The Monster They Created- Chapter 7-9

Chapter 7






Candle light peaked through my slightly open eyes. My eyelids were too heavy to open but the light and shadows around me still found a way to creep in. The sensation of the couch beneath me began to leave as it was replaced by two strong arms. The smell of the ocean filled my nose, it was salty.
“You got her?” A man asked from my right. His voice was rough and commanding, it must have belonged to someone who earned respect.
The man holding me replied, “Yes, Captain.” His voice was slightly younger than the former. He talked with a respectful, yet confident tone.
“We have to get to the ship.” This voice was familiar, it had a gentle tone with an alto range. Azriel. I would know that voice anywhere.
Someone touched my hand so gently. That was Azreils touch, I knew it well.
“We should leave,”Azreil urged
The gruff voice cut them off, “We can’t leave before we get the signal from Harriet.”
“Unfortunately, you won’t get the chance.” A new voice became apparent. One that was both comforting and terrifying, my dads.
I felt my body changing to a different set of arms. Azreils arms.
“Take her.” Demanded the confident man.
“I..I…” Azriels voice stuttered, searching for a response.
“Go!”
The door squeaked open and we were faced with the humid Troprin air. Azreil was running, I could feel their heart racing. My eyelids became lighter, allowing my eyes to meet Azreils. They wore a hood and a mask that covered their mouth and nose. The only thing I could see of them was those terribly beautiful blue eyes that seemed to have the ocean trapped inside.
“Azriel, what’s going on.” I asked, still shaking off the daze of sleep.
“Stay quiet, Olive. We’ll get to the ship soon.”
They looked behind them and gasped.
“Why are you carrying me?”
They turned their face to me, but this time with eyes wide, “Olive, you need to stay quiet. Don’t say anything. Act like you’re asleep. I will explain everything, but please, by all things Evle in this world, listen to me now.”
I closed my eyes. Did they say Evle? What the hell is Evle? But those thoughts were cut short as I fell out of their arms and hit the ground. I wanted to scream in agony, but I bit my tongue. Along with that, get up to see if Azreil was fine. But I still stayed quiet and listened to what my friend told me.
Azriel fell and quietly muttered a curse word under their breath. Two pairs of footsteps came into hearing range. Both of them belong to my parents.
My dads voice said, “This will be easier for both you and me if you surrender.”
My eyes opened slightly to see Azriels legs- not wearing their green boots for the first time ever- bloc King me from my parents. It was about midnight and dark but I could make them out.
“Never, she belongs with us!” Azriel yelled, standing taller and more intimidating.
“My child, you seem confused, the dark has covered your brain. Blurred your vision so to speak. It’s still not too late to change.” My mom voiced with a sickening sweet voice.
“No, it hasn’t. It has only made me see the flaws in this country.”
Dad sighed,”We hate to hurt you.”
“No, you don’t. All you Goods do is hurt my people.” Azreil hissed at my parents.
Dad shook his head, “Another thing the darkness has told you. We only hurt your people who cause problems, which will soon be you. I know your captain said to do everything in your power to protect her, but I can assume you wouldn’t do that.”
“I would, she is the most important thing to me, to everyone. I won’t let your plan succeed.”
Azreil let out a gut wrenching scream and fell to the ground. Their body squirmed in agony, yet they turned to me and shook their head, saying not to help them.
“What happened to not hurting me?” They hissed at my parents once the pain had stopped.
My mom replied,”We said we’d hate to, not that we wouldn’t do it.
Dad stepped closer,”If you have some brain in that head of yours you would leave her with us.”
They turned to face them, “Then I must have a hollow skull because I’m not leaving her with monsters like yourselves.”
Another cry came from their throat. I clenched my teeth in an attempt to not do anything. But those screams were from indescribable pain, pain that was only caused by them taking me somewhere. While there was no clue what was happening, I still felt responsible.
My dad stepped closer, “Are you going to surrender now?”
Azreil came close to me, “I’ll explain everything to you soon.” they whispered in my ear before kissing me on my cheek. They knew I was awake and they still kissed me.
Azreil stood up and took out the sword from its sheath on their hip. Azreil ran to them but before they could strike, a smoke engulfed them. When it cleared, Azreil was gone.
“What a pain in the ass. Where did you send the Evil?” Mom asked
“To the beach where all of them were meeting. Hopefully they got the message and stay out of our affairs for the next little bit. If not, I’ll have to find another approach.”
“She’s still asleep?” Mom asked
“She should be with the amount of sleeping potion we put in that tea.” Dad responded,”I’ll need to thank Adi next time we meet for that warning.”
I felt them pour a liquid on me and I was lifted into the air, but no one was underneath me. They walked silently back into the house and the next thing I felt under me was my bed. I began to realize how much I was fighting against sleep…

Chapter 8







I woke up the next morning in a cold sweat with a horrible headache. I could remember what happened last night. The only way it could have happened is if it was a dream. It had to be. Yet it felt so, dare I say, real. I was trying to think through what had happened but with the headache I had it was hard to do. I didn’t want to get up. I didn’t want to face my parents. They said they would hurt Azriel and that they made me sleep. How would I face them knowing what happened?
What am I saying? It was a dream, they did nothing wrong, right? I got ready and went down stairs. Usually I would make tea when I had a headache, but I thought it would be safer not to today. My dad was sitting in a chair reading. I sat at the island, rubbing my forehead.
“What’s wrong, Olive?” Dad asked.
“I have a horrible headache.” I replied,
All these trust issues with them, they wouldn’t tell me if I asked.
“Do you want some tea for it?” He turned his head to me.
“No, I’m fine.” I said brushing it off.
“Okay then.” He said and went back to reading.
They weren’t doing anything wrong though, just simply protecting me from Evil. That’s a Good thing. But it was Azreil, one of my closest friends. And why were they taking me from home?
Mom came down a little bit later. My head was still in pain but it had gotten better.
“Okay folks. It’s time to get to the town square.” She said,
Dad and I nodded. Last night Mom and Dad apparently brought pineapples from the Ice Room so there was a wagon full of pineapples ready to be carted to the market. We put our cloth for the stall in the wagon and we pulled it to the market. Mom and Dad talked, I chirped in every now and then but my mind was still confused. Not only about my experience last night, not with the past week, but with everything that has happened. Tomorrow night you will get answers, I kept telling myself this but it didn’t help.
Soon we got to the town square where different wooden stalls were set up in a circle bordering the edge of the stones. There were a bunch of families already there. My parents and I put the wagon behind the stall and laded out our cloth on the table part of the stall. It was green with a yellow silhouette of a pineapple embroidered on it. I began to put pineapples on the table. We started with eight then added more to replace the ones sold.
“Your dad and I will go shopping. Can you take care of things here like normal?” Mom questioned.
“Yeah, I got this.” I responded.
“Good. We’re glad we can trust you.” Dad added
I couldn’t.
Once again, B.C. Lou, our representative and leader, came into the middle of the town square.
“People of Troprin, it is wonderful to see you all today and how great this harvest was. Now, let the trade begin!” He shouted.
Lou kept this message to the people short, mainly because tomorrow he would be giving a speech too. My parents left and I set out the sign with the price of my family’s pineapples
Two Tooks for a Pineapple
I patiently waited for G. He always came to my stand to help since he was never needed at his family’s stall. But today was different, instead of wanting to complain about this tradition, I needed a voice of reason to clarify my thoughts. G came up to me but before he even say hello I pulled him behind the stall and said a bit too loudly,
“I need to talk to you, like right now.”
He looked scared with his black eyes wide, “What the hell, Olive?”
“I need to talk to you.” I replied, a bit more calm
“Could have fooled me.”
“Two pineapples please.” Stated a woman attempting to buy some of our Goods.
I quickly changed to a more approachable side of myself.
“Four tooks please.” I replied.
We exchanged our items and the women walked off. I turned around and my face changed to how scared it looked before.
“What happened?” He asked
“So last night after I got home from our picnic my parents sat me down and talked to me. Telling me they would explain everything after the event on Friday. They gave me some tea-”
A person came up to the stall and G sold him a pineapple.
“After a sip or two of it, I fell asleep, or more truthfully, I passed out asleep.”
I sold another pineapple.
“I kinda woke up a little bit later in someone’s arms. I could hear their voices. I heard Azriel’s voice and they were told to take me and run. Once I open my eyes,”
G sold someone a pineapple.
“Azriel was holding me. They told me to stay quiet. Then they fell and had a standoff with my parents. They were about to fight, then Azreil disappeared into some smoke. I heard my parents talking about how Azriel was covered by the dark and how they put a sleeping potion in my tea. Also about how they had to thank an “Adi” for the warning. I don’t know who the heck Adi is. But my parents were about to hurt Azriel. They did not hide that. This seems like a dream but it also seemed so real. I felt pain during it. I was aware of what was going on. Not only that but Azreil kissed me on the check, that might be the most dream-like thing about this. But if Azreil is ‘covered by the dark’ then they are Evil and my parents are trying to save me from that. But Azreil never seemed Evil and why would I be taken. Maybe ransom because my parents are high level Goods so kidnapping me would get them something. But how could Azreil be Evil?”
We sold pineapples to four people in a row.
I looked at him. “What do you think, G?”
He stood there for a moment, thin King to himself. I caught a glimpse of Sarah and Edmund walking and whispering to each other loo King in my direction. I hated them. I wanted to kill them. They have made my life a living hell. All of those bullies have.
“I don’t know what to think.” G mumbled,” On one hand that seems so unrealistic, especially Azreil kissing you, but on the other you felt pain and it is so unrealistic that it could be true. Your parents have always had a strange feeling to me.”
I put a fake shocked look on my face,”You think my parents are up to something strange?”
Another pineapple was sold. I put my head on his shoulder.
“I have no idea what to do, G. You are the only person I think I can trust now.”
He pulled me into a hug.”Just wait until Friday. This will all be cleared up then. How about we talked about other stuff instead.”
I nodded.
In normal G fashion, he tried to make me feel better. I loved him for that. It’s what made him such a great friend. But part of me still thought about Azriel. They could be Evil. By the way my parents talked it sounded like they were Evil. That would mean that a person I’ve trusted for eleven years is Evil. I didn’t know if I wanted to see them again. But that’s besides the point now, I need to focus on the task ahead..
“Hello girls.”
G snapped to his head up,”Ms. Potter, how are you?”
Ms. Samantha Potter, Iris’ aunt. Even after the whole fiasco with her niece and G she still showed kindness towards us. I believe, deep down, she supports her niece no matter who she loves and simply wishes she was still here.
“Doing fine, what about yourselves?”
I said,”Nervous for tomorrow.”
Ms. Potter smiled,”I would assume nothing less. I knew I was. May I purchase three pineapples.”
She handed me the tooks and took her pineapples.
“It was nice to see you.” I said to her
“Same to both of you. Good luck tomorrow.”
She walked away and G whipped his eye,”I hate this town.” He muttered under his breath and began to restock the product.
We ate a rather boring soup for lunch and sold until five when the market closed. I ran inventory and noted that we had two pineapples left. That made one hundred and ten tooks. I gave G eight of them.
“I thought the agreed amount was four?” He asked, loo King at them shining in his palm.
“I know, but you have helped me through so much and will need money on your journey. This is the least I could do. Just know I would’ve given more but this is as much as I can do without my parents noticing.”
He hugged me again. G left just as my parents came back.
“Sorry we took so long, Ollie. Ms. Walter was talking to us.” Mom apologized.
“It’s fine.” I said, folding the cloth,
“How much did we make?” Dad asked
“One hundred and two tooks.”
Dad nodded, “Good, Good”
We walked back with our empty wagon and new wealth. Mom made some shredded pork for dinner. I stayed quiet for most of the meal.
“Ollie, what’s wrong?” Mom asked
I looked up at her,”Oh nothing, just thin King about the festival tomorrow.”
That was a lie. I was lying to my parents more than I have before. But, weren’t they lying to me also?
We finished the meal and I went upstairs to my room to lay in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling.
“I want to change.” I spoke aloud to myself.
I put my hands covering my face and sighed
“Tomorrow will be different. Tomorrow will change my life.”

Chapter 9






It was sunny that morning. That bit of sun gave me a drop of hope. As tradition, the people who are moving up today would stay in a room alone all day to “think” about their future and not to get bothered by the preparations outside. I don’t need to be in a room alone to think about the future though.
My parents left some bread for me at the door into my loft. Everyone only eats small amounts of food today to make the feast at the end of the day taste better. But of course now I was hungry and the bread did not help much. I kept myself pretty entertained for the most part. I read one of my favorite books, did some random sketches, but I mostly just kinda existed. But I did do some of that Good traditional thin King like trying to figure out a logical explanation to every damn thing that has happened in the past sixteen years, the past week especially. Thankfully I will get answers today. Once it was five thirty I began to get ready. I put on the pineapple dress passed from generation to generation. It had a green top and yellow bottom to represent a pineapple. My mother wore it before me and her grandmother before her.
I put my wavy hair in a bun and set some pineapple leaves in it for some extra flare. My mom also gave me some makeup so I did that too. Down the ladder I climbed and when they saw me, my parents eyes widened
“Ollie, you look so beautiful.”My mom hugged me. I sense feel some sadness in her voice,
“Are you okay, mom?” I questioned
“I am just gonna miss you.” She replied
“I’ll always be here. And hey, we still have one more week of things to do.”
Dad held my shoulders,”You look so much like your mother,” He exhaled and dropped his hands to hand me my candle, “Okay, we should get a move on.”
Candles are a major part of both Eliran religions of Good and Evil. Two both show the life force of the person. The flame burns to show the life of the person. Each year on your birthday, the person uses the candle’s flame to melt it down and add another block of wax. You also burn a wish in hopes it will come true.
The only difference between candles and religions is what happens to them after you die. For Goods, the candle is blow out and placed at your head stone. The flame goes to the sun to join your ancestors and so you can watch over loved one.
While Evil religion is discussed sparingly, I do know the candle is used to cremate you and is buried at your grave sight. The candle’s lights are believed to become stars.
Candles are such a part of Elira that one eight of Beastland where animal products are created is used to make wax for these candles which differ extremely from that of a normal candle by quality.
We walked out the door and talked a bit on the way to the town square. The most we have in that week in fact. The path was warm, something familiar and soothing.
We could hear the party before we could see it. Once we arrived I was overwhelmed by the sight. The town square was all a glow and I went back to that childlike wonder about it. People talked and laughed. A band was playing the same music as usual.
“I am going to find Gloria.” I told my parents.
“That works out well, we were going to find friends of our own. Have fun!” Mom stated as I ran off.
I found G in the crowd fidgeting with his orange dress. As I walked to him I could hear Sarah, Edmund, and the rest of their gang talking about me.
“I hope today the people of this town see her for who she truly is. I don’t know how I didn’t figure it out before.”Sarah’s sighed
“I know. She only hangs around that weird girl. I guess those who don’t belong go together.” Edmund responded
I walked up to G and he looked at me, immediately reading my face.
“Don’t let those idiots get you down. It is not worth it.” He stated
“I can’t stop feeling like this.” I responded
“Yes, you can.”
“How do you know?”
He looked me directly in my eyes and put his hand on my left shoulder,”You are Olive Neara, straight A student, fluent ancient Eliran speaker, expert salesperson, and loyal friend. You are mentally and physically stronger than these idiots. You shouldn’t fall into these stupid peoples holes and the stupidity of this town.”
I’m going to miss him.
“Please don’t make me cry, I’m not trying to mess up my makeup. But thank you, that means a lot.”
He hugged me.
“The woman-boy in a dress is so…awkward and funny..” One of Sarah’s goons muttered
I could feel G tense up,
“What did you just say to me?” I asked him
“That was for you, I’ll do what I want.” He answered
I laughed,”You are G Hamilt, expert on s Peaking to people,fluent speaker of Yemi, logical, brave, and a trustworthy friend. You shouldn’t fall into these stupid peoples holes and the stupidity of this town.”
“Stop copying my speech, get your own!” He said with a smirk.
B.C. Lou announced, “May the new couples come to the middle!”
“Have fun.” He responded walking away
Quickly, found Charles. He was a decent loo King guy with orange hair and hazel eyes. He was taller than me by about a foot and built like a stick. Charles was slightly aloof, I being the one to tutor him as we attempted to get to know each other. His family grew dragon fruits so his outfit reflected that. He wore a simple tunic and trousers that were a dark pink with speckled black. The tips of his sleeve and pants were green.
“Good evening,” I said to him
“Same to you,”
He looked down upon me with a care in his eyes. I never doubted for a second that he would not love me, but I did doubt if I’d love him the same.
“Thank you,”He said before clearing his thoughts and continuing, “Wendy and Simon.”
Each couple was called up one at a time. Out of the eight we were seventh.
“Olive and Charles.”
Hand in hand, the other holding our candle. We went to the stage where B.C. Lou in all his short glory stood,”Do you promise to supply our glorious country and town with your gifts with honor. To follow the Good law and never disobey it?”
“Yes,” We relied in unison
“Then, give us your wax,”
As tradition, both of us used a small knife on a table to scrape off a bit of wax and add it to a bowl of melted wax. Each couple had done this before us, the bowl being big as a well.
Once the wax was added, the leader placed a gold pineapple necklace over each of our heads. It symbolizes our ownership of the farm.
“May we be blessed by the fruits of your labor.”
We bowed and stepped off the stage and back to the middle of the square where drinks were being handed out, placing our candles on the table off the stage.
“I’ve always wanted to do that,”Charles whispered in my ear.
Charles was to be my husband in less then a week, and while my heart belonged to Azreil, it would have to move to Charles. I got on the platforms of my feet and kissed him gingerly on the lips. He smiled and touched my check,
“We will be happy, I think,”
“Same.”
We looked at the stage where B.C. Lou was on the loo King down at all of us, “People of this beloved town, today is the start of a new year. These young people will now uphold the legacy of Troprin. Whether they produce fruit, take my place, become a preacher of Good, or do anything to help Elira, we will be proud of them. In one week all of these fine young people will be doing just that. Just as a reminder, in two months the election will take place. I hope to still serve you as a leader but if you people chose another path I won’t be hurt, well maybe a little.”
All the adults laughed at this joke, covering the pounding of hooves and the creak of carriage wheels.
Once everyone had their drink and raised them. B.C.Lou began to speak again.
“May you go on to do great things, Muwt!”
Muwt means cheers in ancient Eliran.”Muwt!” We all chanted cheerfully and drank our beverages.
Then someone next to me gasped and dropped their cup. I didn’t understand why until I looked up.
A prison carriage and a royal carriage were next to the stage, the former being old and rotting while the latter was shiny and well taken care of. My parents began to walk up to the new arrivals. People got out of the fancy royal carriage. My jaw dropped when I saw the white hair and gold crown on the man’s head. It was King Adigast and Queen May. They both wore stunning gold and white. The King had white hair and gold eyes, he was an Arewed. A being with high magic of Good. On his waist was the Sword of Good, the sword to kill an Arewed of Evil. He was here in Troprin. My parents were walking up to them and didn’t even bow. The King hugged my dad,
“It’s Good to see you my friend how’s it been?” The King asked my father.
“Pleasantries later Adi, let’s get this done first.” My Dad advised.
Adi was short for Adigast, as in King Arewed Adigast of Good and Elira.
The King is Adi.
“You’re right. People of Troprin I come here today for a reason that has plagued my worries before it was conceived. Simply put, your town is the town that held the Arewed of Evil. As many of you remember, the unnamed baby of my beloved daughter and the Seian of Evil was taken from the Seian and sent to live in an Eliran town. This town.”
People began to whisper in the crowd about who that child could be. Charles squeezed my hand tightly as if to keep himself grounded.
“Where is she?” The Queen asked my mother.
She pointed to me. Sweat rolled down my forehead as my heartbeat became faster. I let go of his hand and began to stumble backwards.
Charles looked at me, “Olive, what the hell is going on?” he asked
“I-I have no idea.” I stuttered
Royal guards began to push their way through the crowd to me. The first instinct I had was to run. But I was never fast, so they got to me before I could get far.
“Hold still.” They yelled. I didn’t listen and continued to try to escape.
They dragged me up to the stage, past G on my left. I kicked the guard restraining me and grabbed onto G.
I wailed, “G, I don’t know what’s going on!”
He grabbed onto me too,”I won’t let you go!”
The guards separated us with a lot of screaming and fighting. I was pulled on stage and G’s ashamed family held him from running up to me. I knew everyone in town could see me. Normally I would be embarrassed in this situation but now, that was the least of my concerns. The guards kneel me down on the ground and cuffed my hands. The King grabbed my face and pulled it up to see,
His face became sour, “Pity, such brains and power have been wasted upon you.” The King let my head go and brought out a vile with a brown liquid inside.
“May you see this monster for what it truly is!”
He poured the liquid down my head. It stung my eyes as it traveled down my body. Once the burning ceased, the town gasped once more at me. I looked at G. His hands were covering his mouth.
“Olive?” He mouthed to me
A strip of hair had fallen from my bun. But it wasn’t brown, it was black. My hair was black.
Only one type of Eliran person had black hair, Areweds of Evil.
A guard came out with a bucket of hot coals. He pulled out a metal rod, a brander. The one they used on prisoners. I tried to wiggle away from it but there was nothing I could do. The guard pressed the brander on my left arm and I let out a wail into the warm air. The sound of my skin searing like meat on a stove was utterly terrifying. The smell of burning meat flowed through the air from the burn. He removed the stamp and I saw the sizzling mess of flesh now in a circle and marked with the symbol of the Eliran prisons. A mark to show that for the rest of my life I will be or was a prisoner. No matter where I go, this mark will show I’m a criminal.
“In six months time this demon will be gone and we can return Elira to her glory!” The King declared
The whole crowd cheered, excluding G and Charles who looked at me with a mixture of fear, anger, and pity. I looked up to my parents and saw them smiling. I was in pain and they were…smiling? My own blood looked like they enjoyed my suffering. Guards cuffed my ankle to the prison carriage and threw me into the cell. They locked the door and the wagon began to move away from all that I knew.