Law of Spikelets

Chapter 1

I stepped out into to the bright sunshine, gazing out over the diminishing crops. The wheat collection trucks had been visiting more and more often, but Tato had nothing to give them. 

"Anya!" my mother called from inside the small farmhouse, "Dinner!"

I wandered into the small dining room, the usual pot of borscht and a loaf of paska sitting in the center. I took my place beside my father, who sat reading the week's newspaper. His thick mustache shifted as he twitched his nose, folding his newspaper and placing it on the empty chair beside him. My mother placed the last few dishes on the table just as Andrei, my older brother, walked in.

His shoulders were tanner than ever, having been working in the fields this summer. He must have worked so hard, he finished the harvest season early this year, as they have nothing to give the government's collection trucks.

Tato served us all some soup, my mother tearing us off a wedge of bread each. We ate in silence, there was nothing much to discuss. The school year hadn't started, and nothing worthwhile talking about ever happened in the countryside.

A loud knock sounded at the door. I sprung up, "I'll get it!"

I rushed to the thin wood door, yanking it open. My тітка Яна threw her arms around my skinny waist. My aunt a thicker than my mother, and gave the best hugs.

"Come in," I said, moving to the side so Aunt Yana and Uncle Sasha could come inside. My mother appeared in the doorway.

"принцеса, go into town with Andrei, Yana and Sasha have some things to discuss with us," she said. I pouted, I barely ever see my aunt and uncle, and I wanted to show them m new dolls.

"Come on, Anya, let's go," Andrei called from outside. I ran after him, eager to see my friends. During the summer, we didn't go into town often, so it must be something important they're talking about. I skipped alongside the road, stopping to pick the occasional wildflower and bunching them together to make a bouquet for my best friend Oksana.

The bookstore soon came into sight, followed by the rest of the small shops lining the road. I rushed past Andrei to Oksana and I's secret spot, the large crate behind Mr. Polychenko's butchery. 

"ANYA!!!" Oksana squealed from inside the crate.

She climbed out and hugged me. I placed the flowers in the can beside our crate before climbing in myself.

"Look at what Mrs. Evancho gave me," she exclaimed, pulling two brightly coloured objects out of her dress pocket. She handed me two motanka dolls, one with blonde hair and the other with brown.

"It's us," she explained, making my eyes light up. Mrs. Evancho only ever gave us the reject dolls, which Irina, Oksana's older sister, would sew back together for us. They were both dressed in the colours of our Sunday dresses, mine being a baby blue and Oksana's being a pale lavender.

"We should go thank her, it's only right," I said.

Oksana shook her head, "She's out of town, on a trip to Bilen'ke. We could see if Denys is at the fountain."

I nodded and we headed towards the centre of town. Denys was Mrs. Evancho's nephew, staying here as one of Mr. Polychenko's employees. After dinner, he could usually be found by the fountain, throwing hryvnia into the clear water. 

Sure enough, the dark haired boy sat on the fountain's marble edge, tossing his spare change into the water.

"Denys," I called, running up to him, "Look what Mrs. Evancho made for us!"

I handed him the dolls and he smiled, "So that's what she's been working on all this time. I'll make sure to tell her you like it."

"Anya!" Andrei called from his circle of friends. He held up his hand showing me the two minute sign and I frowned, it seemed like we had only just got there. I looked up at the sky, the sun had set and the moon was beginning to show.

"Bye, Anya!" Oksana said, snapping me out of my daydream, "See you next week!"

I sighed, I didn't want the summer to end, it had gone by so fast. I grabbed Andrei's hand and we started back to the house. A groan sounded from beside me, and I looked over to see an unhealthily skinny man, hunched over a woman, their eyes both sunken in. Andrei pulled me away with the jerk of his arm before I could say anything, and continued walking down the road, eyes set fiercely ahead of him.

A few minutes later we approached the house. The sun had long since set, and my eyelids were starting to droop. Voices could be heard in the kitchen, belonging to none other than Aunt Yana and my mother.

"I don't know how long we can hold them off, now that the Law of Spikelets is in place, they've been coming nearly every day and I'm worried we won't have any left to spare."

"It'll be alright, Nastya, the grain in the cellar should last you through the winter."

Law of Spikelets? Not enough food? 

Andrei grabbed my arm, "It's late Anya, you should be getting to bed."

I nodded, still curious as to what my mother and Aunt Yana were talking about. I climbed the stairs to my bedroom and slipped on my silk nightgown. I crawled into bed and falling asleep.