The Light In The Darkness

Chapter 7

I opened my eyes and looked around the room. As usual Silver is the first one up. She stands out on the balcony. I hear a man screaming "Please don't hurt me" he says. I rushed outside to join Silver. The guards are holding down a man he is kneeling in front of Bay. I wonder what is going on? Kingston and Paul come running out standing in between the two. It's hard to hear the conversation between the three of them. The guard dragged screaming man away.

I quickly got dressed out of my pajamas. I wanted to find Paul and ask what happened. I find Paul sitting in the dining room at the table about to eat breakfast. Bay looks extremely angry. Silver also comes in and we take a seat at the table.

" Can't treat people like that!" Said Paul.

Bay slams her fist on the table making the milk spill everywhere. Shouts back at him " Don't tell me how to run my kingdom! I'm in charge! If you want to run you should have taken over when the council appointed you."

" You're right I'm not in charge, but I am your big brother and it's my job to protect you. You think if the council finds out how you and Samuel are running this place. What do you think would happen? You're seventeen years old maybe it's time for you to start being a kid."

Bay stands up causing the chair to fall backwards. She storms pass Samuel nearly knocking him over. Kingston and Paul start cleaning up the spill milk. Samuel asked what happened?

Paul looks up at Samuel and asks when did we start killing people over plucked apples off trees?

"It's our way of reminding people around here we are in charge and little fear doesn't hurt anyone. They can't do whatever they want here if they want to be protected." Said Samuel.

It was clear Paul was disgusted by Samuel's words. He didn't even finish his breakfast before storming out of the room. I decided to chase Paul and make sure he is okay. Finally, catch up to him outside. I shouted his name a few times before he stopped and turned around to face me.

"You want to join me for a walk? I need to get out here for a while and cool off," said Paul.

You want to join me for a walk? I need to get out here for a while and cool off," said Paul.

I agreed. It would be best for him to get out for a bit. Samuel leads the way, and I follow him. Before exiting the gate, Paul plucks two green apples off the tree and hands one to me.

"I can't believe my sister! Of all the people who know what it is like to go hungry! I would try to kill someone over an apple," he says between bites."And what makes it even worse is that Samuel thinks it's okay! Then again, I'm not surprised; he was never a good role model for her or to me begin with growing up."

"Why do you say that? I asked.

"He has always been selfish and only cares about himself. Growing up wasn't easy for us! People say it's the way he is wired from his rough upbringing. We spent a lot of days fighting food and living in a run-down house with barely clean water. It wasn't until my mother finally got married that things got a little easier."

Paul explains, "Her regrets bringing his sister. She would have been better off in Echo instead of here."

We walked downtown and stopped for a bite to eat at a at a cozy small restaurant. We take a seat at the table by the window. I start to look over the menu, trying to decide what to eat for lunch. Samuel seemed to be distracted by a family digging through a trash can out front. The poor mom and her three kids look extremely hungry. The youngest of three, the little boy standing on tiptoes, starts looking through the window.

"I've been gone for so long from this place. I never noticed how bad things are around here. A mom should be digging through trash; just feed their family."