Scarlets and Emeralds

6 | Rosalyn

Ten other Scarlets chased me viciously and I ran as fast as I could across the city. Their pace was even and they didn't get tired, or more accurately, they couldn't get tired. As I took sharp turns running from them, I was suddenly hit with a realization. I didn't even know what I was running to. I knew I needed to escape them, but then what? I couldn't possibly go back to Scarlet city, and living in Emerald city, away from everyone I know, didn't seem like a much better option. I couldn't possibly go outside of the cities. From what I'd heard, the only humans outside of the two cities lived in small groups, scattered far away from each other. The rest were wild, inhabitable lands that I couldn't possibly survive in.

The other Scarlets were approaching nearer and nearer. With no other choice in mind, I climbed into what looked like an Emerald's carriage. The carriage was old and filthy, but compared to the crowd that was just chasing me, it was a preferred refuge. Loud stomps shook the ground outside of the carriage as the other Scarlets tore apart the place to search for me. Eventually, their stomps faded and I nearly gasped in relief. I was still too afraid to climb out of the carriage, so I stayed put. The lack of air inside the carriage caused me to slowly drift to an unconscious state.

I was awakened by a harsh rattling sound. It took me a moment to realize that it was the sound of the very carriage I was in being pulled by a very tired horse, who must now be extremely confused as to why the carriage was so heavy. I could hear the man on the horse muttering about why the horse was moving so slow. The lack of air inside the carriage was nearly suffocating me, so I started to breathe slowly to save air. After what felt like hours, the carriage stopped, and the man and his horse left. I waited for a little while before slowly opening the door of the carriage. Seeing that no one else was outside, I climbed out of it.

I took a look around to make sure there was no one around here. I gave myself a moment to take in my surroundings. I stood in the backyard of a small, shaggy house. I knew instantly that it belonged to a family of Emeralds. At first glance, the house was presentable: The structure was fixed and sturdy; resting beside it was a little garden bed—one that was shielded by a barrier fabric that was forced into an arched shape by four small sticks—and filled with the vibrant sprouts that will soon shoot up into the crops of carrots, poor man's crop, and leaf cabbage.

Yet, when I looked just a little closer, the cracks begin to show: The roof was tired and seemed to have a great risk of collapsing, and the house as a whole seemed to be deteriorating. There were little cracks in the walls, places, and parts breaking off and folding in on themselves—and it was small - the inside of the house was barely larger than my parent's bedroom.

Despite the shabbiness of the house, it wasn't as bad as I expected. I didn't haven't any real expectations of Emerald city, but I've always thought of it as a wildland. A place where safety and affection didn't exist—because it couldn't exist. A place filled with filthy, desperate people. But looking at this house and looking back at that woman who was so determined to protect her family, I've realized that these people are smarter and more compassionate than I thought; and even if they're desperate or even dangerous, it's not entirely their fault. In a way they're resilient, even if this isn't a world I would ever want to live in, they've made a life here.

Sudden footsteps knocked me out of my internal monologue: I had stayed for too long. I dusted the old, dying crops and the grime that I had gathered while being subjected to the ride in that old carriage off of my dress and carefully walked out of the backyard. I walked a few acres, desperately hoping that I wouldn't be spotted by a passerby the whole way.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and I turned around to see an Emerald around my age standing before me.