Once Upon a Midnight: Wanted

Chapter One

"Aeryn, get back here! You don't want to be seen, do you?"

The dark haired girl spun around, her thick locks swirling around her. Most everyone else had gone ahead back to the village, leaving just Aeryn and her caretaker to carry the last few baskets of food back home. Aeryn adjusted the smaller basket she was holding, and brushed the hair from her face, her pale yellow eyes shining as she ran towards the older woman. "Coming Mama!"

Still, Aeryn looked toward the edge of the forest they were in, toward the Wall, a look of longing in her eyes. She'd never been inside the city before, but had always dreamed of it. Buildings at least one hundred times her size. Places where she could eat all the food she wanted. A home she could feel safe in.

Even if she were to make it inside, though, she would most likely be killed on the spot.

For to be human was certain death.

Of course, Aeryn didn't understand why. Mama said it had always been that way for as long as she could remember. Humans had been outlawed and many lived in settlements outside the city, bordering the woods. They had to make sure not to be too close to the Wall though, or risk being caught by the Council.

"I wish I could go in there." Aeryn murmured, faltering in her steps as she looked back to the Wall again.

"Well you can't, 'less you have a death wish." Mama said harshly, grabbing the young girl's hand. She didn't mean to be so blunt, but Aeryn was fond of dreaming, and her dreams would one day get her hurt. Of course Mama didn't want to see that happen, and even though Aeryn was barely six years old, it was old enough to come to grips of the harsh reality that was their world. Humans weren't wanted.

"But if I could..."

"You can't, Aeryn. For as long as the Council has existed human's ain't never been allowed beyond the Wall. And those who have made it over ain't never been seen since. Do you want that to be you?"

"...no." Aeryn responded, lowering her eyes to the ground. She knew she could never go past the Wall but that didn't stop the longing. It was as if something were calling to her. But she couldn't tell Mama that. Mama wouldn't understand.

"Good, I don't want that to be you neither. Come now, we need to gather the rest of the food before it gets too dark." Mama looked down at Aeryn, her expression softening a bit at the downfallen look on the younger girl's face.

Tugging Aeryn's hand to signal her to stop, Mama crouched in front of her, reaching out to touch her chin gently. "I just don't want you to get hurt Aeryn. Us humans, we ain't liked for some reason. I don't know what they did years ago, but we're paying for it now, which means we don't get to have some luxuries like dreaming of life beyond the Wall, okay? It's best if you just put that thought out of your head. Life will seem a lot better that way."

Aeryn looked as if she wanted to protest, her bottom lip poked out in a small pout, but then she simply sighed, nodding and lowering her eyes. "Okay Mama."

She closed her eyes as Mama leaned forward to kiss her forehead gently. "I love you Aeryn."

"I love you too Mama."

---

It wasn't long before the two were approaching their home. Although shack would have been a more appropriate term for it. It was larger than most of the housing units the villagers lived in, simply because Mama had assumed the role of caretaker for orphaned humans, and needed a larger space to house everyone.

On the outside it looked like any normal house. It had two large holes in the front that served as windows, one on either side of the door. A large piece of fabric hung in each one as curtains. The door, along with the rest of the house, was made of mismatched wood. With every new addition Mama sent out a few of the men to gather wood to begin a new addition to the house. It was hard to find wood that all went together, but Aeryn was fond of the exterior. There was a small garden off to the side of the house that Aeryn tended to with a few of the younger kids who had not yet been influenced to fear her. It was a calming activity, one that made Aeryn feel as if she belonged for just a few moments.