Hells Gate

The choosing

Clare often thought of that day so many years ago, the day that changed her life forever. The memories was just as fresh as always and she could still find the emotions from that day. Her strongest memory from that day was the feeling of loneliness when she looked at the crowd and she couldn't find her mother. She had felt alone in the world, like nobody cared about her.

Later that day she had found out the reason for her mother's disappearance. Cassandra had been ill for a long time and her body finally said, "stop" and she had fallen to the ground. She was brought to the temple and the priestesses to receive treatment. To think that ten years had passed, it sure didn't feel that way. The life as a priestess trainee hadn't been that bad and Clare had built bonds, strengthened from countless hours together.  

The halls were empty and  Clare's footsteps echoed between the walls, bouncing back and forth. If she didn't knew better she would think that she was being followed. The thin candle in her hand lit up her nearest surroundings but left shadows on the furniture and walls. The flame slowly moved with her movements making the shadows move over the walls, creating new shapes. She was on her way to the hospital wing before the other priestesses woke up, she was going to visit Cassandra. They had tried everything during these past ten years but nothing had been successful, Cassandra was still ill and she got weaker and weaker for each year. No one said it to Clare's face but she knew that it was a wonder that Cassandra had survived this long.

Clare pushed the door to the hospital wing open. The smell of cleanliness struck her and stung in her nose. The room was lit up by huge windows that welcomed the early morning sun indoors. She loved the room for its cleanliness and light and she could spend hours in there when her mother was asleep. Clare saw her mother in her usual bed by the one of the windows, she was awake. The white sheets swallowed Cassandra and made her hard to spot. She was pale and her once beautiful hair was now reduced to a few strands clinging to her scalp. Her face was sunken and tired, every breath seemed to drain her of energy and her chest rose and fell slowly. The strong resemblance between mother and daughter that used to strike everyone who saw them next to each other was gone. Cassandra's dull blue eyes met Clare's and a weak smile spread on her lips revealing a set of yellow teeth and several gaps.

 “Good morning, mother. Feeling better today?” Clare said and returned the smile. She sat down on the side of her mother's bed.

“I do. I’m feeling much stronger, thank you.”

Clare wanted to believe her mother but she couldn't. The words were said with so much effort and it wasn't difficult to see how her mother struggled more for each day that passed. Clare saw her mother die little by little before her eyes and she wasn't able to do anything about it. It made her feel like a worthless daughter. Cassandra had taken care of Clare through everything and had always helped in her own way. She hadn't been the most loving mother but she always made sure that her two daughters got the best the world had to offer.

 “How are you today? You look sad,” Cassandra said and grabbed Clare’s hand.

“I’m just a little bit nervous that’s all, mother,” It was a lie and Cassandra knew it but she let it slip.

“Why are you nervous?”

“I’ve been chosen by Olanda to assist with the choosing today and by midnight I’ll do the initiation rite.”

“It’s a great honor to be chosen to assist with that task and if I remember right, the assistants are allowed to spend the day down in the village?”

“I know, mother,” Clare answered and the thought of spending time in the village brought a smile to her lips.

“So, off you go. I’m sure that there’s someone more entertaining to spend time with than me. Have fun, dear"