Shepherds of Wraith: Book One

by Nyssa Renay

  “He’s definitely a troubled child, I’ll agree, but I’m sure he’s really not as bad as you think.”

  “Yes, he is! He refuses to speak to anyone. He barely performs any of his chores. Oh! And yesterday, the cerebus cabbage was scheduled for harvest, but Vigil barely even made a dent in the workload! One of the other boys had to go and help him finish his section so we could get it all done by sundown. We’re falling behind schedule, and it’s his fault!”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “I try and I try, but Vigil’s attitude still persists. Punishment by rod does nothing to persuade him to change his ways, either! The other day during circle time when that boy from the Redui Peninsula arrived, I forced Vigil to speak by tasking him to show the new potential around, but Vigil just stood there, staring at me! I got so frustrated that I punished him with thirteen strikes for refusing to obey a direct order. He just sat there and took it! Nothing fazes him!”

  “Thirteen strikes? Don’t you think that’s a little excessive?”

  “He left me no choice! I didn’t break any of his bones, but I was hoping I’d at least broken his spirit. Nope! Even after all that, he continued to disobey me with his constant silence. The boy’s impossible!”

  “I’m sorry, I just don’t see how one child can be that bad. You must be misunderstanding something here.”

  “Sister Superior, please…there’s a new child coming in today, and I don’t want Vigil to be at circle time. I don’t want him giving her ideas or sabotaging me in any way.”

  “You know the rules. All children in residence must attend to welcome the new arrivals to our facility.”

  “Please change the rules, just this once.”

  “Absolutely not!” Nelfetto was shocked. “Vigil will attend circle time, and you will deal with him. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see how one boy could be causing this much trouble, especially a quiet one.”

  “But I’m telling you—”

  “Enough!” Sister Superior Nelfetto snapped, raising her hand authoritatively. “This conversation is over. Now pull yourself together and do the job you’re here to do, or I’ll find someone else who will!”

  At that point, I opened the door. I was tired of being intimidated by them and their idiotic practices. And I figured if there was going to be a conversation about me that was this extreme, I should at least be a part of it.

  “You see?” Marmarti pointed to me, standing there in the doorway. “You see how he snoops?”

  “Hello, Vigil.” Sister Superior Nelfetto smiled at me. “I bet you’re looking forward to meeting another new friend today at circle time, right?”

  I shrugged, but nodded in agreement anyway.

  “Sister Marmarti, today’s arrival is the final addition to this current class of potentials. In a few days, these children will be sent to the Shepherd Academy, and Vigil will no longer be in our care. I encourage you to put your faith and trust in Ein. We are all here for a reason, and only Ein knows why we are made to face such adversities in our lives. Maintain your patience and show Ein the respect He deserves.” Sister Superior Nelfetto turned toward me and put her hands on my shoulders, stooping until we were eye to eye. “And the same goes for you, too. Ein has blessed you with the opportunity to serve him better than any of us here at the home could ever dream of, so, I want you to obey Sister Marmarti and all the staff from here on out. Your obstinate behavior has been unacceptable until now, and I’m counting on you to search your heart and do what you know is right.” she said firmly as she stood up.

  “Wait, that’s it?” Sister Marmarti snapped. “That’s all you’re going to do?”

  “Yes, it is. Now, excuse me…I have much to attend to today,” Nelfetto replied as she walked down the hallway away from us and vanished around the corner.

  I could see Marmarti’s face turn a deep shade of red as she leaned down and pulled out her blackbrass rod, pointing it directly into my face. “Now, you listen to me, you little shit,” she growled through her teeth, eyes bulging out of her head. “Do not cross me today! I’ve yet to break your bones with this rod, but I will if your ass doesn’t smarten up real quick! Now, go and get ready!” she snarled, pushing me back into my room and slamming the door in my face.

  Besides Sister Marmarti, I could honestly say that circle time was my least favorite thing about living at the home. We all went through it, but I thought it strange that the ritual wasn’t nearly as traumatic for many of the other children as it had been for me.

  When I looked around the room, the other children seemed eager, almost excited, for the introduction of someone new. They whispered to each other, trying to guess if it was a boy or girl, or where the new kid might be from, but it never really mattered to me.

  “Now, then!” Sister Marmarti began, and the cave-like room was immediately silent. “The newest member to our community has traveled a long way. She comes from the Sallowid Desert—”

  There was a gasp from a girl named Eeliyah who was sitting directly across from me. She had also come to the home from the Sallowid Desert a couple of days before I arrived. Eeliyah immediately quieted when Sister Marmarti shot her a menacing stare, but I could tell she was beyond excited to hear another potential had come from the same area as she.

  “As I was saying…our newest member comes from the Sallowid Desert, located at the farthest reaches of our beloved planet. I trust you’ll all make her feel welcome. Allow me to introduce Abellie Lapanista.”

  Marmarti opened a door on the side of the room, and a tiny figure stood within the doorframe. Abellie stepped into the light. She had wavy red hair and very pale skin, and the bright, happy grin on her petite face was infectious. Most surprising to me was that she looked exactly like Eeliyah.

  “Abellie!” Eeliyah screamed with joy and sprang from her seat, throwing her arms around her twin sister. Both girls fell to the ground, laughing and hugging. “I knew you’d have your Vivication, too! I just knew it!”

  “Enough!” Sister Marmarti removed her rod and abruptly struck Eeliyah on the back. Eeliyah lost her breath as she quickly moved away from Abellie, cowering and bracing against another strike from the woman. Two blows later, Eeliyah crawled back to her seat, trying not to cry despite the pain.

  Sister Marmarti took Abellie’s wrist and gripped it very tightly, pulling her into the center of the room. “It seems that I must remind you all to keep your wits about you, no matter the circumstance! You must remain calm and composed at all times! Is that clear?” she asked the room, expecting an instant answer.

  “Yes, Sister,” the group responded in unison as poor Abellie looked at her twin sister, terrified. Abellie began to cry and move toward Eeliyah, but Sister Marmarti jerked her wrist and pulled her backward, twisting her arm so painfully that she sobbed even harder.

  “Abellie, you will stop!” Marmarti shouted. She reached toward her necklace and placed her fingers on a light blue stone. As she uttered some strange words, the stone glowed from behind her fingertips. Suddenly, a forceful wind gusted at Abellie’s feet and swirled up around her head like a tornado. The girl was engulfed in a wind so strong that it was almost impossible for her to breathe, let alone continue to cry. As the air was sucked from her lungs, Abellie had no choice but to be silent and look upon the angry scowl of Sister Marmarti. Just as she appeared to be on the edge of suffocation, the wind stopped as quickly as it had started. Abellie could only stand there, paralyzed with confusion about what had just happened.

  “Now, then.” Sister Marmarti smiled, pleased with herself at how she’d gotten Abellie’s full attention. “Here at the home, you’ll be expected to behave, first and foremost. Any insubordination will be punished severely.” She held out her blackbrass rod, pointing it at Eeliyah before turning to stare me down. “Breakfast is at dawn, followed by harvesting crops in the High Fields until lunch. After that, you’ll sit with the group for prayers and then return to the fields until suppertime. After supper, you’ll wash up
and get ready for bed. Do you understand?”

  “What about my toys?” Abellie asked in a mousy little voice that barely made a sound.

  “There aren’t any toys here, girl!” Sister Marmarti let out a grunt, which rolled into mocking laughter. “You’re here to work! You’re here to prepare! You’re here to serve Ein! Is that understood?”

  Abellie nodded, but I could tell she only did it so Sister Marmarti would stop tormenting her. The poor kid’s face had turned a bright shade of red, and I felt embarrassed for her. I knew exactly how she felt in that moment.

  I looked over and noticed that Eeliyah’s lip was trembling nervously in sympathy for her sister. At that point, all I could think about was Linna and what she would have done if she’d been alive and there to see my first day at the home. No matter how often we fought, she always watched out for me, just as I suspected Eeliyah did for her sister.

  “Biklish,” Sister Marmarti turned to him with a sneer, “you will escort our new resident around the home. Take Abellie to get something to eat and then to the High Fields for morning labor.”

  “Yes, Sister.” Biklish obeyed without any groaning this time. “Come on, kid.” He grabbed Abellie by the wrist and tried to pull her away from the circle, but she didn’t move.

  “Abellie…go with Biklish,” Sister Marmarti commanded.

  Abellie looked desperately to her sister for help. I could see Eeliyah’s eyes widen as she looked back and forth between her sister and Biklish, as if to say, go with him…please! but Abellie just stood there, trembling.

  Sister Marmarti pulled out the blackbrass rod and poked the small of Abellie’s back to nudge her forward. Abellie moved two steps and stopped, unsure of what Marmarti was trying to get her to do.

  “Two strikes for insubordination!” Sister Marmarti shouted.

  “No!” Eeliyah screamed and ran toward Abellie.

  Marmarti struck Eeliyah hard in the stomach, sending her tumbling to the ground. Then she struck Abellie on the back of the legs, causing the girl’s knees to buckle as she fell into the dirt beside her twin sister. “The rest of you! It’s time for morning labor. Get to the High Fields, now!” Marmarti commanded as she pointed the blackbrass rod in the direction of the door. “Eeliyah! Get up and go to work!” she snarled angrily.

  Eeliyah forced herself up and fell in line. As we all left the room, I looked back to see Biklish smirking as he stood over Abellie, watching her sob heavily into the dirt.

  -21-

  To get to the High Fields, the other potentials and I had to hike up a massive complex of old wooden staircases that wound around one of the highest peaks on the back side of the Divine Mountain. By the time we reached the top, I was always exhausted.

  “Hard work teaches discipline!” Sister Lorakonti shouted from the top of the stairs. She waited for us there every morning like clockwork, checking off our names on a clipboard. “Vigil Voronto…cerebus cabbage…rows R and S,” she instructed as I stopped in front of her.

  “Yes, sister,” I reluctantly replied. I didn’t have the strength to protest the status quo today.

  “Oh! Talking today, are we?” Lorakonti said with an unexpected smile before leaning down and whispering in my ear, “Don’t worry, hon, you’re almost free of this place. Just keep your head down and get through these next few days. It’s going to be okay, I promise.”

  I gingerly returned the smile, shocked at the old woman’s compassion. Up until that moment, I’d been certain all the sisters were mean to us solely because it brought them pleasure. Perhaps I was wrong.

  “Next!” she snapped, quickly returning to the cold demeanor I’d come to know and expect.

  I walked behind where Sister Lorakonti stood to grab my tools in the garden shed, relieved that Biklish had been assigned to show Abellie around and wouldn’t be able to mess with my tools before I got there. Having a last name that started with a letter so late in the alphabet always put me at the end of the line for everything. Biklish, always being near the beginning, had the advantage to get to the shed before me, usually finding a way to make the tools in my assigned stall either disappear or somehow become so damaged, it was almost a guarantee that I’d be punished for asking for replacements. That day was different. Not only were there tools there, but they were practically new. I happily picked them up and headed out of the shed when I saw my old run-down tools. They were in Biklish’s stall.

  Surprised, I quickly looked around and noticed Eeliyah smiling slyly back at me, hinting that she was the real culprit. And as I made my way toward my assigned work area, she caught up to me. Her section of the High Fields was close by mine in the apple orchard, so we often walked together for a short time. She told me stories about her life before the home, even though I never said much in return. I think she just liked having somebody listen to her.

  “Thanks,” I offered.

  “You’re welcome, Vigil,” Eeliyah replied in a happy whisper before her expression turned sour. “Biklish is such a jerk. I just know he is going to make my sister freak out.”

  I looked at her and nodded somberly, knowing full well what he was capable of.

  “I don’t think she’ll be able to understand what to do. Sister Marmarti is going to end up beating her to death. I am so glad we only have two more days before we leave this place.”

  “Really?” I was shocked. She’d never mentioned her dislike of the home before then. And while it was nice to have an ally for once, I couldn’t help but be surprised by her change in attitude. “Wow. I thought I was the only one,” I said bluntly. “You all seem so happy to be here, I never understood why.”

  “I am happy to be here,” she admitted.

  “But you just said you couldn’t wait to get out of here.”

  “It’s not the home I’m happy about…it’s being a potential.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I prayed to Ein every night, asking him to make me and my sister potentials, and He did.” She forced a smile.

  “I’d give anything to go back home right now. Why did you want to leave home so badly?”

  Her expression turned somber. “To get away from our dad…” She trailed off.

  At the time, I didn’t understand what she meant, but I figured if she preferred being here rather than with her own father, he must’ve been really horrible.

  “I’m sorry.” It was all I could think of to say.

  “It’s okay…we are here now, and that’s all that matters,” she said firmly.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re here.” I smiled as we reached the fork in the path.

  She smiled, blushing. “Me, too,” she replied and headed off toward the orchard.

  I couldn’t help but feel a sort of kinship with Eeliyah. She’d obviously been through a lot and was very protective of her sister, just as Linna had always been with me. It was nice to have a friend like her there at the home. Those brief moments when we walked together in the High Fields gave me a momentary distraction from the pain and torment the sisters—Sister Marmarti in particular—put me through on a daily basis. Being around Eeliyah made me happy, but as usual, my happiness didn’t last very long.

  About an hour later, I was gathering the last few heads of cabbage at the end of a long row when I heard shouting and then the sound of a girl crying hysterically. I peeked over the piled-stone wall between the cabbage fields and the tomato gardens to see what was going on. Biklish yelling at Abellie for breaking some of the tomatoes open while picking them too roughly. She was on the ground, kicking and screaming.

  Like a vulture, Sister Lorakonti was on them in seconds. I watched her large frame swoop down from her watchtower. I didn’t think it was physically possible for someone that old to move so quickly.

  “What’s going on here?” Lorakonti demanded.

  “It’s not my fault. She won’t work like I’m telling her to, and now she’s throwing a fit,” Biklish said defensively to avoid blame and punishment
.

  “Abellie! Get up this instant and stop that! We do not put up with temper tantrums!” Sister Lorakonti pulled out her blackbrass rod and gave Abellie a good whack, which only made her scream even louder.

  Eeliyah came running from her section. She knelt on the ground and put her hands on Abellie’s face. “Abbie…Abbie! It’s me, Eeliyah! Look at me!”

  “Eeliyah! What do you think you’re doing?” Sister Lorakonti was shocked that any child would dare interfere. “You get back to your work at once. This doesn’t concern you!”

  “You don’t understand. She used to do this at home. I can stop it. Please let me help her,” Eeliyah begged.

  “Very well. Hurry up!”

  “Thank you, Sister.” Eeliyah quickly turned to catch the gaze of her screaming sister. “Abbie! It’s me, Eeliyah. It’s okay. It’s okay. You have to stop now.”

  Abellie started to rant incoherently and her body was now shaking uncontrollably.

  “Abbie…if you don’t stop, Daddy’s gonna get mad at you. You don’t want Daddy to come here, do you?”

  Something in Abellie’s mind must have snapped her back to reality because her eyes became panicked and darted around rapidly as if looking for her father. “No! No, I don’t want to make Daddy mad.” Her crying subsided, and her expression became more petrified than upset.

  “Good, Abbie, good,” Eeliyah smiled. She brushed Abellie’s tears from her face. “It’s going to be ok…I promise.”

  Abellie finally began to calm down. “I’m scared. I miss Mommy,” she whimpered.

  “I know. Me, too. But this is our home now, and you have to listen to the sisters, just like you did Mom. Okay? Now tell Sister Lorakonti you’re sorry,” Eeliyah pleaded with her sister, hoping her words would register enough to help her understand.

  “Okay, Eeliyah…I’m sorry, Sister Lorakonti,” Abellie said apologetically.

  Lorakonti seemed impressed. “Very well, child. But if you act like this again, I’ll have to punish you with this.” She waved her blackbrass rod in the air. “Understand?”