The Soul
I wrote this story last summer after I read an incredible book. I borrowed some of the characters names and the places, but I changed them around a bit. So here's the story for all to enjoy!
Me, Resa, being thirteen, and my brother, Farid, being fifteen, I knew we were in a dire situation. Ever since we left our house in Ombra, something kept pulling at my chest. Dark. Mistrustful. Fear? No, it wasn’t fear. It had no name. The reason my brother and I left was simple. We just did. After our parents died, we kept to our little house, Farid took care of his garden, and me, well, I helped him. One day I said to Farid, “We have to leave.” He looked at me with anguish in his voice, “I know.” So, that was it. We packed the rest of our food, some things from Farid’s garden, and some extra seeds. The next night at midnight Farid and I set out on our journey.
Four hours later, we were wandering through The Wayless Woods. Only traveling at night, Farid and I trekked aimlessly through the Woods. Three nights later, we stumbled across a stream. We were so exhausted, we decided to just sleep against the tree trunks. The warm sun and chirping birds woke me up. Our rule was that whoever was up first made breakfast. So, I made breakfast. My noise must’ve woken up Farid because I heard grunts. After we ate, Farid told me we should get going. I was proud of Farid. I knew he would make some kind of leader one day.
Adderface saw this too, but he didn’t like people who could rise above him. I found that out much later. Around noon, we came across a clearing. Farid let out a cry and I stood there gaping. In the clearing stood a small house and a small patch of land for a garden. It looked just like our house. In Ombra. Farid and I looked at each other and ran toward it. Surprisingly, it was the same. Later that night Farid planted his seeds. He went through the soil thoroughly. On an impulse he said, “This land will make my soul rich.” I looked at Farid and I said, “Why’d you say that?” He looked at me with a smile. “I don’t know Resa. It just sounded good.”
That became his ritual at night. Unaware to Farid and me, Adderface was watching us. Like me, Adderface saw Farid’s qualities. One night completely oblivious to us, Adderface was watching. His watching was at the wrong place at the wrong time, because at the moment, Adderface heard Farid’s ritual. But, he misunderstood it. He thought my brother said “This land will make me rich.” I found out later that that was very bad. Of course, I did not know that Adderface was talking to himself about us. “The boy has good qualities, but I don’t like other people with qualities. I shall walk into their camp tomorrow. And I shall tell the boy and the girl to come with me willingly. If they don’t, that’s very bad. I will give them twenty-four hours to decide.”
With that, Adderface walked off. The next day around noon, Farid and I were working on his garden when a tall dark clad figure walked into the clearing. Immediately, I felt something dark about him His face looked like a snake’s so I called him Adderface. He told us that he’d been watching our every move. He’d also said that he wanted us to come with him willingly. He said he would come back for us the next day so he could hear our decisions. Farid and I talked late into the night. He told me, “Resa, I think we should go.” I didn’t want to go, but deep down, I knew he was right. Adderface arrived the next day and I told him we were willing to go. It was a slow pace, not a harsh one, like my brother and I thought.
Four, maybe five days later, we arrived at Adderface’s home. Hours later, Farid and I were full of food and ready for bed. I slept peacefully that night. The next morning Farid and I helped Adderface. His home wasn’t a house exactly. It was a castle. A castle so dark in color, that I called The Castle of Night. Three to four months passed so fast, that I hardly noticed. It was then that my brother and I found that Adderface had other kids in his castle. I knew that that was not good because they acted strange. They scared me. A couple nights later, I told Farid that we had to leave. He looked at me with sad eyes and replied, “I know, Resa. I know.” The night after we planned our escape.
Our escape worked. We were running to our house. Not the one in The Wayless Woods, but the one in Ombra. Adderface never searched for us and even if he did, he never found us. My brother always laughed and smiled, so I always called him my Laughing Prince. Me, Resa, being an old lady now, and my brother, Farid, being gone, I knew this would have to end sometime. Goodbye, Farid. I will never forget you. My brother. My Laughing Prince.
Me, Resa, being thirteen, and my brother, Farid, being fifteen, I knew we were in a dire situation. Ever since we left our house in Ombra, something kept pulling at my chest. Dark. Mistrustful. Fear? No, it wasn’t fear. It had no name. The reason my brother and I left was simple. We just did. After our parents died, we kept to our little house, Farid took care of his garden, and me, well, I helped him. One day I said to Farid, “We have to leave.” He looked at me with anguish in his voice, “I know.” So, that was it. We packed the rest of our food, some things from Farid’s garden, and some extra seeds. The next night at midnight Farid and I set out on our journey.
Four hours later, we were wandering through The Wayless Woods. Only traveling at night, Farid and I trekked aimlessly through the Woods. Three nights later, we stumbled across a stream. We were so exhausted, we decided to just sleep against the tree trunks. The warm sun and chirping birds woke me up. Our rule was that whoever was up first made breakfast. So, I made breakfast. My noise must’ve woken up Farid because I heard grunts. After we ate, Farid told me we should get going. I was proud of Farid. I knew he would make some kind of leader one day.
Adderface saw this too, but he didn’t like people who could rise above him. I found that out much later. Around noon, we came across a clearing. Farid let out a cry and I stood there gaping. In the clearing stood a small house and a small patch of land for a garden. It looked just like our house. In Ombra. Farid and I looked at each other and ran toward it. Surprisingly, it was the same. Later that night Farid planted his seeds. He went through the soil thoroughly. On an impulse he said, “This land will make my soul rich.” I looked at Farid and I said, “Why’d you say that?” He looked at me with a smile. “I don’t know Resa. It just sounded good.”
That became his ritual at night. Unaware to Farid and me, Adderface was watching us. Like me, Adderface saw Farid’s qualities. One night completely oblivious to us, Adderface was watching. His watching was at the wrong place at the wrong time, because at the moment, Adderface heard Farid’s ritual. But, he misunderstood it. He thought my brother said “This land will make me rich.” I found out later that that was very bad. Of course, I did not know that Adderface was talking to himself about us. “The boy has good qualities, but I don’t like other people with qualities. I shall walk into their camp tomorrow. And I shall tell the boy and the girl to come with me willingly. If they don’t, that’s very bad. I will give them twenty-four hours to decide.”
With that, Adderface walked off. The next day around noon, Farid and I were working on his garden when a tall dark clad figure walked into the clearing. Immediately, I felt something dark about him His face looked like a snake’s so I called him Adderface. He told us that he’d been watching our every move. He’d also said that he wanted us to come with him willingly. He said he would come back for us the next day so he could hear our decisions. Farid and I talked late into the night. He told me, “Resa, I think we should go.” I didn’t want to go, but deep down, I knew he was right. Adderface arrived the next day and I told him we were willing to go. It was a slow pace, not a harsh one, like my brother and I thought.
Four, maybe five days later, we arrived at Adderface’s home. Hours later, Farid and I were full of food and ready for bed. I slept peacefully that night. The next morning Farid and I helped Adderface. His home wasn’t a house exactly. It was a castle. A castle so dark in color, that I called The Castle of Night. Three to four months passed so fast, that I hardly noticed. It was then that my brother and I found that Adderface had other kids in his castle. I knew that that was not good because they acted strange. They scared me. A couple nights later, I told Farid that we had to leave. He looked at me with sad eyes and replied, “I know, Resa. I know.” The night after we planned our escape.
Our escape worked. We were running to our house. Not the one in The Wayless Woods, but the one in Ombra. Adderface never searched for us and even if he did, he never found us. My brother always laughed and smiled, so I always called him my Laughing Prince. Me, Resa, being an old lady now, and my brother, Farid, being gone, I knew this would have to end sometime. Goodbye, Farid. I will never forget you. My brother. My Laughing Prince.
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