1.1 Badblood

The world was fucked up and so was Serra. The sun was up in the sky, giving light to the world. She's getting late. Serra woke up on her mother's voice calling her name. She bolt upright, her eyes still closed. She have dark circles under her eyes since she did not have enough sleep that night, her mind wandering somewhere. She yawned and opens her eyes, blinking, filling her eyes with the sight of her room: the low ceiling with cobwebs full of dust and dirt, her little closet on the right, her bed where the blanket fallen on the floor and a little chair full of stuffs on the left. She picked up the blanket and fixed her bed. Then she wanders out of her room.

She found Maria on their kitchen - which is just outside her room - smiling with a cup of steaming liquid on her hand that gives off a refreshing and delicious smell into the air. Serra recognized it immediately. Tea. She put it down on the table.

"Good morning Honey" Maria said. She's as sweet as what she called her.

Serra's mouth curved into a smile. "Good morning mom" she said as she sat on the wooden chair her mother built.

Maria came behind her, a comb in her hand and a long piece of cloth. She started to comb Serra's hair, a touch so familiar and comforting. She always loved morning because her mother used to fix her hair every morning before she goes to the fields.

"Maddy will be angry at me again" Serra said then sipped her cup. She felt the tea going down her system, warming her stomach. "I hate her"

Maria chuckled. "Just ignore her", her mother said, getting all the strand of her hair, clearing her face. "She's old. Older people often get angry. You should understand"

Serra laughed a little then sipped her tea. She loves tea. The tangy, sweet, and bitterness party in her mouth like a festival. They grow tea plants on the village for consumption and trade. Her mother is expert in tea making and Serra thinks that the other people in their village envy her as Maria's tea was the best. Her mother became a cook in the Captain's kitchen after tasting her tea. She's proud of her.

"How's the field going?" her mother asked. She always liked the way her mother talked. Sweet and careful, and her tone was light and gentle. Her mother could calm everyone in her presence, Serra thought.

"The carrots are good for harvest today" she said, watching as the steam from the tea dances in the air before disappearing into nothingness. "And the potatoes will be next week I think"

"Really? That's great. Her mother tied her hair with the long piece of cloth and formed it into a ribbon. "There" she said, appreciating her work. She's not a little girl anymore for the ribbons on hair and all but Maria loved doing it on her and so she let her. She was her mother's canvas.

"Anyways" Serra asked, "Where's Rila mom?"

"She got up early" Maria answered who now sat across her. "Their group is on gate patrol today"

Rila is her older sister, five years older than her. She's a village guard. They watch the gates for possible Reaper attack. They're also warriors. They keep peace and order inside the village.

Serra's work is on the farm together with her childhood best friend Mira, where they plant carrots, potatoes and other crops to supply the village needs and for trade. The older ones are assigned for weaving and cleaning, the light labours. Men are usually assigned for the trade in the other village. They ride and travel for days or weeks or even a month to trade their goods from other village. Depending on the distance, the traders would sometimes come back only a week if quite near and a month if far.

Serra has never been outside the gates since she was born. They are not allowed to go out because it is very dangerous. Reapers are everywhere, the creatures of abyss who will devour everyone they see. They feed on human souls and flesh.

Serra never saw one but they said the monster has scarlet glowing eyes, long and sharp razor-like talons, long black slithered body with black smoke coming out. The Reapers cannot be killed or even wounded by any weapons forged on earth. They are dimensional creatures and only those who draw power from other dimension can kill them, the Inkurs. The image of the monster gives shiver to her skins. She will never wish to meet one.

Maria stood up and scrabbled something from the cabinet. It was a not-so-nice-looking-bread her mother cooked at the village kitchen. The bread was big as her palm with brown withered surface full of white powder and a slit at the centre. Serra could see the white and fluffy treat on the inside. Her mother used to say that the ugly ones always bring surprises so she makes these breads unattractive outside but delicious and explosive inside, a party of flavour. Besides, Serra loves the crust of the bread. It is her favourite.

Maria works as a cook on the village kitchen for the Captain's family and for the village patrol. The workers and other families will be given only a limited supply of vegetables and fruits that will be allocated for the whole week. The Captain and his family can only eat bread and other foods. Breads are luxury for them. But Maria sometimes managed to hide some and bring it home for her and her sister.

Maria handed the bread to Serra. "Take this" she said. "You might get hungry in the field"

Serra put it on the left pocket of her dress and gave her mother a sweet smile. "Thank u mom"

Serra finished her tea then stood up, feeling energized and alive. "I have to go" she said.

Maria came to her, smiling as she always do, like nothing's wrong, like the world outside is okay and safe. She love those smile, she could live with that smile. That makes her love her mother more. Looking at her makes her forget everything.

"Goodbye honey" she whispered, kissing Serra's rosy cheeks. "I love you"

She gave back the smile, the smile that speaks her love for her mother. "Love you" she broke off then stepped out of their cabin.

Serra winced as morning light of the sun hits her face. The wind was arid and warm. It felt spicy to her skin. She let out a deep breath and welcomed the world in her heart. Another day, she said to herself. The sun above was burning bright against the sky and the sky was cloudless, clean as the wind. Serra could see birds above, flying in the sky, safe and free from the terrors that wait below them.

Serra started to walk. She saw Mira's mother, Agatha, watering the flowers bedside their cabin. Their cabin was the same as theirs, roof made of dried grass leaves and walls made of wood. The flowers on Mira's cabin were beautiful, big and small flowers with different colours like red, pink, yellow, orange, and white. Those were Mira's flowers, she grow them. She and her mother are alike, flower nerds. Serra laughed at the thought.

Agatha saw her and waved. "Mira's on the field already" she said without her asking.

Agatha is quite short and a bit chubby; her hair was short, up to the neck like a boyish cut. Serra pictured her as beautiful and charming as Mira in her youth as they have the same features: a huge blue eyes with long lashes that feathered in their cheeks, a firm and a pointed nose, and a full rosy lips like the flowers they grow.

"Thanks Tiya!" she waved back.

On the distance she could see Rila, standing near the gate with a spear in her hand, it's tip gleaming in the sun, and a torch on her hips, ready to light and fire. She wore their patrol uniform, a brown jacket with patterns of line and curves - which they say a symbol of the village - and a gray pants. Rila stood with confidence and she's oozing with strength and bravery. Serra envied her sister for that because it was something that she lacks.

There were six of them that stood near the gate. The gate was made of huge and thick slabs of wood painted in brown with the village's symbol at the centre - each half of the gate and the symbol formed when the gate closed. The wall stood high as ever, blocking her view of the outside world. There were towers above the wall where archers occupy, bow and arrow ready and a cauldron of fire beside them.

Rila looked at her direction and saw her. She waved and gave her sister a smile but Rila looked away, ignoring here like a dust floating in the air. She felt a pang of pain in her heart but she's gotten used to it. Her sister changed since their father died during the trade. She became ruthless as her heart was full of hatred for the Badbloods. It was a group of Badbloods that ambushed the traders, steal all the goods and burned the wagons. The traders, including their father were burned to death, leaving their withered corpses on the trail. Serra couldn't blame Rila since her father and her sister were very close, but Serra chooses to let go of the pain and believed that it all happened for a reason. They still talk with Rila when they are at their cabin but it wasn't the way before anymore. It's like her father's death made a gap on their family, slowly ripping them apart and Serra always took the effort on getting all the pieces back again.

She turned and headed toward the field. The farm was a bit far so she ran. The wind hit her face sending tendrils of hair flying behind her head. Her heart hammering against her chest as she come near the field. There she saw Maddy, short and chubby; her hair was short like a man's haircut. Her face was very annoying to look at: big puffy eyes, wrinkled forehead, a long overgrown nose full of blackheads and a chapped lip. She was talking to someone. If she saw Serra now she would be shouting loudly across the field, calling her names. But luckily Maddy was occupied. Serra let go a deep breath of relief and hurried toward the field. She picked an empty basket on the edge of the field and sat down beside Mira who’s busy plucking carrots from the ground.

"Good morning" she greeted, her smile was bright as the sun above the sky.

Mira flinched in surprise and looked at her. "You really want to kill me do you?" she said then laughed quietly.

Mira was beautiful. She has beautiful blue eyes, blue as a cloudless sky and long lashes that cast shadows in her cheekbones. Her cheeks were rosy white and freckles lined up in her long pointed nose making her look like a goddess. Her lips were full and rosy pink like the flower. She also has a nice complexion that really compliments her features. Her hair was curly like vines and she tied it up behind her head. Strands of curly hair escaped in her ear and strangle down, flying in the wind. She looks very beautiful, she thought. If Serra was a boy, Mira would be the one she marries.

"You're lucky Maddy didn't catch you late" Serra giggled while she pulled a big carrot from the ground.

"Indeed I am" she said. "I guess the heavens loved me today"

Mira chuckled, she's sweet as pie. Serra noticed Mira's sweet smile painted on her face. She's glowing today like a flower blooming in the morning, her eyes bright as the sun.

"What's with the smile? Huh?" she said. "Did you have a good dream?"

Mira looked at her then giggled like a child given a treat.

"The traders will arrive today" she said excitedly. "I can finally see Haris again"

Haris is Mira’s boyfriend. He used to be their childhood friend and the two of them fall in love with each other. Serra is happy for both of them. They're perfect pair, Serra thought. Mira is beautiful and Haris a charming man.

She smiled and felt happy for her friend.

Serra pinched Miras side and she flinched giggling. “So that's why you're glowing today" she laughed. "You naughty girl!"

They stopped as a shadow loom over them and saw Maddy above, her hand on her hips, her huge belly blocking her face.

"Stop babbling you lazy girls!" she said, sounding annoyed and angry. "Work! Or else you will have no food!"

They didn't respond and zipped their mouth as they continue the harvest. Maddy stalked out from them. They looked at each other for a moment and laughed silently.

The sun now burn brightly above the sky just as they finished the harvest. It only took them a couple of hours to harvest the carrots since there are around thirty of them doing the work. They pile the entire crop on the storage house which is located at the rightmost part of the village. They have a couple of storage houses which are huge houses built specifically for storing goods. The village supply and all the traded goods are stored there and Maddy is also in charge of it. Serra suspected that her family smuggled some of the food as her husband and their only son named Rodrigo - who's name she hates - are so fat.

The carrots were now sorted for the trade and village consumption.

"Now sho! Go away" Maddy said, glaring at the two of them. "I'll call everyone when I'm done sorting"

They only nodded and stalked out from the storage house.

It's almost noon and the sun burns hot on their skin. They headed on the far end of the village where a river snaked through their village.

"I hope the traders bought some corns today" Mira whispered as they walk, stepping over grasses, folding them to the ground. "I'm done with carrots and potatoes"

"Me too" Serra agreed. "I miss eating corns. Why don't we grow our own corns here in the village?"

Mira snorted. “I thought of that too" she said, her long lashes cast shadows on her cheekbones. "My mother speaks of that idea on the last village meeting but the captain ignored the idea."

"He's crazy" Serra laughed.

"Not as crazy as Maddy." Mira's mouth twitched into a smile, her eyes shining and playful.