The Mordecai Chronicles: Deliverer

Prologue 1

IN THE BEGINING

The sun rose in the east. The bright yellow and orange streams of bright light slowly stretched across the sky, sneaking its way into the small window of the hut that housed Evelyn and her mother. She shoved the quilt her mother made for her when she was just a child down to her waist as the warm sunlight beamed onto her face.

Evelyn opened her eyes quickly, feeling the warmth the light provided fill her body. The rooster crowed like clockwork outside her window alerting her it was time to go. She threw the quilt back as fast as she could and jumped out of the small cot she called a bed. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she passed it in her search for her small, tattered wind breaker. Her eyes were full and light brown, the sun shining through the window accented them perfectly as it hit them from the corner of her face. She rubbed her hand over her cheek; her copper skin glowing. Evelyn ran her hands down the worn, white gown she had been wearing to sleep since she was six-years-old.

It had seen its fair share of up and downs, like the girl wearing it, but it was not like her people to discard of anything that could be of use. She looked at her hair. It resembled the color of coal and was stuck to both sides of her head. Evelyn ran her fingers through the matted mess atop her head, using them as her own personal pick. Thick, wavy patches of hair revealed themselves as she made her way around her entire head until it finally fell to her shoulders. She located her wind breaker lying on the floor next to her bed. Evelyn snatched the black, thin cloth from the floor and pushed both arms through it until it hugged her tightly. Despite the slender material the jacket was made from, it was the only form of protection she possessed from the cold.

Evelyn turned her head quickly toward her bedroom door. The sound of an old door creaking alerted her reflexes. That sound could only indicate one thing; her mother was awake. Evelyn did another once over in the mirror before leaping through the window. She landed on her feet, literally, and came face to face with one of the chickens her mother kept in the coop beside their home.

"Back up you ugly beast," Evelyn mouthed as she flicked flakes of chicken feed at the chicken causing it to flutter backwards in fear.

Evelyn smiled a small smile before keeping low and moving toward the body of trees that separated their camp and her home from the outsiders. The large mass of trees would provide a long journey for Evelyn to get to her desired destination, but what she sought was worth it. She scurried past the well where she fetched water daily for her mother and past the huts that housed many people who lived in the village. Her bare feet racing across the dirt caused a flurry of dust to rise toward the sky. The familiar sound of a mutt barking caused Evelyn to come to a screeching halt as she passed the house of Michone, the village shaman.

"Shhhhhh you little bitch," Evelyn whispered with venom dripping from each and every word.

Evelyn heard commotion coming from Michone's hut and she knew it was only a matter of time before she appeared at the front entrance. Evelyn gave the mutt a look that could kill before taking her chances and taking off toward the forest as fast as she could. She raced through the woods and past the trees. The sound of branches breaking and dry leaves cracking under feet assured her that she was moving fast, faster than she had ever moved before. Faster than she believed to be humanly possible, but she knew she could not stop. If Michone caught her and informed her mother of what she was up to, what she planned to do, she would kill her.

She ran faster, her heart beating out of her chest, but her legs would not let up. She could not stop until she was there.

"Evelyn."