Excerpts from End by Rachel K., 6th grade
Prologue:
Sky: Like gray dust. Air: Like murky waters. Light: Like bent metal. Bars: Cold as ice. Lights go out, bending through the fog. Figures in the wind, bring wisps of hope, which quickly vanish in to the mist. Trapped and forgotten. Then a sweeter light, not bent by the fog, but straight. Lights all around me and faint whispers so close. Then they turn. The lights go out. It is over. It is a taunt. Lights that go out. Lights that never come. It is over. Or is it?
I look at my hands on the icy bars of my prison. They are old and creased through many, many years. I sigh. Then the rain begins to fall. At first, only delicate drops, dancing in the mist. But the sweet rhythm of raindrops is over too quickly. Soon the water is falling in sheets, angered thunder rises through the fog and lightning strikes in the distance. The fiery blue lightning is like a claw, reaching down from the heavens and trying to grab me. I flinch and huddle in the corner of the cage that has held me for so long. How long? I can’t remember. I feel like I have been imprisoned here forever. But how can that be? I give up on raking through my mind for memories that don’t exist, and that’s when I truly begin feeling hopeless. You are going to die here, says a voice inside my head. Not if you are strong, a sweeter voice chimes, don’t give up, or you give up your will to survive. “Which voice is right?” I ask out loud. The cruel voice screeches at me, listen! Your life is good as over now! Let go! Let go! I can almost feel the frustration of the other voice, kinder and sweeter. “NO!” I scream.
The bars around me turn to mist and I begin to run. I cannot tell what the water on my face represents. Is it the heavy rain, salty tears of joy, or sweat? Maybe all of them. I don’t care. I keep running, and my frail old body does not break. As the rain pounds upon me, the wrinkles fade into the soft pale skin of a child. My white hair falls over my shoulder and changes color before my tired eyes. The combed white changes to the color of fire and flame, the unruly red hair I had as a young girl. I run and run and finally I reach a huge white building, a castle. The door is brass and opened slightly. That’s when one more raindrop hits me on the cheek. The thoughts of an old woman, politics, mahjong, banana bread and grandchildren, are replaced with the carefree curiosity of a child. And I open the door…
Chapter 8
I was at a loss for words. The Great One was Joseph. I tried to break eye contact with him, but his gray eyes never stopped staring at me. It was as if he was looking into me. He knew I was afraid, and he was loving it. His taunts stung the air more than me, for I couldn’t feel them. I could barely hear. His words were distant and lost, as if I were underwater. I tried to focus on my own thoughts, but Joseph’s words confused me, and I gave up.
Raising my eyes to look into his I spoke softly, “Why did you do this to me?”
“I’ve done nothing dear Amy.” He said coldly, “It is you who fails to see truth.”
I stared back at him, feeling anger boiling in me, but I held back the fists that were tightening behind my back.
“Amy,” Joseph said, stroking my hair, “I thought you were brighter than this.”
“What do you mean?” I asked between clenched teeth. I was now fighting my hunger to hit Joseph with all the strength I had.
“I mean,” Joseph said impatiently, “I thought you were smart enough to realize my intention.”
“Oh I know you’re intention” I said bitterly, “you’re intention is to marry me again.”
“Aha!” Joseph said mockingly, “You can do it! Yes Amy. Marry me and be my queen. Rule the stars and the Earth alongside me.”
“You’re serious.” I said, my knuckles white from the strain of anger pulling them forth.
“I’m serious.” Joseph said, he reached out and pulled me onto his throne with him. Stroking my hair he said, “Amy, say yes.”
That was it. My fist swung around from behind me and towards Joseph. He ducked and slapped me hard across the cheek. I fell to the ground.
“Foolish…” Joseph yelled.
“No!” I snapped, “You’re the foolish one here.” Joseph opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “I don’t know what you did to Maya, or why Antonio was in some sort of Black Palace. But I do know that you’re not the same man you used to be.” His eyes were narrowed with anger. “Goodbye.” I said. “I’m leaving” And with that I walked back out into the foggy corridor.
Maya was waiting outside.
“How’d it go?” she asked fearfully.
“Badly.” I said.
Maya led me back to my room in silence, but once I was changed and cleaned up. Maya asked about the bruised streak on my left cheek.
“He didn’t…” she couldn’t finish. I nodded. “Lady Creek,” she said sadly, “he’ll send you to the Black Palace. And me, I’ll have to go back.” I could tell she was holding back tears.
“Maya.” I said, welcoming her to sit beside me on the bed, “you will not be punished because of me.
“But I will Lady Creek.” She said, shaking, “if you are sent away to the Black Palace, I will have no more purpose and he will send me back to the Orb Lands.” She shuddered.
“Maya,” I asked, “What are the Orb Lands?”
“Oh.” She said, “are you sure you wish to know.”
“Yes.” I said, not even considering why I wouldn’t.
“The Orb Lands are the place that people who displease The Great One are sent. The Black Palace is different, it’s for people who had a chance, but failed. I never had a chance.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“I didn’t have what you would call a pleasing life.” Said Maya tentatively.
“How’d you mean?” I asked.
“Well…” said Maya, “I wasn’t rich.”
I expected her to go on, but it seemed that was all she was going to say.
“Poor actually.” She added.
“So?” I asked, “You’re still a good person.”
“I’ll explain another time Lady Creek.” Said Maya, “Now I want to show you something.”
I still had no idea how the many halls and hidden passages in the castle worked, but Maya confused me further by leading me into a musty passage behind a tapestry. We were going down. Down and down through the dusty dark we walked, soon we were crawling, because as the passage sloped downwards, the ceiling grew lower as well. We finally reached a small silver door, which Maya opened.
Inside stood several wooden chairs around an ancient table with only three legs. The walls were red logs and the ceiling was low. It looked like a log cabin.
“We don’t want anyone sneaking around in here, you have to be pretty good to find the gem in this place.” Maya said solemnly.
“Bye!” she cheered.
“But…” I said, she was gone.
There must be a secret exit. I thought, but where? Then it hit me. Maybe someone lives here! I wonder…? I began pacing around the log cabin, looking for a door, looking for something, anything that could be a sign of living beings. Or dead ones, I realized. I was still getting used to the idea that I was dead. I continued to circle the small cabin-like room, looking and listening with full attention to my eyes and ears. But I was ignoring one of my most important senses. I suddenly smelled something that caught my attention. It was a homely smell, like fresh chocolate chip cookies or a fire on the stove. The smell led me to the stone fireplace, which was empty. The smell was coming from beyond the stones in the back.
Tentatively, I stepped into the fireplace and searched for a loose stone. I patted around the back, the stones were cold. But the smell was growing stronger. I finally decided to give up, but as I leaned against the stones in defeat, I felt something shaking on the wall. The tremor grew as I pushed harder with my shoulder. The stones slid open, and I was met with a smiling face.
Maya’s big brown eyes were staring back at me innocently. “Hello Maya.” I said coldly.
“Looks like you found the gem.” She said.
“What gem?” I demanded.
“The gem of home.” Maya answered. “You were drawn to family and friends. Things that reminded you of them.”
“Why did you leave me in there with no explanation!!!?” I bellowed.
“Lady Creek” Maya shuddered, “that’s the rules.”
“Since when do you play by the rules?” I commanded.
“I find it hard to break them with him on my tail all the time.” She whispered. I laughed.
“So…” I asked, “What’s it you wanted to show me?”
“This way.” Maya said.
That’s when I noted the room I had just entered. The walls, floor and ceiling were all glass. It had a slight red tint, and I couldn’t see through any of it. Maya led me to a red glassy door and took my inside. I was faced with a shock I would never forget. Standing in the center of a small room lined with the red glass, but with white plastered walls, were Sweet Sally, Nice Nancy and Hilarious Helen.
“Hi girls!” I shouted happily, running towards my best friends. But when I got closer, I realized that all three of them were behind a thin curtain of red Plexiglas, they seemed to be unable to hear me. Maya faded into the wall, like fog as I walked slowly to my friends. Sally’s elegant blue eyes were lined with drowsiness and sorrow, her blonde waves of hair fading. I couldn’t hear Nancy when she started to sing behind the barrier, and the other started dancing. Helen reached out and touched the glass, then said something that caused the other to chortle behind the barrier. My friends looked at me sadly and then turned and walked away together, without looking back.