called. Someone in the audience began to sing The Mother's Song. By the end of the first line, everyone had joined in.
Once the singing stopped, a flurry of camera flashes began. I posed and smiled for picture after picture. Nana made sure she had at least two each of me with Mom and me with her before she began snapping photos of me and my friends.
Ms. Dawning clapped her hands. “All right hunters! It's time to wish you happy hunting! After your families have wished you luck, please make your way to the cabin.”
Mom pulled me to her chest and stroked my hair. “You will be brave and do the right thing, I know it. I'll see you on Sunday.”
I blinked back my tears and swallowed. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
When we broke the embrace, I couldn't look her in the eye. I blinked again. I can't cry. Not here. Be brave.
Nana kissed my forehead and pulled me further into the darkness. When she was satisfied that we were far enough away from everyone else, she hugged me.
“You look beautiful. Fierce. I know you will do well.” She whispered in my ear, “And you will choose the right path for you. I am so proud of the young woman you have become.”
The tears were harder to keep back. I wiped my eyes as I pulled away from her. “I love you, Nana.”
“I love you, Lea.” Nana forced a package into my hand. “You’re going to need these. I’m so proud of you honey.”
I ripped open the brown paper and read the box. Tampons. Nana knew.
Chapter 10
~The Hunt~
The great room in the lodge was made of dark logs stacked on one another. Arched windows on three walls mirrored the curves in the high ceiling. Girls on mats filled the floor. Ms. Dawning had already turned off the light and ordered us to sleep, but the air of nervous excitement made it impossible. Whispers and giggles floated through the room.
I lay on a mat in between Beth and Rally, trying to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought of Mom and Nana and how much I'll miss them. Finally, I let my mind wander while I waited for morning.
***
"It's time to get up! Let's go!" Rally sprang off her mat. A sliver of gray light had formed on the window, the first evidence of morning.
"Five more minutes," Beth murmured and turned over.
I stretched and stifled a yawn. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"I'll come with," Rally said as she finished rolling her mat.
I washed my face with cold water three times, but my eyes were still bloodshot and swollen. I examined them closely and wondered if Ms. Dawning would notice.
"You didn’t sleep at all, did you?" Rally asked.
I glanced at her. "That noticeable, huh?"
"Yeah, so you gonna tell me why?"
Beth burst into the bathroom. "Thanks for waiting on me." She stopped and looked from Rally to me. "Lea, what's wrong? Is this about not wanting to hunt?"
"Yes."
"If you don't want to hunt, why are you here?" Rally asked.
"You know it's not that simple, Rally. And I told you before; it’s the killing I'm against. "
"Okay," Beth sighed. “I thought you had at least accepted what you have to do. Besides, you won't remember the kill."
It was time for half-truths. "I remember my changings, and I'll remember if I kill."
"How is that even possible? And don’t you want a baby?" Rally tilted her head and squinted at me.
I shuddered. "I don't know, but I've seen what happens when you remember."
"Lucile," Rally breathed. "That's why -"
"Yes," I interrupted her. "But my mom has been working with me. She taught me how to hunt without killing."
"So if you aren't going to kill, why were you up all night worrying?" Beth asked.
"I'm still afraid I'll kill him, and I can't live with that."
Rally's eyes shone. "But what if he kills you?"
I hugged Rally. "Don't worry. He won't."
Beth and Rally exchanged glances as I pulled away from the embrace. Beth asked, "How do you know?"
"I just do. And please, don't tell anyone, especially Ms. Dawning." I pleaded.
The other girls looked from one another to me and back again. Finally,
Once the singing stopped, a flurry of camera flashes began. I posed and smiled for picture after picture. Nana made sure she had at least two each of me with Mom and me with her before she began snapping photos of me and my friends.
Ms. Dawning clapped her hands. “All right hunters! It's time to wish you happy hunting! After your families have wished you luck, please make your way to the cabin.”
Mom pulled me to her chest and stroked my hair. “You will be brave and do the right thing, I know it. I'll see you on Sunday.”
I blinked back my tears and swallowed. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
When we broke the embrace, I couldn't look her in the eye. I blinked again. I can't cry. Not here. Be brave.
Nana kissed my forehead and pulled me further into the darkness. When she was satisfied that we were far enough away from everyone else, she hugged me.
“You look beautiful. Fierce. I know you will do well.” She whispered in my ear, “And you will choose the right path for you. I am so proud of the young woman you have become.”
The tears were harder to keep back. I wiped my eyes as I pulled away from her. “I love you, Nana.”
“I love you, Lea.” Nana forced a package into my hand. “You’re going to need these. I’m so proud of you honey.”
I ripped open the brown paper and read the box. Tampons. Nana knew.
Chapter 10
~The Hunt~
The great room in the lodge was made of dark logs stacked on one another. Arched windows on three walls mirrored the curves in the high ceiling. Girls on mats filled the floor. Ms. Dawning had already turned off the light and ordered us to sleep, but the air of nervous excitement made it impossible. Whispers and giggles floated through the room.
I lay on a mat in between Beth and Rally, trying to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought of Mom and Nana and how much I'll miss them. Finally, I let my mind wander while I waited for morning.
***
"It's time to get up! Let's go!" Rally sprang off her mat. A sliver of gray light had formed on the window, the first evidence of morning.
"Five more minutes," Beth murmured and turned over.
I stretched and stifled a yawn. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"I'll come with," Rally said as she finished rolling her mat.
I washed my face with cold water three times, but my eyes were still bloodshot and swollen. I examined them closely and wondered if Ms. Dawning would notice.
"You didn’t sleep at all, did you?" Rally asked.
I glanced at her. "That noticeable, huh?"
"Yeah, so you gonna tell me why?"
Beth burst into the bathroom. "Thanks for waiting on me." She stopped and looked from Rally to me. "Lea, what's wrong? Is this about not wanting to hunt?"
"Yes."
"If you don't want to hunt, why are you here?" Rally asked.
"You know it's not that simple, Rally. And I told you before; it’s the killing I'm against. "
"Okay," Beth sighed. “I thought you had at least accepted what you have to do. Besides, you won't remember the kill."
It was time for half-truths. "I remember my changings, and I'll remember if I kill."
"How is that even possible? And don’t you want a baby?" Rally tilted her head and squinted at me.
I shuddered. "I don't know, but I've seen what happens when you remember."
"Lucile," Rally breathed. "That's why -"
"Yes," I interrupted her. "But my mom has been working with me. She taught me how to hunt without killing."
"So if you aren't going to kill, why were you up all night worrying?" Beth asked.
"I'm still afraid I'll kill him, and I can't live with that."
Rally's eyes shone. "But what if he kills you?"
I hugged Rally. "Don't worry. He won't."
Beth and Rally exchanged glances as I pulled away from the embrace. Beth asked, "How do you know?"
"I just do. And please, don't tell anyone, especially Ms. Dawning." I pleaded.
The other girls looked from one another to me and back again. Finally,
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