Fiction Prose- Capstone in Prose- ENG 447 ’23
Content Warning: Inappropriate Touching
Fire alive, glowing amongst the full moon rays. Smoky wisps from the farthest field in the clouds. Carrots, brussels sprouts, and beets: our food supply, gone. The adults tugging at weeds, pouring water over embers. We are at home with Maya, the eldest, an orphan like us, nuzzled in my arms. Our shivering bodies under the covers, smoke in our nostrils. Maya rubs my back. It stings from the burn, a scar on my back who knows if it will ever heal. My tears are on her shoulder. I’m clutching my favorite book in my arms.
With fear in my voice I say, “Don’t leave me.”
This happened because of them: the nobles its their fault. They dress in bright colors green, yellow, and orange demanding our taxes: food. They come every few years. The elder and villagers are always nervous around them. A few weeks ago they started gathering extra crops and goods for the upcoming visit. It’s like years past but this year is different.
They say, “Where is your crop? We require multiple sacks, and this is all you give us. Disgraceful.”
They throw the sacks, the contents spilling against the ground. We’d starve without any food, even our larder. Dakota, my twin brother, a blur darts near the nobles. He tackles one of them to the muddy ground. Their attendants rip Dakota away. Dakota thrashes nearly slapping another noble.
“To hell with you. We’re gonna die. Fuck You!” He roars.
The nobles got up clearly disgusted. Dakota was spared but the nobles were still enraged. They burnt it all down. The fire that causes many of our people to die, intense sharp pains in our bellies, and my brother’s near death. After it all, the villagers look at Dakota with scorn. A child of the villagers, a boy named Onyx, who’s a year older than us screams at Dakota. He rips Dakota’s shirt off and throws it in the river. It floats away. Dakota dashes towards Onyx. His parents grab Dakota’s shoes and fling them to the side.
“Boys like you don’t deserve shoes.” They say.
Dakota falls over onto the ground. Onyx points laughing at Dakota. Other villagers join in. The elder of Redwind and some others help Dakota up.
“What you didn’t wasn’t right. But they weren’t either.” Elder says hitting Dakota on the head.
“It’s not like you’re my dad.” Dakota shouts running away.
“Wait.”
As Onyx leaves, he waves at me and winks. He looks kind of cute with his short black hair. I blush and hide behind Maya. In a village far away, from any nearby city we live. The only outsiders are usually merchants, traders, and travelers. The moon is in its crescent wane. As kids, we run, wild and free through weedy mountains. Hilltops, perched into the clouds, sunsetting on the peaks. It’s illuminating shadow cast on the village homes below. In the forest, we chase each other. Dakota always it, following us skipping from branch to branch. Our mud-soaked feet, slowing us down. He jumps from above, hands, tagging our shoulders. We collapse into the mud. His laugh, howling, vibrating with our giggles. But our fun was interrupted by him. Onyx rolls his eyes, calling for his parents.
“They’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing.” He points in a nosy voice.
“Hey, can’t you let us have some fun.” Dakota shouts
Onyx’s parents peer at Dakota covered in mud. “What is this mess?”
They take us back to our house dragging Dakota. Onyx grins happily. He smiles at me before leaving. I squeeze Maya’s hand. His eyes are beautiful, a deep onyx like his namesake. Dakota sits on the floor pissed vowing to get back at Onyx. We went back to the forest, disobeying Onyx’s parents. We sit at the forest’s edge reading our books. My favorites being history and fantasy. Dakota’s reading a book about ninjas and Maya has one on farming. The forest our hideaway, is still alive, deer nestled in its roots. It being one of the few things still alive.
The moon is almost a half wane. We grew up in that village, now nearly teens. This year has had a good harvest. The ground may be slowly healing as we all replant it. But everything has scars, like an imprint on you.
Festivals underneath the moonlight happen every year. Torches, brimstone against noir, radiating a glow. Fire it’s beautiful yet deadly. People clapping. Maya, reaching out her hand, twirling me round, spinning round. Strings strumming, as we dance along. Petals, swirling around us. There were flowers in her hair, the ones she grew in the garden and found on the trees. Maya blushes, our hearts beating, synced to the music. A circle surrounding us mirroring the moon above. The music breaks for a moment.
“I’m going to take a break.” She says, her pink hair floating in the moonlight.
I nod waiting for the strings to start up again.
Onyx appears from the crowd. He bows, putting his hand out. “I’d like to dance with you.”
I back away. Onyx places his hand on my shoulder. The violin strums once again and people gather to begin dancing. He pulls me in and places his other hand on my back. The music starts and his hand slowly moves down my back. Our eyes meet.
“Look you have such beautiful hair and boo-” He looks down at my chest
“Oh. Ok.” I blush not sure what’s happening.
The music gets loud and Maya has disappeared into the crowd.
“You have such a pretty body. We’ll have so much fun you and I.”
“Ok.” He’s never asked me before. I’m excited. He’s such a cute guy. Maybe we can read together or draw.
Onyx grabs my hand, pulling me from the festival as the glittering lights and music fade to blackness. Slowly, he reaches towards my breasts and begins caressing me. His fingers near my buttocks.
“Please stop.” I blush.
“You are so pretty.” he exclaims.
“No stop. This isn’t right. Maya never. . .” I stammer
“Well, doll I’m not Maya. Let’s go to my place and continue.” he licks his lips peering at my neck.
I push away. “I’m going back to the festival.”
Maya help me. He crushes my wrist dragging me away.
“You will come with me. Sweet Violette.” he hisses
My vision blurs, there’s a voice it sounds like Dakota. He tackles Onyx over and takes hold of my hand.
“Are you alright?” he asks holding me.
“I think so?” I crouch, tears flowing.
“Stay away from my sister creep.” Dakota snorts
“I will not let this go unnoticed, Dakota. Just you wait.” Onyx scoffs leaving.
“I’m sorry Dakota. I couldn’t stop. . .” I black out.
The sun rose and we become teens. The moon is a half wane. Our home is filled with fields, high stalks of wheat, rounds of cabbage, and dirt-submerged potatoes. Finally, everything is healed. Cattle, sheep, and chickens graze on the slopes. We shear them for warmth, have eggs for breakfast and milk the cows for drinking. We shovel poop and dirt from the slopes and fields. Our skin is rippled in sweat as seeds are placed underneath the ground. Buckets of water turn to mud and overflow, nourishing the crops. Even though we are older, Dakota, Maya, and me pour water on our heads, spilling off our hair. Drops drip onto soaked leather tops, and sandals. Just like when we were kids, we giggle again. At the end of the day, I sit by the river. The sun’s reflection in my eye. With sketchbook in hand, I trace the landscape. My pencil weaves on paper drawing the trees in the horizon. Maya comes over sitting next to me, her hand on my shoulder.
“How are you doing?” Maya asks,
“Ok. I have nightmares about the fire and him. He he. I curl into a ball.
She rubs my back. “What did he do to you?”
“He he. . .” I stutter.
“It’s ok. It’s ok. We’ll be here for you whenever you’re ready to talk.” Maya reassures me, placing her hand in my lap.
I nod and smile.
Dakota walks over looking at my sketches. “Those look beautiful. They’re getting better every day.”
“Thanks. I can finally draw a full tree. The last ones were somewhat destroyed by the fire” I say,
The sun covers our backs, the heat fading to a cold night. We are still teens. The moon is almost full.
“Stay away from Dakota. No stop please. Maya. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Smoke and fire reflect in my eyes. Everything is burning the houses, the forest, and my family. They’re screaming. Their bodies burning alive. “Stop don’t take them. Please” I say,
The scene blurs and I’m outside at the festival. Onyx is gesturing for me to come over. My legs are heavy. I can’t move. He comes over, placing his hands all over me. His lips and face inching closer to my eyes.
“Please Stop.” I mouth but the words don’t come out.
Onyx turns to fire and the fire becomes Maya and Dakota. It blazes in front of me.
Sweat rushes down my face, a puddle on my bed. I scream loudly reaching my hand out. Maya looks over me her face shaking.
“Hey, it’s ok. We’re here.” She places her hand on my shoulder.
“It was so real. You were gone and everything burned and and he, he touc-” I sob
Dakota comes over gesturing for us to follow him. Maya helps me up and we go outside.
We snuck onto the roof like we’d done before. Our backs against hay, pieces in our clothes. Our hair sways in the wind. Dakota, Maya, and me speaking our dreams to the sky. The moon, the only one watching and listening. It is here when Maya sings her sweet lullaby. When Dakota wishes to travel the world, and my hands sketch the glowing stars on paper. They reflect in our eyes, as though waiting for the future.
Dakota breaks the silence. “When I travel, I’m going to find out about our parents. I want to know what happened. Maybe we can be a family again.”
“That sounds like fun. Maybe I can be apart of it.” Maya say.
He and Maya giggle. I do wonder what he’s thinking. Dakota dozes off. Dakota snores.
“Maya, do you know what happened with Onyx?” I ask
“Not really. Does it have to deal with the festival? Because on that night Dakota said you
got tired, and he carried you home.”
“Well. . ., It was the festival. Onyx asked me to dance. It was innocent enough. I thought I liked him. But it was different than with you. He said he wanted to have fun. I assumed it was reading but. . .I was scared. I was afraid. He touched me.”
Maya reaches out her hands and grabs me in a tight hug.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t be there. I’m sorry.” Maya sobs her tears falling on my shoulder.
I don’t say anything. Even though Dakota helped, he’s never mentioned it since. I’ll tell Maya with him. But for now her words, her embrace are enough for me. She falls asleep in my lap. I raise my hand grabbing the moon with my fist. We are almost adults when it happens. The moon is in a full wane when they come with my biological mother, dressed in suits, and fine clothes of silk.
My mother says, “You’re a noble.” I was a noble, but my brother.
She says, “You are biologically mine and I want you home. If it weren’t for your father, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Your father was supposed to marry me, but he fell in love with another. His foolishness got both of us pregnant. You were both abandoned in this village. You must return home. Come now. It was that boy who tipped me off. I’m so glad I did. I’m desperate.”
I don’t bother fighting back I know the power my mother holds. The fire and screams ringing in my head. Then it hits me, Onyx. It was him. He was the one who tipped her off. But why him, what would he know. His parents. Them. But why, it’s because I didn’t give what he wanted. He’d assumed I liked him when I didn’t really get it.
It’s because of him I am taken to a carriage drawn by horses. I ride away in one made of gold. The window, a reflection of mountain forests, rolling by. I reach out for the landscape speeding past. Maya and Dakota chase me like tag in the mountains. Dakota’s hand, floats away, his body slumps to the ground. My brother. Maya, my love. Her voice slices the glass, a wail pierces ears. Endless tears dot the road, soaking their faces. The wheels of the carriage swirl round and bump high against the cobble dirt road.
As the village dissipates, forming specks in my eyeline, Mother says, “Nobles don’t associate with the likes of them. You best forget about that place and those people since your marriage to a prince is confirmed and you will produce me an heir.”
Me married to a prince. Not again. Onyx. No. It’s his fault. I don’t know the person and what about Maya. No I refuse because of my family. Our home: where the fire decimated our fields, we splashed in the river, and sneaked to the hill tops. That forest with deer prancing. Birds chirping in the forest. Green leaves on branches became yellow orange, flying to the floor. Dead, breakable, branches, became pink petals, blooming every spring. One of Maya’s favorite flowers. The four seasons in that forest in Redwind village. Tears soak my skin, flood against my face. I’d never be home again. I would be forever alone. Never able to caress Maya or feel her touch. Forced into something I didn’t want. Like with Onyx.
Mother says, “We’re here.”
I am hundreds of miles from home. A large 60 room estate with three floors, and ornate fixtures, stood before me. When the home, I know has a loft, a main room and two floors.
The estate, she says “, It’s your new home.”
I solemnly enter the building. I’m directed to my room where I’m alone. I notice from my window all the maids, butlers, and chauffeurs watching my every move. Our home in contrast where we did everything ourselves running wild and free. I can’t stay here. I can’t marry that prince. I can’t produce a baby. I can’t be tethered down
The moon is covered by the clouds, its glow faded away. I’m a young adult now. It’s the night before my wedding to that prince.
“Violette. You’ll look so pretty tomorrow with your long hair. Oh I wish mine was like that.” My maid says brushing my hair.
“It’s best you get to bed early miss. Tomorrow’s a big day. You must be excited.” She says placing the brush down and gesturing to my bed.
“Yeah, I suppose so Leona. can’t believe its real.” I sigh getting into bed.
“Well, good night. Miss.” She replies closing the door to my room.
The door slams shut. I wait a few minutes. There’s no sound coming from the hallway and the candles are blown out. I grab the sack I packed days ago and go into the bathroom. The scissors I stole are sitting on the table underneath a mirror. I grab the scissors shearing my long hair. It’s pieces falling to the floor. The sole window in the bathroom is open, a wind blowing the curtains. I change from my nightclothes pulling a beige hood over my head.
With my sack draped across my shoulder, I sit in the window peering at the empty sky.
“Goodbye, Leona. I’m sorry but I must find my family.”
I breathe, the rustling leaves, footsteps of body guards, and horses neighing in my ear.
It’s time. I push off the window, soaring into the sky, my legs pushing forward. I go to the nearby tree jumping from branch to branch and tree to tree like tag. The gate is near, the servants entrance in view. There’s no one in sight. My plan is working. I sprint past the gate holding my hood over my face. My horse Maya waits at the stables on the edge of the lot. I sneak inside getting on her.
“Go.” I say.
She neighs loudly pushing her hooves in the ground. Maya gallops and we disappear into the moonlight. Maya and Dakota are waiting for me. I will search for them no matter what it takes. No matter how long it takes. Dakota, brother, I’m coming. Maya my love, wait just a little longer. I’ve waited years for this moment. I will return and get Onyx back.