Out of the Valley

There weren't always dragons in the valley. At least that's what Grandmother Lua said just now as I helped her get into bed. I thought of it for a moment but it sounded too good to be true.

"Gram. We always saw the dragons," I said as I draped a warm blanket over her. She was getting older. She sometimes said things that made no sense to me.

"No," she said pointing her finger at me, there weren't always dragons in the valley! There were once NO dragons!" She seemed so sure. I sat beside her quietly, letting her know she had my full attention. She paused for a moment before she began to speak again.

"When my own grandmother was just a little kid like Malu. She used to leave the village. She went and she came with her mother and her father. Sometimes the village had visitors. Sometimes a small carnival in the village square. All of it! Never with the fear of dragons! And the Order? Ha! The Order were nothing without the dragons. Get rid of the dragons, get rid of the Order. You have to know that. You know... it was said that one day, the village will be free and the valley dragonless?"

"Mother, please," a voice came from the doorway of Gram's room. It was my father. "No dragon stories. You need your rest."

His face, hands, and clothing full of soot. "Mina," he said, "It's late, please get some sleep."

I got up and left the room. I often obeyed my father, but still I stood in my doorway, quietly listening. Curious to what my grandmother was talking about. Get rid of the dragons? Get rid of the Order? They were wild thoughts, as my friend Row would say.

"I will have rest soon my son... when I'm dead," Gram said to Father. "She has to know. You've never told her. And look at you? Face full of soot. You are overworked and run-down. Is that what you want for the girl? For her brother, little Malu? Let her know. Maybe she can undue all of this. You never know. She was born of Mervin from her mother's side. She could be the one... or Malu. The girl is wise and the boy... well, he'll grow to be strong one day."

"Nearly half of the people of the village are of Mervin blood Mother. Yet, no one has freed the village. Maybe it was all just stories made up to keep the people's hope alive. I can't put my children in danger. I promised Marille to keep them safe."

"But are they safe? At any time the Order could claim any one of them for whatever purpose. Servant or soldier. Someone's got to take them down. I'm not of Mervin. You're not of Mervin. But the girl and boy are. I told you when Mina was born that we should train her. Tell her everything, like I told you, but you said no. I'm old now. I'll soon be gone and I'll be free. But I don't want to leave you all in bondage! Tell her all and Malu, as your promise to me before I am passed on my son. Promise me that."

"One day, Mother. Mina and Malu are still too young. We still have more time," my father said.

~

"Row, my grandmother spoke about something serious last night."

"Oh, what about?" he asked. He was acting rather quiet, more than usual.

"Something strange. She started to tell me about the way things were before but my father came and sent me to bed. He didn't think I should hear but I did. I kept listening by the doorway of my room. I could tell though, that when she started her tale that she really meant what she said. She even pointed her finger at my face."

"The infamous finger," Row said chuckling as he went to hang a shirt to the clothesline.

"Yes," I said half-smiling for I was thinking for a split second of all the times Row and I had caused mischief when we were smaller and Gram had pointed at us her finger. She seldom did anymore. Partly because Row and I were getting older and into less trouble then we used to be in, and partly because she was getting older and less present as she was often laid in bed or in her favorite chair. I missed all of those times, years ago.

"Well, what did she say?" Row asked as we rung out piles of laundry beside one another in the yard. Row and I had lived next door to each other since we were babies and so we shared a yard and often cleaned the laundry together whenever we weren't playing.

"I don't think I can say," I said.

"Well, then why are you telling me now? Tell me or don't tell me. But don't leave me hanging. Aren't we best-freinds? Suppose I had a secret to tell you, and I do, but didn't trust you with it? Since when were you not able to trust me?" he said.

"Okay. Well, it was about the you know whats. The big things that... fly around," I whispered. "Don't tell anyone but Grandmother Lua said they weren't always in the valley and that people were free to leave the village whenever they wanted."

"That's a wild thought," said Row, "what else did she say?"

"She said that one day the village will be free and the valley dragonless."

"Well, unless the dragons just get sick and die somehow. I don't know how that could happen. They never leave. Not all at once, at least."

"I know, but wouldn't it be nice if one day that could happen?" I asked.

"It'd be incredible," he said, "you could finally visit those places in the books you like... and I could finally find my mom."

"Yea," I said quietly. I solemnly remembered that Row's mom had gone missing one night. There was talk about her trying to escape but getting caught by the Order. People said that they must have sent her to the valley to live no more. But Row never believed so. He swears his mom escaped. He swears she went to find help and to spread the word about our lost little village. I'm afraid to disagree with him. I lost my mom as well years ago. I'd like to believe that she's somewhere out there too.

We scrubbed, rinsed, rung out and hung up clothes for the next ten minutes or so. Until Row, turned to me and said, "Mina. I have a secret too. Promise you won't tell."

"I'll keep your secret if you keep mine," I said sticking out my hand toward his. We gave each other our word and we shook on it.

"Trust me, you're not feeling well," he said raising his eyebrows up high.

"I'm feeling fine," I said.

"No," he said, "Trust me. Go to the infirmary. You are to pretend to be ill."

"But why?" I asked. I couldn't figure out why I would have to do such a thing. I've never faked an illness in my life.

"Okay," he said quietly. "well, I heard from my brother, who overheard a guard say that tomorrow afternoon, there is going to be a random selection.

"What? No!" I groaned.

"Hush," he said. "You have to keep this quiet. You might be able to escape any chance of being selected if you are sickly and in the infirmary at the time. So you should play sick as soon as you're able, go to the infirmary and keep put as long as you can until nightfall."

"But why, I'm not yet fifteen. And why another selection, it hasn't yet been 10 years since the last?"

"I know but I heard there is talk of a war coming to the outside, beyond the valley. They need more people, servants and soldiers. They're setting the selection younger this year, older also. Thirteen to thirty. So promise you'll go to the infirmary and don't tell anyone the real reason why, okay?"

"Well, what about you? Why don't you go to the infirmary with me?" I asked.

"I can't. My father won't allow it. He says it may be too obvious. My brother works below the guards so, they may wonder if he'd eavesdropped on them. It's too dangerous to jeopardize my whole household. Plus, my brother is older and much stronger than I am. He seems to think I have a very slim chance of being picked. Also, he works under the guards. They may want him to join as soldier and there's only one per household, remember? He thinks if anyone will be selected from our house, it will be him. And he says, he's ready to go. He wants to see what's on the outside of the village, beyond the valley. But I worry for him. I hope he's spared. Fighting in an army for the ones who oppress you? Cruel! But you know the penalty of not fighting, right?"

"Death by dragon," I said.

He nodded his head. "You know," he said, "you're secret was way better. If your Gram's right, then that's the best news I've ever had.

~

The sun broke free into my room and flooded all around as my father opened wide my curtains. "Wake up, Mina. It's morning."

"I'm not feeling well today Father," I said as I threw the covers over my head.

"What do you mean? You're sick?" He asked as he walked to the side of my bed concerned. Hands on hips, fully dressed for work.

"Yes, I have to go to the infirmary today," I said.

Just then my little brother Malu crept into my room behind our father.

"I'm not feeling good either Father. I want to go to the infirmary too," he said. I lowered the covers just enough to peak out and I saw my brother Malu doubled-over holding his stomach. "My stomach hurts."

"Well, Mina take Malu with you to the infirmary. Don't leave him alone. Let me know what the doctor says when I get home later today. I'll have Silvana check on Gram while you're gone."

I told Father I would but I really did not want to. Partly because I knew that at only 6, Malu was safe from the random selection. He was too young. Partly also because, Malu was often impatient and sometimes mischievous. Would I be able to hide out a long time in the infirmary with Malu in tow? Or would I be rushed out out of there as quickly as we came? I could play sick and lay for a long time. But Malu? I don't think so. But I took him anyway, I told my father I would and I often obeyed him.

~

At the infirmary, the doctor checked me and Malu out. She found nothing. "No fever," she said to the both of us, "You're both in good health."

I tried to tell her something was wrong. Anything so that we could stay longer. Selections were terrifying and before today, I'd never been eligible before. Knowing that I was now, that my best-friend, and others our age were now considered old enough and no longer safe from it, created knots in my stomach.

I explained the knots in my stomach to the doctor. Of course, I didn't tell her why. It was too risky to do so. Malu then complained of the same thing but within seconds was laughing and playing in the infirmary as if he were fine. That didn't help any. The doctor told us just to rest and drink fluids. She patted Malu on the head and said how adorable he was.

"Now Malu," she said, "you be good for your big sister okay? And when your father comes home tonight and asks about your visit what should you say?"

"No fever," he said, "you're both in good health!"

There was nothing else I could do. No place to hide that wouldn't be checked. If it were so people of the village would hide from the selection always. I decided that if we had to leave, at least we would walk slowly. So very slowly I had Malu and I walk home. I saw people walking in groups toward the village square but I tried to pay no mind. Instead I tried to play little games with my brother, like 'Name the Flowers' or 'Guess What I'm Looking At' as we walked. I tried anything to slow him down.

I began noticing empty roads and houses void of life. Everyone who was a villager must have been in the village square. I knew that would be true. I began talking to Malu since there was no way of escaping it now. I told him there was a selection. Since the last one was when he was a baby, he didn't really understand. I then told him that no matter what happens that I loved him. Even though he might drive me crazy sometimes, he was my little brother. I wished he could be free from the village more than I wished for my own freedom.

If Grandmother Lua was right about the dragons and the Order leaving us alone, I wish it was now but as I got closer to the village square, I saw the selection taking place. A few names were called, some families crying. The selected being rounded up and escorted away.

As I got closer, I saw the faces of some of the escorted. One turned toward the crowd before turning back once more. The face I saw was of my best-friend Row. I wanted to scream. He can't go is what I yearned to scream. But I knew any resistance in front of the Order during selection, lead to death.

I searched the crowd with my eyes, looking for Row's family. I saw his brother. He knelt toward the ground in despair. I wished I could help them but I didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, I felt a tug at the back of my arm. I turned, half expecting it to be my father but it was Grandmother Lua. She hugged me and Malu, instantly.

"These monsters," she said angrily,"they must leave this village alone. We were our own people once. We will be again. We just need to find the one. Who will take them down?" She asked the crowd loudly.

Others tried to quiet her and I tried to calm her. We couldn't risk any resistance. Resistance means death.

"I'm an old woman," she said, "They've taken my life from me. What will they take from me now? What can they take from me now?" She yelled. Her voice powerful and urgent, yet sorrowful.

Just then an Order guard approached her, grabbed her by the arm. "You're too old to be starting trouble," he said.

"Take the young one instead," another said as he approached us, "teach the old lady a lesson to keep her mouth shut."

Gram looked at me with eyes wide and afraid. "No!" she yelled, "I am my own person. The girl did nothing. Take my life if you will, but you will not take her!"

Malu started to cry and my heart was pounding. I needed father. He often knew what to do or say to calm the guards and I needed his help calming Gram.

"I'm sick," I said as one grabbed hold of my arm, "I was in the infirmary today," I said. I was just bringing my baby brother home."

One yelled, "So what!"

The other looked down at Malu.

"Is she sick?" he asked. Malu looked up, with tears in his eyes. But he would not speak. The guard grabbed him by his shirt and shook him, "Is she sick?"

Then Malu crying said, "No fever. You're both in good health." The guard let him go and he fell to the ground.

Everything else after that was a blur. My head was spinning. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was being pulled toward the others from the selection. As I looked back, I saw my Gram strike a guard as she was trying to get to me. She was trying to save me but I knew all was lost.

Suddenly Gram was thrown to the burning wall. I wanted to scream but no noise would come. The only thing that came, were flames and not from me but from the dragons. It was the brightest red I'd ever seen and at that moment, I wished I had seen no more.

Grandmother was gone. Was Father missing? I wasn't sure. Malu was little and alone. Row and I seperated, for I was now servant and he a soldier. Life as I'd known it was no more.