Magnolia Blossoms

chapter 1

The wind rustled through the weak buds that weren't fully developed yet. Every breeze represented terrible danger for them. It was rather cold too, for May. Gardeners and farmers were plagued by the possible loss of their crops and feared that all their efforts would go to waste. The result of their harvests was the main source of food for their families. To make matters worse, the government took 60% of each farmer's earnings. So naturally, the rich got richer and the hard workers barely had money for a bread crust.

My name is Liria Stargazer, and I live in the 5th county of Flor. The abomination, the citizens of the City like to call it. Personally, I prefer calling it the village. Every person that I care about lives here, and many of my ancestors have had significant roles in our community. For one, my great grandfather built the farm we live in today with no help and no tools. I think he was a brave man, and I wish I could've met him. Sometimes, when I have a particularly horrible day, I dream about him. He always appears young, though, because I only know him from pictures of him in his twenties.

My mother died when I was born. She suffered from tuberculosis and the doctor barely saved me, my father always tells me. She was a heavenly beautiful woman. I keep a little picture of her in my locket, a little pendant that mom herself used to wear, to protect me from the cruelty of this world. She cared deeply for the inhabitants of the 5th. She was the town druid, concocted healing potions and treated the sick.

Unfortunately, she was too selfless to treat herself before others, and there can only be one druid at a time. As a matter of fact, my little brother Jaison is next in line. He's got 1 more year as an apprentice. He and my father are the only family I have, but everyone in 5th treats and cares for each other like one big family. Everyone has something different to offer, we grow chicken and wheat, meanwhile my friends Asa Rosemary grows herbs and Silerio Arcana owns a herd of cows. Asa sells her medicinal plants to the City and trades the rest. Silerio doesn't talk much, he prefers to paint rather than to speak. He often brings me landscapes of the surrounding forest or of the sunsets. He doesn't admit it, but I constantly remind him of how talented he is.

Every year, the government organizes a deadly race across the country, for which 2 representatives, one male and one female, from each county is randomly picked between the ages of 11 to 20. It's an annual sacrifice from our point of view, but the City sees it as an exclusive event to look forward to. Their kind of entertainment. What kind of heartless creature could possibly see fun and delight in the murder of innocent children? The kind that lives a life of privilege and has any kind of luxury they want at a moment's notice.

The kind that doesn't have to make their own bread.