Acceptance

It had been a crisp clear autumn day, sunny almost warm, but there were clouds off to the west now. The horse-drawn carriage ride had tired me and my legs felt sore. I limped towards the broken down inn, giddy with excitement. My future, that had seemed bleak a few days ago, was brighter now. I was finally going to become a part of the Etelwins which was what I had worked for my entire life. I had come so close to becoming a wanderer; a person who is not a part of any society.  Even the thought of it makes me shudder. I had cleared the numerous tests that the Etelwins had put me through and I was heady with victory. I had finally succeeded. Living in the magnificent castle with fellow Etelwins was a dream that had come true. I stepped into the inn and was greeted by the innkeeper. He was an old man whose chin was covered with stubble. His skin sagged treacherously and a weary smile brushed his lips. He gestured for me to follow him which I did without a thought.

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He made me stand on a flimsy stool and fumbled with something in his coat. I had the strangest feeling in the pit of my stomach and suddenly I was falling. The wind shrilled and I screamed. My screams were drowned out by the noise of the wind. I tried to grab onto something to break the impact of the fall but my fingers found nothing. I hit the ground abruptly but the ground was soft mud and so I was unscathed.  I immediately got up and saw a hat nearby. It was a beautiful lavender hat and I gingerly picked it up. A piece of parchment slid out of the hat and a message was written on it in beautiful cursive writing.

This hat is the only way that you can enter the castle, Good Luck!

My heart pounded like a bird thrashing wildly in her cage. This was turning out to be quite an adventure. Maybe the Etelwins were still testing me and watching me. I decided to embrace courage and wisdom. I hastily stowed the hat inside the back pocket of my ill-fitting breeches and limped towards the unknown.

Zeeton Apocalypse

I walk past grimy buildings plastered with what seems to be carcasses of animals. My heart is pounding fiercely. I wonder why nobody has heard the beating of my heart because it sounds like the beating of a drum. I grip the parchment, my only hope of escape, tightly to my chest. The world has collapsed after the Zeeton apocalypse and the document is a proof of my resistance. People nowadays don't know how to differentiate between a Zeeton sympathizer and an honorable citizen. Maybe because there isn't much honor left.

Zeetons don't prefer this part of the area which is why I linger and investigate. I am still not at ease and i nervously shoot glances towards the dark alley behind me. We anti-zeetons tend to hastily walk towards our destination and don't wander. It's a survival code and we adhere to it. My newly laundered linen shirt is covered in sweat and clings to my back. I remove it and wave it a bit so as to dry it. It has been really difficult to shop for clothes after the apocalypse. We wear what we get. Sometimes I get lucky and find clothes from the ruins of a boutique. There is inexplicable joy in finding expensive looking things for free and these little moments of happiness are all that we can enjoy now. 

I trip over a crumpled empty can and almost topple over but a hand stops my fall. A tall figure wearing a mask has his hands around my waist and I try to resist. I cannot surrender I think to myself determinedly. I viciously bite the persons arm and make a run for it. The stranger grabs me in one long stride and I huff angrily. Suddenly the person takes off the mask and I find myself staring at the beautifully chiseled face of a teenage boy. He's older than me and his auburn hair falls over his steely grey eyes. He is a Zeeton I realize with a jolt.