The sound of distant thunder awoke me from another one of my nightmares. I got up and walked over to the window, the early morning frost had settled on the tops of the houses of Draggerhorn. The sky was pitch black, I can't remember the last time we had a day of sunshine and warmth. Mother used to tell me it was because the sun can't find our village because it's so small. But Aunt Ruth told me it was because of them.
We aren't supposed to ask about them but I couldn't resist asking around about them. "You shouldn't be asking around about such things Valerie" some villagers would tell me, but I wanted to know. When my parents found out that I had been asking around they were angry."We have warned you about this before Valerie, your never going to learn" I was punished. They kept me locked in my room on weekends, I didn't have a social life anyway. I didn't like the girls in my village, they were too obsessed with the idea of marriage and having children. The thought of either of those things made me feel sick.
The thunder had stopped but I was still wide awake. I had the urge to go for a walk as I wasn't going to go back to bed but walking around the village after dark is not recommended, people say that's when they come out to hunt. They feed on anything with a heart beat, dead or alive. I got up from the window sill and got my sketch book before returning to my bed. I began to draw the figure from my nightmare...
It has always been the same person I've dreamt about. He's tall, pale skin, dark brown hair and very light brown eyes with a tint of red. I've tried my best to draw him accurately but sometimes the visions in my dreams are bury. Hes not a friendly person either, he tells me that one day we are going to be together and we will be happy. When I first started dreaming of him I was 9, I don't know what started the dreams, my mother and father told me its nothing to worry about. But it worried me, his voice sounded so real in my dreams, my parents have tried to get me to forget about him. But I cant. I don't control my dreams, I haven't even met this person before, I haven't seen anyone like him in the village.
By the time the sun is rising I'm almost finished on my drawing. The nightmares are more clear now so its easier to get a clearer image of him. I put my drawing things back onto my desk and get changed. As a young woman I'm meant to wear these dresses which are tight at the top but long and dull, my mother says they are very fashionable and all girls in the village wear them. I hate them they are not practical at all and I don't particularly want to look like every other girl in the village, I am nothing like those attention seeking man hunters.
The noises from downstairs makes me realize breakfast is nearly ready. I jump of the fifth stair from the bottom hoping to land properly. But I don't.
Thud!
I land flat on my face.
"Can you try to act like a lady for once in your life Valerie!" my mother practically screams in my face. Its not my fault I'm clumsy!
I get up straighten my ugly dress and walk into the dining room where I'm greeted with a slice of stale bread and water. Yum.
"Look Elizabeth I'm trying my hardest to bring money home but this village is in darkness we can't grow any crops and practically everyone is struggling to pay rent and provide food" my fathers voice sounds defeated.
We are in darkness and we are all struggling, apart from the few that have some wealth in their family like the Cranfords who own the village. I wonder what they are having for breakfast. Maybe eggs or bacon, they might be having fresh fruit or yogurt. Or maybe..
"Valerie!" my mother's voice instantly brings me back to the dining room. "Will you stop gaping at the bread and eat up or you will be late for school!" I'm sure my mother hates me...
I quickly eat up, or try to eat the bread then go and get washed, the cold water on my face feels refreshing and wakes me up. I grab my bag from my desk and walk downstairs and out the front door. The villagers are awake and most are going off to work. Some work in the little shops we have, most of the men work in the woods, I have no idea what they do out there. Its forbidden to go into the woods without permission and I know that you have to have a very good reason to want to go out there, its full of all sorts of things..
I walk past the bakery, John has already made his first batch of bread which smells delicious! Much better than the stale crap I had this morning. I start to jog as I realize I only have 2 minutes until registration and I can't afford to be late. I start to jog faster as I enter the school gates and realize everyone else is inside. Shit. I run to my classroom and sit in my normal seat, thankfully the teacher is late
