Changing lives constantly: The main

Chapter 2

Chapter two

Instead of trying to take through my feelings at the time, l would rather explain why l fainted in the first place. In my eyes, l saw the clearing around me and there was blood on each and every single tree. The trees looked menacing as if they were alive themselves and they all glared at me venomously. There were pools of blood on the ground where flies and other insects hovered around due its potential of being food. It was extremely horrifying to see blood everywhere and once again; my mind went through the possible scenarios as to where l could be and what was happening. 'Why is there so much blood?' 'Why is the ground black as if it was razed by fires and destroyed purposefully?' 'Why would a baby be left here?' Even though l was an adult subconsciously, l was a baby first and foremost and the whole scene shocked my system. So, l fainted and slept in the disgusting clearing unawares of any dangers that could befall me.

Third person P.O.V

As the baby peacefully slept in the horrifying clearing, a tattered woman slowly made her way towards it in apprehension since she had been there many times before and yet she had never seen the baby at all. The blood was a daily occurrence due to the hunters of her tribe killing there and shielding the rest from the horrifying reality of life. She walked step by step cautiously as if she was afraid of being caught. And indeed, she was afraid but she needed to find meat for her family. Although the hunters brought back food, they hardly ever shared with those around them and gave only to their own families or the chief's. This left a whole lot of people always hungry unless they could produce a son that could become a hunter.

Only sons could become hunters. Daughters became healers. That was that and there would be no change. The woman desperately hoped and prayed that baby was a boy. If the baby was, she would take her back with him. If the baby wasn't, then she would not. As it stands. life is cruel and she did not want a burden on her own family of three. The woman looked left, then right to ascertain that there was no one watching her in the shadows before approaching the baby silently. Ignoring everything else, she lifted the baby and started removing its swaddling cloths. She did this gently and slowly so she would not harm the baby but she knew it was unfeeling of her to remove the cloths when it was slightly cold outside. She just could not care less.

After unwrapping the troublesome cloths, she looked at the baby's smooth skin in pity. If she was to live here in the wild, it would quickly become brown and filled with scars of abuse or from fights with wild animals. She looked down and saw that baby did not have what she wanted. Even though she said earlier that she would abandon it if it was a girl, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and defeat. Not for the baby, but herself. She would have to continue looking for meat every day and find herself in pain and agony. Unless...

But that method would probably not work after all she would be exposed sooner or later. But still...the woman was unwilling to accept her fate so she cast the only magic that she knew; healing magic. The baby was bathed in a warm green light and colour returned to its pale, wan cheeks. She would have to do it. She would have to deceive everyone and even herself that this girl was a boy. And if she could do it, she would guarantee her family's safety for years to come. This was the only way since her family consisted of unmarried females only.

Previously, all the males in her family were killed due to someone else's mistake and only the females left. This was to ensure that the family would never be able to rise again. But now, she would have to endure all the shame and ridicule from her family and the village to bring prosperity to her family.

She planned to say that she had this baby out of wedlock and the father died protecting them in this very place when they tried to escape from the village. Sighing softly, an image of a young and valiant man came into mind as she thought of her plan. She shed silent tears for the love she would never receive after this and steeled herself for the turbulent future she and this baby were going to face the moment she stepped into the village.

The woman carefully re-wrapped the baby back in its swaddling clothes and raised it up to her chest in protection. Looking around, she quickly darted back into the forest as if craving protection from the actions she wanted to take, unaware that the darkness was looking on in anticipation.