Alexandra Valkyrie

Chapter 6

Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning even though I am more than a few hundred yards away from the nearest body of water. It’s that feeling, when you are slowly sinking into the bottom of the ocean while you are trying to reach for that globe of light shimmering from beyond the surface. You try your best to reach for it, but no matter what you do, the weight of the ocean only seemed to push you even deeper. What I’m feeling about Cora has always been like that. She has always been the better daughter and she always had the positive attributes of a typical Hardin: heroic, bold, famous, humble, just perfect. While me, I was a typical Hardin because I was hard-headed and arrogant.

I hated Cora. But deep inside, I always knew that I wanted to be like her. No. I wanted to be her.

I always wanted to prove myself by pursuing my dreams and not to simply accept the life that has already been set for me. It’s just unfair. I thought that being more than a normal human being would be awesome, but it’s—it’s a lot worse.

“Daydreaming as always, aren’t we?” Cora mocked as I went back to my senses. Suddenly, I was on-stage with her. I didn’t even remember leaving my seat.

I was not ready to see her yet. I was still mad about her for not making a stand. She gave in. She let herself be imprisoned in this Folkvang cage for five years and even became a Valkyrie. She simply accepted her fate.

“Look at us guys! We look like twins!” Cora exclaimed. The audience started cheering and howling.

“Cora, I’m not ready for this,” I mumbled. “I’m not yet ready to see you.”

“Oh my Andie-girl, you’ve grown!” she beamed, ignoring what I just said. I also noticed that we were almost the same height now. “Oh and look at your—“ she paused for a moment and stared at my chest. “My baby sister’s a woman now, too? It’s been so long.”

And just like that, we grabbed each other and exploded in tears. On-stage.

“Awwwwwww,” the audience sighed sympathetically.

Also crying, Deni started to talk in her mike again. “Sorry to say this but, Freshies’ Day is supposed to be a happy event. Why don’t we all stop crying and start being happy instead?”

No reaction from the audience.

“You know, because these two sisters finally saw each other again! And on-stage, too!” Deni added. The crowd applauded.

I unwrapped my arms from Cora and began wiping off my tears. She also repeatedly whispered “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here now” while caressing my face, but it only made me cry even more.

I was still crying when I walked back to my seat with my camp. My campmates started hugging me. Of course, Seline’s hug was the longest.

“I’m so happy for you,” Seline whispered. “And you’re both very pretty.”

“You’re prettier,” I told her.

Cora was now holding the mike. I think she was supposed to give us the welcoming remarks. She began.

“Today is a very special day. But, if you look at it more, there is no reason for this celebration. We were stolen from our homes, made to suffer in the woods-- shouldn’t we be mad at this academy? Shouldn’t we be mad at our parents?”

I suddenly became nervous for her, momentarily forgetting that we just had an emotional meeting after not seeing each other for seven years.

She is the bravest person I know. Even Dad couldn’t tame her. Yes, I admired her more because of that, but that changed when I found out that she became a valkyrie. She simply gave in. She didn’t even put up a fight.