Fiction Activity

Competition
Your First Steps In A Larger World
Textual submission

Caerbannog valley, Kushibah.

It was nine years ago, in 16 ABY, when Wenet first experienced the Force. She had only just turned six a week prior, making her an adolescent for her kind and she was proud of it, as were her parents.
It was late in the afternoon, they were just returning home from the market..

“Look at our Wenet, growing up so fast” Nun said to Unas as they pulled the wagon along the narrow path that led to their land. They watched their eldest daughter walking ahead of them with her siblings. She was holding hands with the twins, Tomna and Dashan, singing a song they had heard in town that day. Their brother hopped next to them, singing as well. “Few more years and she'll start a family of her own” Unas replied, but the way he said it made it sound sarcastic just as he intended. Nun looked at her husband “I do hope so. It is time she let go of those ridiculous dreams” she replied. According to them, Wenet was a dreamer, she had her head in the clouds, thinking about what else was out there in the galaxy. But Kushiban rarely left their home world, it just wasn't their way. So hearing their daughter talk about becoming a pilot was a shock, they even felt a little embarrassed about it, “I heard them talk in town, whispering when they saw her” Nun said softly, “I don't want her to get upset” she added. “Don't worry, we're still here” Unas replied and squeezed his wife's hand.

The sun stood low on the horizon, “we better hurry, It's going to be dark soon” Unas said as they continued their walk home. It was then when they heard a screech in the distance. All of them immediately stopped in their tracks, their ears stood straight on the top of their heads as they listened. Again, a loud screech that echoed across the valley. “Xinkras” Nun said, “kids, quiet.. we have to get home fast!” She didn't have to say it twice, they all knew the drill.

The children let go of each other's hands and began to run on all fours, they were faster that way. Wenet looked over her shoulder to her parents. They weren't as fast as they were pulling the wagon with supplies. She had a bad feeling but knew she had to get her brothers and sister back to their home. The sound of screeching became louder, the Xinkra were getting closer.

It took only a couple of minutes until they reached the farm. Unas and Nun brought the kids inside. The twins immediately jumped into bed, hiding themselves under their blanket. Wenet and her brother, Lochtay, stood at the window, looking outside. “Get away from that window” Nun pulled them away just before a large pack of Xinkras appeared. Screeching loudly they moved around the house, the ground trembled as they were searching for their prey hiding inside the house. Unas looked out of the window, “we have to scare them off, they are destroying our crops” he told his wives. In a few weeks the harvest would start, they couldn't afford losing everything now. He grabbed the scythe and walked to the door “there's too many Unas” Nun told him, hoping he would stay. “Listen” he replied, they could hear the bells in town “the people are coming, we just need to hold them off for a few minutes. Or we'll have no crops left” he added and opened the door. “Then I'm coming with you!” Nun replied and grabbed a burning torch, fire often scared them off. “Mommy!” The twins cried when they saw their mom leave. “Watch your brothers and sister, Wenet. Don't come outside.” The door closed behind her.

At once Wenet and her brother returned to the window, watching their parents trying to scare the Xinkras off. At first they seemed to succeed but then all of a sudden another beast appeared out of nowhere. The Alpha, it was bigger than any of the others in the pack and with ease It scooped their father up with its massive jaw. “NOOO!!!!” Lochtay yelled and hugged his sister, burying his face in her fur. Wenet kept looking, she saw how the beast threw their father up in the air and swallowed him whole “Dad!.. no.”

Wenet peeled her brother's arms off her. “Stay here!” she said as she rushed to the door. “Wenet! You can't” but she was already outside and had picked up her father's scythe. Her mother was still trying to fight off the beasts with fire, but the alpha wasn't afraid at all. With its tail it hit the burning torch out of her hands, causing her to fall. The towering beast stepped on her, crushing her to death.

“NOOOOOOO!!!” seeing it happen, Wenet was filled with rage. She began to sprint toward her mom, feeling a burst of energy that made her unnaturally fast. Just as the alpha picked up Nun, Wenet launched herself at him and struck him with the scythe across its head. The beast roared and slammed Wenet with its claw to the ground.

*boom!*

The last thing she saw was the beast running off with the lifeless body of her mom between its jaws. It was chased away by a mob of townspeople carrying torches and primitive weapons.

Not until much later, Wenet finally learned it was Force that she had felt that awful night. Sparked by the raw emotions she felt, anger, fear and love. It made her faster and stronger and it gave her courage to do what she did. Unfortunately without training or experience even she never stood a chance. She was left with an ugly scar across her face, to remind her every single day of that dreadful night when she lost both her parents...