Chapter 9

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          “Oh, Annie, wake up! Rise and shine!” I hear Suzanne sing.

           I moan and open my eyes sitting up as she jumps on top of me giving me a hug attack. I squeal, “Get off of me Suzanne; you’re going to kill me like that!”

          She gets off of me and rolls to me side near the edge of my bed and laughs. “Now we wouldn’t want that, now would we?”

          “Why? Because you love me,” I ask rolling my eyes.

          “Well yeah, you’re my best friend, I don’t want you killed. But it’s also your mating ceremony today!” she says and lifts her hands.

          I laugh. “Yeah, you’re right. How could I have forgotten?” I say and poke her belly. She falls to the floor with a loud thump.

          “You jerk,” she squeals and stands up again and grins.

          I look outside, the sun is already up and I’m still sleepy. We got home late last night and I managed to sneak into my room without my parent’s noticing my absence. One I hit my bed I fell right asleep.

          “So you wanna go over to the ponds?” Suzanne asks. “Some were formed last night, it must have rained.”

          I nod. “Okay, but can I have a few more minutes of sleep?” I ask yawning.

          “No,” she says and grabs my arm dragging me off of my bed. “Now come on, the ceremony starts later and I wanna hang out with my best friend before she is shipped off with some boy for the rest of her life.”

          I laugh. “I can’t be ‘shipped off’ with him till my birthday.” I say and roll my eyes. I stand up and put my hands on my hips.

          “So? You still have to spend the night with him, and spend your days with him, you know, to get to know him.” Suzanne says.

          “Yeah, right,” I say and tuck a strain of my hair behind my ear.

          “Now come on, I wanna go to the ponds!” Suzanne moans grabbing my arm again.

          I giggle. “Fine,” I say. I guess I’ll just take a mid afternoon nap. I think.

           We head out of my room and into the hallway. I look over at my parent’s room considering about telling them I’m going out, but Suzanne pulls me out the front door before I even have the chance.

          People are already outside around the market. The huts are already being set and people are already walking around. Some look at me and Suzanne and smile.

          “Hey Annie, good luck today.” Someone says. I smile at them.

          “Come on Annie, let’s get something to eat.” Suzanne then says and drags me to the meat hut.

          “Hello Suzanne,” the women there says. “Do you want your original?” she asks.

          Suzanne nods. “Yes please, and make that two, Annie’s also hungry.”

          She smiles, “Of course.”

          I look at the women and smile. She comes back with two bags and hands then to Suzanne.

          “That would be six pebbles,” she says. Suzanne gives me the bags and hands the women the pebbles.

          “Thank you,” Suzanne says and takes a bag from my hand. She looks at me. “Okay, let’s go.”

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