Firstborn Legend

Chapter 1

A/N Trying notes at the start, which is better? This is my first attempt at first-person, so tell me how it's working out!

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I'm Rachel Jayson. I live here. Not in the gutter, this town! I'm a firstborn child, so my family left me. Firstborn kids always die before they reach the age of 12, the age they can leave home and be free. Firstborn are turned out as soon as they can walk though. Everyone says they bring bad luck in a home. Most of us die alone, from a dog or falling off someone's roof. Some of us, though, find companions to travel the town with. I have a friend, her name is Layla Grayson. She's 11, like me, but she only turned 11 yesterday. I turn 12 in a week, so I'm more likely to die.

I hear something from behind me. Sounds like a dog... Oh no, not a dog. A dog killed Li and Dali two days ago, and left Jewel bleeding. She died yesterday. It's just a cat, but I'm still wary. Rose still has a scar where a tabby clawed her half a year ago. The cat runs to a trash can, the one I put raw meats in, (we never eat meat unless it's already been cooked - Sunny burned up when she tried to cook a steak two weeks ago) and runs off with a fish in its mouth. But not before hissing at me and clawing Layla.

"I'm fine!" She whispers to me. "I've suffered worse. Go ahead and get dinner. I want two apples. Don't forget to wash them with the rainwater like Gina did."

I nod and run off to get - ok fine, steal - our dinner. We wash it off because if we don't, we end up poisoned. That's just how the curse works. After I get the apples for her and a bunch of grapes for me, I start back. Then I hear something.

"They've been saying there's a way to lift the firstborn curse."

It's two of the elder ladies talking. "I heard it too. A 12 year old firstborn climbs the statue in the center, and calls out their name. That's supposed to life the curse."

"Well I don't believe it! Firstborns never live to be 12! It's impossible!"

"Actually they have. You know Miss Diana? She was a firstborn. And now she's the schoolteacher."

I want to jump off the roof and run back to my cardboard box home, but I have to restrain myself. June fell off a roof three days ago, and Sam fell in a hole just this morning. I remind myself to wash the fruit, and walk slowly into the house.

Then I talk as quietly as I can - Mike died when his house came down a couple days ago because he yelled at a cat. "There might be a way to lift the curse! If I can survive until I'm 12, and can climb the statue and yell out my name, the curse is broken!"

Layla frowns as she listens and eats her apple. "What if it doesn't work? And the curse will probably kill you by then anyway. Besides, even if you do survive, you'd fall off the statue before you reach the top. It takes too long to get to the statue anyway. Don't even try to make it."

I sigh. "I found a chance, and I'm taking it. I'm leaving tonight. I got some supplies, enough for two people." I hint at inviting her along.

Layla frowns at me. "I'm not going. I don't want to die far away from home. You can go, but I'm not. The curse isn't meant to be broken. It's to-"

"I don't care what you say!" I yell out. Then I quiet down - the house is shaking. "I want to at least try. Goodbye, Layla."

I walk outside. It's raining. I walk to the edge of the alley we live on. I take one final look back at home, and leave to lift the firstborn curse. I leave to become a legend.