Troubled Souls

Chapter 1

Every year, on Halloween night, our town had a tradition. A horrible one, if you asked me. That night, a group of women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-eight selected by the council were called to the town square, where they were put on display in front of the church. Quite literally. They had to be entirely naked and then blindfolded. Between the first strike of the church bell at ten pm and the last strike at midnight it all happened. The women on display were taken by the monsters. Monsters that we lived in peace with, under the condition of our town's sacrifice once a year. Not all of those women got taken. Some were left behind, as if they weren't good enough. But that was okay, as long as you didn't reach the maximum age of twenty-eight. Once you were selected for the sacrifice, and you were not taken, the law stated you were obliged to present yourself every year until the monsters did come for you. Once you reached the age of twenty-eight and still weren't accepted as a sacrifice, the council took matters into their own hands. What they did to the rejected women was horrifying. Some of the accepted women sometimes returned to the village. Unharmed, well-fed and dressed. But they didn't speak a word of what they saw or what they went through. It gave me chills when one returned. Each woman that'd returned seemed secretive about the journey. As if they were protecting something. Or someone.

Tonight was that night. And I was out of chances. This year was the last year I was expected to present myself as a sacrifice. After that, I was at the council's mercy. And being the disappointment of the town already, for various reasons, I desperately wished the monsters would take me. I figured being mauled and slaughtered by them would be the more peaceful death of two choices. I knew it was ridiculous to hope for death, but being the misfit ever since I was born made the choice so much easier. I had no desire of being killed by the council in front of all townspeople for not contributing to the town the right way.

"Blindfolds on!" the mayor roared over the buzzing of bystanders. I flinched as aunt Lauren tightly secured the blindfold and all went pitch-black. "Robes off!" I heard the younger women whimper as they reluctantly uncovered themselves.

"Be brave, Nova. Tonight might just be the night. You'll be fine." My aunt caught my robe as I let it slip over my shoulders.

"Fine is not exactly the word I'd use, aunt. I can only hope it all ends tonight," I said, gritting my teeth, "But at least I'll be out of your hair." She rubbed my arm with a sigh, mumbling something under her breath that sounded a lot like: "If only you understood," then followed the families of those about to be sacrificed, as the mayor asked all bystanders to leave, giving the monsters no reason to attack more people than strictly necessary. There was a shuffling of feet that died down until there was total silence, except for the weeping of some candidates. Weeping that turned into ugly crying at the first strike of the church bell. By the third chime the screaming started. Screams that were heard long after the candidates had been dragged into the woods. Rustling shrubs, clicking of nails on the pavement, deep growling and snarling, the sounds were everywhere around us. My heart was racing, but I didn't move a muscle. Please take me, I thought. Please grant me a dignified death. Now and then there was another scream and more sobbing, and I was still waiting by the time the church bell chimed eleven pm. I had another hour, this was not over yet. There was still a chance for me. There had to be. After a few more bone-chilling screams the sobbing stopped and everything fell silent. It was just me again. Everyone else was taken. My heart sank as I fought back a lump in my throat. Clenching my teeth, I shook my head to fight the tears burning in my eyes. A fine drizzle started as I stood there waiting for my fate. Once I heard the warning sign for the last five minutes before midnight, I could not hold back my tears anymore. My legs gave out and I covered my mouth to smother the sorrowful scream that wanted to escape my throat. The first strike announcing midnight chimed.

"No," I whimpered, "please..." Then the second strike, and the third. Out of nowhere someone draped what felt like a coat over me, covering my nakedness. The fourth chime. Someone took me by my shoulders and carefully helped me up.