Flight

Chapter 3: Longing and Memories

A blast of cold air shocked the grogginess out of Max's eyes.

"Ah! Lucy!" he protested, folding his arms against the cold morning chill filtering into their cabin.

Lucy stood next to the wide-open door, grinning. "The taskmaster said you get to come help me today! C'mon!"

"Shut the door," George grumbled from his mat.

Max groaned and slowly sat up. Hannah and Fern had already left to get ready for the day, leaving him and George to snatch what little extra sleep they could before being summoned out to the gardens and fields.

"Shut. The. Door," George repeated, this time raising his head to glare at Max and Lucy.

"C'mon," Lucy urged.

"Alright, I'm coming."

Max followed Lucy outside where a guard waited to escort them. They trekked through the gardens to the other side of the wall where a tiny shack stood, and behind that, the Grand House. The Master's guards stationed at the house and wall followed their movements with their heads but didn't leave their posts. Their escort turned back into the gardens. They were now in the care of the house guards.

Max sighed and gazed back at the black wall where the gardens lay sheltered on the other side. The sun had just barely begun to rise, the sky still blue-black like a bruise. "So why am I helping you instead of doing my own chores?"

Lucy gestured at the Grand House several yards away, its three stories of white-painted wood poking out of the ground like a broken bone. "The house slaves need more help. Hannah said the Master is going to have guests over soon and there's a lot to do."

She pulled him by the wrist to the shack and swung open the door. A set of slave house clothes—white shirt, black pants—sat on a ledge. There was no flooring—just dirt. And a hose had been coiled and set to the far-right corner.

"You're definitely gonna need to wash up though. Or Ella will yell at you."

Max picked up the hose and fingered the cold knob, studying the human-made latch and spring that blocked and released the water inside. "I'm supposed to be weeding in the gardens this week with George. Can't the taskmaster send one of the slaves from the western shack to help out?"

Lucy shrugged then plopped fresh clothes onto a nearby barrel. "I dunno. I think they're all busy with the horses this week. Except Brett. I heard that he was sent to help you guys in the gardens."

Max's fingers tightened on the hose. "Brett?"

Lucy nodded. "I think so. That's what Hannah said, anyway, and she seems to always know what's going on."

"Great. Not only do I have to work with a bunch of girls, but now George and Brett are going to make fun of me."

"Not all the house slaves are girls!" Lucy protested.

Max gave her a look. "Name one."

Lucy opened her mouth to answer then frowned.

"See? All girls."

Lucy shrugged. "Well at least you get to wear nicer clothes and see the moon."

A sudden flash of mischief lit up her silver eyes, and Lucy lunged for the hose in her brother's hands. Before Max could protest, a cold river of water battered his face.

"Hey!" Max glared at his sister and shook his head, sending water to fly into the air.

Lucy giggled. "And now you get to be clean!"

"Alright, alright! I can clean myself." Max wrestled the hose out of his sister's hands before she could spray him again. "Now go get your fancy Grand House clothes on or whatever it is you're supposed to wear."