Sorry!!!

Hey guys, Skittlez here. Sorry I've been really slow at getting chapters out. My goal is to get chapter four of ANTIDYSTOPIA by the end of the week, so then Arabesque could write chapter 5 while I write more of Find Me. I'm sorry I haven't been posting chapters as often as I'd like to (once a week), but lately we've gotten pounded with homework (every subject, every day).

Also, they're getting rid of Google Buzz, sadly, but chapters will still be posted on this blog.

Thanks,

♥Skittlez

Find Me--Chapter 4 ~Olivia~

I run my fingers through my damp hair and sit next to Marcus on the couch. It’s evening. Dinner has ended and it’s still raining. After dinner, we have two hours of free time, either spent in one of the four common rooms or our dorms. At nine though, we have to be in our rooms and have to be showered by ten.

I can’t stop myself from shivering. Working for six hours in the rain has left over half the people here soaked. Lyra and a boy I met outside, Caleb, are sitting next to each other by the fireplace. He told me that Lyra was mute for reasons unknown.

Meanwhile, Rae was sitting with her other brothers, Violet was sitting with Scarlet who was also shivering, and Dillon was talking with Skye. I hug my arms closer to my body, hoping for more warmth, and sigh.

“Cold?” I turn to see Chase standing with a blanket. I stand up and let him drape it around me. His hands linger on my shoulders longer than they need to, but when I look down at them, he pulls away.

“Thanks,” I tell him. I sit down on the hardwood floor and lean against the couch. Chase sits down next to me, his shoulder pressed against mine.

“How did you get here?” he asks me. That question brings me back six years ago; the night my parents were killed. Then to when they attacked our village. The memories are too overwhelming. I turn away from Chase as tears begin to run down my cheeks.

“Oh, I’m sorry Olivia,” he says gently. “I didn’t mean to…” He trails off as I face him again. He leans close to me and when he speaks his voice is low. “When I was four, my parents divorced. My mother moved to another country and I never saw her. I lived with my father until he died two years ago from cancer.” His hazel eyes are fighting to stop tears. I can’t imagine how horrible that must feel; to have a mother that is alive, but isn’t there to care for her son.

“You didn’t have to tell me that,” I whisper.

“Maybe I didn’t. And you don’t have to tell me your story if you don’t want to. I know it’s hard to face the past sometimes, but some things are almost worth it.” He give me a faint smile then wraps me in his arms. I break away skeptically and even more so say,

“My parents were killed six years ago. Marcus’s and mine, Skye’s, and Dillon’s.” I spoke louder than I had intended to. And the moment the words escaped my mouth, it was as if a spell silencing everyone was cast on the room. The other few people who were in her too left. Everyone else stared at me. Chase had a mix of horror and compassion in his expression. Dillon, Skye, and Marcus have remorse in theirs. The others were surprised, then once they realized they had heard correctly, they realized how unbelievable it still was.

“What?” Scarlet asks. She and everyone else gravitate closer together.

“It’s true,” Skye whispers, biting her lip. “We lived in an orphanage until about a month and a half ago. Then we were allowed to go home. But…then…” she buries her face in her hands and Marcus and Dillon turn toward her. Marcus has told me how he feels about Skye when we were awake keeping watch in the woods and he surely loves her.

“Then,” Dillon starts, voice solemn, “the people who killed our parents attacked our village…bombed our houses…and…” he trails off.

“They are still after us,” Marcus continues. “That night we fled to the woods, and traveled farther away from the village over the course of about a week. We fought them…but…” I know what’s coming next.

“We lost Rose,” Skye whispers, barely audible. I’m surprised she said anything at all. Dillon hugs her and holds her in his arms. I miss Rose a lot, but I can’t imagine how Skye feels.

No one speaks. Everyone has a look of grief, now that they know what we’ve been though. Chase hugs me again.

“You didn’t have to tell me that,” he whispers.

“Maybe I didn’t. But neither did you,” I point out. He gives a stifled laugh.

Several more minutes are spent silent, then Scarlet speaks.

“Our mom died when we were both really young.”

“Then because our dad was so depressed, he became an alcoholic and a drug addict and started acting illegally,” Violet continues. “Once it came to peoples’ attention, some officials brought us here.” How awful that must be; having a father who sank so deep into depression that he couldn’t even care for his daughters.

“Both our mother and our father died in a car accident four years ago,” Isaac says. Rae sinks into Seth’s arms and buries her face in his shoulder while Isaac puts his arm around Caleb. Lyra remains silent, staring at the floor. I look around the room at everyone grieving.

“I’m sorry I brought this up,” I say sympathetically.

“Don’t worry about it,” Isaac assures me. Everyone nods.

At nine o’ clock, we all return to our rooms. Everyone hugged and said goodnight and I realize how much I wish I could stay with Marcus. I don’t know how Rae handles being apart from her brothers. Skye and I share a room with Scarlet and Violet, and I’m grateful that they’re people we know.

Before bed, we all got a chance to shower. It felt good to wash the lank, disgusting feel out of my hair and the dirt from under my nails. When I lay down on my bed in a plain, white nightgown, I ask Scarlet a question I was almost afraid to ask.

“How long do people stay here?”

“Until you turn twenty-one and are legally allowed to live on your own,” she says regretfully. I am not staying her for five years.

“Well why can’t you just run away?”

“In retrospect, you could. But it’d be a challenge to do so without getting caught and punished.” I’m in no mood to ask what the punishment.

That night, I lay wide awake. I stare out the window, wondering how far away home is. Soon, I can’t handle it anymore. I leave the room, tiptoe down the halls and up the stairs until I reach room three-sixteen. Quietly, I slide the door open and make my way to Marcus’s sleeping figure. As I crouch down by the side of his bed, his eyes flicker open.

“Olivia,” he whispers. I give a weak smile as a tear slides down my cheek. He props himself up on his elbow. “Olivia, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel like we’re safe; you, Skye, Dillon, all of us. I don’t want them to find us again.” He slides to the far end of the bed. “I probably shouldn’t be here,” I warn. But I climb in anyway.

“Everything will be fine,” he tells me. “As long as we stick together.” Our parents’ words.

Then, I fall asleep wrapped safely in my brother’s arms.

Make your blog carbon neutral!

Hey guys so Arabesque shared this awesome website with me. So basically, if you have a blog, go to this website: http://www.kaufda.de/umwelt/carbon-neutral/how-you-can-join/ and put one of the buttons on your blog. Then email the link to your blog with the button and a post about it (like the one you're reading right now) to CO2-neutral@kaufda.de and they will plant a tree for you.

Be green! Help the environment! Make your blog carbon neutral today!

♥Skittlez

ANTIDYSTOPIA by Skittlez & Arabesque--Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Ira

I’m sprinting back to my house with a sack filled with apples and two small loaves of bread in my hand. A man and woman caught me stealing from their store and are after me. I don’t know what the point is of having a store. Only a few people left in Surubi are civilized enough to go in and actually buy things. A mysterious-looking group of people catches my eye. I get distracted and then find the man’s hand locked around one of my wrists.

“Hand it over,” the woman growls. She snatches for the sack. I jerk away, but the man still holds his grip. I tuck the sack awkwardly under my arm, whip my knife out from my belt, and swipe it in the man’s direction. He lurches back, but not before I cut him in the shoulder. This infuriates him and he lunges toward me. I slash my knife at his chest. He collapses down on his back with his bloody chest heaving up and down and the woman at his side. I look back just in time to see his eyes close and his body go still. I bolt home.

“Did you find food?” my twin sister, Viann, asks me when I walk in our house and slam the door. I dump the sack of apples and bread on the table. We’ve managed to survive on our own for the past eight years.

Our parents died about two years after the rebellion when they were out hunting. That’s all we know. No one came to give us the details. One of our neighbors who had witnessed it came to tell us that they died, but nothing else. We were ten at the time, but since there are no people with authority, no one hauled us away to an orphanage. The first few weeks of providing for ourselves weren’t too difficult. The nicer people pitied the “ten year old twin orphans” and gave us any food they could spare, but that wore off eventually. We were piqued with anger that someone took our parents’ lives. That the chaotic society let that happen. Then we resorted to stealing food. The only people I need to worry about are Viann and me and it’s not like anyone stops us anyway.

It’s early evening, so we each have half of a loaf with some leftover cheese and some apple slices. Then, as we do weekly, we sharpen our knives. Our parents gave both of us three shiny knives; two stainless steel and one titanium, with nine inch blades. In the oak handle, our family last name, Beitles, is carved. When we were eight, just after the Revolution, our parents told us that we’d need some way to defend ourselves when we left the house.

“I wonder what would’ve happened if Mother and Father hadn’t died,” Viann sighs.

“Well they did and we can’t change it now,” I grumble. For a few moments, we sit in silence, with only the sounds of our knives grinding on stone and gunshots in the distance.

“When do you think society will ever get back to normal?” At this point in time, our hectic society is what I consider normal.

“I can’t say for sure that it will.”

***

I walk into the kitchen the next morning just before dawn to get a slice of bread to nibble on for breakfast. The T.V clicks on and comes to life and the seal of Surubi flashes on the screen. This scrawny familiar-looking girl about my age wearing a fancy green dress appears. She starts blabbering about how she’s the queen or something like that. I think it’s all a charade and ignore her, but she says something about no thievery that catches my attention. When I turn around, I find a group of unknown people standing by the table.

“Good morning, Miss Ira Beitles,” a young man hails me.

“Who are you guys?” I demand. “And how the hell do you know my name?” I snatch a knife and hold it out in front of me in case I need a weapon. They all laugh, which sends a scowl across my face. I swing my knife at the man, but he swiftly dodges my attempt at attacking him, intimidating me slightly.

“My name is Kolan Ottridge and we are The Elites.”

“That really clears things up,” I say sarcastically.

“We have been observing you closely for a while,” Kolan explains, “and have discovered that you are skilled with knives and are cunning and devious. We think that you’d be perfect for this challenge of ours.”

“Challenge? What challenge?”

“I don’t know if you know her, but we’ve assigned this girl, Heruna Querba, the task of bringing order to our country of Surubi and its citizens. To make rules and regulations to make things run more smoothly around here.”

“Is this what that government announcement was about?”

“Yes. She’s giving her speech on the balcony of the government building currently, as you can see,” Kolan explains further, motioning to the screen. There’s more yammer about new laws, like no violence and thievery is to be abolished.

“Food will be rationed to everyone that needs it,” Heruna states. I wonder how in the world they’ll make that work out.

“So what’s the challenge exactly?” I ask them.

“Well, we want you to make sure Heruna fails,” Kolan says. “If you succeed at making her fail, you can be queen in her place.” The offer puts me in such a daze that they leave before I can ask why they want her to fail if they gave her the chance in the first place, nor how I’m supposed to do this.

***

That afternoon, I consider telling Viann about the challenge the Elites gave me. Though after thinking about it, I’m not quite sure she’ll understand. I’m afraid she might see it as me trying to overthrow Heruna. Even though I do dislike her, I’m doing this to hopefully improve our lives.

Now that we supposedly don’t have to forage for our own food, Viann and I have a lot more time on our hands. I sit on the couch while Viann stands in front of a small easel swiping her paint-slicked brush across it.

“What are you painting?” I ask her.

“Oh an apple with a knife in it,” she replies. Apple? Knife? All I saw was a red blob with some lopsided silver and black rectangles.

“Well I’m gonna go take a walk. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

“Okay. See you later.” Before heading out the door, I grab a knife and secure it under my belt; just in case.

When I step out of the house I have a sense of insecurity that is all too familiar. I look around me, needing to reassure myself that there was no one who was going to come out of nowhere attacking me; that Heruna’s new laws would prevent that. Still uneasy, I walk off toward the center of town.

Shops are open with customers inside making purchases. People are having conversations and walking beside people other than their families. There aren’t the usual sounds of gunshots and screaming, but instead children running around and playing with one another and friendly conversations between adults. No one is stealing or harming anyone else. Surubi seems so different in such little time.

I change my course and wander off to the forest. There used to be a bunch of people here all the time hunting for game or picking berries. From what I can tell I’m alone. My unease dissipates and I allow myself to relax. I lean back on fallen tree trunk and let the sun warm my face. Then I do something that I would’ve thought unimaginable just yesterday. I close my eyes. The rustle of the leaves being blown by a gentle breeze. The bird calls that intertwine creating a symphony that sounds so muddled, yet so melodic. The fact that yesterday, I would’ve been dead by now, but today, I’m still alive, taking in how peaceful it is now. I open my eyes, and find myself smiling. I’d always been too busy running for my life to realize how beautiful nature is.

After making a promise to myself that I’d come back here every chance I get, I make my way back home. I’m still not used to it being this diplomatic around here, but I can’t say I don’t like it. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a man jumps on me and pins me to the ground. I struggle to break his hold on me and reach my knife, but he locks my arms at my sides. Just as I open my mouth to scream, the man’s body weight is lifted from me. When I stand up, I see a guard with handcuffs around the man who now wore a sour look on his face.

“Thank you,” I manage to get out. He nods at me before whisking the man away.

The man’s attack makes me realize something. My challenge. I’m supposed to be trying to make the queen be unsuccessful at leading the restoration project. There are still people left in Surubi who are rebelling. A rebellion might be just the thing I need to do for my challenge. The sooner the better.

***

I run off for town, by the police department near the government building in hopes to find the man. Sure enough, as soon as I get there, I see the man walk out of the building holding a small slip of paper I assume is a fine.

“Hey!” I shout to him. He turns toward me, scowl wiped across his face. He looks suspicious as I approach him.

“What do you want?” he grumbles.

“I want a rebellion,” I say simply. He raises his eyebrows.

“A rebellion?” he asks. “Why? And why me?”

“Well,” I start. I figure I probably shouldn’t tell him about The Elites and my challenge. “I’m not such a big fan of the new laws. It contradicts with the lifestyle I was used to. And you, I can tell, are still a rebel.” He shrugs.

“Fair enough. What’s your name?”

“Ira Beitles. And you?”

“Rosplin Mergar. When are you planning this rebellion of yours?”

“How about tonight at eleven sharp in front of the government building? Do you know any other rebels?”

“Sounds good. Most of the people in the area of Surubi I live in are still rebels, so expect maybe…one hundred? Maybe 150?”

“Perfect. Make sure to bring guns, torches, bows and arrows, any type of weapon.” He nods, and walks off.

***

When I get home, minutes after I shut the door and check out Viann’s finished painting, there’s a knock. I open the door and see that it’s Heruna.

“What do you want,” I gripe.

“Well, we’re handing food out to everyone,” she says, “and so I’m here to give your house your month’s food supply.”

“Ira! Who’s there?” Viann shouts from our room. She comes up from behind me.

“No one we need to care about Viann,” I mumble, not concerned that Heruna can hear every word I say.

“Look,” Heruna sighs, “here’s your food. I hope it helps.” Viann takes the sack from her, smiling.

“Thanks you, miss. We really appreciate some order around here,” Viann says. Her gratitude sickens me. I slam the door shut.

“Why were you so rude, Ira?” Viann asks, frowning at me. “She was being nice. She gave us food.” I remember that she wasn’t awake during the government announcement. When The Elites told me I had to strive to take her down. My face softens slightly, then I saunter off to our room without another word.

***

That night, at 10:50, I quietly get out of bed and sneak out of the house. I’m hoping Viann won’t wake up and wonder where I am. I sprint down to the center of town in front of the government building where I find Rosplin and a big group of people armed with guns and bows and arrows. Torches brighten up the night sky.

After a few minutes, everyone grows silent. Rosplin gives me a nod, then aims his gun towards the sky and pulls the trigger with a loud bang. Then everyone starts to shoot at the government building. The night air is filled with bangs and shouts and cries of innocent civilians. A fire is started at the bottom of the building.

In the midst of the chaos, Rosplin asks me,

“Wanna send a message to the queen?” with a smirk. I grab the pen and slip of paper from his hand and hastily scribble, “BE GONE” on it. Rosplin sticks the note through the point of an arrow, aims, then shoots the arrow perfectly below Heruna’s window.

I turn around to see none other than Kolan, nodding in approval.

ANTIDYSTOPIA by Skittlez & Arabesque - Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Heruna

It’s been a week. A week since I began living in the “castle” which is really just one of the few old government buildings not destroyed and rummaged through. I’ve been summoned down to the Main Control Room where they will prepare me for my first appearance, but according to Eralia I must be in “proper royal attire” before being seen by the people. Zephyr and Geneva, my close servants, help me get into the fancy clothes. I’m fairly sure that the emerald green gown I’m wearing is worth more than my entire life, and I feel out of place. I look in the mirror. Who is that girl? She is a plain girl with the dark hair and hazel eyes, looking like she should be out on the streets, not in an extravagant dress, preparing to address her country. I exhale. I’ve always been told that I look just like my mother, but more am like my father at heart. The green gown is beautiful. It has long flowing sleeves and embroidery on the bodice; the dress goes all the way down to the floor. The emerald color is rich and vivid. Zephyr is about to put an emerald necklace and matching bracelet on me when I stop her.

“Wait, I have my own jewelry I would prefer to wear,” I tell her. I grab a small box from my meager belongings. Gingerly, I take out a delicate silver chain bracelet and put it on. Next, I remove a shiny silver heart pendant. Both were given to me by my mother before she died.

“My, those are absolutely beautiful,” sighs Geneva.

I smile, “Thank you. My mother gave me these.”

“Your mother would be proud to see you right now.”

A few minutes later, I am being escorted down the long corridors of the building, headed for the Main Control Room. Eralia meets me at the entrance. She smiles with delight.

“Oh Heruna, you look stunning,” she says assuringly, “the people will love you.”

Knowing the people of Surubi, from being one just a few weeks ago, I’m sure they’ll hate me.

Olanth Wellsbee appears in full military attire and opens the door for me.

“Your majesty,” he gestures.

It does not feel right. I am not queen, I am not fit to rule. I’m just a seventeen year old girl, trying to get through my harsh life. One of the men at the computers stands up to greet me.

“Queen, we have prepared a speech for you,” he informs me, “you don’t have to read it all right off the teleprompter, you may of course add your own words to it.”

I read over the copy of the speech he hands me. It sounds very sophisticated and purposeful. I nod at him with approval.

“Very well, I like it,” I tell him. He seems as though released from burden when I say this.

“Ten minutes until show time people!” Eralia shouts.

Ten minutes pass quickly. I am taken out to a balcony, and a camera is pointed at me. The teleprompter is pointed so I can read it. We do a test run, and I jumble a few of the long words they have me read. I repeat them in my head until I can enunciate them properly. We do the official taping.

“Hello, people of Surubi,” I say with a smile. I know it is not genuine, but it’s not completely fake either. “I am Heruna Querba, and I am your new queen. Surubi has been a dreadful anarchy for too long. I will try my best to bring Surubi back into its Golden Age; I will not be an ignorant nor power hungry leader. None shall go hungry; none shall go thirsty; none shall be poor with me as your queen. I am here to announce some new laws that will be effective immediately and enforced by the military. Do not worry, they will not kill you; nor punish you without reason. Now, the laws shall be this: There will be no more thievery, murder, nor any sort of violence. We will ration food out to all who need it; weapons shall be put away, bad feelings forgotten. This is a fresh start for everyone, and if you do not value it, good luck on surviving. The children shall be educated in the schools we will rebuild, the adults will be given jobs of their choosing. Stores will reopen, cities rebuilt. Surubi shall rise once again to its prime, where people may live in harmony, but this time not forced harmony. The government shall not have full control; the people will have say in what happens. Surubi shall once again be the most enviable and amazing country in the world.”

I look out to the landscape of Surubi. There are crowds of people. I’m not sure if they are cheering or screaming in anger. Eralia looks out too. She smiles a little.

“Are they angry?” I ask apprehensively.

“I’m not sure yet, but at least we know that we have their attention.”

The next day, news comes in. People have begun cleaning up; the revival has begun.

“Well done, Heruna,” Olanth tells me, “I’ve been out, and the people seem to have joy now. Of course, there are the skeptics, but today we are rationing the food out to whomever needs it, and I’m sure they will realize that you mean what you say.”

I ask Eralia if I can venture outside. She agrees, on the condition that I wear a disguise and am watched by guards. I’m fine with that, and I go to change. I put on a blue jacket with the hood over my head, my hair braided down my back. I’m wearing plain running shoes and head outside. Two young guards follow me out, staying about fifty feet behind me. I head towards my home; well my old home. I knock gently on the door and Hyren answers. She smiles at the sight of me and hugs me tightly.

“Oh Heruna, you were wonderful! You sounded very royal yesterday,” she tells me enthusiastically. I walk into our home. Nana sits on her chair, talking to my father. My father looks up and lights up when he sees me.

“Heruna! The military already came to our house and gave us enough food to last us a month. Myka is upstairs reading since he finally has time to now,” my father tells me with a grin, “Our neighbors are very happy as well. The whole neighborhood is grateful there is finally a sure food source.”

We talk for a while, everyone giddy about the rationing and what’s to come next. I tell them I have to leave, but I will return as soon as possible.

As I walk outside, I notice the boy again. He has bright green eyes and dark hair. Just then, Olanth comes over and hands me a full sack of food.

“This is the last house in the area, we thought you should personally deliver the food,” he says, gesturing towards the boy.

I walk up with the sack, and the boy meets me half way. I hand him the sack, and he opens it and gasps in surprise to see all the bread, cheese, fruit, vegetables and meat within.

“Hello, I am Heruna. Who are you?” I extend my hand towards him.

“Ahhhh… the queen Heruna,” he smiles at me, “I am Zakyas Rymaire.” He shakes my hand. Zakyas. He seems familiar.

“Zakyas Rymaire… it’s a pleasure to meet you. You seem familiar…” I realize why, “Your parents! Uncle Hoyne and Aunt Lyana! Well, not really my relatives, but close family friends! I used to run around in the orchards with you and your sister, Tarynn.”

His face lights up in recognition, “Runie! Of course, you’ve just gotten prettier over ten years.”

I can feel myself blushing. I smile at him.

“Well, it’s amazing to see you again! Sorry, I have to go,” I say apologetically.

“No problem, I’m sure you have some important royal things to take care of,” he jokes.

I head off. I notice Zakyas watching me from the distance. His compliment was surprising, and very sweet. I sigh. I decide to help out Olanth with the food rationing and travel from house to house with a smiling face to hand out food. Each family thanks me, children rush out and hug me. I feel wonderful.

I knock on the door of a plain blue house. I see the curtains flutter and a few seconds later the door opens.

“What do you want?” a girl my age growls. She has short jet black hair and brown eyes. She has a fierce aura around her.

“Well, we’re handing out the food to everyone,” I gesture at my big sack, “and so I’m here to give your house your month’s food supply.

“Ira! Who’s there?” I hear another girl shout. She appears behind Ira, and looks completely different from her as well. The girl has long golden blonde hair and side swept bangs that were covering her bright blue eyes.

“No one we need to care about Viann,” Ira mutters. Clearly, she doesn’t like me already.

“Look,” I sigh, “here’s your food, I hope it helps.” Viann smiles and takes the sack from me.

“Thank you, miss. We really appreciate some order around here,” Viann tells me. Obviously, Viann and Ira are different in appearances and personality. I’m about to respond to her thank you when Ira slams the door shut.

I continue delivering food all afternoon. When it starts getting dark, I head back towards the Base, as Eralia refers to it.

I am sat down at a huge banquet table, but I dine alone. Just as how it is in the bigger picture; I am apparently backed by the Elites and a huge military force, yet I am still alone.

At 11:00 PM at night, I am awakened by the noise of shouting and chanting outside. I look out the window. There are torches dotted over the landscape, casting a glow. It takes a moment for my drowsy mind to realize what this is; a rebellion. Gunshots fire, arrows are shot. One lands perfectly below my window. I carefully grab the note attached. It says in threatening words: BE GONE.

Ooh... sudden ending. ;)
Just so you know, tentative sched (yes, sched) for ANTIDYSTOPIA is up on my blog, Random Thoughts. Check it out to see when the next awesome chapter is comin' out.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Mucho Gracias,

Arabesque