The figures

2

I walk out of the room into the opening of the now bare ground. The fire smoke billows, and the cracking loud as day. I slowly walk towards the fire looking around. I didn't see this much tents last night, or I think was last night... They go close beside each other with candle lights filling the window opening.
I suddenly stop when I hear screaming and laughing. "STOP! PLE-- NO!" I rush towards the screams when I recognize who was screaming. Mom! I turn left when I get pushed on the ground.
"Whoops! Sorry, anyways time for the killing!" I look up as I see the man staring down at me. "Come on!" He holds out his hand and pulls me up. "I'll make sure to tell you my name right after the killing!" He says with excitement.
He leads me through a crowd of black figures, the people looking at me with their mask on. Nodding. "Leader will be happy for you!" I look back and see a tall figure waving at me. "I remember when it was my first--" he gets cut off when I hear a large, strong voice echo out.
"Today, a sister will be shedding blood." Loud cheers scream out. "She will be killing these two fellas here." He motions to people too crowded to see. I know who it is, I can't imagine how I'm going to do it. "Anyways," he looks around. The guy next to me hollers and points to me. "There she is! Come up here, make room!" He nods at me.
"Go up there!" A guy says in my ear. "Now!" He pushes me into another person. I say sorry and slowly walk towards the opening.
I look to the ground as I see fewer and fewer long cloaks touching the ground. I stop when I see bare ground. I look up and see my parents sitting down beside the fire groaning. I quickly look away from the sight. I suddenly hear them cry out to me. "Please! Please don't do this to us... We need to get back to our daughter Cherlyn!" I hear my mom scream out as one of the figures slap her across the face.
    "Don't slap her!" I screech. I rush over to my mom. "Go away! I'll do it." I look back at my mom.
    "Cherlyn? Is that you?" She looks up at me. "Darling?" She grabs my mask and slowly pull it off. I don't budge as she does.
     Suddenly a guy takes her hand and pushes it away. I pull my mask down and stand up. "Is this your mom and dad?" I hear a familiar voice ring into my ears.
     I look around and notice everybody staring at us. I hadn't notice the silence. I look at the guy, I look into his stunning grey eyes and his handsome face. "Is it?" He yells loudly.
    "No... Yes! No I mean no..." I stammer. If I tell them they are, will they kill me? The guy stares at me.
    "I want you to kill them, whether or not they are your parents. You need to earn my trust." I stare at him. He wants me to earn his trust? That's what this is about?! Anger boils up in me and a strange energy surround me. I feel it go from my toes into my head.
    I grab his bare neck and pull it forward. "I don't care if I earn your trust or not." I say nastily. "I could care--" I get interrupted by the leader pushing me away from the guy I harassed.
    "What do you think you're doing? Harassing one of your brothers. That's unacceptable, a punishment will be waiting for you in the morning." He says in anger. I look up at him, knowing he'll be frowning. He's not. A small smile of amusement shows in his face.
    "Come on, I'll show you where you have to go." He walks away. "I'll tell you my name, I already know yours." He looks at me. "Eric. The names Eric. And yours is Cherlyn?" I look away. That's your name, I've been calling you "the guy" all this time.
     Eric leads me into a small tent far away from the others. I walk slowly, stepping on sticks. He opens the tent and walks in. He lights a candle and puts it on a small drawer, the light fills the tent.
     "This is the place where you're going to stay for the night, I'll come and get you when leader says so. The punishments are quite hard, so enjoy the time you have alone." He looks sadly into my mask. "Remember you're in a dark forest with dangers around." I look out into the darkness of the door. He's right. It took a long time to get here.
     I nod and sit on the flat bed beside the small drawer. I see Eric go out and disappear into the darkness. I sit lonely on the bed, wishing I was back home. I don't care if mom and dad say I can't go outside anymore, at least I'm with them. I wish I was in my soft comfy feather bed, with a portrait of small mountains above me. I wish I had food.
      Suddenly my mind drifts to food. My belly gurgles with discomfort. I lay on the bed and close my eyes, I'm going to be here for awhile. I look outside. I slam my head against the hard pillow. Is it morning or dark? The darkness looks like night, but they say it's morning.
      I turn into a fetus position and drift into sleep. I open my eyes immediately when I hear a scuffling noise outside. The noise turns and comes the direction of my tent. I slowly get up, trying not to make any noise. Suddenly the noise stops right outside of my tent.
     I sit quietly, listening to the quiet noises of the night. I get up and quietly walk over to the tent door. I open the flaps and look outside. Noticing sticks crushes and small tress being pushed aside. I step out and look around. I turn and walk back inside.
    Suddenly something pulls me back inside and tackles me to the ground. I yell as I see the body pull out knife and raise it high. "Stop! What're you doing?!" I scream out.
    The body puts down the knife and gets up and walks over to the tent. I notice black hair trailing behind. A girl? I get up and walk towards the tent slowly. I open the flaps and study the girl. She wears a black hoody and tight black jeans. She has long black hair down her back. I see her digging into the drawer pulling out food.
    "You do realize that's mine." I say. She turns around and faces me. She has brown eyes and freckles. Her face is dirty. She puts the food into her small bag studying me.
    "Well, I'm going to take it. If you want it, fight me. You and your weak pathetic group. Nobody can beat me, I should've killed you when I had the chance." She grins.
     Pathetic? I don't care about the group, but they aren't pathetic. I fill with anger, energy filling up inside me. "The group isn't pathetic, you are. You and your dirt packed face, you're just a wannabe killer. I bet I can--" the girl runs to me and pushes me into the flaps.
     I jump up and grab her waist and pick it up. I throw her skinny body into a tree. It makes a sickening sound, she gasp for air as she hits the ground hard. Her head slams onto the ground making a clunk.
     I run towards her and suddenly see her knife on the ground. I pull it and put it into one of my pockets. Immediately she lifts up her head, blood dripping from her face. "I'm.... Im gonna-- gonna kill you..." She reaches for her knife, realizing it isn't there.
      She slowly gets up. I watch her, she groans in pain as she lifts up her head. She crawls over to me, staring at me. I watch her closely, as she slowly shuffles to me.
      She then grabs my mask and pulls it off, revealing my face. She laughs. "You're ugly." She grins frowning. She's jealous. She grabs my face and pulls it toward her. I let her do it. "I'm going to kill you right now." She raises her fist and punches me.
     I stand up and grab her hair and pull it up. She winces in pain. I lead her to the tree and put her in front of it. I suddenly slam her head into it three times before she stops screaming. I drop her limp body on the ground and walk to my tent.
      I stop. What did I just do? How did I do it? I remember me picking her up and throwing her into the tree. How did I have the strength? I remember the energy and the anger so intense, making chills go down my spine. I killed her, I'm not even tired.... I run into the tent and slam on the bed.
      I touch my mask, instead feeling my soft face. My mask! I rush outside and stop when I see Eric walking towards me. He didn't notice me yet. I grab the mask and pull it over my face. I walk over to Eric, he finally notices me. I imagine his face into a frown, but instead he smiles.
     "I see you killed someone." He says.
      "Wait... You did?" I ask.
      "No, you have blood all over your mask. Which means you killed someone." He touches his mask and pulls it to his face examining it. I notice the blood and flinch. "I'm happy for you. Come on, maybe leader won't punish you when I tell him you killed someone." He looks around and stops.
      His mouth widens as he sees the body. I look to the direction and gasp. I didn't know I did that much damage! Her body is broken and her head has blood gushing from it. Her arms are turned the other way, and one of her legs are broken. Her face doesn't look like a girl, but a disturbing picture of homicide. Her nose is crush, her face filled with cuts and blood pouring out.
     "You did that?" He asks surprised. He covers his mouth.
     "Yes...." I say quietly.
      "I'm impressed. She or he looks like she's been mauled by a wolf or bear." He motions me to follow him.
      After a long time we finally reach the camp. Eric grins as figures walk by staring at me in amazement. Eric waves as more people stop and look at me. Eric stops as another figure comes to him.
     "Hey Eric, who's your friend?" A female voice asks.
      Eric looks away blushing. This must be Charlotte. "I'm Cherlyn. Nice to meet you." I hold out my hand.
      Charlotte looks at me with her mask. "I see you killed someone. That's a whole lot of blood." I notice she doesn't put out her hand.
      I pull back my hand rolling my eyes, knowing she won't see them. "By the way... Cherlyn I was asking Eric" She turns and walks away.
        "So, um.... That was your crush?" I ask.
         "Isn't it obvious? I couldn't speak to her, not only look." He looks to the ground embarrassed.
          He motions to follow him. We start walking, I suddenly notice a huge tent. The biggest of all. The tent has decor all over it, with smoke coming from the top.
         Eric opens the flaps and walks in. He then walks out sighing. "Come with me Cherlyn." He walks in. I slowly and quietly open the flaps and walk in, I look around and see tables packed with food. Bags put neatly beside the tables, filled with stuff. I look for the leader when he calls to us.
        "Hello, Cherlyn. Came to hear your punishment?" I stare blankly at him. Showing no emotions. "I have some news for both of you, news that are going to shock the whole of figures." He rubs his mask.
         "What is it leader?" Eric asks. Obviously frightened.
         "A report was made clear to me, a brother is missing. A sister who isn't supposed to be here, I don't even know why she's here." My heart sinks when I hear him say this. I look to the ground. "I think both of you know who she is." He says angrily.