A TALE OF CAGES AND VINES (COMPLETE)

PART 4 - SOLDIER HOLLOWAY

Soldier  Holloway

Dev kept her face down and she kept walking.

This was what her brothers told her to do when they were separated during the day.

She was given the work of carrying swords, wood containers and anything they wanted her to move. The Other Landers were nothing short of cruel. They made fun of their marks. Mocked them for choosing a life of pacifism. Spit on them and beat them. She had suffered a slap, a kick here and there at the beginning but she obeyed and took it as best as she could over the summers.

After the camp, they were moved to a site where some were sent to dig up the white crystals and diamonds in their land while others were forced to cut down trees and fashion medicine to finance the 'war'. Their healers couldn't heal sickness, just body injuries.

Dev was now aware that there were Blacks and Blues. Those that changed shape, those that summoned light and darkness. Those that healed and those that summon weapons. They were at war with each other. They were now 'colonizing' her land and enslaving her people. They wanted the land and the resources the Zelowalli had.

It seemed so stupid to her.

Why bring your wars to their land?

But she never voiced her thoughts. She kept her mouth shut, head down and carried her load.

They had started to pick up on their language and they could tell if one of them was saying something wrong. Another thing they had stolen from them. The sacredness of their mother tongue.

Today, she was told to carry containers filled with the sap of the Witchka. Medicine that was once so scared that children never touched were being carried in containers.

She kept her head down and carried it from the gate of the camp to the building that housed their medicine. She sighed and blew away the sweat that gathered over her brow.

When she entered the medical room, there was new solider there. He looked young. Somewhere the same age as her or older and he was standing with a scroll in hand. When he saw her, he did a double take.

Dev looked away. If he thought he looked feminine, her secret would be exposed and she would be given to the male guards. No. She didn't want that. She was growing up and soon the Makena would stop working on her. She needed to stay hidden until they got another for her to eat. She avoided eye contact and put down the container. When she was done, she stood and waited for him to approach her and check for damages.

He took some time but then finally stopped in front of her load. She looked down to avoid eye contact. Some of them took eye contact a sign of aggression. She snorted when she heard that. As if her people were capable of such acts. A throat being cleared had her glancing up at the solider who smiled, "It's fine. You can go."

He had given her instructions in her language so she would know that he was talking to her.

She nodded and turned to leave but then stopped when she heard a large crash. She turned and saw two containers shattered on the ground. The new solider was turning very pale.

"Oh no," He whispered.

Before long three other soldiers came storming in and looked thunderous when they saw the damage down to the containers.

The solider was about to speak when she interrupted him.

"Sorry, sorry," Dev repeated until the guards got the idea that it was her fault that the container fell and shattered. At the corner of her eyes, she saw the boy try to say something but it was too late.