Sunlight poured through the open window as the sun rose over the mountains. It was Venture Day, the one day in the month where the Venturers leave the safety of the forest and out into the world that was taken over by monsters, many years ago.
Of course this was very dangerous, as the monsters are vicious and would stop at nothing to try and capture at least one of us. It has happened before, but back then, the security was undeveloped. Things are much different now.
Yawning, it took a great amount of effort to get out of bed but somehow I managed. The wooden floor was cold and it sent shivers up my spine when my bare feet came into contact with it. I stood up and did my morning stretch, my body made cracking sounds as I did so. Yawning again I looked out my glassless window. Wooden huts were scattered thought the forest, some trees even had tree houses in them, though those were for the younger families who were able climb the ladder to and from the house.
People were already awake and going about their day to day business. I could see some people of the Service already up and cooking breakfast in the Base square. Some were also preparing the extremely long wooden tables for the rest of us.
My mother used to be part of the Service. She was a healer because she always loved to help people, that's how she meet my dad. He was a Venturer like me but a monster had badly injured him on one of the Venture Days, it was my mother who helped and healed him back to his original state.
Gram says that their love was so beautiful, they were like soulmates. They had such a strong bond, and could never be separated. I could only remember glimpses of them, my mother more than my dad.
My mother died giving birth to my younger sister, Freya, and my father died from a monster attack not long after. I was only little at the time, so I can't remember much of them.
My most solid memory of my parents was when my father had just come back from the monster kingdom Zyire, my mother and I were waiting at the door for him. I can remember running to him, and he lifted me up and spun me around. I remember my mother laughing as she held her stomach that had Freya inside. My dad stopped spinning me around and with one hand, and fished inside his satchel for something. He pulled out a necklace. It was simple, a black leather cord with a rather odd silver pendant hanging from it. That was all I could remember.
Gram said that they asked me to give it to the person who I fall in love with and only that person. I plan to fulfil their wish.
Clutching the pendant and realised that I was looking out of my window for quite a long time, some people were staring at me.
"Sorry." I mumbled, and turned away.
Seeing as it was Venture Day, I was to wear a specific outfit that consisted mainly of leather clothing, such as; a brown leather jacket, black leather trousers and black leather boots. The only thing about this outfit that wasn't leather was my black tank top.
Of course, we found all these garments in the human city ruins, which was around a two hour journey to the nearest one. It's a mystery why they are still there. We find the most interesting things in the ruins. It always fascinated me how humans in the olden days were, they came up with the craziest contraptions. How strange it must have been to live in a world where there were no monsters.
After I had dressed and did my hair in the classic Venturer style, which was a rather strange braid that managed to keep all of my hair out of my face, I rushed out of my room.
Myself and Freya lived in the family house by ourselves, but Gram lived nearby as she was the only family we had left. As if in sync, as soon as I left my room, Freya left hers.
Freya is a Watcher-in-training. Today was her first day on the job. Her outfit was the same as mine, but instead of leather, she had a camouflage material. Her strawberry blonde hair was slicked back into a ponytail and in her hazel eyes, you could see the excitement.
"You're looking forward to today, huh?" I said, folding my arms and raising an eyebrow.
"It's my first day, I'm also nervous." She said, I could hear the apprehension in her voice.
Once a human turns fifteen, they are required to choose a path, whether that be part of the Service, a Watcher or a Venturer. Not many people choose the Venturer path as it was highly dangerous and required a lot of training. My sister chose to be a Watcher, and I couldn't think of a path that suited her more.
"You'll do just fine kiddo." I made light of the situation and put my arm over her shoulders. She smiled at me but I could see fear behind the excitement in her eyes. It was always like this on a Venture Day. She was scared for me.
"I'll be fine. I always come back, don't I?" I tried to calm her.
"But what if you don't this time! You could also come back injured!" She exclaimed. Sighing, I bent down to face her, I placed my hands on her shoulders.
"Don't worry about me, whatever happens, happens. Today is about you, enjoy it." I smiled, not ignoring the fact that she was right.
"Do you promise you will come back?" She pouted. To tease her, I pretended to think about this for a minute.
"We'll see. Hopefully I will, if I'm lucky." I said with as much of a straight face as I could muster before I broke out laughing at her expression.
"You're an ass." She laughed as she pushed me lightly.
"Whatever you say, sister dearest." I joked as I put my arm over her shoulders again. We made our way out of the tiny hallway and outside the front door. Gram was in her private cottage a little deeper in the forest. Most likely I wouldn't see her before I had to leave.
Venturers and Watchers were gathered in the Base square, sitting at the long tables. Venturers aren't allowed breakfast as we can't run on a full stomach, instead we are given snacks for when we need a break. Freya left me to join the Watchers on one table a I joined the Venturers on the other.
"Attention all Venturers!" Our leader, Garrett, shouted to the small amount of us. "Today, you are to go out into the open for more supplies that we require to survive. You brave yourselves against the dangers that lurks outside our forest borders. The monsters will stop at nothing to capture, injure and kill you. I beg of you to take extreme caution. Satchels are being handed out to each of you, bring back as much as you can. You have been given four hours to head out into a vacant monster city that lies near Zyire. Remember our one rule. Get in, get out, return to Base, never get caught. I wish each and everyone of you the best of luck and with that, let Venture Day begin!"
Everyone applauded once he had finished talking. All of us stood in sync and began the ten minute walk towards the forest clearing. My sister was busy talking to a new friend she had made when she joined the Watchers, Elise, I think her name was. My own friend, Rose, was also a Watcher, but she was already at the clearing, some of the more experienced Watchers were always sent down to the clearing a little earlier.
As the clearing came into view, some Watcher climbed down from their stations in the trees.
"All is clear, though some guards have been spotted on the Southern borders, not too far from here." A Watcher reported to the head Venturer Juni. She nodded as a thanks and turned around to the rest of us.
"You heard leader Garrett. You have four hours. Now, prepare your backsides because guards are nearby. Take extreme caution and under the pain of death, do not get caught. You have two minute before you are to run." She said to us.
"Dawn!" I heard someone shout and I turned around to see Freya running towards me and not soon after, I was tackled into a hug.
"Please be careful." She murmured, it sounded as if she was close to crying.
"I always am." I replied, I saw the Watchers begin to climb the trees to their stations.
"Come on Watcher Freya, to your battle station." I teased, pulling out of her hug. She sniffed a laugh. I kissed her forehead before she reluctantly ran to a tree and began to climb.
"Goodbye." I saw her mouth towards me before she disappeared into the leaves, vanishing from my sight.
"Goodbye little one." I smiled to myself before turning around to face the clearing.
"Venturers, align!" Juni shouted and we lined up beside each other. I could see the soft shimmer of the border that protects us.
"Venturers, run!" Juni shouted and I sprinted, past the forest, through the border, and out into monster territory.