AYLA MARIN

My mother was sure that I had to be different in many ways, since my father's death the sweet and kind girl was exchanged for another, my personality changed when I saw him being killed in front of me, at the time we were in the worst possible situation , the country was going through a period of wars, people who were rich were increasingly prosperous with the sale of weapons and artillery, we, the military workforce, earned a pittance to meet the required goals, at the time, my father got a job beyond what we were capable of fulfilling, in the end the supervisors ended up taking away our only source of income and worse, they removed my father's name from the list of fitters, we were left without work, as the days went by we didn't even have a penny , I remember like it was today, my father walked from one side to the other running his hand through his red hair, he was a strong and tall man, I liked his appearance a lot, I also had my hair as red as rust, always were very smooth and long, I never cut them, my mother said that the beauty of a woman was in long hair, so I kept it untrimmed for seventeen years, just like my father my skin is white, too white in my opinion, and I am tall, at most family high.

I remember clearly as if it were yesterday he walked from one side to the other, at the time I had just turned twelve, my father was my hero, but that day the fire of hatred was around his heart. 

________ Revans, lunch is on the table. - My mother called him gently, she had a sad smile on her lips, my father looked at her and shook his head with indignation. 

________There is only one pan of lentils Laura, eat you​ and the children! - He ordered with a gentle voice. 

________ But.. - She would protest.

________ Don't argue love, please... My mother nodded in agreement, there were five of us, my father, my mother, I was the first, Luke was the second and Bianca was the youngest, my mother looked at me and asked. 

________ Come Ayla, let's eat. 

________ I'm not hungry. - I say looking at her. 

________ Don't argue daughter, the situation is difficult, don't make it worse. I remember letting out a sigh and going to the kitchen with my mother, we had lunch, the four of us but my father stayed in the living room for a few minutes until he entered the kitchen and looked at the table, and soon after Bianca started crying, she wanted to eat more , I looked at my father's expression, sad, suffering and very bitter, he spoke in an irritated and loud way.

_______ I'm going to solve this situation Laura... - He exclaimed punching the door frame. 

_______ Revans..? Don't commit a madness please.. Rev... - He had already left the kitchen, Bianca started crying again, she was only seven years old, a little girl, my mother looked into my eyes and asked me to follow him and begged me not to let him do something crazy, I nodded and left running, my lungs hurt as I ran to catch up with him, his strides were fast and very long, unlike mine, he was going downtown, I was sure, my slippers broke, so I threw them away, and kept going barefoot, when I finally saw my father again, he was running, with some things in his hands, a bag of rice and some cans, he had stolen it, I remember screaming, but it was too late, the security agents had already knocked him down , at that moment the worst part of my life started to happen, the security agents started to beat my father, he turned his face and looked at me, I remember seeing him babble. 

________ Go away Ayla.. - But I didn't, in fact I couldn't, I was in shock, paralyzed, tears flowed through my eyes, as I watched my father being beaten to death, I saw his last breath, and there in that moment a new girl was born, my heart it hardened and for five years it remained so.

I come back to reality when I hear the noise of the dishes, my mother expected an answer, but she actually already had it, she just insisted that I should give a chance to change our lives, I roll my eyes and get up from the table, as the years go by , and with how much she worked, my mother got a lot of wrinkles around her eyes, my irises were the same as hers, emerald green, but her hair was brown, the only thing I inherited was her eyes, because even my personality was from my father, tough, and very tempered, my mother was sweet and kind, something I would never be, she walks up to me and hugs me. 

________ I know you don't want to leave us Ayla, but I believe you would be a great choice for the prince..

_______There is no such possibility mom, I'm sorry.. - Her look showed disappointment. 

________ Would you rather be arrested? You know it's mandatory to enlist! - She exclaimed making drama. 

________ I'd rather be arrested! Since the prince came of age, a competition had been announced, all eighteen-year-old girls should enlist for a dispute in which, in the end, the prize will be the "Diamond Crown", a super renowned royal position, in addition to that many speculate that the the prince's heart could also be available, that is, in addition to the position, another girl could become queen, all sectors of the country are already on alert, yes a poor girl, and a commoner would be queen one day, the news was around and many girls in my sector had already done their enlistment, in my opinion that was ridiculous, it's a waste of time, but the money would be good that's why my mother's insistence but Ayla Marin, would not accept being subjected to something so unscrupulous, besides that being in the company of people who can't see beyond their own noses is out of the question, I take my bow and arrow that I inherited from my father and throw it in the back, kiss my mother's forehead and talk.

________ There's no discussion.. I'm going hunting with Blacke! I see her let out a defeated sigh and mumble an "okay" kind of upset, I ignore that, soon she would understand my side, I go out the door and walk next door, Blacke was my best friend, we grew up together, in fact he is the only friend i have, the girls at school didn't like my way and i didn't like theirs either so that's how they avoided me and i avoided them, i stop at the gate and call out to him, it doesn't take long before he comes out with that stupid smile. ________ Time Miss Ayla Marin what an honor. - he says approaching. 

________ Stop you idiot, let's get on with it! - He shrugs, I throw a rock at him and he shouts "hey" and then laughs. ________ So... are you going to apply to play for the Diamond Crown? - he makes an expression of curiosity and then I speak. 

________ Not at all.. they will have many other options not to me.. - He opens a huge idiotic smile again. 

________ well let's go hunting then.. One of my passions was hunting, I learned it from my father and every week the three of us went into the forest, the bow and arrow was one of the weapons I used, but as we were part of the military sector, I learned to use various types of weapons, and to fight too, our sector protected the country, and it has always been like this, Atlanta is not a very big country, in fact compared to the others it is very small, we are divided into five sectors in all, sector 1, Glycerin is what takes care of of the country's economy, that is, it is the sector of the rich, the sector where the royal family lives, sector 2, Esters is the industrial sector the second richest, sector 3, Leaf is the education sector, this sector is the third with more anis and, it is the place where everything we study is done, and where they take care of the administration and division of the economy, which is very precarious, sector 4, Nigrum is the sector where I live, the military, we are taught and trained to defend the country, I think that's why I'm so masculine, the last sector 5, Agricultural Ribes, they take care of everything what keeps and supplies and supplies us with food, and it's the poorest section of Atlanta, I snap out of my reverie as I hear Blacke say we've caught enough for the week, we kill rabbits, it hurts in my heart but it was necessary for our survival I agree with him and soon we are home before I go inside I hear Blacke say. 

________ I'm glad you won't.. I.. I think you're too good for them. - he smiles shyly, his white teeth are strangely sparkling, contrasting with his dark skin. 

_______ Thank you Blacke... I'm glad I didn't go too.. see you later.. - I turn my back and walk into the house. Too good for them, I chuckle inwardly and walk into the house past the kitchen and put the dead rabbits on top of the sink, run to my room before Mum sees me, I couldn't bear another argument about my enlistment.