Song of Loss and Hope

Chapter One

Today was my birthday. I became eighteen and with that a full-fledged member of our rebellion. I was so excited for this day. Today everything would change. I would finally get to know what all the adults are whispering about.

Over the last twelve years I gave my very best in everything I have been tasked to. I wanted to help and show everybody that I indeed can help and support the group.

When I first came here my family was way more worried than ever before. They were afraid that I would get hurt no matter what I did. They were over protective and still are, but with this birthday I would get to decide wheter I wanted to go out on missions or not.

Well, I can decide that if I was getting asked. I like to think that I am pretty good in all that is teached here for the missions but I must admit that I am not that good of an liar. Yet I could fire an arrow and get the bullseye numerous times, I could fight with a sword really good. In that I could even compete with Kaian, the leader of the rebellion. After he discovered my talent he instructed me privately, much to my worried parents dismay.

But even they must admit that I can do this. I can fight as good as many here.

And last but not least do my powers help with that. They showed up when I hit Yaning. Yaning is when a boy or a girl become an man or a woman. That is what my mother said to me at that time. But I just got boobs and bleed for a week every three months. Did not seem so desirable to me, especially when I looked at the boys going trough it. They become hormone controlled idiots.

"Bella, you look gorgeous!", my best friend Myra called out. She was my friend since the first time I saw her and because of time and the fact that she is the only girl around my age here we became almost inseperable. Her eightteens birthday was three years ago and I was always so envious of her stories and missions which luckily are never too brutal or adventurous.

Myra is a sweet girl and with her strawberry colored hair and her big round brown eyes she looked even sweeter. A lot like a bambi. Many boys have told her they would like to eat her. And no matter how ridicilous that sounds I do have to agree a bit. She always smelled of honey and earth and her round face with the soft features only lured one more towards her. Would I not know better I would have guessed she was a Siren, a water creature so beautiful and attractive they lured men into her trap to later eat them. Yeah, Myra would never. She can't even kill a fly. But that has also to do with her power. Namely, she could talk with animals. Doesn't that just say it all.

Normally one would think we would not get along that well because of my willingness to fight when needed and her willingness to avoid it at all costs. But we surprisingly complete each other pretty good. Like ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Turning towards her I saw the mostly yellow glow around her that she often appeared with. The light is a part of my power. It tells me in which mood the person opposite to me is and if I want I can also go deeper and get to know all their feelings, sometimes even the root of it. It could probably be quiet useful, but I don't like to use it that deep. It always feels like I am intruding someones privacy. Something I do not wish for myself, so why should I do it with the people I care about?

The yellow light indicates joy. And altough I norrmally did not do it I began to open herself further to me. I noticed the taste of honey and sugar, but also the of sour berries and dark chocolate on my tongue. She is not only happy, but also afraid for me and worried.

Closing myself off again, I turned to the full lenght mirror on my wall. It was as simple as the whole room was.

"You think?", I asked.