✓ | Girls of a Feather | #OpenNovellaContest2019

| four |

Aleta

Aleta stirred, awaking to an open window and an empty bed.

She jolted upright, the sleepy fog clearing from her eyes. A thousand thoughts flooded through her head in a storm of worry. Annemie was always back before dawn. Always.

Where are you? She groaned, annoyance overpowering her anxiety.

Her sister had probably just lost track of time and fallen asleep in the forest. It wouldn't surprise her, though it would still be a first.

Annemie had always been the irresponsible one, filling her head with fantasies instead of practicalities. She left those to her sister, who she knew would never utter a word of protest despite her own dream. Aleta didn't want to have to live in the village her whole life either, but she had resigned herself to her fate long ago. People never left for long, and the sooner Annemie accepted that the more peaceful they'd all be.

Somehow, she would have to explain Annemie's absence to Mam until she returned. It wouldn't be easy, but she was used to Annemie sneaking away, so it was nothing she hadn't done before.

Aleta shrugged out of her nightgown and into a loose-fitting blouse and trousers, tying her hair into two braids with thin silver ribbons. For as long as she could remember, she and Annemie had worn silver and gold ribbons in their hair. She didn't even know why anymore, but Annemie had probably read it somewhere in a fairytale. Still, the ribbons had become a permanent fixture. Besides, it was nice to have something to remind her of her childhood.

Annemie, she grumbled, noticing her sister's disheveled bed. Just another chore to add to her already doubled list. Groaning, she tugged open their bedroom door and made her way to the kitchen.

Mam sat at the table, accompanied by Pa's empty plate. He was always long gone by the time Aleta woke up, but it felt too empty with both him and Annemie absent.

"Morning, schatje," Mam said, glancing up. She frowned, the corners of her lips crinkling downward. "Where's your zus?"

"S-still asleep," Aleta stuttered, biting her lip as Mam narrowed her eyes.

She was used to lying about Annemie's dancing, and she had been doing it for so long it was second nature. Weaving new falsehoods was the issue. "She was exhausted last night, so I said I'd do her morning work."

Mam eyed her, and Aleta prayed she couldn't see the hands knotted behind her back. If Mam spotted any hint of betrayal, she'd pounce as quickly as a wolf.

"Exhausted from what?" Mama finally asked, and Aleta allowed herself a small sigh of relief. "It's not right for you to do her work. I'll go wake her."

"No, Mam!" Aleta cried, wincing as she realized the volume of her protest. She softened her eyes and tilted her face in what she hoped was the picture of innocence. "I'm happy to do her chores, I promise. Please just let her sleep."

Mam's frown lessened, and she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"Alright," she agreed. "But she'll have to do twice as much tomorrow, ok?"

"Ja, Mam," Aleta promised quickly, untwining her fingers.

She started toward the door, but Mam interrupted her escape with a polite cough.

Forcing herself to remain composed, Aleta turned around and kissed her mother on the cheek, grabbing a slice of bread drizzled with appelstroop as she darted into the dawn light.

As soon as she was out of earshot, she murmured a halfhearted string of curses that would have sent Mam spiraling into a conniption.

Aleta hated being the one left to pick up the pieces of her sister's mess. This time, she wouldn't give in to her zus. When Annemie returned, she would have to deal with one upset sister.

Aleta exhaled heavily and began following the river to the well, letting its monotonous murmur lull her. Wind rustled the treetops, the leaves jagged against the sun-dappled sky. It was early, but Aleta didn't mind. Unlike her sister, she liked rising alongside the sun instead of staying up long past the witching hour. Even though Aleta would never admit it, especially to her sister, the darkness still swam with shadowy figures and child-eating witches. In the daytime, there was nothing to hide.

She stopped at the well, peering down into the dim depths. When they were younger, she and her sister had tried to lower gifts of honeyed bread and fragrant flowers down in the basket, offerings to the creatures they thought lurked beneath the smooth surface.

Mam had drawn the line when she found bits of bread and blossoms in her cup at dinner, but the memory was enough for Aleta to forget her irritation and worry.

For a moment.

A crack sounded from the forest, and she whipped her head around, instinctively stiffening with fear.

"Who's there?" she called. "Annemie, is that you?"

She squinted as a shadowy figure stepped closer, but the shrill shriek of a bird distracted her. She blinked, and the silhouette disappeared.

The bird shrieked again, flapping its wings at her.

She glared at it before returning her attention to the well.

Yet again, the bird's cry split the air.

"Do you mind?" she snapped, before regaining her senses and slumping against the cool stone of the well. She had really lost it. First, she had thought she had seen that shadowy figure, and now she was talking to a bird.

"Aleta, pay attention!"

"What now?" she hissed, whirling around to face the bird. As soon as she did she stumbled backward, her heart speeding up.

The bird. It really had spoken.

"It's about your zus," the bird said with an urgent undertone. "Something's happened to her, and we need your help."

[ a / n ]

another update for you guys! i have 6 midyears next week so i've been really stressed out with studying, but it was nice to take a break and edit this :>

in this chapter, we get to see things from Aleta's perspective! so far, who do you like more: Aleta or Annemie?