The Ashen Wrath (Watty's SHORTLIST recipient 2018) CHAPTERED VERSION

*48

I managed to fall asleep, but not for long. It was just before dawn when I shot upright from the sound of my grandfather shouting. I burst from my partition and saw a bent, black arm pulling him out of the tent by his ankle.

"Granddad!" I yelled.

Granddad gripped the floor and looked up at me, gritting his teeth. "Be smart, boy! Get back in your partition!" he blurted before the stilt strider pulled him away with one sharp tug. I fought every urge to rush to him, but I would be no good to anyone if they took me as well.

I curled up in my partition and bit my hand to keep from screaming. I listened to the stilt strider clomp away and the world went quiet again.

Moments later, the trill sounded for an Interaction Period. I left the tent in a daze, watching people rush by me excitedly. When I reached the middle of the zone, I saw my granddad clamped to a steel rack stop the platform that normally held the Recreation Tent. A stilt strider was stationed beside him with three red lines blazing across its black face: the symbol for the Rake. I fell to my knees.

Someone shoved me the rest of the way to the ground. Looking up from the mud, I saw Marta standing over me. "You were supposed to protect him!" she cried, before kicking me in the side.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered. "I don't...I don't know what happened." I honestly didn't. Granddad had made his last quota, and they wouldn't be punishing him for my crimes.

Marta knelt beside me. She picked me up to my knees and hugged me, breaking into tears.

Granddad lifted his head. "Be strong, children!" he rasped. A deep tone blared, warning him to be quiet.

Marta and I rose up and stood tall. We moved closer, feigning strength, not wanting to let our grandfather down.