The Rise of Aurelie Moreau (#myhandmaidstale)

The Rise of Aurelie Moreau

The night begins like any other.

The smallest of flames flickers to life at the end of the match. Leaning toward the table, I brush the wicks of a couple candles until there are enough burning to illuminate the room.

The warm glow licks at Aurelie's face. She's already pouring over pages of a tale about another world and women far braver than I. Several copies of the story lay on the table. They're all handwritten in our own script - she always writes the originals and I help her make copies of them. Joining her on the bench and dip my quill in ink, aiding her in finishing up whatever is left.

The first knock comes soon after we're done and she rises to open the door and usher in the girl outside. The others arrive one at a time, gathering around. The class begins and Aurelie picks up where she last left off.

Our voices are low, the windows shut tight. Whenever someone passes by outside, we go quiet. It's far past curfew - we're always careful on teaching nights. The punishment for literate women. Weeks ago, a woman was caught holding a book. She became an example, lashed in the town square. If they found out that there was an entire group of women disregarding the law, our punishment would be worse.

At midnight, a fist pounds at our door. We frantically blow out the candles, gathering our books. I hide the girls in the kitchen and they stay silent as Aurelie goes to answer the door.

"Monsieur Durand, what brings you by at this hour?"'

I go toward the door, standing not too far behind Aurelie, staying close enough to act if he tries anything dastardly - I smell alcohol on him from where I am. Leaving Aurelie alone with him isn't wise. He's been chasing her and her fortune though she wants nothing to do with him. Besides, it's his law that we're breaking.

"I thought I'd check up on you," Pierre Durand says with false sincerity. "What sort of man would I be if I didn't check in on my future wife?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't you go ask her?"

When he pushes his way inside, I shrink back, losing my bravado. Seeing spilled ink on the table, he smiles. He spies me and asks who's in charge. Her name spills from my lips and a threat comes from his: marry or face the law. Aurelie chooses the latter, looking at me as she answers, forgiveness in her eyes.

Durand disappears and returns with men to arrest her. By then, I've gotten the hidden girls out. The next morning, the beautiful girl waits to be punished for her alleged sins. Her tale spreads amongst the village's women like fire, taking on a life of its own, something nobody can snuff out.

As they sentence Aurelie to prison, something she told me before she was arrested echoes in my head.

Our hope will never die.