✓ | Girls of a Feather | #OpenNovellaContest2019

| sixteen |

Annemie

"So, what is it?" Janneke demanded.

"Ja, tell us the plan," Isa added. 

Some of Annemie's confidence dissolved beneath their expectant stares, but she refused to be cowed. She had to be sure her plan would work, because the other options weren't acceptable. She wouldn't let herself or any of the other girls die in this prison. She wouldn't let Aleta search and search for nothing. She couldn't do that to her zus, the other half of her heart.

"We need to be subtle and smart," Annemie began, and the other girls nodded. "Antsje Pluk is powerful and clever. If she senses we're up to something, that's it, it's over. So if we're to do this, everyone needs to be in agreement, and everyone needs to be ready to face the consequences. Understand?"

"Ja," the other girls chorused, all except for one. The girls turned toward the dissenter, parting so she could speak to Annemie face to face.

"What's your name?" Annemie asked. As much as she wanted to scream some sense into the girl, Annemie hadn't gone this long without learning from Aleta. Sometimes it was best to play nice, and now was one of those times where it was necessary to bite her tongue.

"Why should I tell you?" the girl bit out, crossing her arms. 

Annemie sighed. The other girls started to murmur amongst themselves. The daylight was fading fast, and they were running out of time, but Annemie had to appease them first.

"I want to know all of you," Annemie appealed. "We're all in this together."

"Sure we are." The girl laughed. 

Annemie hardened, her patience wearing away. Why couldn't this girl see the bigger picture? Did she want to remain under Antsje Pluk's thumb forever?

"We are," Annemie insisted. She spread her arms, gesturing to Sofie, Janneke, Isa, Sanne, Betje, and Lotte. The other girls shifted uneasily, as if their support was waning, but Sofie stood strong.

"Chiara," Sofie said softly, and Annemie fell silent. "I've known you for years. Decades, probably. We didn't grow up together, but we might as well have. I know it's hard to leave behind the familiar, but we're not doing it for ourselves, we're doing it for each other." The other girls applauded, and Annemie found herself smiling at the older girl. She looked back at Chiara, searching for a sign of agreement.

"Fine," the girl sighed, "but I don't like it."

"You can like it when it works," Annemie replied, earning herself a couple of laughs from the surrounding girls.

"So, liefje, let's hear this brilliant plan of yours," Sofie said, nodding at Annemie. The other girls leaned in to hear her answer.

"Here's how it'll work," Annemie began.

----

The girls ate their dinner in silence. The trays had magically appeared in the center of the room, but despite her grumbling stomach, Annemie couldn't find the will to finish her meal. The food caught in her throat like a lump, and her anxiety dulled any of the dish's flavor. She was not alone. Sofie, who usually scarfed down her food, had barely touched her potatoes, and Lotte looked like she was about to be sick. Finally, they all gave up on pretending life was normal.

"Annemie, I'm sorry, but I can't do this," Lotte whispered as she twisted a golden ringlet around her finger. Chiara scoffed at her, and Lotte flushed, ducking her head with embarrasment.

"It's ok, I'm scared too," Annemie confessed, reaching over to pat the girl on the shoulder. The gesture felt awkward, but Lotte looked at her with thankful doe eyes, and she knew that she had done the right thing. "But you can't let that stop you. We all need to be brave in order for this to succeed. Can I count on you?"

"Ja," Lotte answered. Her voice quivered with fear, but her eyes burned with determination.

"Goed," Annemie said, smiling at the sweet-faced girl.

"When do we leave?" Chiara asked, breaking the serenity with a scowl. "We're sitting ducks right now." Annemie almost laughed at how true her words were - they were quite literally sitting birds - but she stifled it. Now was not the time.

"We'll leave when we transf-" Annemie began, but her words cut off as her body convulsed.

"What's wrong?" Sofie asked, springing forward in concern before a collective shiver rippled through the gathered girls. The sun had set, and the curse's magic swelled within them, pulled forth by the moon like the tide. It was time to transform.

As her lips sharpened into a hooked beak and feathers stretched out from her skin, Annemie felt at peace. For the first time, she wasn't scared by the transformation. It still hurt like hell, but she welcomed it. Now, the transformation felt less like a prison and more like an escape. Aside from a few quiet whimpers, the other girls morphed in somber silence until Annemie stood before an army of birds. Determination hummed through every feather and claw in the room.

"Let's go," Annemie said, and that was all it took. They took to the air, flying out of the cottage and into the wicked woods. A moment passed, and they were gone, melting as smoothly as shadows into the darkness.

[ a / n ]

eek another chapter! we're slowly getting closer to the end.

as always, thank you all so much for reading! please leave your predictions, reactions, comments, etc below <3