The Hidden

Chapter 1

        “Kalla, that’s the third time I’ve poked you, you need to get up.” A stern voice said distantly, tugging me out of my deep sleep.

         Reluctantly I lifted my heavy eyelids to see my father standing over me, arms crossed over his chest.

        I let out a low groan, pulling the thick leaf that served as my blanket up over my head, the view of my dad blocked out by the thick green material.

        I heard an impatient sigh.

        “Helena would you please get your daughter up.” I heard dad say.

        “Do you want me to jump on her?” The voice of my younger sister Cassia asked eagerly.

         Even with the threat of my younger sister leaping onto me didn’t bring me out from beneath the leafy blanket. I had stayed up late that night hanging out with Aven. We had spent the night up in one of the trees, talking and messing around. According to the old watch propped up against the outside of our little cabin, I hadn’t gotten back until 3:00 in the morning. Meaning I had only gotten 5 hours of sleep.

        “Kalla, we’re having those juicy red berries you like so much for breakfast.” Mom coaxed, wafting the sweet smell of the berries toward me.

         Though I hated to admit, the berries did appeal to my rumbling stomach. So with a deep groan I pulled the blanket off of me and dragged myself out of bed.

         My bed was made up of rabbit’s fur that my dad had found stuck to a branch a long time ago. A leaf lay on top of the fur, the other leaf that served as my blanket draped over it. My bed and three other beds were crowded at the back of the room, the bigger one being for my parents and the two other being for my sister and brother.

        The rest of our humble little home was pushed up into the front of the room. A big rectangular table my dad had carved out of wood stood in the very right corner, it served as the food prep station. Another wood carved table sat near the right wall, five chunks of woods that served as chairs surrounding it.

        In the center of the front wall was a doorway, but instead of a door it was simply a leaf that blowed lightly in the wind.

        The floor was dirt, but it was packed down so much that it was smooth and didn’t leave you filthy if you laid down on it. The house and walls itself were made up of thick bark, held together by sticky sap.

        I plopped down onto one of the seats around the table next Cassia and my older brother Ash.

        “You stayed out with Aven late again didn’t you?” Ash asked, glaring over a me.

        Before I could even open my mouth Cassia spoke up.

        “Yeah, I heard her come in real late last night.” She said, throwing me a smirk.

        I rolled my eyes, too tired to yell at my younger sister for being a little tattle-tale or to attempt to come up with some excuse as to why I was out so late.

        Dad sat down in the seat across from me, giving me a hard glare.

        “Kalla, you have no reason to be staying out that late.” He told me, taking a sip of root coffee out of his acorn cup.

        “Not to mention how dangerous it is!” Mom exclaimed, passing out bark plates then setting a big acorn full of head sized red berries onto the table.