HISTORY
What's a town without it? Here's the progress on Annabelle's Book!
Hey Peeps! I want to clarify that editing rights for this section are restricted to me only! Sorry for the confusion! (Marlena)
IMPORTANT NOTICE
I've decided to rewrite everything, because it needs to be better.
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Annabelle’s Book
Annabelle Heatherworth
Part One-The Journey
Vulbruna started as an idea from the king of France. A large fleet of colonists would go to a new land to earn stature and pride. The fleet consisted of 300 people. The people on the fleet were paid by getting rations for two years, for every person in their family. So, the fleet crossed over the water on a large boat. She was a splendid boat, named Piorum Navis, Pious Ship. Piorum Navis was a bit more décor than functionality. The storerooms weren't insulated, due to the thin but beautiful wood, and most of their food went bad in a week. The ornate gold on the sides was hard enough to knock someone out and send them over the rim of the boat. This happened to seven people. They were forced to land when the good food ran out. They trekked for even longer on the Vulbruna trail, a treacherous and dark path. In the day, they were plagued by the grueling heat and unquenchable thirst. At night, they were hunted by fierce predators and filled with cold and hunger. First two died. 291. Then four. 287. Then ten. 277. Then 30. 247. Then 50. 197. In a matter of weeks, the fleet was reduced to 100. When the trail ended… they were reduced to four. Annabelle Heatherworth, Percy Reynolds, Richard Dentleyew, and Adelaide Connors. The four fell asleep on the ground, too exhausted to do anything but sleep.
Part Two-A New Land
When we awoke, we found the light at the end of the tunnel. The trail that had killed so many had brought us to a wonderful place. The only way to describe it was a well kept garden. It looked like a scene from a play.
“Ann?” Richard chirped. “I think I see that optimism thing you were talking about.” I smile at him.
“I knew you would.” Adelaide took out her small hunting knife.
“So, let's get to it. We've got a long while before dark, but we should make the most of it.” Adelaide did a waving beckon towards Richard.
“Let's get some good meat before the sound of you two rejoicing scares off all of the game.” The two raced towards the forest.
“Well Annabelle, I guess we're on shelter duty,” sighed Percy.
“Oh, don't be so down, you're great at that!” I chirped.
“Really?” Percy asked, light in his eyes. I nodded.
“I'll go get materials while you find the best spot for everything. We'll need two medium sized cabins or one large one.” Percy nodded. I took out my trusty axe. By the time Richard and Adelaide got back, we had four makeshift tents and the foundation and framework of two cabins, as well as a fire. A few minutes later, a deer was roasting on the fire, as well as a few birds. No one said a word, yet we were all saying the same thing, it’s good to be alive.
Part Three-Help
The days went on the same, hunting and building during the day. The cabins were finished and furnished. We were all sitting around the fire one night when I heard a crunching noise, like footsteps. Adelaide took out her just sharpened hunting knife and went into the darkness. She came back with two people, a woman and a man. “What are you doing here?” She growled, gritting her teeth in an expression that could make lions afraid. They said nothing, only staring at us with wide eyes.
“Fine, if all you're going to say is nothing, then you can lose your lives like you lost your voice.” Adelaide put the knife to the man’s neck.
“Adelaide!” I cried. She turned towards me.
“What?” She hissed. I swallowed my fear.
“These people have done nothing! What do you know of their intentions?” I yelled.
“I know they are too cowardly to speak,” Adelaide snarled.
“W-We need help.” The man stuttered.
“Our family is dying.” This time, we were speechless. Percy looked down and started making knots. He did that each time he remembered. Percy lost his entire family on the journey. He wasn't exactly stable.
“Why do we care?” Adelaide snarled. I shot her a glare. She sighed.
“Fine. How can we help?” She asked, keeping her steely glare and flat tone of voice. “We're starving. Our father has already died, as well as our baby sister. Our mother and brother may be saved, but only if we hurry!” They spoke, their voices shaky and nervous.
“Okay, we will help in any way we can. I grabbed my satchel and some dried fruit and jerky we had been saving. Adelaide looked at me as if I was crazy. I looked at her right back.
“Will this suffice?” I asked them. They nodded gratefully.
“I'll go with you to help your family.” I said, earning another furious glare from Adelaide.
“I'll go with you.” Richard got up and stood beside me. The two nodded.
“Thank you so much, our family is just over the way.” Richard and I walked through the dark forest, its branches like hands stealing the light of the moon.
“Watch out, it only gets darker.” The roots under us twisted and tangled as the trees thickened. Thankfully, a pinprick of moonlight appeared as we neared the end of the forest. The moon pierced through the night sky like a milky white eye. The night was also lit faintly by a warm glow in front of us, a fire. We climbed over the hill to see two people, a frail old woman and a small child, maybe eight years old. I sighed. People shouldn't be forced to live in such conditions.
“Are either of them ill?” I asked.
“No, our mother had a fever for a while, but it's gone down now.” I walked over to the two.
“Are you okay?” I asked them. The old woman looked at me weakly and pointed a malnourished finger at the child across from her. I nodded and walked over to him.
“Poor child…” I sighed. I murmured a nursery tune from my younger days, before this horrible journey. By now, rumors about the fleet had most likely begun to spread. I could only imagine the suffering my mother and sister were going through, hearing news of what they believed was my death. I handed food to the child, and he took it gratefully, devouring it like a wolf with a rabbit. I smiled, and walked over to the older woman, handing food to her. She looked at me gratefully. Her hands were wrinkled, and I could tell she had seen many harsh years. They were delicate, but I could still detect remains of callouses, bruises, and tough skin. I walked over to the two people.
“We have to go now, Adelaide will come to kill our “attackers” if we’re not back,” I sighed, walking to Richard near the entrance to the forest.
“Come and see us tomorrow, Adelaide and I will teach you how to hunt so you don’t need to be rescued again,” Richard called over his shoulder as we walked away.
“I hope they’re going to be alright, they seemed to resent that we were leaving,” I worried, tripping over roots as we walked.
“They’ll be fine, they’re coming back tomorrow,” Richard reassured me.
“I hope you’re right.” I sighed, walking to our small but useful camp. Adelaide practically pounced on us.
“What took you so long?” She growled.
“Relax Lai, we were only gone for 10 minutes.” Richard laughed, his face happy. “Don’t call me Lai,” Adelaide fumed.
“I’m just glad we’re never going to see them again.” She sighed.
“Oh yeah, that reminds me, I told them we’d teach them how to hunt.” He said, knowing full well that this would make Adelaide furious, I could see the hint of a mischievous smirk on his face.
“WHAT? You just met these people! How do you know that they’re not secretly plotting to murder us in our sleep?”
“Because they were just starving, Lai.” Richard explained, an expression of hurt on his face.
“Ugh fine.” Adelaide stormed off to the cabin that she and I shared. “And don't call me Lai!”
Part Four-Hunting
“I hate all of you.” Adelaide grumbled, trudging on through the forest. “Seriously, I despise all of you. The only reason we're friends is that everyone else is dead.”
“That's a great thing to say Adelaide, you're so kind.” Richard rolled his eyes, at Adelaide’s side.
“Come on Adelaide, it's not much farther,” I said, looking through the branches of the trees.
“Oh, have I run out of time to kill you all and run?” Adelaide asked sarcastically.
“Very funny, thanks for your humor Adelaide,” I replied, rolling my eyes. She had been like that all morning. The trees parted into the camp we had seen last night. It looks even worse in the daylight.
“Hello?” Richard called, seeing no one about. The man and woman I had seen last night appeared out of the other forest.
“Hello, sorry to keep you waiting,” The woman said.
“You left rather quickly last night, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself. My name is Aquene, and this is my brother, Avonaco.” Adelaide growled under her breath, while Richard extended a hand for her to shake.
“Richard. Nice to meet you. That lot is Annabelle, Adelaide, and Percy.” Percy’s cheeks flushed a deep red and he waved shyly. I looked at him with a smirk and raised my eyebrows. He buried his head in his hands.
“Anyway, me and Adelaide are going to teach you how to hunt.” The two looked at Adelaide curiously and Richard laughed.
“Don't worry, she doesn't bite.”
“That's questionable,” Adelaide muttered, pushing her hair behind her ears.
“Now, let's learn something. The faster I do this, the faster we get back to camp.” Adelaide trudged off into the woods, not waiting for anyone. Richard, Aquene, and Avonaco scrambled after her, leaving us with their mother and brother.
“Well then, care to explain, Percy?” I looked at him, a smirk still on my face.
“Oh shut up,” Percy growled. He looked at the two still in the camp.
“Annabelle, we’ll need to do what we came here to do, fortify the camp. Can you gather materials?” I nodded, but Aquene and Avonaco’s mother shook her head. She stood up and started walking away from the camp.
“No miss, you must sit down,” I assured her, but she would not be persuaded. Her walk was strong and sure, and the only thing we could do was follow. The terrain got dustier and the vegetation thinned out until we were looking at a wasteland, with nothing in sight.
“Miss, I think we should turn back,” I said, but the woman showed no reaction. The dust in the air cleared and I could see what she was looking for. It looked dead, but I could still see some movement.
“So this is where you came from?” I asked rhetorically, looking in wonder at the civilization in front of me. The only thing outside the small homes was the dusty air, but the elder woman still walked into town square.
“Not dead, never dead,” she croaked, seemingly talking to herself. Sure enough, a curtain moved on the inside of a home. I began to notice more signs of movement. A shadow flickering past a window. Small creaks, and patters, then the creak of an old rusty door swinging open. The sound seemed to be repeated through the the entire village, a chorus of doors crying in protest at being opened. Then, a child's face peeked out from an opening and ran to the woman. They seemed very worried, checking her over, despite the child’s own sickly appearance. The woman waved her away, and the child breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Where is your father?” The old woman asked, looking towards the house the girl came out of.
“Gone. He left one night, and never came back,” The girl whispered, as if afraid to use her voice.
“Who are these people?” She asked, gesturing towards me and Percy who were behind the old woman.
“Friends,” She said, explaining very vaguely.
“Wyanet, you must get out of this place. I can fell the sickness. Your father has angered the spirits, and they have cursed this village. She turned toward us with a grave expression.
“Will you take her?”
Part Five-A Silenced City
“What?” Percy said, seemingly exasperated.
“Don’t tell me your skull is that thick, it’s four words. Will you take her?” The woman asked again, looking straight into Percy’s eyes. I looked at Percy.
“I don’t think-” He started, but I cut him off.
“Of course we will, right Percy?” I said to him, hissing his name. He looked at me with wide eyes.
“Annabelle, you know how long it took us to make those cabins. Months, Adelaide. Now you propose we make another one?” He shook his head.
“Bell, someday, we’re going to travel the world!” Agatha said to me.
“Yeah, and I’ll protect you two,” Richard said, standing strait like a soldier and marching.
“Agatha!” I screamed in terror, my palms sweaty and my breathing uneven. I rushed to the edge of the gorge. “Take my hand!” I called reaching in vain for her, hanging onto a ledge. The wolf snarled behind me, screams piercing the air. Agatha smiled, and let go of the ledge.
“We are taking her,” I growled menacingly, “and that's final.” Percy tried to argue but I shot him a furious glare. He shook his head. “Fine, we'll take her. But I'm not happy about it!” He sighed angrily, wringing his hands in defeat. “Thank you. Tell my children that I will be staying here. Tell them I need to be here.” The old woman whispered, turning to the village. “It is time for me to begin. Go.” She turned away from us and started walking away, hobbling on her cane. “Good luck.” Wyanet whispered as she went, her voice almost lost on the winds of the desert. Percy looked towards me.
“Okay Ms. Takes-in-random-children, lead the way!” Percy sulked, still sour.
“Gladly!” I pulled my boot laces tighter and stood up. The winds of the desert whistled forlornly around us as we set off, Percy scowling and Wyanet looking ahead, a sullen expression on her face. It was a short while before the winds and sand thinned out, giving way to the plain that had been our home for the last three months. The trees towered over head, giving welcome shade to the heat. Wyanet looked around, a curious expression on her face. When we arrived at the others’ camp, we saw that Richard, Adelaide, Aquene, and Avonaco were already back, with a fire going. Adelaide turned as we approached, her keen ears picking up our footsteps immediately. She scowled as soon as she realized it was us.
“Well?” She arched one of her eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.
“Well… uh…” Percy stammered, his face turning red. I rescued him from being social.
“Your grandmother walked off, so we followed her. She stopped at your old home, and is now there, because she has to do something, but someone else came back with us,” I explained, then stepped back to reveal Wyanet. The two obviously recognized her, judging from their surprised expressions. Adelaide sighed.
“And who, exactly, allowed her to come with you?” Adelaide glared at me. I raised my hand.
“And where, exactly is she going to stay?"
"In our cabin!" I smiled, and Adelaide sighed.
“And I don’t get a say in this matter?”
“Nope! So shut up and deal with it!” I smiled. Adelaide put her head in her hand. “Fine. She can stay.” Adelaide snarled coldly, turning to stoke the fire. “But one slip up and she goes right back.”
“Understood commander,” I muttered, raising my hand in mock salute. Richard snorted in laughter. Adelaide glared at him. She stood up.
“I think you two are good for tonight,” She muttered to Aquene and Avonaco.
“We need to get back.” She stood up and trudged towards the entrance to our camp.
“Anyone who lives in our camp, please come with me,” She called to us, exaspersted. Richard, Percy, and I followed her, until we reached our camp. Our own fire was a smoking pile of embers, and birds perched on the makeshift roofs of the cabins. Adelaide made a great squawking noise and they flew away, then she went to get firewood and something for tinder. Wyanet seemed perfectly calm, which is more than I can say for my first time away from home, when I was a young girl.
“Well, it’s not much, but it’s something, I muttered, opening the door to our cabin. It was a perfectly drab house, with glassless windows.
“I’ll go get your supplies for a makeshift bed, at least until we can make one for you,” I sighed, then went to go get them. I was tired, and ready to end tonight.