*Ainslee*
My fucking sock is wet.
Again.
It’s a chilly night, yet we are all standing outside of the mayor’s office on the lawn. Earlier in the day, the town criers had spread the word that there would be a village meeting this evening at sundown. Everyone is expected to be there. No one has any idea what the meeting is about, at least, not any idea with merit. A lot of rumors are whirling about town. I’ve heard everything from a murderer is on the lose to that a volunteer army is being formed because Warfang is about to attack us, but I don’t think any of that is true.
I do have an idea why the mayor has called this meeting, and the idea of it has my stomach sitting like a rock in the bottom of my gut.
Lenny stands about five feet from me, saying nothing. His family is huddled around, trying to keep warm, though their cloaks are in better shape than my family’s. Each of my parent is holding a little to keep them warm, our thin blankets wrapped around their bodies. I’d tried to take Sinead from my poor mother, but she’d insisted they’d be warmer this way. It’s not even winter yet, but the bite in the air is harsh.
I need new boots. My wet feet are freezing.
We stand there for a long time, well past nightfall. Many of the children around me are beginning to whine. Tired and cranky, they are up past their bedtimes and just want to go home where it’s minimally warmer, depending upon if they can afford firewood and how many cracks they have in their chinking. I know Mayor Black is making us wait on purpose. He’s an asshole, just like his brother the baker.
Finally, Mayor Black and his brothers step out of his office, along with Sheriff Brown. Why the butcher and baker were in there makes no sense to me. They shouldn’t be counted as leaders of our town.
“Citizens of Beotown,” the mayor begins. “I’ve received an important message from King Axel Broadcraz this afternoon.”
I brace myself, noticing that Bart Black is holding a lidded container. Yep, this is it. Son of a bitch. Why? I’d hoped I’d said enough to that Zeke person to keep this from happening, but it seems clear now that the vampires were here for the reason I’ve suspected.
“Because of our drastic drop in blood donations recently, the lack of work our citizens put in, and the ridiculous state of affairs of our town, King Axel has declared we must hold a culling!”
All around me, the crowd explodes in whispers and shouts of shock. I feel the same way. We just did this not that long ago. We should have three more years!
“Donations are down? That’s not possible.” I turn to see it’s Lola making the statement, and she works at the blood donation clinic. I look at her, and she slowly shakes her head, her son, who is standing next to her also questioning the statement. He’s old enough that it doesn’t matter, though. His name can’t be called tonight.
“I know this isn’t the sort of news you want to hear,” Mayor Black continues. “But it is the way of it. I tried to convince the vampires who visited last week that it wasn’t necessary, that we could turn things around, but they must not have believed me. Judging by the display we put on when they were here, I can’t say that I blame them.” With that statement, Angus Black turns his fat head and looks directly at me, his beady eyes narrowed in a glare.
Others turn and look at me as well, as if this is all my fault. Grumbling ripples through the crowd.
Fuck. They blame me. I’m screwed. Yep. Fucking screwed.
“As it is cold, and we are all tired, let us get on with it.” Mayor Black speaks like he hasn’t kept us waiting for hours. “Everyone between the ages of nineteen and twenty-five, step forward. I’ve already dropped your names into this container. We will randomly select twenty names. Those citizens will be transported to Forte Inglesia Malefique tomorrow morning at sunrise.”
Lenny and I exchange glances as we move forward with the others. Already, mothers are weeping. Some of the others are walking so slowly, there’s a bottleneck. We know the drill. Even though I’ve never been part of a culling selection before, I’ve witnessed a few. No one speaks. No one is to make a sound. If your name is called, one of the sheriff’s deputies will come and tie a red band around your arm. You are not allowed to take it off. If you try to escape, your entire family will be executed.
Once we are situated in front of the porch where the mayor and his brothers stand, I take a deep breath. Not a single doubt clouds my mind. My name will be read whether it’s pulled from that container or not.
Lenny’s little finger laces through mine. I look at him, and he forces what is meant to be a reassuring smile. We both know the truth. They are blaming this culling on me, so of course, I’ll be named.
Fear pulses through me, not at hearing my name, but because I don’t know what will happen to my family once I’m gone. Nineteen other families are going to blame me for what has transpired. What if they come after my mother or siblings in retaliation?
I don’t get much of a chance to think about it. Mayor Black’s pudgy fingers sink into the jar, and he pulls out the first name. “Annamaria Bone.”
The rules are broken immediately as the slight blonde across the way bursts into tears, and her mother begins to wail in the background.
“Enough!” the mayor barks. “Let me get through this. You’ll have the evening to say goodbye.”
As if that is enough.
Something tells me Olga Black’s name isn’t even in the bowl. Nor are her many cousins’ names.
The mayor continues to pull names, announcing them quickly until nineteen names are called, nineteen ribbons tied, nineteen mammas are crying, nineteen young people stand trembling in the night air.
Only one name left. I know Lenny has to be relieved that he’s not part of this. I feel him squeeze my finger, like he’s trying to signal we’re done, we’ve made it.
“Ainslee Gray,” Mayor Black reads.
The fury I’ve been trying to damper down since the incident flickers within me. My life as I know it is over. My family is already at risk. With all the rage I have left inside me, I shout at him, “My name is Ainslee Bleiz, daughter of Howard Bleiz, you fucking bastard!”
That’s when the deputies move in, and it’s all over for me. I feel their strong arms grabbing hold of me, pain radiating through my limbs, and think they will shift and destroy me right here.