It was a warm morning that bloomed in Eldin, a small village at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Children played at the outskirts of the village, the elders sat in their seats having seen enough to last a lifetime. I was on my way to my aunt, Mary's, house to fetch some medicinal herbs for my mother. Word spread like wildfire that my mother is suffering a heavy fever. As I passed by the Yolerns home, Willis, one of the elders, had asked me how my mother was doing. I simply responded with, "she is doing better."
I fear that I will lose my mother just as I lost my father. My mother has been in the doctor's hut for a week. And I've been tending to our hut while mother was gone, I just know she would be proud of how well I've taken care of our home.
Before I knew it I was already at aunt Mary's hut. My aunt quickly exited her hut, the fabric wriggling as though it were angry.
"Oh my! Oh my, you poor thing! My niece will soon be an orphan!"She yelled. I wasn't surprised at her outburst as she was known for her dramatics.
Orphan. All I could think of was the word orphan. I don't want to be alone. I couldn't even respond, it was as though I was paralyzed. My aunt realized the gravity of what she said and quickly apologized. She handed me the medicinal herbs, and she kept apologizing.
Before she could apologize once more, I jogged to the doctor's hut and lightly opened the curtain to the hut.
"Doctor Bovkin?" I called out as I took a step into the hut. The hut was spacious, as he was the only doctor around and needed space for his patients.
"Ah! I'm over here."He replied as he waved me over to the corner of the hut, where a wooden table stood.
Doctor Bovkin was a short and stubby man with a bald head that almost glistened under the sun. He was grinding herbs in a bowl, most likely for my mother as she was the only patient he had at the moment.
"You've got the herbs I requested?" he asked as he sprinkled in some cloves, the crunch irritating me as he stuck his hand out for the herbs.
I gently placed the herbs in his hand and turned to my mother. She laid in the cot looking almost lifeless. Her face was almost as pale as the clouds as sweat gathered on her forehead.
Seeing that my mother was asleep I quietly left the doctor to himself. I began to walk aimlessly through the village and caught a glimpse of the tree my father and I planted when I was only two summers.
I sighed deeply as I sat at the bottom of the tree. I watched as Sabinu and Pemeni, my closest friends, approached me.
"Hey, Anne... we saw you leave the doctor's hut. How is your mother?"Sabinu asked and they sat beside me.
"She's getting better. She'll be up and walking around in no time!"I answered. I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince them or myself.
"How about we play truth or dare?" Pemeni asked as she moved to sit in front of me.
I knew she was trying to distract me, and I appreciated it. I watched Sabinu perk up and happily agree. She turned towards me and raised a brow. A smile began to form on my lips. Truth or Dare was a game we weren't allowed to play in Eldin, ever since a young girl, Oophga, was dared to enter the Forbidden Forest and never returned.
"Ok-ok, Sabinu. Truth or Dare?"Pemeni started.
"Truth. You scare me with your dares, last time I chose Dare you made me kiss Cedus on the cheek!"Sabinu answered, horror laced in her tone.
"That was to get you out there! You're nearly twenty summers and haven't liked anyone! At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to find that you prefer women. So, tell me why you have no interest in the men of Eldin." Pabinu stated.
