Freak Territory

Chapter 1 - 7:15

The clock read 7:15. It always read 7:15 since the Reformation.

In 15 minutes, the alarm would resonate through the house, screaming at me to take my medication. In 10 minutes, my hands would fall victim to the permanent trembling that plagued the population since the Freaks took control.

"Grace?" The feeble call drifted from the room across from mine, reminding me that I was not alone. I rose to my feet and tiptoed across the hall, resting my hip against my brother's doorway.

"Yes William?" The tremors in my brother's hands had already begun to present themselves and he was actively trying to hide them from me. He whirled around in his chair to face me, his cheeks hollow and eyes empty.

"I'm out," he told me, biting his lip, as he usually did when he had a problem. I had no doubt he'd been peddling his meds to his friends in exchange for extra food service.

"Well, you know I can't give you any of mine," I replied, the twinging of my own tremors building in my fingers. "They designed the medication so it can't be shared among blood relatives." Eyes rolling, William turned his back on me, resuming his in-depth review of the novel he'd already finished five times this year.

"I'm aware Grace. I was just informing you." He said the words with contempt, as though he truly believed I was stupid. I spun on my feet, making my way towards the kitchen.

"I hope you know I'm not risking my neck to get you your meds!" I shouted from my prickly wooden chair. I knew him well enough that I could see the finger he was holding up for me. A snarky comment escaped my lips as the massive bottle containing my pills waited on the checked tablecloth. 7:29.

I took the plastic container in my hands, feeling the resistance of the cap as I twisted. A single pill remained, indicating the end of a week. The tiny white pill was marked with a red x and was specifically designed to keep me under their thrall. Without it, I would fall to paralysis.

The pill fit snuggly on my tongue and washed down my throat without a problem. 7:31. I'd evaded the tremors, but now I would be forced to make a visit to the Dispensary.

"William?" I called out into silence. I waited for five long minutes without an answer before I stood from my splintery chair and stormed down the short hall, stopping at my brother's closed door. "Hey! What's with the door?" When I still had yet to receive an answer, I gave myself permission to enter.

"Grace! I've told you I don't even know how many times that you do not have permission to enter my room unless I say otherwise!" I rolled my eyes and put my back against the wall just outside his room.

"I'm just letting you know I need to go to the Dispensary for my refill." He waved to dismiss me. Prick.

At the door, I pulled on my only pair of boots which had been worn down over 5 years of use and my fall jacket adorned with multiple rips. The old wooden door groaned with effort as I pulled it open and then shut behind me.

The autumn air was sharp on my tongue with promises of snowfall to come. The first signs of winter were already presenting themselves as I observed the frost-ridden grass on either side of the heavily-worn dirt path. Soon enough I would need to find a way to pay for my brother's new pair of winter boots.

The Dispensary laid in the heart of our village, just west beyond the village hall. It would take some careful navigating if I was going to make it there in one piece.