Marital Law Read online

  “Thank God, he made it back to the village,” said Colin. “And good, I’d rather not have to go out in the middle of night trying to find him ever again.”

  Jeremiah smiled and wrapped Colin in his massive arms.

  “Aw! Easy, that thing decided to use me as its personal spear.”

  Pulling back, Jeremiah inspected Colin’s arm. “It looks broken.”

  “Of that, I’ve no doubt. But it prevented my skull from looking like a cracked egg. Can we go home, father? I’d really like to see Brian, and I probably should have the ladies at the end of camp set this,” Colin said, pointing with his good hand to his fractured one.

  “Certainly,” Jeremiah said, gently patting Colin on the shoulder. “But when we get back, we need to talk about your going out alone.”

  “No need, father. I know I failed to follow the rules.

  Chapter 4

  When my time finally came, I exited the front door of my small home with nothing but my knife, my spear, and enough food to last for a day. I was required to sleep on the ground and eat whatever I managed to spear or gather from the land.

  As I made it to the makeshift concrete cinderblock steps, I turned and waved back at my younger sister, Adeline. Tears were frowned upon from the time you made it to the ceremonial rites of passage and everyday forward. Even though I managed to hold mine back, I hated leaving my baby sister. We were almost inseparable, and I dreaded the day when Adeline would have to go out alone. I feared I might never be able to leave her side.

  Forcing my feet forward, I turned and made my way towards the forest. I reached the edge of our property line, where I was met by my mother and father. My mother was pulling weeds from the garden. Wayne, my father, removing corn from numerous stalks he’d taken from the fields earlier that morning. They both stopped what they were doing and came over to speak with me.

  Fighting back more emotions than my young body knew what to do with, I clutched my spear tightly in both hands. “I skinned the possum I caught yesterday for you guys to eat tonight, mother. There are a couple of squirrels, skinned and wrapped in burlap, submerged underneath an old tire over in Jenkins Creek. Should be enough to keep you until I get back.”

  Moving closer to me, my mother said, “Don't you worry about us, we'll be fine. Just remember what I taught you. Your prisoner doesn't have to be turned over to the monitors unharmed. If you must, wound them—maim them if necessary. And no matter what, don't let them take you. I've heard some horrific stories of their torture methods. It is better to die than be subjected to such madness. And remember to keep calm. Don't allow your condition to affect what must be done.”

  It wasn’t lost on me that my mother hadn’t suggested I kill my future captive. In yesterday’s private meeting with Lucius, a member of MOM’s royal entourage, he told me not to bother with bringing in a living prisoner, just a dead body.

  The condition to which my mother had referred was my asthma, something I was ashamed of and considered a sign of weakness. I didn’t like to even hear the word and shot her a look for bringing it up.

  Before I turned to leave, I heard my father yell, “Be careful, baby. We love you.”

  Words weren't my friend. The fear of what I might face, and the angst of leaving my family was too much for me. I nodded my head and advanced towards the edge of the property. Wrapping my hand around the necklace Lucius had given me, I did my best to draw strength from it.

  Tears formed in my eyes and I hated both them and myself for allowing them access. I bit hard down on my tongue, giving myself a real reason for the moment of weakness. Females weren't forbidden to cry, but it was certainly looked down upon in Providence.

  At five feet two I was considered average height, but my weight was a different story. I was a small girl with smooth blond hair, blue eyes, and tiny freckles all over my face. I knew people joked about my tiny arms, comparing them to three pencils stacked on top of each other, but none of them dared say such things to my face. I was feisty, never one to allow others a joke at my expense. Such could possibly be considered a sign of weakness, and I was anything but.

  Features aside, it was said that my heart was my strongest point. I was a giver, regularly sharing a meal or any of my belongings with others. It was a struggle to maintain a balance between being nice and not appearing weak. I sometimes felt my heart was my own worst enemy, willing to betray me the first chance it got.

  Life in Providence South was great for me, because my days were ordered and structured: In the woods from four in the morning until noon on our normal hunting days—Monday through Wednesday—work the fields until sundown, and personal time thereafter.

  During non-hunt days, our mornings were spent honing our weapons, preparing for our next kill. Sundays were spent at the Chapel, learning about Mother Nature, the sciences, math, and reading.

  The only time I had ever strayed from Munford Law was by listening to my mother's stories about the old days, and that had ended after Ellen had been taken. Even when I disagreed with some of the stringent rules and regulations imposed by MOM, I did my best to abide.

  As I entered the town, I was greeted by a group of younger kids chanting my name. Everyone knew what I was doing, where I was heading. The little ones were cheering me on, throwing words of encouragement my way. The sight reminded me of the numerous times I'd waited in town for the young fifteen-year-old girls to step out into their own destinies.

  It seemed like a lifetime ago when my cousin, Ellen, had made this same journey. But I still remembered it like it was yesterday. Ellen's weapon of choice had always been the sword. She, unlike me, had large biceps and arms that looked more like legs. And she used them to her advantage. She twirled her sword around like it was a mere walking stick. She could hurl it through the air and kill a bird in midflight. She was one of only a handful of women who used the sword as her weapon of choice.

  Ellen was basically my hero, and when she’d headed out of town I just knew she would break the record for fastest time capturing a dweller and making it back home. But to everyone's surprise, Ellen didn't return after the customary three days were up, and it wasn't until a month later that they found her lying unconscious on the outskirts of town.

  It was one thing to claim not to remember anything about her hiatus from Providence, but refusing to ever go back was downright insanity. This automatically disqualified Ellen from ever becoming a full woman, from being able to marry and have a baby girl of her own to carry on the family name.

  I was devastated for Ellen, regularly praying that she would remember what had happened and venture back out into the forest in order to claim what was rightfully hers: her womanhood.

  Ellen changed after coming back from the forest. She became more vocal about the strictness of Munford Law, making it known to all her desire to return to the old ways.

  I knew it was only a matter of time before the monitors came after her, and I’d even tried to warn her on occasion. But Ellen didn't seem to care about getting caught and cared even less about what others were saying about her. It was almost as if she'd given up on life and wanted to be taken away.

  Over the years I often thought about Ellen and her failings in the forest. It was motivation for me to train harder, to learn more. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t worry—didn’t fear what I might have to face.

  ****

  Senses heightened, spear raised for attack, I stepped into the forest proper. Dusk was just setting in, the sun on its final descent. Shadows crept along the innermost parts of the forest, a fearful reminder that I wasn't in Providence anymore. It was like an old house infested with roaches: once the lights went out, they all came out to play. I prayed the shadows would scatter the same way the nasty insects did when someone walked into their midst.

  A mile or so into the forest, I looked on as the area all around me suddenly lit up with blinding light. Having never actually seen a working spot light before, the sight stunned me. Shielding my eyes, I did my best to scan m
y surroundings. It took a few seconds for the black spots in my eyes to clear, and shortly after they did, the lights abruptly went dark.

  Looking around a little bewildered, I found it surprising that any sign of light left in the sky had subsided as well. I was left with nothing but my keen sense of direction and my hunter prowess to guide me.

  Loosening my grip on the spear, I went over in my head everything I’d learned over the course of my short life. When the eyes fail you, turn to your ears. My mother's words replayed inside my head.

  The gentle sway of the trees would’ve distracted most people, but not me. I’d trained myself to look past nature’s normal occurrences and focus in on the abnormal, the out of place. It was a skill not all in Providence had mastered, but a select few were able to clear their minds of everything else and zoom in on the target.

  The shadows I’d seen earlier were nowhere in sight now and the only sound was that of an occasional bird taking flight. I expected to hear a squirrel or some other wild animal out in the forest, but it was almost as if they too were afraid of the forest dwellers, as if they had picked up and moved elsewhere.

  My training demanded I never fear the enemy, but all the stories about the people in these very forests, and the things they were said to do to the citizens of Providence in their capture, made it near impossible. My heart felt like it was about to shoot right out of my chest. I sent up a silent prayer, hoping someone was listening.

  Methodically, I practiced the breathing exercises I’d learned over the years, praying my asthma wouldn’t come upon me at such an inopportune time.

  Venturing deeper, I was surprised and a tad disappointed that I hadn’t seen anyone, or anything for that matter. The light that had flooded the forest earlier had left me on such high alert my shoulders ached, and my head hurt. Someone had to have turned them on. They know you’re coming for them, Sidnie. Stay alert, stay alive.

  Dusk began to settle into the forest, telling me that I would have to stop soon and setup camp for the night. This didn’t require much effort, other than pulling out my blanket and finding a good vantage point to keep an eye out for any dwellers on patrol.

  I slept fitfully that first night in the forest. I kept thinking I was hearing the rustling of little feet, and after seeing some of the scourgers rummaging through the trash when I was just a child, I wasn't about to let them sneak up on me.

  Those scourgers were nasty little creatures and were known for their love of food, especially meat. I'd once seen them ravaging the carcass of a dead goat near the outskirts of town. It was a disgusting sight. Three of them had joined for the feast and I still don't understand where their bodies managed to hold all that food. It took them thirty or so minutes, but by the time they were done bones were the only thing that remained.

  Jumping upright, I scanned the area. Nothing was amiss. Nothing moved other than the wind rustling a leaf or two. I was exhausted, but my mind wouldn't allow me rest. There was too much going on up there.

  Here I was in the forest, in the land of our enemy. They could be watching me right now. If they caught me while resting, I'd be defenseless. Knowing I couldn't continue without sleep, I decided to take short naps, hoping it would at least keep me wary enough for any dwellers out on patrol, and still give me enough rest to continue my mission.

  Getting up before dawn was nothing new to me, but ten, fifteen-minute intervals had to be the worst method of sleeping I'd ever experienced. My mind adjusted to it easily enough, but my body didn’t like it one bit.

  I did a few stretches before heading deeper into the forest. My back was stiff as a board and when I popped my neck it made a cracking sound similar to a heavy branch breaking free of its tree.

  Way to go, Sidnie. If they didn't know you were here, they do now.

  Cautiously, I advanced. It was nice out today. The sun was beginning to break through the trees, its warmth welcoming. I closed my eyes and threw my head back, taking it all in. I could feel some of the tension leave my body, and for this I was thankful.

  Placing my spear horizontally out in front of my body, arms fully extended, I proceeded to raise it above my head and behind my neck. For the next thirty or so minutes I repeated this effort, steadily moving forward as I did so.

  My mind was everywhere: the forest, my family, the scourgers, and most of all making the dwellers pay for attacking MOM and the Capitol. I believed I would do what the monitors had failed to do: bring the persons responsible for this treasonous act to justice. My confidence gained with each step, each fantasy of capturing the dwellers and handing them over to MOM.

  The sounds of children laughing grabbed my attention, ripping me from my fantasy. Hunching over, I maneuvered my way through the underbrush, over to where the noise was coming from.

  Pushing back a few limbs, I spied an older girl and two smaller ones gathering tree limbs. They had amassed quite a few large piles and stacked them on the back of a blanket tied over two poles. The girl in charge appeared fourteen, maybe fifteen. The children no more than six, maybe seven.

  The next few minutes of my time were spent scanning the area, searching for more of them. They appeared to be alone. Thinking this was my chance, I clamped down on my spear and slowly came out from behind the cover of the trees.

  It was obvious that the older one had spotted me first because she quickly ran over, grabbed a long sword, and yelled for the young girls to get behind her.

  Smiling, I moved closer. The girl abruptly dropped her sword, scooped up the two small children, and took off.

  “Great, now I have to go traipsing off into the unknown after you,” I said as I cinched down the pack on my back and gave chase.

  The girl could move, and her two passengers didn't seem to slow her down in the least. Just when I thought I had them, the girl started zigzagging east to west, ducking behind large trees that obstructed my view. Before I knew it, they were gone. I sprinted ten to fifteen paces in each direction, but still failed to find them.

  They had managed to escape and I was livid with myself for allowing it.

  Chapter 5

  “Ughhhhhhhhh! Ughhhhhhhhh!”

  Throwing my spear into the nearest tree, I smacked myself against the side of the head. “Stupid, Sidnie! You let them get away!”

  Realizing I'd just declared my position to the entire forest, I quickly ran over and grabbed my spear and dropped to the ground. I spent the next few minutes listening, ensuring the dwellers weren't sending their forces in to cart me away.

  Nothing. Satisfied, I crept through the forest, more alert, more aware than ever before.

  The sound of a twig snapping behind me caused me to spin around and raise my spear to attack. A large squirrel, maybe the largest I’d ever seen, stopped about ten feet from me. I was wondering where all you critters had disappeared to.

  Surprisingly, the creature didn’t scurry off into the tree line as most were known to do. It sat up on its rear legs and appeared to eye me. Evidently, not all the animals are scared of dwellers.

  A hunter’s initial instinct is to make any animal their next meal, but something prevented me from sending my spear into the heart of the rather chunky little guy.

  Slowly, I turned back around and advanced deeper into the darkness. You have got to be out of your mind, girl. You have no idea what is lying in wait inside this crazy place. Turn around and get out of here. Run!

  Biting down hard on my tongue, I forced the thoughts aside. “I will not leave here without a prisoner for the monitors!” I said softly through gritted teeth.

  Glancing back over my shoulder ever so often, I noticed that the squirrel was following me. I tried to shoo it away, worrying the fat animal might alert the dwellers of my presence. But my efforts were futile, as the creature simply refused to leave.

  With so much of my attention focused on my new furry, uninvited friend, I failed to notice the presence of someone else in the forest around me.

  As soon as I turned my head back toward the east
, I was hit in the side by someone or something big, and heavy. Thrown to the ground and temporarily dazed, I struggled to get my bearings. My breathing tried to betray me, but I managed to hold it at bay.

  The asthma wasn't the easiest thing to manage, and at times, it had gotten the best of me. Fortunately, none of those times were a matter of life and death. Although, I had missed the mark with my spear while trying to take down a large 8-point buck one evening, thanks to my ailment.

  Before I made it back onto my feet, I began a frantic search for my attacker. I didn't see anything or anyone, but my senses told me that I wasn't alone, that danger lurked.

  Back onto my feet, I held my spear in one hand and my knife in the other. I had made a near fatal mistake in allowing the squirrel to pull my mind away from the life and death fight at hand—never again.

  Movement to my left, and then to my right—there appeared to be more than one. I made a complete circle, slowly advancing forward as I did so. Calming my racing heart, I forced all fear and doubt from my mind. This was what I trained for, one of the necessary steps to becoming a woman. And I wouldn't back down. I would succeed or die trying.

  The sound of a spear flying was something I recognized almost immediately. I quickly dropped to the ground and watched as the weapon rammed into the center of a tree directly behind me. If I had not ducked, it would've hit me center mass—a crushing, fatal blow, to say the least.

  Jumping back onto my feet, I sprinted towards the direction whence the spear had come. I thought I heard laughter, and it was coming from more than just one source—sounded like, like two boys. Can’t be!

  Just as I’d been trained, I slowly closed the gap between myself and the laughing hyenas, intent on sending the tip of my spear into their throats. Coming into a clearing in the forest, I noticed what appeared to be a small fort a few feet ahead of me. The laughing emanated from that location.

  The structure was really nothing more than a bunch of small trees lashed together on top of each other, with a twelve-inch opening in the top center. It was covered with leaves and vegetation and I couldn’t help but admire their cover and concealment.