Dear Diary

One

Dear Diary,

Today was beyond wonderful. No one disturbed the house, birds chirped freely, the sun was high in the sky, and it seemed everyone in town was in a pleasant mood. It makes me wish that you, my friend, could see and hear these things as well; that you could experience them alongside me. You know how I'd trade places with you if I could. I'd much rather be safe inside a book able to forever do as I please within than be out here in the open, vulnerable to days not as peaceful as today.

I brought the quill back to the ink, resting it inside as I awaited the reply. I couldn't help but smile as the words slowly began to appear underneath mine.

Dear Anabella,

How I wish, as well, I could experience your world. I wouldn't even curse my worst of enemies to this fate of being trapped within a book filled with nothing but blank pages. If you were trapped here instead of I, my heart would perish. I'd rather stay here than switch places with you. You don't deserve this life. I am simply thankful for the little piece of the world I get to hear about from you. Lord knows what I would do without you. Hunter is coming.

I read each word as it appeared, letting my smile grow larger with each passing second. But as my eyes scanned across the last sentence, they widened. I put the quill back in its place, closing the book. I looked to the door just as it swung open, my older brother, Hunter, walking in.

He shut the door behind him, starting to pull off his worn leather gloves. He hung them on the wall on the little hook he had put in specifically for that reason.

"Hi." I stood, keeping the book behind my back. It was a secret I kept from Hunter since the day I found it. If he found me talking to some book, he'd think I was a crazy. If he saw that the book replied to me, he'd make me burn it. He would say I had found an object cursed by some powerful being. It was easier to hide it than deal with whatever his reaction would be.

"Anabella," He smiled at me, but I could see through it. He was tired. His dirty blond hair had wood chippings in it, partially soaked with sweat. Tiny beads were on his face, slowly moving downwards as far as they could before getting wiped away by the back of his hand. "I'm hoping your day was better than mine." He collapsed into the chair I had been in moments before. He ran his fingers through his hair, hazel eyes meeting my own.

I returned the smile. "My day was pleasant enough. The chores got done timely and without problems."

"Better than mine." He laughed dryly, starting to untie his boots. "They had us beginning to clear a nearby grouping of trees."

"All day?"

He nodded, slipping his feet free of his shoes. Hunter groaned in relief, stretching his toes.

I quietly took his boots, bringing them back towards the front door. I watched as he relaxed as much as he could within the chair. He slumped backwards, resting his head over the top of the chair. He shut his eyes, stretching and resting his legs out upon another chair. He rested his hands upon his stomach.

I felt bad for him, but there was nothing to do about it. I couldn't make his life any easier or even attempt to help him pay the costs of living for the two of us. Norema was a strict place to live in. The last thing they wanted was women to be working.

The rules ranged from ones that made complete sense and were easy to follow to ones that felt like they belonged more in a prison and were difficult to follow. Curfew was eight in the afternoon, obeying parents was a must, taxes needed to be paid every Thursday. Only married couples could adopt children, but they were only allowed to adopt one. If a couple wanted to get married, they had to be approved by the leaders of this land to determine if they were truly in love or if the two would even be beneficial to the town. Food was to be distributed out by the leaders in completely equal amounts among the same class citizens. The list drags on and on. Any breaking of these laws could be punishable by death.