”
Pin-drop silence filled the hall and then one member released a high-pitched cackle, and another followed with a boisterous laugh. Soon the hall was filled with reverberating chuckles, laughter, and guffaws.
“Silence you nincompoops! You think my humiliation is a cause of amusement?”
A sudden wave of silence filled the hall and then,
“Yes!”
“Who said that? Show yourself you coward!”
As Thomas was looking for the defiant council member, I averted my attention to my father. The curiosity had vanished from his eyes. He suddenly seemed older, darker, scarier.
“…if you do not show yourself now…”
Thomas' voice blurred into the background when my father stood up and began walking towards the hall’s exit. I lowered my head and followed him. As I did, I could hear the loud thumping of my heart. I felt frail like the wind could carry me, like I could become a pool of water.
Once we were outside, he turned to face me and at that moment, I knew that no matter what I said, no matter how I felt; I was going to leave the tribe for an entire year. Will Sorokin wait for me until I return? Or would he submit to the many women who had already made advances towards him?
Oh grow up Donna, those are women and you are nothing but a teenager girl!
A tear escaped my eye , I swiftly scooped it with my finger and thrust it to the ground. So much could happen within a year. So much can be lost within a year.
But I was the daughter of a tribe leader, duty would always come first.
Jim
Something was screeching in my ear. Something loud and musical. I stretched my arm and flapped around my bedside table.
Where was that f*****g clock?
The screeching had grown louder. Was that possible? Did it have that’s setting or was it all in my head? I was touching something cold. Something metallic. Yes, that was it. Wait, was it moving? Muffled laughter emanated from somewhere above me. I growled. In one fluid moment, I sat up in my bed and yanked my little brother towards me. I wriggled my fingers in front of him before I proceeded to execute the infamous tickle monster. He released a snort of giggles at the beginning but soon after, he was begging for mercy.
“Will you ever do it again?”
“No!”
“Don’t lie to me kid!”
“Yes!”
“Yes what?”
“Yes I will do it again…now stop!”
“Wrong answer!”
“Jimmy I am going to pee!”
I scrunched my face and shoved him off the bed. He took two steps towards my door and stuck his tongue out; I had been tricked by a kid, a smart kid, but still a kid. Sighing, I pulled the covers from my bed and walked towards the mirror. I slowly brought a hand to my face and lightly touched the bruise below my left eye. I winced at the contact. Was I really going back to that f*****g hell hole? I had offered to get a job. I had locked myself in my room and refused to eat for a week. I had even written a note threatening to run away. All this had happened two years ago, in my first year of high school. I would try them again if I had any hope that they would work but I was certain they would not.
And I hated them for it.
Now, now I had to endure another painful year at Scanton High. Another year of dull classes. Another year of self-entitled pricks and thirsty chicks. I groaned as I pictured myself walking down the hall. I could already see a swarm of varsity jackets and tiny cheerleader skirts. I could see a wimpy kid get pushed inside his locker. I could see a girl run towards the washroom wailing after a breakup.
People claim that so much can happen in a year. I knew for a fact that in high school, time stands still as the same s**t happens over and over again.
Still, a part of me, a tiny portion of me hoped that somehow, this year would be different.
- Writer
