Ashrow: The Healers

Chapter One

Book One

Aria's Story

After all, the afterlife cannot be as cold and grim as this one.
-N.M Browne

Glancing around the baron wasteland, I noted it was completely empty.

It made me feel exposed, like I was an open target. I knew it was dangerous to travel to the fields, but I needed to get food as I was running dangerously low on supplies.

The fields contained wheat and fruits that I'd looked after since The Healers arrived. No-one else lived in Mazlan anymore I was the only one left, everyone had either fled or been taken.

You'd be considered a fool to stay here and that's exactly what I did. The only reason I stayed here was in hope that my mother would one day come back.

I arrived at the field, my knife was in my hand, though there may be no one here, doesn't mean that something won't attack.

When I came to the field's, I didn't like to take to much at once because food was precious and it would be bad if I wasted it.

I ended up taking two apples, a bag full of strawberries and a sack of wheat. I'll come back when I need more I thought.

As I was coming back I could tell that something was wrong, I went from walking then changed into a run. Running, I knew that the house would be the best way to defend myself.

My house came into view and I picked up my pace. If there was one thing I had learned because of The Healers it's that if you feel like something's wrong, something was wrong.

I was almost at my house when I tripped over something. I mumbled a few curse words before I looked back at the thing that tripped me.

There was a blonde-haired boy laying on the ground. It must be a mourner. But this mourner wasn't moving.

Cautiously I picked the boys hand up and checked his palm. He didn't have the mark of a mourners, so he must have still been

an ashrownan. I moved away for the blonde but I felt guilty leaving him there for the Healers if he was sick, I could probably help him.

Giving up I slung the boy's body over my shoulder, he was heavy and it took me a while to reach the house.

When I got inside I put his body down on the chair and put the supplies I got away.

After sitting on the seat and watching the blonde haired boy for a while, I began to get hungry so I made myself dinner. I ate my food and watched the boy. His hair was too long and it covered his face slightly, I frowned. The boys wounds looked bad but I couldn't tend to them till I found out who he was.

Deciding it was safer, I took two pieces of rope and tied his wrists to the chair. It was beginning to get extremely boring waiting for the boy to wake. I was just about to drift of to sleep, when I heard the boy groan. His eyes opened then took in his surroundings.

The boys eyes landed on me, "Where am I?" he asked.

"Mazlan." I answered.

"Why am I here?" he questioned.

"I could ask you the same question." I retorted.

He moved, then winced slightly and looked down at the ropes on his wrists.

"You tied me up." he accused.

"I did you a favour," I said "if I left you out there the Healers would have got you."