Emma Derrick
The air crept through the window, opened just enough to feel the morning breeze. I sat on my bed, gazing through the glass door. The water below me flows unevenly, permanently the color of rusted copper pennies. The wind... the wind seemed to be the only natural thing in the world. Looking out at the sunrise every morning, on my balcony or in my bed made me think of the past. The past and all my mistakes and how I can only add mistakes to the preexisting ones... of the past me... the future me... society that can't seem to find it's place in life. A perfect utopia.
The younger me promised that I will make a change in the world, but I just prolonged frustration and indentured servitude. So, I became the power. Is it good? Is it bad? I don't know, but I feel like I can do anything in the world and get away with it. I am the panjandrum of the lands within the walls.
Someone knocked on my bedroom door. "Come in!" I hollered.
One of my guards walked in to deliver a message to me. "A man on a golden horse, looks abnormally wealthy is waiting at the gates, he wants to talk to you," the guard informed me. I gave the guard an inexplicable stare. I was wondering who would disturb me this early in the morning.
I ambled down the walkway to the gate. I stopped face to face with an unknown man. The man had a darker skin tone, an arrow shaped nose, massive arms, and two different eye colors: the left was honey brown and the right was greenish hazel. His unique appearance caught my eyes. I've never seen anyone look so unique.
"Who are you and what do you want?" I asked the mysterious man, speaking through the gate.
"You're not even gonna let me in?" The man chuckled, and then smirked with his florescent white teeth. I thought his voice was going to be a lot deeper than it actually was.
"Tell me why you're here or go."
"Hahaha I would watch what I say if I were you... I'm Duke Ezekiel Jordan."
"Why are you here?" I questioned Ezekiel with even more curiosity than before.
"I need your resources."
"I'm not interested." I told Ezekiel with a straight face.
"Did I ask? Or did I say you were going to share your resources?" Ezekiel seemed annoyed.
"Bye," I told him.
I started to turn around, but Ezekiel said something that was worth noting. "Fine I guess I'll just have to take it myself;" Ezekiel said with his grungy smirk.
"What exactly do you want?" I asked.
"I want food and building supplies."
"Okay... come back in three days, and I'll have five trucks of material ready," I said.
Ezekiel smiled, showing his teeth. "I am glad to have an alliance with you," Ezekiel said. Then he reached through the gates to shake my hand. I stared blankly into Ezekiel's face for a brief moment, shook his hand, and went back to the manor.
I immediately took a seat in the entrance lobby of the manor as soon as I made my way inside. I put my hands over my face, then gently rubbed up and down my face with perfect rhythmic parity. I started to ponder profusely. I never thought any other of the regions had still existed. I knew there were rumors, but I never believed them. The Derrick Empire had been isolated from the rest of the world. We believed that it was better that way, we thought we were better alone. I know I was right; I knew nothing good was going to happen from this insignificant informal conference I just had with Ezekiel.
"Would you like some tea?" Polly asked me.
I sat on the manor porch with Polly, sipping tea. Neither of us spoke. We were enjoying the shiny day today. Polly is always admiring nature. I wish I could do that more often, but nobody cares about nature as much as Polly.
"Thank you for the tea it's marvelous," I told Polly.
Polly smiled at me full of joy. "You're always full of compliments and appreciation. How about I thank you for a change." Polly winked at me before continuing; "I really appreciate all you and your family has done for me over the years," Polly lauded me. Polly was being overly appreciative as always. She always knows what to say when you're feeling doleful.
Claudia
It was complete darkness. All I could see... all I could hear... the darkness. Then I saw it... a light. It was a fire in the darkness amplifying the replication of despair and hopelessness of humanity; failing at the hands of authority. The fire so close to me now that I can feel the heat breathing down my neck. The pain strangling me. The heat, the messenger whispering unfathomable words and sounds... until the fire burns me, turning me into ashes...
I rapidly woke up from that nightmare. I looked over at my alarm clock to check the time, it was exactly four o'clock in the morning.
I went downstairs to get a glass of water, but I encountered a strange situation about halfway to the kitchen. I heard people talking. I grabbed my knife that I keep in the vase at the end of the hall, and I took a peek through the doorway. I saw my mother with some unknown man wearing all black. I couldn't hear what they were discussing, because there was too much distance between us. I saw that the mysterious man in all black with his hood up shake my mother's hand, and then he walked towards the exit. So, I decided to go back upstairs before my mother gained suspicion.
The next morning I went back downstairs, the kitchen specifically to get my water that I wanted last night. While I was gulping down my water someone entered the kitchen. I turned around immediately. It was my mother. "Hello, mother... did you sleep well last night?" I asked her with an unsettled tone.
"Yes... I slept very well." My mother said. She continued to make her smoothie. It seemed like she didn't want to have a conversation with me. The way she was slicing her banana perplexed me.
"Mother..."
"Yes... Claudia?" My mother responded after waiting a few seconds to speak.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm alright, thank you for asking though, Claudia."
"You didn't sleep well last night... didn't you?"
"Being a duchess isn't as grand as it seems. Yes, there are many many perks, but there's so much cons and lament. I can't please everybody. I can't even please myself. How does anybody expect me to please a whole kingdom?" My mother had tears in her eyes after she spoke. I could tell she felt helpless. I gave my mother a hug, and whispered in her ear that I loved her.
