raven ↠ vikings

ONE

The first days of summer still had a cool wisp in the air during the early hours of the day. The flourishing green grass was covered in a fresh coat of dew and the birds happily danced with one another around the plum trees. The mountains that surrounded our little village towered above us like tall castles in the center of a kingdom. The crystal clear stream beside the forest was almost overflowing from the large amount of rain we had been getting in the past few weeks. I prayed that God would hold back the roaring storms for a little while because if He didn't, the crops would begin to whither from getting too much water. 

I had developed a strong interest in farming and in the process by which all of our food was grown. Watching plants bloom and grow was fascinating to me because I was able to see so many similarities between plants and people. Both had to fight to survive, and both would shrivel up and die without the proper care. Both grew on a steady pace and stopped at a certain point. I prayed that I wasn't done growing. I was only just above five feet, and I wanted to be tall like my mother was.

Every night I would stand by the doorpost at my room to track my growth. I had barely grown at all in the last few months. I just knew I was cursed to be tiny forever. I knew it was a sin to not have contentment, but I wished prayed every night that God would at least give me a few more inches.

My thoughts about growing faded away as a little, white sheep bumped into my leg while I was putting grain in the feeding trough by the fence next to a wide field at the edge of the mountains. I looked down at the ignorant animal and shook my head. Sheep were so stupid. I always found great amusement from watching my oldest sister, Edith, trying to learn how to herd them. Edith was stubborn like the sheep, and she became easily agitated when they didn't cooperate. It was a hilarious sight to see.

I finished pouring the grain into the wooden trough and left the sheep pin. I closed the gate behind me and walked down the dirt path that ran through the middle of the village. Everyone was busy with their morning chores and some small children were playing with three little puppies. I smiled at the sight as I arrived at the house I shared with my four sisters and stepfather. My stomach churned, and not in a good way, when I stepped into that dreadful house.

My stepfather was a vile man; a drunk. He went off the handle when my mother died four years ago. He beat all five of us, even Lily and Hannah, who were his own daughters. Edith and I got the worst of it, along with our younger sister Greer, because we were only his stepdaughters. He never did like us very much. Our mother was the only thing protecting us, and when she died of a fever that swept through the whole village, there was nothing holding our stepfather back from abusing us.

I spotted our stepfather, Jude, was his name. He was passed out on the couch. Half of his body was hanging off of it, and a broken bottle of ale was sitting on the table in front of him. I knew that when he awoke, he wouldn't be kind. I pulled up the sleeve of my green dress that had many holes in it and was in terrible need of washing. I spotted the angry bruise marks where Jude's harsh grip had been the night before. I was determined not to let him hurt me that day. I wasn't going to let him hurt anyone. I was tired of feeling helpless and afraid all the time. 

The sound of Jude stirring made every muscle in my body tense. I felt fear creeping into my bones as he picked himself up off of the couch. His cold, brown eyes had heavy bags underneath them, and his ugly brown hair had several grey streaks within it.

Jude spotted me standing near the kitchen. He looked at me the way a wolf looked at it's prey. I clenched my fists as he began walking towards me. Not again. Not again. He was not going to hurt me again.

"You're back early, Thea" His breath reeked of alcohol.

I scrunched my nose in disgust, "I got up sooner this morning so I could spend time with my friends this afternoon."