FD: Birth of a Wishing Heart

2. Pressure and Hope

As months went by and turned into two more painful years, Adiscordia found these questions only grew louder. She had grown desperate, there was nothing to eat and there hadn't been! She was too weak to walk far and spent most of her days just waiting with her mother for their father to return home and say he found nothing to eat. On rare but heavenly days he would return with something they could share, but Adiscordia knew the truth. Both her and her sister would die eating the same amount, so she very often hid when receiving her portion to share hers with her sister. The promise of extending life was one that she took very seriously, and one that was slowly destroying her innocence as it brought a burden with it that no child should bear.

She made plans on how to survive with her sister, but they never worked. She could beg, but beggars were feared by the people. She had seen women wearing strange outfits leave and return at night with coins, but her mother said she was too young for that type of work. The easiest answer to it all was stealing, but stealing was bad. She swore to protect her sister but did that mean she should just watch her die? Where were the gods in all this who sent the guardians? Was she too impure for them because of a curse out of her control? These questions often plagued young Adiscordia. She was often seen crying. Grizelda usually tried to comfort her, but she would always blame the tears on hunger, something her sister couldn't fix. Grizelda held her sister tight, scared. Another wrapped body was thrown to the side of the streets, any day now they would burn them all. Early signs of famine were beginning to start, and they were barely surviving as it was. Neither of them knew how much longer they would last.

Grizelda was leaning against a fence with her doll in hand. Nicholas had left to find more food while Katherine was helping patch up a small rip on Adiscordia's dress. Grizelda walked over to them, beginning to have questions. "Mamma? If stealing is bad, and we have no money, but we need food, how are we going to-?" She was cut off.

"We don't, we wait for it to come to us." Katherine replied focusing deeply on her sewing.

"How?" Adiscordia asked nearly in an angry tone, turning herself immediately to face her mother with a facial expression that spoke what respectful words couldn't. Food wasn't going to come. Everyone in her family knew it wasn't going to come. Katherine tied and broke apart the thread from the needle before patting Adiscordia's new patch.

"Perfect!"

Adiscordia raised her voice slightly to bring back her mother's attention. "Mamma, we're going to die, I think the gods will understand if we take meat from the forest." Adiscordia's fear and pain began to turn into anger. She hated being so helpless!

Grizelda took a deep breath staring at her sister. The pain in her stomach was becoming more noticeable with her words. Katherine stood up looking down at Adiscordia. "It is better to die than to live as a slave to the curse." Adiscordia looked up at her mother unable to form words. "Now, this conversation is over."

It was wrong to disrespect your parents. Would the gods hate her too for being angry? She needed them to accept her and give her mercy! Was death the only thing they would be pleased with? She needed to leave this place, the constant thinking was driving her mad. She took a deep breath and forced herself up, immediately feeling somewhat dizzy and lightheaded.

"Addy, are you alright?" Grizelda asked rushing to her sister's aid quickly earning a concerned look from their mother.

"I'm fine..." Adiscordia groaned. "I need a walk outside..."

Katherine sighed. Her daughter was too weak to walk on her own, but she could see the anger and frustration in her eyes. The burden she had placed on Adiscordia had taken her childhood. If she didn't let her go her anger would take the best of her. She bent down before her daughter to be near eye level. "Be careful..." she looked over at Grizelda. "Go with your sister, and take care of her. Don't leave her alone for a second!" she commanded. Grizelda nodded, surprised that her mother would allow this.