The Other Side

Prologue

  The world lived separated by what the people who lived to tell the tale called, "The Wall". This story is not like the other ones I have told you. This one is rather different. It does not know the difference between good or bad. This story is about humans, good, bad, whatever you decide them to be. However, is anyone ever "bad" or "good"? Or is this how are we view in the eyes of others? Maybe only in the eyes of God? thought that does not that matters in the end, does it?

As i mentioned, the world lived separated by a wall. What is strange is that only women lived on the right side of it. No boy or man lived there, nor was there ever one found there. Opossed to what sone may think, in the right side of the wall reign violence, savagery, and numbness. There was only one objetive in there: prepare for battle. However, no one knew why or what they were preparing to battle. No one dared to question though. Young girls were trained since they were very little. I remember it had something to do with the faster the girls could be stripped from their innocence and kindness, the better warriors they would be. Now, I am sure you are wondering about the left side of the wall...sadly, i do not have the answer. Nonetheless, that question ringed inside little Astrid's mind like a repeated explosion. What could be so bad a wall had to be built to separate her from the rest of the world. 

Astrid remembered to be eight years old when her mother was sent to cross to the other side of The Wall as part of the first group ever who would cross to the other side:

- "Good luck, Mother." Astrid beamed at the blonde woman standing in front of her. "Not that you need it, anyway." she concluded.

- "Oh trust me, I am going to." Said the adult woman as if she was thinking out loud.

- "Why wouldn't you be? I am sure if I were you I would be dying of excitement." Exclaimed little Astrid. The woman smiled at her as if little Astrid melted the coldness she was taught to have in a place such as where they lived. 

- "You always find a way to make me smile." soothed the woman. "However, now is not the moment." She turns her back to the little one. 

- "I get it." Little Astrid admired. "I am going to miss you." The blonde woman was taken aback by such words. "You always know how to solve things and put a smile on my face after rough training." Litle Astrid continued admiring the older woman out loud as she noticed concern on her face. 

- "I know you are going to make it." which woke the elder from her overthinking. "You are one of the best, if not the best soldier we ever had in this side of the wall. Jasmine chose you to lead the expedition because she trusts you."

- "Very convinient that I was the one chosen to the other side of The Wall.."she instantly responded to the little one, facing her. "She knows I care about you."

- "What does that mean?"

The woman stood staring at little Astrid with a sad smile on her face, she was determined to give the child her answers. However..

"Rose. It is time to go." A soldier commanded her presence. 

"I will be there in a minute." Rose concluded. 

When Rose turned back to little Astrid, she noticed a tear was about to drop on the child's cheek. 

- "Are you going to cry?" The elder teased.

These words suqeezed little Astrid's heart and could not contain her feelings anymore. She proceeded to hug Rose as tightly as she could. " I know you are going to make it" she mumble while pressing her face on the woman's stomatch to hold back her tears. Rose hugged her back. Holding her in her arms tightly too. "Remember what do we say?" The elder asked while staring at the landscape. 

"Not even passing the wall, not even an arrow to our chest, not even the worst storm, can hold our spirit back. Warriors die together. We remain together for eternity."

The words did not make the most sense to little Astrid, she only knew these words would be spoken only when a warrior's life was lost. But for Rose and her, these words described their bond. Wherever they would be, together or not, warriors die together, they remain together at heart, always. These were the most significant words Astrid knew. 

- "Hold on to those words, Astrid. They will help you when times are at their darkest. Rose broke the hug and started following the path towards her mission. She looked one last time at Astrid. "Not all things are worth fighting for. Remember to fight for others, not you."

- "Yes." 

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Eight years after this, our little Astrid is not so little anymore. She is sixteen years old. Her blonde hair has now grown into a long braid that goes further than her waist. It blows along with the wind. The day was like any other, but Astrid was not. Her smile had faded. She walked towards a forest, passed some trees while the snow landed on her hair. She crossed a river and reached a zone where it seems life had abandoned the forest. The trees wher liveless and not a single animal in sight. Astrid breathed out, and walked towards a hole in the snow. A few flowers, a photograph, and an arrow were in it. 

"Not even passing the wall, not even an arrow to our chest, not even the worst storm, can hold our spirit back. Warriors die together. We remain together for eternity."

She closed her eyes and breathed out again. "I'll always be with you."

- "I know you miss her." Merida's voice broke the absolute silence but wrecking chaos inside of Astrid's mind.

- "How coulnd't I? She was the closest I ever had to a mother." sighed Astrid.

- "Greatest warrior the right side has ever seen, she should have a statue in the training centre not a hole without a body in the snow."

- "I made this for her. Nobody else would do anything." Astrid reminded Merida. 

"Sorry. We should head back to camp, they are going to announce which warriors are going to cross The Wall this day.

- "Does dear old Jasmine like to send people on suicide missions?"

"I thought crossing The Wall was everything you have ever dreamed of."

"I dream about a lot of things,"

"So, are you going to miss it? You are one of the best we have, you didn't even volunteer. I am sure they won't call you, if that's what you're afraid of."

"Nah, I want Jasmine to see my face as she sends another group of girls to the demise. I want her to remember." declared Astrid. 

"So make her." Merida insisted. 

Astrid tightly held the arrow which layed in the hole, lifted her gaze and joined her friend to join the others at camp. 

"You have to remind everyone that a part of Rose is still here."