The Fire

Chapter I

EMMA

Living in the suburbs of Minchir, the world's capital, the biggest city of the Great New United Kingdom... is tough.

That's what I thought when the Warriors kicked our plastic door. I saw my piece of safety being smashed with heavy black boots. I screamed shortly.I couldn't look at soldiers' faces, they were hidden behind white masks. But I could bet that these faces, much prettier than what I was used to seeing in the suburbia, were full of disgust.

Beauty and disgust just don't seem right together.

In the moment this sentence flashed in my mind, one of the Warriors punched me in the face.

It was hard, however I didn't scream. I tried to be brave. But maybe that was my mistake.

"Where'd everyone gone, sweetie?" asked another Warrior.

"I... I don't know who you're talking about."

My fear was bigger than I imagined. I was playing this scenario in my head a lot of times, since quiet a long time. But I had no idea how scary it really was.

I counted. There were seven Warriors searching through my house, in this moment. Dad, grandma and Tom should be around a kilometer away.

My family existed, and the GMOs knew about it. Lying was hard.

"How's your grandmother? Your beloved sweet grandma, is she still missing her husband? Ah, it was a long time ago. Now, be much wiser, honey, and remember about their mistakes. We just want to see the books."

The books were taken, safe and protected. I needed to take care about our only treasure.

These books survived more than seven Warriors.

So I closed my eyes and said nothing.

In the sudden silence I heard a click.

LUNA

"How 'bout a piece of cake, ma'am?"

Jane has already offered me toasts, pasta and eggs.

"No, thank you. And please don't call me like this."

The help just blinked and left the room.

Being a new wifey of a Warrior is tough.

I didn't know him. Oh, of course I did, somehow. Arranged marriages were not in anymore. But being Josh's fiance was much different than being his wife.

Two weeks ago, three months after our wedding, I found out I was pregnant. Six days ago, for the first time, I saw a hooker standing in front of our house, and Josh inviting her inside. Two days ago he came into my room, just as I started reading about proper eating during pregnancy, he threw me on the floor and kicked in the stomach a few times. All I remembered was pain, huge pain that felt kind of electrical, raising inside of me. And warm, thick liquid streaming down my legs.

I was not pregnant anymore.

I haven't seen Josh since that day. Actually, I have only seen Jane, trying to feed me. She was no doctor, but she helped me the way she could. All maids are trained in case of similar accidents.

Jane was younger than me. She looked sixteen, more less. I didn't know her last name. I didn't care. I knew what I could see - grey eyes, small nose, blue tattoo on her long neck and never closing mouth. Sometimes I couldn't stand being around Jane, I didn't know if it's because of her annoying mouth or pretty face.

She looked better than me, and it made me feel insecure. I suggested Josh once that maybe we should have an older maid, a more experienced one. He just looked at me and sputtered.

So I've never talked about this anymore.

As I reminded about these things, and I was doing it at least five times a day, tears streamed down my face. I felt... emptiness. I wasn't sobbing and screaming in pain anymore. I hoped for the baby to be a dream that came true, a real blessing, someone that will love me forever and never hurt me on purpose. I thought it was going to be my only chance of being happy. After realising that everything else failed - my choices, my family and I as well - I hoped a child will be the first one to make me proud and full of unconditional love.

But there was no baby. No family. No loving husband. And even no friends.

Josh didn't even let me taste the happiness I hoped for.

I heard him come home. Half an hour later, another prostitute knocked at our door. And again I did nothing.