AYLA MARIN

A week went by and my mum didn't bring up the subject, everything was normal, as it should be, my mum worked two jobs to support us, Luke helped me with the housework and took care of Bianca on the days I went hunting and to fight, it was hard to have a secret life my mother didn't know about these underground fights I got into, but that extra money was always very helpful, tonight I would earn 50 coins if I defeated a burly girl that everyone called "The wall ", I get ready as soon as she leaves for her second job, I throw my backpack on my back and pass all the instructions to my middle brother, Bianca complains about being alone with Luke but I ignore the complaints and go out the door, outside Blacke me waiting with a smile on his face as always. 

________ Ready? - he asks and then we start walking together, I can always count on Blacke; my deepest secrets can be revealed to him and at the same time I feel like I have a pillar by my side to lean on. 

________ I am always prepared. - my voice comes out grumpy for that reason he doesn't ask me anything else for the whole journey. The place where I would fight was a hole, dark and stinky, people went down to the sewer to do illegal things and that's what the two of us were getting into, "the hole" was already full of people, men and women, all asking for blood from one of the fighters, in this case me, I get ready with Blacke's help, he ties some rags around my hands and puts an old mouthguard inside my mouth, I hear my name called and I get up from the old bench I was sitting on, the another girl, does the same when hearing her name, we both enter the improvised ring, the judge passes the rules and then starts the fight, at first I just observe her movements, it was slow, due to the weight, that was an advantage, being thin I was certainly more agile, I run with speed around the girl who tries to hold me unsuccessfully with her bulky arms, I kick her hard in the knee joints, she screams and I fall on all fours in the ring, I run again around me Sma who screams in rage, raises her head to face me, I'm even faster, I punch her quickly in the throat, she loses her breath and falls in the ring, I hear the judge count to ten and give me the fight, that's even hearing the noise of the siren of the security agents, they invaded the hole quickly, I look at Blacke who was paralyzed looking at the men hitting and arresting everyone, I run down from the ring and grabbed my friend's arm, taking him out of the momentary trance. 

________ Run! - I scream and he blinks several times and wakes up to reality. We pass two agents who try to grab us, one was holding a stun gun in his hands, before he could hit me or Blacke, I trip him and he is taken by surprise and goes to the ground, another turns to face me. I grab it, but I kick him in the groin, he screams and moans, I look at Blacke making a sign with his head and then we both run again, I've never been so afraid of being caught, if I was arrested I'd be for life in jail, my mother would never have the necessary amount to get me out, my lungs burned from running so much me and my friend, my breathing was difficult, I look back and realize that there was no one following us, I stop and try to catch my breath , I look to the side and Blacke did the same. 

________ If we were arrested.. never.. - I can't complete the sentence. 

________ But we weren't Ayla.. stay calm.. - He holds my shoulders and brings me some comfort. Twenty minutes later we are sitting on my front porch, my hands ache, Blacke is pulling out the useless rags, he looks into my face and says. 

_______ Don't let your mother see your hands.. - I don't answer anything I just look at my injured fingers and nod, Blacke gets up and takes the way to his house, leaving me sitting there on the porch alone, feeling empty as ever. Two days passed and my mother didn't suspect anything at all, she seemed excited and hummed all over the place, I had never seen her so happy, I didn't know why she was so happy after all we were still penniless, and she worked for hours every day every day, Bianca walks by my bedroom door and I pull her inside, my younger sister knew everything and always told me things, I look into her brown eyes and question. 

_______ Why is mom so happy Bia? - I cross my arms while waiting for an answer, she gives a cute little laugh and says. 

_______ Because you were one of the candidates called for the Diamond Crown .. - She smothered her laughter with her little hands and I widen my eyes. 

_______WHAT? - I walk to the door - MOM!!! - Bianca runs out of there before my mother arrives. It takes a few minutes until she appears at the door of my room, my look was angry and I felt betrayed, my mother sits on the bed and knocks twice on it asking me to sit down, I do what she asks me but I sit away. 

_______ Why did you enlist me?!.. - I say hurt looking at her. 

_______ Ayla.. I just think it was the right thing to do.. - She lets out a sigh and brings her hand to her chest. 

______I'm giving up.. how are you going to be without me.. have you thought about Luke and Bia? They will be alone.. - I speak in a worried way. 

_______ I already solved that .. they will stay with Griselda until you come back ..- I don't let her continue, I interrupt her getting up and stopping in front of her. 

_______ You knew I didn't want to go.. call and let them know I quit! - I speak with the voice already in supplication. 

_______ I can't Ayla.. you'll be arrested.. I can't.. I'm sorry.. - She looks at me with regret but doesn't say anything else, I leave my room and leave me alone. I feel tears rising to my eyes but I hold them back, I wouldn't cry about this, it's been five years since I've shed a single tear, I wouldn't do that now, I throw myself on the bed and stick my head under the pillow, now I was in this dispute, I had to participate, after all I didn't want to be arrested, my head started to hurt from thinking about being away from everyone, from my family. It didn't take long for Luke to enter my room, he was my mother's copy, but in a male version at least that's what Blacke said and I always laughed about it, seeing the expression on his face I could understand what everyone was saying, Luke was not only physically like my mother but his personality was simply identical, he sat next to my pillow and stared at him for a few minutes, I knew he was going to come give his opinion so I just waited for him to say something. 

_______ I've never seen mom so happy.. - Great, it started picking up an excellent point, I think to myself, but he continues. - I know you don't want to go Ayla, I don't want you to go either, but think about how this will take a weight off Mom's back, I don't want you to be sad, but we've already suffered so much.. - He lets out a sigh of relief. regret, I look into his face and I understand what he means. 

_______ Promise you'll take care of Bianca? - He nods quickly with his head and then grabs my neck hugging me tight, Luke was still small despite looking older, twelve years is not much, he was still a boy, yes, a very smart and intelligent boy, he always knew how to convince everyone of something, he looks in my face and says. 

_______ You don't need to marry any of them.. just stay until the third stage.. then you punch them and leave.. - I immediately start laughing at that thought of him, despite the laughter, I think it wasn't a bad idea, I kiss my brother on the cheek and then I see him leave my room, I get out of bed and walk to the window, I lean there and watch the stars, soon this sky would be different for me, in a place where I didn't know no one, but would still have the stars as friends.