18

Romance Novels

I sat with my knees drew to my chest a book of romance embedded into my hands as I could hear the rain beat upon my bedroom window. The rain came thick and fast lately here in Sitka, Alaska especially with it being the cold dark month of November, the month I had been dreading coming. November the 7th was my birthday usually it would be full of celebration and love as I would be surrounded by my family. That was until two years ago, when they arrived and destroyed my town and tore away our family's from our very grasp. They want us to fear them but how can I fear a monster when they had already taken everything from me, everything except my beautiful sister? I could not be feared or show fear, especially when she was now all I could live for. I had to protect her I promised my parents I would not let them harm her.

"What are you reading?" Jessica's head peered around my wooden door frame as her bright smile followed her question. She had the longest brown hair that sat just below her hips. She would never let my mother cut it she prided herself from her hair.

"The longest travel." I placed the red bookmark into the page and gently closed the book outstretching my legs as I gave a tiny sigh of relief.

"Haven't you read that one at least ten times." Her hazel eyes widened as she perched herself on the end of my bed. There was a sadness in her eyes she was not here to discuss my book there was something on her mind and I knew exactly what it was.

"I'd say more like eight it's good you should give reading a go mouse it's always good to let your imagination escape to another world. It helps you to forget where we are even if it's just for a second." I smiled softly as her eyes closed. "You're going to be ok, mouse I promise. You just need to keep yourself busy and keep out of mischief ok." I placed the worn book to my bedside table and shuffled beside her. "By the time you turn 18 Jess this will all be over I promise."

"You said that about yourself. Now in just six days you will be taken from me just like mum and dad were, and I will be here all alone. You know Ellie that I won't be able to cope on my own." Her head fell into her hands as her breathing deepened. "I won't be able to do it I'm not strong like you, I've always been the quiet timid one, please don't leave me Eleanor I'm begging you." Tears trickled from her eyes as she gasped for air. She was only fifteen her world had already been torn up enough.

"Hey, hey listen to me." I took her hand to calm her erratic state. "You know if I didn't have to leave I wouldn't mouse, but I do. Not through choice but you know this is what happens when we turn 18. They have run this town for two years we have no choice but to do just as they say."

"It's not fair, none of this is fair. I'm never going to see you again and that physically breaks my heart Ellie." She twisted her body to face me as I widened my eyes in attempt to stop the pricking tears falling.

"Sometimes life isn't fair Jessica, we just have to accept life is different for us now, neither of us can change that we just have to stay strong and do what we can to survive." I swallowed back the lump that wedged itself into my throat as she sighed.

"Then maybe I would rather not survive any longer not if it means I become one of them."

"We don't know what happens Jess we can only guess and where will that get us apart from driving us crazy."

"We do know they use women for there sick pleasure whatever that means. They make sure they tell you that every time they come to our door. That disgusting insidious smirk on their faces it makes me sick every time." She spat every word has her feet tapped to the floor at speed.

"You don't have to worry about this for another three years ok. If you carry on thinking like that then your right what is the point. Mouse I need you to be strong for me. I can't leave here worrying about you not being able to cope. You have to continue with life for me." I wiped the bead of sweat that was forming on my brow as I pushed my brunette hair back the red tint shimmering into the mirror opposite us.

"I will try." I sighed inwardly as I hoped my words were getting through to her.

"Good, now go and get showered I will make a start on dinner. It's your favourite macaroni cheese with bacon." I stood to my feet smoothing down my green dress that belonged to my mother. We had to make do with what we had in our home. They would not allow us to have new clothes or new books or new anything. If I was honest, I found a strange comfort wearing her clothes I felt close to her.

"Would you like me to cook tonight I have to learn sometime right?" She shrugged as she stood to her feet.

"Tomorrow I can show you a few things but let me do this for you tonight ok. Now go get showered before they turn off the water."

"I love you Elle."

"And I love you."She smiled as her nose twitched just like a little mouse. This had always been her nickname ever since she was a small girl. Her cute nose twitching alongside her timid personality reminded me of a mouse, even my parents would call her it.

I breathed a heavy sigh as she left the room. I was finding it harder with every day that came to hide my emotions from her. It shattered my heart into pieces to know that in just a few days I had to leave her here alone to fend for herself against these creatures. I wasn't sure If she were strong enough to do so. It terrified me to think if she didn't obey to their instructions that they would kill her, I've heard the screams from our neighbors at night. Screams that would send shivers down anybody's spine. We still were not sure what these monsters were but all we did know were they were cold and callous, and they loved us to fear them, it was as if they thrived from our fear.
Most looked human in fact most were extremely handsome one even beautiful which angered me to say. He would come to our door every Wednesday with our food never speaking a word, but his brown mesmerising eyes told a million stories. I would even believe he was saddened by something. I always wanted to ask him why he appeared this way, but we were not allowed to speak if we did punishment was death.

I say they are all monsters, but something was different about him, I was not scared on a Wednesday in fact an inquisitive part of me longed for this day to come. Not only that, but I would always hope that when I opened that door, he would speak, but he never did. His waved light-brown hair would just sit loose on the top of his head as his alluring lips bowed perfectly as they had a hint of a berry colour to them, but he never allowed them to smile. I pictured what his smile would look like as a string pulled at my heart.

"Pull yourself together Ellie, this man was surrounded by evil, how could he be a good person." I shook myself from my daydream as I stared into the gold framed mirror. If he was so evil how come he would cross my mind every day. Mouse was right, maybe I shouldn't read so many romance novels they were affecting my thoughts as I could not see reality in the way I should, but I could still hold on to some kind of hope, hope that a change would come, and that hope would save us all from what would happen when we eventually turned 18.