The Sacrificed

Chapter 1

   Today should be just another day. But it's not. Today is as unique as it possibly could be. The inside of the temple is much more beautiful than I thought it would be.
   The temple is made out of white marble, it amazes me because of its rareness, there is no mountain to get marble out of around here. I walk with as much confidence as I can possibly muster. I keep my head up and eyes forward, one foot in front of the other. My bare feet pad against the cold floor. My clothes are on the raggy side, my family is one of the poorer ones in the village. I stick out in this temple.
   Down the hall comes two priestesses both in white robes. They both watch the ground as they walk, as if looking up at the beauty of this place was a bad thing. They both have orange hair slicked back, they must be sisters. As they come close they actually look at me.
   "Silvia, we thank you for your humble sacrifice " they say in perfect unison. They act as if I'm giving them a cow or something. No I'm sacrificing something much larger. There's nothing humble about what they're forcing me to do.
   "Uh, you're welcome" I say. They smile in response and begin to walk away, I follow behind them. I have no clue what I'm doing. I feel like a little girl all over again, having to be told what to do and being led around.
When I was little I used to admire the sacrificed. Such beautiful people giving themselves away for everyone. But I know better now. Especially after I was able to watch the giving ceremony for the first time when I turned twelve.
   My first giving ceremony was just like anyone else's. The day started with a beautiful sunrise, I thought that was a good omen. All morning I helped my mother prepare, cooking and putting the final touches on our clothes. The feasting before was extraordinary, I had never seen so much food in one place. The best part was it didn't matter who you were, everyone could eat as much as they possibly could. I ate too much that day, I had a terrible stomach ache. My mother told me to be quiet and enjoy the ceremony, it was my fault for eating too much anyways.
   After the food the whole village danced for hours. Being twelve at the time I danced with my brother. Neither of us knew any dances so we spun until we were dizzy and then laughed until we were basically forced off the dance area. Soon the adults turned somber. I didn't know why. I thought it was because the ceremony was about to end. But I was wrong.
   We returned home and began to dress. My mother and father put on robes, robes that were a blood red. I didn't like the color. The robes had a hood that could be pulled over the face. My brother wore a black shirt and pants, for once he looked handsome, even for a fourteen year old. My mother made a fuss over me. She combed my hair and put a pink ribbon in it. My dress was so beautiful. I couldn't stop looking at it or touching it. The dress was the nicest thing I had ever owned. It fit loose on my chubby frame. It was pink, a soft pink like a tulip, it was made of silk, I couldn't stop running my hands along my skirt. My thick fingers lost in the fabric. I cried for hours when I ripped it two weeks later.
   That afternoon I followed my parents to the final part of the ceremony. For some reason everyone was quiet, even my blabbermouth of a brother. I now know why. My parents pulled up their hoods to cover their faces. The adults and children branched off into separate directions. I tried to follow my parents. My brother grabbed my arm and dragged me over towards the temple. When I was twelve the temple amazed me, now it disgusts me. My brother led me to an upper floor of the temple to a window. When I looked out all I could do was stare in awe.
   At one of the doors of the temple stood two rows of people on either side. All of them in the same red robes as my parents. I couldn't tell anyone apart. All the other kids were quiet, so I stayed quiet.
   That's when I saw her. She was beautiful. She had golden hair that was curled to fall gracefully on her shoulders. She was short but slender. She reminded me of a fawn. I was captivated by her, until I looked closely. Terror was evident on her face. Her eyes were so wide I could see the whites from far away. She was tripping on her own dress. With tears streaming down her face she feel down to her knees. She crawled over to a person in line, pleading for mercy. I couldn't hear her but I could see her body raking with sobs. The person did nothing, they didn't move an inch. She went from person to person, pleading for an extension to her life. Two of those people were her parents. People who raised her and should have loved her no matter what. No one in the lines moved an inch. When she realized she was out of hope she gave up. She dragged herself into the woods. She dragged herself to her death.
   That's when I learned what the ceremony really was. It wasn't a time to enjoy life. It was a time to end a life. I didn't sleep that night. My thoughts kept going back to the poor deer girl. I had nightmares for a week about her screams. After that ceremony I never went again. I faked illnesses, or in the case of two years ago, I grieved alone for my fathers accidental death while hunting.
Now, I can't hide from this ceremony. The girls lead me to a bathing room where I'm promptly stripped down while they warm the water. They offer me several different scents for the bath. I choose rose. At home we could never afford anything rose, they are very rare.
   "Great selection, honored one, the head priestess says that when people die they go to a place covered in roses, what a beautiful thing" she smiles to herself as she adds three drops of the scent to the water. They're all serene, contempt with themselves. I'm sure that if she could she'd trade me positions right now. She thinks death is beautiful. It scares me.
   I take a hesitant step towards the bath. The water feels good on my foot so I let the rest of the warm water embrace my body. I tilt my head back and take a deep breath. Roses would be a great thing in the afterlife.
   Soon enough the priestesses have to prepare me. They get to work scrubbing me all over. I normally wouldn't let anyone touch me, but today isn't normal. One of them signals for me to get up. I rise up out of the warm water and into a robe. The robe is silk and gray, I'm being surrounded by luxury. I should try and take it all in, but I barely remember my name at this point. Nothing feels real.
   I sit on a beautiful seat. Priestesses rush around me trying to make me look my best. First they get to work on my face. They cover my blemishes and even out my skin tone. They even apply cream to my calloused hands. They've never felt this soft before, I keep dragging my fingers across my face.
   "I can't decide what color to use" sighs a red head in frustration.
   "We could follow with the rose theme and use red and pink" suggests a blonde. They all pause in deep thought. I wish my biggest problem was trying to choose a color.
   "How about a metallic?" asks the red head with excitement. All of them gasp, they love that idea.
   "How about a silver for Silvia? " screeches a brunette. They all nod their heads in agreement. They dash around even faster but this time with blurs of silver. By the time they are done I'm covered in silver. My lips and eyelashes are silver. My eyelids sparkle. They braided silver strands into my hair. With all the silver on me I must be worth a fortune. They lead me to another room. I can't believe what I see.
   The whole room is filled with dresses. Dresses of every style and color. There are probably more dresses in this room than people in the village. I run my hands along several of them. I'm not even a quarter of the way into the room when a priestess emerges from a cluster of dresses. What she brings out makes my heart stop.
   The dress is so sparkly it's almost blinding. The top is covered in silver pieces that trail down until it turned to a smoky gray silk. Quickly the women help me slip into the dress. As I look in the mirror I can't believe what I am seeing. I look truly beautiful. My anger flares, they're only doing this because they're going to kill me. Guilt really does motivate someone to kindness.
   "You truly are the picture of beauty, the gods truly will be pleased with you," I turn around to see the head priestess. She's leaning against the doorway, she exudes an air of confidence. She's wearing white robes that drag on the ground behind her. She has gray hair, the strange part is that she doesn't have a single wrinkle on her face. Her skin is flawless, yet her hair only gives away her age. Something about this woman puts me on edge. Something is definitely not right, aside from her trying to kill me while my whole village watches and pretends not to see.
   "I'm so glad, it would be such a shame if they weren't pleased" I try not to let my disdain creep into my voice but she senses it. Her face turns sour. It seems as if she doesn't like me either.
   "One who is honored should do best to hold their tongue and be grateful, anyone in the village would be more than pleased to take your place," I begin to open my mouth but she interrupts me, "But, you were chosen, so, make your family proud"
   That sends a pain through my chest. I turn away and look at the ground. I can't help but be upset at them. My brother and his wife are at home right now, feasting. My mother's probably with them. Are they grieving for me? Or are they pretending like everything's okay like they did two years ago when they left me alone to grieve, while they celebrated?
The head priestess smiles at me. She knows that that comment hurts. She knows exactly what she's doing.
   "Come, come, it is almost time for you to shine!" the woman all smile at me, trying to relieve the tension. As I pass the head priestess she follows me with her eyes I almost don't catch her comment, "Not much longer".
   It takes everything in me to continue to walk forward instead of attacking her, or worst, breaking down and crying. I have to stay strong. I will not go down like deer girl.
   They lead me to the door. I try to wait patiently but every second feels like eternity. I know what we're waiting for. We're waiting for the adults of the village to get here. They should be waiting for me, besides, it's my special day. I look at the faces of the women around me. Every time they catch me looking they smile. I can't see any emotions on their faces besides pure joy. They make me sick.
   "It is time" says a blonde. They all put their hands on me, straightening things that are already perfect. They all back away and smile even brighter. Two of them rush to the double oak doors. They each take a door and begin to pull. The doors begin to groan open.
   The first thing I see is the rows of blood colored robes. Everyone is holding lanterns that harshly luminate the path I'm about to walk down.
   "G-go on" whispers a brunette. They are in awe of me. I nod and take my first step out of the sanctuary of the temple. My whole body screams at me to turn around, to run back and never leave. I take a deep breath and shut down that voice. I square my shoulders, lift my head and walk. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. I refuse to look at anyone so I look straight ahead at the woods, at my death.
   One of these people used to play with me when I was little. He used to make fun of me. But when another little boy made me cry he punched him. He got in trouble but he didn't care. No one could make his little sister cry. He was supposed to protect me. Now he's watching me walk to my death. He has failed me.
   One of these people used to say I was their little baby. They would kiss my bobos, chase away the monsters at night, teach me everything a girl needed to know. They are supposed to love me unconditionally. Now she's watching me walk to my death. She has failed me.
   The woods send a chill down my spine. I'm halfway there. I want vomit. I want to scream, I want to beg for mercy, I want to live. My head spins, faster than anything I've ever seen. I can't breathe. But I can't let them know. I can't be like all the other sacrifices. I can only take one thing with me to the woods. My dignity. I will not beg. I will not scream. I will not vomit. I will breathe. I will stay stoic. I will haunt them at night. I will make them feel guilty for being involved in my death. I will not be forgotten.
   I even out my breathing as I get to the end of the line. I pause at the end. The sun is beginning to go down. The whole ceremony is right on time. After this, I don't know how much time I have left. No one knows. It's not like someone has lived to tell the time frame. I could get killed the moment I step in. Or the gods could toy with me, make me scream and run. I want it to be a quick death. No screaming, no crying, and no begging for my life. Maybe I can survive. Maybe the gods will forget about this year.
   As the last bits of day slip away I step into the woods and prepare myself for the end.

----------------------------------------------------------- Word count: 2,526

Welcome to my first author's note! First of all thank you so much for choosing to read my book out of the millions of books on here. I appreciate it!
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