Awakening Earth and Fire: Earth and Fire Trilogy Book 1

by Jacqueline Edie

  I turned onto the familiar pebble path leading to my house. Tomorrow I would be leaving behind all the stares. The angered looks. The whispers behind my back.

  But I wouldn’t leave the guilt I felt behind. That would never leave me.

  ✽✽✽

  On the morning of my seventeenth birthday, I woke up in my bed as if it were any other day. Tossing the frayed, hand-sewn quilt off me, I swung my bare feet onto the cold wooden floor. The weather was changing, the mornings now becoming icy. The harvest season would be ending shortly and the transition to increased gathering of lumber to warm everyone’s homes through the long frosty winter would soon begin.

  Pots and pans clanged in the kitchen. My mother. Making a special birthday breakfast for me. Normally for birthdays, it was the dinner that’s special. Family members gathering together after a long day to sing and laugh. And afterwards enjoy the best part, the cake.

  This year the cake would be served with breakfast. At dinner that night, there would be only three people at the table. My wooden chair would sit empty, my utensils untouched, my plate devoid of food, all remaining in the cabinet.

  After showering, I slipped into a dress, the same shade of green as my name, then laced up my scuffed brown boots. I had several pairs of light pants and long-sleeved shirts for field work, one long black dress for funerals and other somber occasions, and this green dress for special occasions. And though I wore the green dress today, for some reason, I felt the black one might have been more appropriate.

  I stared at my reflection in the oval bathroom mirror for a moment. My dark brown hair fell past my shoulders, the longest curls reaching down to my mid-back. Normally I wore it tied up when working in the fields, but today I left the bottom layers down, the top twisted into a soft knot and pinned in place. The dress hung loosely on my slender body, even though it was already several years old. Bright green eyes stared back, the same eyes as my mother.

  But today there was a hint of worry in them that I couldn’t hide. Not wanting to look anymore, I picked up my warm wool sweater and brown leather bag and left the room.

  “Happy Birthday!”

  Standing there in the kitchen, my parents and Mason smiled at me. The smiles didn’t reach their eyes. I knew mine didn’t either.

  “Thanks,” I replied, forcing a cheerful voice as I gazed around at the plates piled high with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and fried potatoes, along with spiced sausage and charred tomatoes. In the center of the table stood a cake covered with creamy white frosting and topped with plump strawberries. I knew it was a spice cake, my favorite. My stomach growled as I was assaulted by all the delicious smells.

  “Mom, you didn’t have to go through all of this trouble. You probably used up a week’s ration of meat just on this one meal,” I protested, staring at the pile of sausage and bacon still sizzling in the pan.

  “Of course I do,” she replied, smile still in place. “This is a special occasion. We’re celebrating your birthday. This might be the last time we...”

  Her voice faded and I could see the carefully erected smile slowly fall from her face. She turned her back to me as she finished cooking. The dread I’d been feeling earlier returned full force, taking away my appetite.

  “Laurel?” My father stared at her back, but she just gave a quick shake of head, tossing another piece of crackling bacon. Feeling the tension in the air, he turned back to me, and, forcing a laugh, said, “I don’t know about the three of you, but I say we start with the cake. Sage?”

  I managed a weak smile as he clasped a warm hand against my shoulder. “Sounds good to me.”

  Chapter 5

  Three hours later, we made our way to the center of town. The wind whipped towards us, ripping some of the golden leaves from the trees. In just the past few days the heat of summer had vanished, giving way to a perpetual chill in the air. Instantly I was glad for the scarf and matching white knit hat my mother made me currently tucked in my bag.

  Rowan and Ivy had already arrived. They were standing with their families in front of the Meeting Hall, saying their good byes. As we approached, I looked towards the path that I would soon be leaving on for the first time. The brown dirt trail curved through the yellowing field grass, growing smaller and smaller in the distance until it was barely discernable, entering the looming trees of the forest. The sky above us was clear blue, a few clouds dotting it with wisps of white. I felt bad for those who would turn seventeen and have to leave for the Training three months from now, making the journey through the snow and bitter cold. I shivered at the thought of it.

  Suddenly a hand pressed against my shoulder. My mother.

  “Sage, can I talk to you for a moment?”

  Surprised, I nodded. Taking my arm gently, she led me away from the group, just around to the other side of the Meeting Hall which was currently deserted.

  “We only have a few minutes, or they’ll grow suspicious.” Her eyes darted to the right, then left, but there was no one within earshot. “There is something I want to give you before you leave,” she continued quickly. “It is important that you never misplace it. Understand?”

  I nodded again, but hesitantly this time, starting to grow nervous. There was something different about the way she was acting. Her eyes seemed slightly unfocused, her voice a bit deeper than her normal tone.

  Taking my hand in her own, she turned it over. A moment later something made of cold metal dropped into my palm.

  A small silver ring, a stone of dark onyx embedded at the center with elaborate twists of metal circling around it, sat there.

  “This ring has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. It is an heirloom--something that needs to be treasured. And now I pass it to you, my daughter.”

  I slowly moved the ring between my fingers, feeling its shape, watching as the bright sunlight bounced off its shiny surface.

  “There is one thing you must know, Sage. No one else can see this ring. Always keep it on you but hidden in some way. In your pocket, in your satchel, it doesn’t matter. Just don’t let anyone else see it. Not until absolutely necessary. Not until the time comes. If the time comes.” Again, I noticed that odd hazy look in her eyes.

  It was those last few words that confused me more than anything. “What do you mean ‘if’ the time comes?”

  “I can’t tell you anymore.” There was still something off with her voice. “It is treason to have shared the things with you that I already have. You will realize what the words mean when it begins. I truly hope the time won’t come, but I need you to be safe. And this is the only way I have to try and ensure it.”

  “Mom, I don’t understand what you mean. Why are you telling me this?” I asked desperately, my voice cracking.

  “Sage, I can’t say anything else. Just promise me you’ll remember and do what I told you.”

  I stood there, staring at her, unable to comprehend what was happening.

  “Sage, promise me!” she cried, a touch of desperation entering that odd, deep voice.

  I forced my lips open and spoke the words. “Yes, I promise.” I had no idea what I was promising, but would do what she instructed me to.

  Nodding once, she pushed back a few stray curls the wind had caught.

  “You’re special Sage. You are strong and brave and that is the reason I am giving this ring to you now.” Turning, she gazed around the corner of the building, peering towards those still waiting in front. “Your father and brother will begin to wonder where we’ve gone. Hide the ring in your satchel for now.”

  I slipped the ring into the side pocket of my bag, then fastened the silver clasp in place. As soon as I did and looked back up, the haziness seemed to fade from my mother’s eyes. Blinking several times, she put her arm around my shoulders in a comforting manner and guided me back out to where my father and Mason still stood.

  For several long moments no one moved or talked. Finally, I broke the uncomfortable silence.

  “Well, I gues
s this is it.”

  My father quickly leaned in, giving me a tight squeeze. “Good luck Sage. I love you,” he said, voice cracking with the words and as soon as he released me, he quickly turned, wiping a hand across his face. as he moved a few steps away.

  Mason stared at our father’s back for a moment before returning his gaze to mine, struggling not to show any emotion. His eyes faced downward as he scraped the ground with the toe of his boot. “Bye Sage,” he said slowly. Stepping forward, I wrapped my arms around him. He gripped me back tightly, the side of his cheek pressing against my temple, and suddenly, I didn’t want to let go. My eyes filled with tears. What if I didn’t return? I was going to miss watching him grow up. Squeezing him for a few more seconds, a single tear overflowed as I felt him press a kiss against the top of my head. We let go and I looked up into his face, giving him a watery smile.

  Then I turned to face my mother.

  She stood there, just staring at me. I couldn’t understand the expression on her face. It wasn’t a look of sadness. More of trepidation. Slowly she walked over and wrapped her arms around me. “Everything will be fine,” she whispered into my ear, hugging me tightly. “Be brave these next few months, Sage. Be brave, follow the instructions they give you, don’t ask questions, and you will be fine.”

  She leaned in even closer then. “Keep the ring safe. You will need it. When the time comes, it will show you the way.” And suddenly, there it was again. That deep, hollow voice.

  I frowned, about to say something, but she pulled back from me then, blinking as she brushed a hand against my cheek tenderly.

  Rowan and Ivy moved to approach the beginning of the path. I turned back to look at each of my family members one last time. Emotion hit hard and I felt a lump rise in my throat. They stared at me, my mother raising her hand in a sad wave. Slowly I turned from them and faced the grassy field and the dark forest in the distance, then took a step forward onto the dirt path carving its way through them.

  And didn’t look back again.

  Chapter 6

  We’d been walking along the path for a good twenty minutes when we finally reached the outer edge of the forest. Anticipation bubbled inside me, tinged with nervous excitement. After wondering for so long, I would finally find out where it all led. I’d finally get some answers. But as much as I tried to focus on the present, I couldn’t keep the onslaught of memories at bay.

  Memories of the time four years ago I’d almost come down this path, almost tried to enter the line of trees now rising in front of me.

  I should have known not to risk it. I knew what happened to those that broke the laws. Though I’d never seen it firsthand, there were instances where someone from Earth Society ignored the decrees that bound us and committed some sort of crime. But there was no public reprimand or punishment. The individual would just simply…disappear. One day here and the next gone. No one knew where they went, but we never heard or saw them again.

  That knowledge alone should have deterred me from rebelling. But it didn’t.

  Rowan’s voice broke through my thoughts, quickly bring me back to the present. I shook my head and gazed up at the towering wall of bark and leaves.

  “I guess this is it,” he said, forcing a light tone. “No going back now.” Turning, he shot me that familiar lopsided grin. It was just enough to coax a small smile from my somber lips.

  You have to appreciate the kind of person Rowan is. Trying to make me feel better while I knew he was just as anxious himself. All this time, he was the only person in Earth Society who remained by my side. We had always been sort of friends growing up. But four years ago, that changed. Four years ago, everyone else, besides my immediate family members, wanted nothing to do with me. Avoided me at all costs. But not Rowan. Rowan did the opposite. He became my rock to lean on. And I needed that, more than he ever knew.

  I caught Ivy glancing in my direction, her face wary. Turning quickly, just as my eyes found hers, she shook her short, dark hair, brushing back heavy bangs. She didn’t bother to conceal the obvious discomfort she felt being around me.

  And yet, there was a reason for it. A reason for they way they all acted towards me.

  I am the only person in Earth Society who rebelled and came so close to that fate of disappearing but avoided it. Four long years ago already, but that phase of rebellion left a stigma, one that has continued to follow me. Constantly.

  As we entered the dense woods, the temperature instantly dropped, tall trees blocking most of the sun’s rays. Their branches were laden with yellowing leaves. Already many of them covered the ground, slick beneath our feet in the moist soil. The overwhelming smell of autumn permeated the air. A cool breeze rustled the air and leaves flew down as they were yanked from the branches above us. The muffled caw of a blackbird echoed through the air. A bush nearby shifted, its tangled branches enclosing whatever creatures hid within.

  Taking a deep breath, I focused on the path lying ahead and hugged my wool sweater closer as we continued on.

  ✽✽✽

  After another hour of trudging through the forest in silence, I started to notice changes. The area became more mountainous, the dirt path growing rocky as it wound up higher and higher, gradually gaining elevation. More evergreen and spruce trees now mixed in with the normal oaks and maples I was used to. Even the air was somehow crisper, the scent of pine beginning to fill it.

  Just as I was about to suggest we take a short break, my breaths now coming out in huffing gasps and my feet aching, a clearing appeared ahead of us. The path opened into a wide expanse of brown dirt and dead grass. And lying in the very center, spanning at least six feet in either direction, flat against the ground, was a solid slab of metal, a hairline crack dividing it right through the very center.

  “This must be it,” Rowan said slowly, eyes narrowed slightly as he studied it.

  “Must be what?” I frowned. “There isn’t anyone else here. What kind of Training could this possibly be?”

  “Not the Training itself. The way to get there.”

  Slowly Rowan and I approached the massive panel, Ivy trailing just behind us. I paused just before the metal slab, staring down at the dense structure. But just as I was about to extend the toe of my boot and gingerly tap it, Rowan sprung forward, hopping on.

  “Rowan, wait! Are you sure...”

  My words transformed into a gasp as the two sides of the metal surface suddenly dropped down and my only friend in the world disappeared, falling into a dark abyss. A blink of the eye and the panel was solid once more, Rowan nowhere to be seen.

  Ivy, who had finally broken her silence to let out a loud scream, now stood there motionless, a hand clasped over her mouth.

  “Rowan!” I cried out, though I knew it was futile. Wherever he’d disappeared to, he couldn’t hear me. That much was obvious. Letting out a shaky breath, I turned back to Ivy.

  “I guess it’s our only option.” I inclined my head towards the platform. A mute nod was her only response.

  “Do you want to go together?”

  A slight shake of her head and suddenly she was walking up and onto the metal slab. Seconds later she too was gone.

  Forcing myself to take those last few steps forward, I felt the change the moment I left the deadened grass that crunched under foot to the smooth sleekness of the metal. For a moment I stood in the center. Just waiting. Another few seconds ticked by. Why wasn’t anything happening? Why…?

  A harrowing shriek exploded from me as the metal panel suddenly dropped out from beneath my feet, swallowing me up as I plummeted into the earth’s bowels, the outside world flashing upwards and out of sight.

  ✽✽✽

  The air screamed past me, so cold it felt like knives raking across my skin. I tried to open my eyes once, but the moment I did, the rush of wind stung so much I kept them sealed the rest of the way. A moment later I came to a stop, the landing much smoother and softer than the bone-jarring impact I’d been imagining.

  I open
ed my eyes and gasped.

  Towering over me was a stern face surrounded by an excessive amount of bright orange hair that was more frizzy than curly and successfully escaping the tight bun it had been pulled into. The woman’s eyes appeared black in the dim lighting. Deep wrinkles were etched into her face, caused by what I could only assume was a near-constant look of extreme displeasure. She was dressed from head to toe in black, including hands clothed in dark leather gloves. Those gloved fingers reached out and closed around my arm, yanking me to my knees.

  “Get up and board the train,” she nearly growled at me. I stared at her, not comprehending. What train?

  My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and I shifted my gaze.

  We were in a tunnel. Coarse rock walls on either side had dim lights strung along them to illuminate the pathway. And there, in the not too far distance, stood… a train.

  I blinked. It was still there. An actual train. I’d never seen one in real life, only in books when I was still in school, discussing how goods were transferred between Societies. And based on what the woman standing above me had just said, we were going to be riding on it.

  It was only two cars in length, but I supposed since there were only three of us from Earth Society going to the Training this time, there was no need for it to be any longer.

  That few seconds pause I took to look around was apparently enough to incite the woman even further.

  “GET UP!” she screamed suddenly, her voice echoing off the narrow stone walls. Flinching away, I scrambled off the side of the soft pad that had broken my fall, almost tripping over the hem of my dress as I jumped to my feet and half-ran towards the train, feeling her glare against my back the entire way.

  Neither Rowan nor Ivy were within sight and I assumed they were already on board. As I hurried over, I could hear the woman behind me muttering to herself about my ineptitude. Clearly I’d made a terrific first impression.