It was the hottest summer on record but it was the frost that made it hard to walk among the trees. Although she should be nervous she couldn’t feel a thing except the hunger and the thirst that screamed at her. Fasting for the past week was taking its toll on her. Her mother noticed and tried to extend out a hand. But the girl waved it away. It was her fight to follow through with just as her mother, grand mother and great grand mother had.
As they made their way deeper into the woods the sun took its final bow. The last shine of orange was replaced by complete darkness. Her father behind her lit the torch that he was carrying. Only a frost covered path was visible. The trees looked down on them as they continued to walk along the path.
With every step they took the animals began to gather. First the ravens, then the coyotes, the snakes and the spiders. They wouldn’t show themselves but the girl could feel them watching from behind the woods. They reached a point where the torch no longer produced light. Just an empty fire and the sound of the wind. They were in complete darkness now. On cue Espahan the cat jumped off of the girl’s mother’s shoulder and gave a faint meow.
Espahan the family guardian now did his duty. He led the way. With his tail in the air the Melgraad family followed. Covered in black robes and hoods they blended well into the darkness. Espahan finally came to a stop and jumped back onto the girl’s mother’s shoulder. Up ahead there was a small path. When they crossed they came to a clearing in the woods where there was once again light. The light of a full moon.
The first thing that the girl noticed was the smell of smoke and cooking. Everyone was already there waiting. The rest of the Melgraad family and their friends sat around the pyre with their food and drinks already served.
“Deneb is here!” they shouted. Then they blasted their music.
They never took anything seriously Deneb thought. Then she smiled.
Deneb remembered that day clearly. The laughing and dancing. Her initiation was the first time her father let her have a sip of witch’s brew. She laughed it off with a slight snicker as another fist came at her. It struck her in the cheek forcing her to take a step back but she tripped and fell. Her book bag landed right next to her. Her new notebook and pencils fell out and that made her laugh more.
The 4 girls looking down on her were shouting. It was just noise now. They looked like squawking birds. Deneb just kept remembering how she was just like the rest of her family. Never taking anything seriously. She knew the laughing would keep making things worse but she really couldn’t stop.
“She’s a brew addict.” One of the attacking girls said. “A freshman brew addict shouldn’t be coming to this school.”
Deneb blocked the first kick by putting her hands in front of her face. Then the rest came but she couldn’t block those. The floor was a bad place to be.
She could only think of how this was probably one of the worst ways to start off a first day of school. She really should have waited for Donna but apparently this was what happened when someone tried to just walk to school. Next time I’ll just take the bus too she thought.
She had woken this morning full of excitement. After not being able to fall asleep until about 2AM she still woke up before her alarm went off. After getting ready to go Donna still wasn’t ready and said she would take the bus. Deneb had thought walking would have calmed her excitement but instead she ran into the wrong group of girls.
A really loud shout stopped the kicking. “Hey Stop That Now! Get away from her!”
Not continuing for a moment longer the girls stopped and ran off. “It’s Theresa! Lets go!”
Deneb looked up. Donna was there running across the street. Next to her was another girl.
Donna knelt down next to Deneb. “Are you ok? What happened? Who were they?”
Deneb smiled. “I’m not sure what just happened either. I just woke up this morning and everything is already crazy.”
The other girl looked down. “I am Theresa, sorry this happened on your first day. I should have been more vigilant.” She offered her hand. Deneb took it and stood up. She brushed herself off and Donna handed back her book bag. “Nice to meet you Theresa. I’m Deneb. Freshman at Sybil Camelli High School. Looks like I’m off to a spotty start to my first day of school.”