The Rumblings in the Clouds

By: Anni

My name is Aveline. I don't have a last name, and I don't want one. I am an independent person and I live alone. The same way that I have for three years now. My parents were killed in battle when I was just ten years old. They abandoned me for a war against our rival clan. I begged them not to go. But they wouldn't listen. So now here I am three years later. I visit my best friend Beck, everyday, Beck and I gather food for ourselves and Beck's grandfather. Beck also has no parents. He doesn't know what happened to them.

We live in the Cloud Forest, in Central America. Our village is called Mist Grove. We live near the waterfall. It is often hard to see because of how high up we are in the mountains. There is fog and mist everywhere. But underneath our world's mask is a lush green forest. With trees and bushes blooming with all kinds of fruits, nuts and flowers. Our village is made of ficus wood. The most common tree in Mist Grove. Our village has many homes of all sizes and is surrounded by a huge wooden fence. I come out of my small hut and run over to my friend's. I greet him.

"Hi, Beck," I say as I walk over to my friend. "Ready to go?"

"Hey, Aveline. Yeah I'm ready," he slings a backpack over his shoulder.

"Be careful," Beck's grandfather reminds us as we wave goodbye.

We walk through the village, passing by carts with clothes, food and tools. But since our families have no status, and we have no money, we cannot buy the food. We must hunt for ourselves. We leave through the main gate and enter the foggy world.

We tramp down the path through the brush. The same way that we do everyday. We have made our own trail. All the way to the field where the gwald trees grow. With their fruits shimmering in red, pink and yellow.

"Grab some of those gold gwalds and I'll take the red ones," I tell Beck. I know my way around the forest like the back of my hand. I also know all the best fruits and nuts. In the Clouds there are only some fruits that can be eaten, some are dangerously poisonous and some are only good in brews.

"What do you think about going exploring today, Aveline?" Beck asks.

"To where?" I ask. We had been almost everywhere in the Cloud Forest. Nothing was new anymore.

"Well. I know we have gone everywhere north, east and south of the village, but have you realized that we never go west?" Beck asked her.

I considered this. I know that we have never gone west. But I have no desire to. West was the battlefield where my parents had died.

"Yeah we haven't. But we don't need to. We can stay around here, and get more food for ourselves," I responded.

"Come on! When was the last time we had some fun?" Beck asked her.

"Before we had to fend for ourselves. With your grandfather's age, he can't help us anymore Beck. We have to do it all alone." I remind him.

Suddenly the earth starts shaking. The rumblings have returned.

"Get down!" Beck yells.

I climb down from the tree I was in, and huddle down on the ground. The Cloud Forest has been experiencing mini earthquakes for months now. Each one a little more powerful than the last. The ground shakes and so does the tree. Fruit starts falling to the ground. They hit me on the head and I imagine their juice staining my light brown hair. A waste of a good meal. Finally the shaking stops. I run over to Beck.

"That was so much more powerful than the rumble three days ago. The tree started shaking!" I point to all the fallen fruit that is now bruised and messy.