Cataclysm - Sammantha Lewis (best book club books of all time txt) 📗

Auburn light illuminated the countryside of Panzayda (Pan-ZAy- DUH); however, this auburn light was something simply demonic, caring nothing but destruction, and sorrow on its shoulders. As a once magnificent mansion was set aflame, and engulfed in the auburn light, a hooded couple emerged with only a bundled up object in their arms. The woman's mahogany hair that was exposed to the flames was now chard as well as the hem of her cloak, she held the object close to her chest as if everything she had was underneath that blanket, and it was. The man held the woman close as they tried to escape the flaming house.
Now beep within the forest the couple continued to sprint, but suddenly the man stopped and turned around, he drew a line in the mud, and wall of stone arose from the forest floor. The woman pivoted around and clutched the object to the chest,
"No, please not yet!" she called. The man glared at his wife,
"If not know then when?"
"Soon, I promise!" he began to walk towards her, and then he snatched the object from her arms,
"Soon indeed." he said calmly. The woman began to struggle and tempt to retrieve the object; the man caught on her wrist with his free arm, and looked down on her sternly.
"Enough, Eleanor, your acting as if you were a child. I can assure you where we are sending her will be unreachable to the Zonovas. She'll be safe, and when the stars allow it then she will return to us." he released her wrist and pulled back the blanket to revile a small child with a full head of hair the same color as her mothers. Tears streamed down Eleanor’s cheeks as she stared down at her sleeping daughters face. Alin laid her gently down on the forest floor, and then looked up at his wife. Eleanor nodded her head and knelt down on the opposite side as her husband. They rested both hands gently on the child. Suddenly a bright light flashed, and when it faded the child, named Emily Hail was gone.

* * *
As Madame Maria sat in her study reading, a servant came in and poured her more tea. Suddenly a bright light flashed from outside the mansion. Maria abruptly got up and ran out of the room, calling her husband’s name. When she found him, she informed him of what she saw and the three of them ran to the door. They opened the door and peered outside into the night. The servant girl saw a figure lying in the middle of the garden. She raced towards the object, followed by the lord and Lady. They stood over the object in awe.
“What on earth?” Lord Charles stammered. There laid a small infant girl rapped in a blanket with tears running down her face. The servant girl picked the child of the smoking ground and cradled her in her arms. The girl read the embodiment on the blanket.
“Her name is Emily, Hail.” She reported.
“Grace, bring the child inside.” Maria barked. Grace nodded and scurried into the house. Grace followed the Lord and Lady in to the mansion once more. She followed them up the winding stairs, down the dark hallway, and into the drawing room. Maria turned around to face Grace. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side while saying,
“Sit.” Grace went wide-eyed and did as she was told. She wondered if she had unknowingly offended the Locke’s, by so easily accepting the child. She sat down in the leather-lined chair as Maria and Charles, Locke stood before her with a superior stance.
“Grace, I want you to care for the child, I also want you to train her to cook, clean, and sew. I will also need her to be able to read.” She told her. Grace was taken aback by her words, how was an eighteen year-old savant girl going to raise a child.
“You are not going to take her in as your own?” she asked. Maria laughed,
“Heavens no! I am much too youthful for a job like that. Moreover, why would I even raise a child that is not mine? In fact, if the only child I will raise will be give life by me. I will need someone of young age who is full of energy to take care of my child…that is to say, when I decide to have one. ” Grace sneered at her from the inside. She was insulted that although she was younger the Maria (who was well over twenty) she was forced to care for a child, and for what? Only so, the child could be used as a playmate and governess as well as a slave to every one of Maria’s selfish whims. Grace looked down at the silently crying child with pity. A spark inside Grace urged her to disobey Maria’s selfish whim, but instead as much as she begged her self not to, Grace stood up and bowed to her while saying with an aching heart,
“I understand. “Moreover, without another word Grace left the room, leaving behind a well beyond pleased Maria Locke.


15 years later

I woke up middle to sound of a bell ringing, I opened up my eyes and saw that the bell labeled "Madeline" was ringing; I sighed and shuffled out of bed. I slipped on my night robe and slippers and headed down the hall to Madeline's room. As I opened up the door a small figure about half my size threw them self at me.
"Emily!" she yelled. I sighed and lowered myself to her eye level. I whipped her tears and said in a calming voice,
"Now how about you crawl back in bed and tell me what happened." Madeline was the Lady's fist born child who was often sickly, she had horrible and torturous nightmares almost every night. The nightmares are so troublesome that all of Madeline's ladies in waiting have quite while inciting that she was possessed by an evil soul. I often pitied her more than I did for myself. Here was a gem of a child who is intelligent, whitey, and talented all by the age of five... yet she is hated. The Lord and Lady have locked her away in this small room never wanting to see her. Not even the servants enjoy her. When Madeline was born she was born silently, she did not cry or fuss at all. They took her to the doctor and he informed them that the child was not to be expected to live long, he advised all of us not to become attached. Of course, I have disobeyed this order. Madeline was finally given a name after a year and a half.
Madeline crawled into her bed and waited for me. I sat down and lit the candle next to the chair. I picked up the book, which was rested on the floor at my feet, and began to read.
"Once upon a time there was a maiden with long golden hair locked away in a tower by an evil witch..." as I read these words, I began to realize that Rapunzel was similar to Madeline. I also realized that one day I will leave this place and Madeline will be forced to realize that the stories she hears every night are nothing but fiction. Hours passed and she was finally asleep. I gently set the book down and stared to move out of the room, when small hand gripped my skirt.
"Please stay...,” she whispered. I smiled at her and sat next to her on the floor.

"Get up!" I heard a shrew voice call. I opened my eyes to see Lady Maria standing in the doorway. I stood up and brushed myself of from sleeping on the floor. My back throbbed from the hard wooden floor. I then curtsied and made my way out the door. As I walked past her, she grabbed my forearm and pulled me back.
"Where do you think you’re going?" she snarled at me. I stared wide-eyed at he, and wondered what I had done wrong.
"I-" was all I managed to say before she pulled her hand back and swatted my check. I lifted my hand to my check and felt the throbbing flesh.
"Now you place. You are not her mother. I am. If she cries, you tend to her. However if she needs a sleeping companion then you bring her to me. Understand?" she glared at me.
"If you are her mother, as you say, then raise your child." I spoke to her with a sharp tone. I snatched my arm, headed down the winding stairs, and went in the servant quarters, as I did so I could hear the Lady throwing a Juvenal tantrum.
Here was a Thirty-seven year-old woman, whose hair grows grayer by the days. Yet she refuses to pay much attention to the young child, and when she does even mention her, it is only when she is boasting to her equally retched acquaintances. When she does so she points her noise to the sky, oh so proudly and boasts, "I have raised Madeline well." "oh how I enjoy my daughter's company." or sometimes she will repeat things Madeline has said to me and repeated them as if Madeline had said them to her, that she read her stories to ward of nightmares. That she laughed with her. That she gives her affection and love, and thatshe has raised her. How hypocritical that woman is. She talks about loving and raising a child, yet she has never done so.
I enter my room and slip my robe and nightgown off, only to replace them with the dull brown, uncomfortable, and knee length uniform. I tied my stained apron around my waist. I then walk to m y mirror to check my appearance; I upbraided my hair and neatly arranged it into a bud on the crown of my head, and tied it with a white ribbon. I looked down at my shabby dress and remembered the fine silks that Maria wears. How I yearn for a silk or satin dress. I then headed out of my room and headed for the kitchen. As I passed the window next to the back door I saw a small figure with blonde hair, pass the window. My eyes widened and I raced to the door.