Chapter 1
I walked on the tip of my toes, trying to be as quiet as possible. If Miss Jane, the manager of the pension where I lived discovered I had been out without her permission, especially at such an hour, she would be mad at me. She might even send me away.
I reached the back door and took out the key I had subsituted earlier. I knew Miss Jane always closed the back door by eight in the evening to open it only the next day. That made it possible for me to take the key discretely and leave. No one could think I would have the courage to do such a stupid and dangerous thing. After all, I had one leg out since I had just turned seventeen last week and by this same period next year, I will have to leave the pension.
But that was indeed one of the reasons that had pushed me to take these risks. I did these outings to search for ways of survive after I get sent away.
I do things like getting dangerous things for people. Before anyone judges me, I don't do anything really illegal. For example, today I went to Mr. Carter's farm to get a golden apple for an old sick lady. Golden apples have many medical virtues such as curing muscular pain, ameliorating vision, making bones stronger and reducing sleep problems, just to name a few. Before accepting her request, I asked her why she didn't just ask Mr. Carter to give her an apple or buy one from him if he refused to give it out for free. She told me she had tried both, but Mr. Carter didn't care about all the money she had to propose, neither did he pitty her for the pain her illness caused her. He only cared about his precious golden apple tree.
I accepted the mission. Why would I refuse to help a poor lady and make a lot of money at the same time? I was perplexed because of something though; the old lady worned me about something strange. She told me the farm was guarded by an agressive dog and... a magic charm. I laughed it off, thinking it was a joke. But she didn't flinch, she looked at me very seriously and said: "I am serious, young lady. Please, be careful." I noded, but I still didn't believe that there was any magic charm. Even though I was perplexed, I didn't argue with her. I was sure Mr. Carter had made up that lie and told it to her in order to scare her. Most old ladies do have superstitious believes. As for me, I don't believe in magic.
When I had reached the farm, I hid behind a tree. It was already dark as the night had fallen since some hours now.The farm was enclosed by a wooden barrier and I could see the cage of a dog not far from it. The dog was surely inside.
I looked around me un search of something to distract the dog. I found a piece of wood and I threw it as far as possible in the direction opposite from where I was hidden. The dog boulted out, making loud barks.
"If that furry catches me, I'm done." I murmured for myself.
I sprinted silently to barrier and quickly started climbing over it. It took me a few seconds to get inside.
I looked at the tree whose golden apples shined in the darkness of the night. I felt like I was hypnotised by the beauty and magnificence of that tree.
I shook my head, remembering I had to be fast. If I wasted time, my mission would be compromised.
The tree had around twelve fruits. During some seconds, I was tempted to take every single one of them. But I knew that would be selfish. I climbed on the tree and I took and apple and placed it in a basket that I had prapared for that purpose. Then I took another apple for myself. I was about to go down when on an impulse, I decided to take an additional apple for myself. After all, I was risking my life and two wasn't that much.
My feet touched the floor a bit noisily but I didn't stop, just held my basket tighter and adjusted my hood on my head.
I climbed on the barrier and was about to land when I heard that dog barking.
"What a curse!" I muttered, still clinging to the barrier.
The dog was direcly under me and kept barking louder every second.
I knew I had to leave before anyone heard the dog -If that wasn't already the case-and came to see what was wrong.
Without thinking more, I jumped, kicking the dog in the process. He made a shriking sound.
"Sorry..." I whispered in excuse.
I started running and the dog ran after me, still barking. Its sharp teeth closed on my dress and tore off a part of it.
I knew I would have to sew that using some other already torn dress probably...
I knew he would eventually stop running after me if I got far enough. He was trained to watch the farm and even his animal brain knew it was inapropriate to leave the farm without surveillance once more. He stopped running and barking. Looked at me with ferocity and turned back, running back to the farm. I sighed.
After that, I went to the old lady's home and gave an apple to her. She thanked me and paid me the money she owed me. She also proposed I ate and drank something before leaving. Her eyes were worried and filles with compassion and alarm. I knew it was because my clothes were torn and I was sweaty and slightly out if breathe.
I wanted to accept her proposal but I had to go back to the pension as fast as possible. Still, my stomach begged me to accept because I barely ate at the pension. My only meal today was left over bread and half fermented milk. It was questionable that that milk didn't ruin my mission and my stomach altogether.
I thanked the lady and headed back to the pension.
So, now this is where I am. Trying to enter in the place where I live, almost like a thief.
I entered and closed the door behind me. I kept a tight hold on the apples that I had hidden in a pocket of my dress. Even the old lady which I worked for tonight knows nothing about these apples I have taken for myself.
I don't think I will eat them, even though it's very tempting. I will rather sell them to someone who is ready to pay a high price for them. Or to someone on the black market... Ew, that sounds kind of illegal... Thinking well, it would be better to sell them to someone who will sell them on the black market. Like that, my name is less likely to be mixed with that of gangsters.
I placed back they key where it was, clinged to a nail in the corridor beside Miss Jane's room.
I left as silently as I had walked in. I felt less oppressed once out if that corridor. I was really lucky that Miss Jane hadn't noticed the back door key and I had been missing for a couple of hours.
* * *
I was about to enter my room to have a well deserved bath when I heard a voice halting me.
"Where are you coming from, Belva?" Asked Enyls' voice.
Enyls' was the kind of girl that was as beautiful and physically gifted as she was annoying and intrusive.
"Not your business." I answered simply.
"You know answering me like that makes me want to call Miss Jane, don't you? We would see if you still give the same answer." She said, looking at me wickedly with her clear blue eyes. "And why are you even filthier than usually?"
"I couldn't sleep so I went out for a walk and on my way back, I was followed by an enraged..." I almost said 'dog' but then some sort of common sense made me say "...animal."
It is important to stay vague, I thought.
"An enraged animal?" She repeated, doubting about the truthfulness of my words but still amused by the though of me having a savage animal running after me.
I noded,pretending to be annoyed. All I felt was fatigue... and I needed a bath.
"That's what happens when you disobey and go out at night and with no permission." She said with a grin, putting one of her blonde hair mesh behind her ear.
I couldn't help but think; 'How can she be so beautiful even though she probably just woke up?'
She concluded: "Well, I'll leave you alone for this time. But don't get used to so much mercy. It's just because nature and karma have already punished you for your undisciplinary nature."
On those words, she entered her room. I entered mine too.
I took a quick bath and went to bed. It was surely already around midnight. I wasn't asleep already, but I pretended I was when Miss Jane opened my door to verify if I was there. She does that everyday and always around midnight. Doesn't she know it's dangerous to be monotonous?
I closed my eyes harder and hummed a melody to fall asleep. Tomorrow, I would have to find clients to buy my golden apples.
