Heart of darkness

Chapter One

The grass below me felt soft against my fingers. The sun shined bright above me, warming my face. A smile spread over my lips, I felt pleasant, as if I could fall into a dream and never wake. My blond hair stretched across the grass and dirt, my mother was going to have a fit if she ever saw me like this. Though with my eyes closed, I imagined slipping away into a distant world, a world where I didn't have to worry about how I dressed or if I got a scrape on my knee. A world where I was free. A world where I could do what I want and not worry about the consequences.

"Aurora!" I heard my mother yell in the distance. My eyes drifted open, the pleasant feeling I had evaporated and I was left with a sense of annoyance. How on earth could I hear her from this distance? She was a good kilometer away.

"Aurora Whitmore, you get home this instant." She yelled. I knew that the whole kingdom had heard her demands.

My eyes automatically rolled as I picked myself up and brushed off as much dirt as I possibly could from my dress. Though it wouldn't do me any good, my mother could pick out a tiny speck of dust on a table that had just been cleaned. She was a bit extreme when it came to being proper.

I walked out of the clearing and into the forest. Sunlight sprinkled in through the leaves above, keeping my path bright and open. The forest felt like an old friend, like someone who had stuck by me for years. I cut through the trees, placing my hand on each of the trees I passed by, feeling their rough bark underneath my hands.

The birds sang above me, their voices came together in perfect harmony. As if they knew this song would distract me from the oncoming confrontation from my mother.

The path was short, though it felt longer. The dread of returning to my home devoured my emotions. I didn't want to go back there, to the real world. I wanted to stay here in my make believe one.

The small village of Blankington loomed in the distance as I stepped out of the woods and into a field of wheat that stretched out over the forest's edge. Our village was the main provider of wheat and pastries to the kingdom of Lightwood. Though despite the name our kingdom wasn't very light. Our leaders had slaughtered millions in creating this peaceful land we now know. I hated it. The thought of people dying just so we could have more land sickened me.

The wheat field had turned into short grass and a gravel path that led to the village.

"Hello Miss Aurora." Said Mr. Woodard, the farmer that I had known since I was a child. His hair was beginning to thin and the green eyes that had once been full of life had grown tired and old. Mr. Woodard was sitting by the field he kept so neatly on a rock that had been there for as long as I could remember.

"Why hello Mr. Woodard. A fine day, isn't it?" I said walking towards the man.

"It is. I heard that your mother is looking for you."Mr. Woodard said as I sat beside him.

"Yes, I do believe she is. How did you know?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Everyone knew, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole country knew." He chuckled, staring out at the golden strips of wheat he had spent so long caring for.

"Well, if she could be heard that far, I must be getting back to her." I smiled at him and stood, feeling the dread return.

"Don't let your mother be too hard on you." Mr. Woodard said, giving me a small smile. I returned it and left. Our town wasn't too far from the fields. It was small, the population almost two hundred. Everyone knew everyone, if there was just a shred of gossip everyone in town would know it. Even the people who live on the outskirts, like me.

I stepped into the town square, people around me bustled towards the market. It was Thursday and this was the only day the village people could get the necessities for the week, so it was only natural that everyone would be there.