A Search for Paradise (On Hold)

Chapter 7

Hey! Well, personally I'm not very happy with this chapter. I haven't been in the mood for writing lately but I wanted to upload. So I'm sorry if you find it boring, it's more of a filler chapter but not really. :)

Chapter 7

The days were long and boring being stuck in the hut. But Mila still treated me as though I was sick and everybody in the village was keeping an eye on me just to be certain I had no friends on Forbidden Bay. I couldn’t risk being caught.

I was still listening in on meetings, but they weren’t held for long enough to keep me occupied all day. Sure, there were more meetings than usual given the circumstances, but I was still bored to death.

All day long – apart from the times I listening in on meetings – I helped Vera with small chores around the house. No matter how much I tried convincing her that I was fine, she didn’t believe me and insisted on having me only do small tasks. I wished I could go out and help her get food or help clean up the village or visit Seraphine or even just take a walk on the beach, but I could do none of those things. It was like I was on house arrest.

Mae was an unlikely joy I found while stuck at home. I had never been very close with Mae, given that ever since she had been born, I much preferred going to Forbidden Bay. I wasn’t very good with kids either, unlike Vera who was brilliant with Mae.

Mae was a bit like my personal entertainer. Being only three years old and able to chatter away but not fully understand everything was hilarious. She would rattle on nonstop for hours about something random, having me in fits of laughter. I could see how everybody in the village loved her.

On one day, Vera had to go get some food so she left Mae with me. A meeting was going on at the time, so I locked Mae and I in my room, me sitting by the door, one eye glued on Mae and my ear glued to the door.

I heard Mila greet everybody and then they got into the juicy stuff.

“The birds have started again, Mila,” an exasperated voice exclaimed. They were referring to the same thing they did each meeting – the rumblings in the sky. Personally I didn’t see the big deal. They were in the air, weren’t they? They weren’t doing us any harm.

“I told you, forget about it!” Mila said. After having to deal with the same complaints each meeting, I understood where her frustrated tone was coming from.

There were many mumbles from the room.

“Is there anything in particular you wanted to discuss?” Mila finally asked, breaking the pregnant pause.

“We – as in all of the elders – have concerns about someone specifically,” an elder said. His discomfort was obvious in his voice.

“And what would that be?” Mila prompted coolly.

The person speaking sighed. “Serenity.” My breath caught in my throat.

Why were they worrying about me? I hadn’t left the hut in ages! I had been watching my behaviour and making sure I did nothing suspicious. Why in the world would they be concerned about me?

“Sara?” Mila asked, surprised. “What has she done? She’s been in the hut for days!” For once Mila and I were thinking along the same lines.

“Look, Sara!” Mae suddenly piped up, holding her finger out to me. I saw a Christmas beetle sitting on it and Mae playing with it.

“Shh, Mae!” I hissed.

“… the stories, Mila! You know them, surely.”

“Of course I know them,” Mila snapped. “But I don’t see what that has anything to do with my sister.”

“Don’t you?” someone asked, sounding genuinely shocked. “It’s simple, Mila. Surely someone smart like you could figure it out.”

Mila sighed. “Sure, Sara shares the same name as one of our ancestors who wasn’t the most loved person on Anya, but that was hundreds of years ago!”

I heard a thump and guessed someone had brought their fist down on the table. “It’s not just about a name!” they shouted. Mae snuggled into me, frightening by all the shouting and arguing. “Records describe Serenity’s personality, looks and everything she did. It all matches with your sister.”

Serenity, my ancestor. Of course I had heard the stories for years. She was disobedient and didn’t fit in to the village because she was different. Now that I thought back to the stories, I could see myself in her. One of the things Serenity did that was considered the most scandalous was sneaking off to Forbidden Bay and reportedly having befriended people over there. We really were alike.

“Sara is not Serenity,” Mila said wearily. “I don’t see what the problem is! I raised Sara and if you have a problem with the way she acts, talk to me about it.”

“Fine, I will! Serenity is out of control! She is disrespectful and I blame you for it. We all blame you. You let the girl have too much freedom, you always have ever since she was a young child!”

That was it. My anger burst from me. I kicked the door open and stood in front of all the elders, fuming. I saw Mila silently telling me to go back to my room, but I couldn’t stand to see these people insult her when it was my entire fault.

“Don’t you dare blame Mila for my actions,” I snarled angrily. “She is the best big sister in the world and did a wonderful job raising me, Vera and Mae. She was only young when she was left the responsibility of caring for me and Vera, give her some slack!”

Mila smiled weakly at me but the other elders didn’t seem so happy about my outburst.

One of the elders shook her head. “Sorry, but we can’t let people like you ruin the community we have here.”

I shrugged and turned to leave as if it wasn’t a big deal, but Mila stopped me.

“If she’s going then I am too,” Mila said firmly. For a moment I thought that would stop the elders, but it did nothing.

“Good riddance!”

Mila’s eyes began watering and she ran out of the house, tugging me and Mae along after her.

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