Audrey's POV
I stood in front of my broken mirror, combing my long coppery colored hair. This mirror had been a birthday present from my eldest brother, Zion. My brother is in the order of protectors for our small village, known as the Freedom Soldiers. I know more than most in this area, seeing that of my four older brothers, three are in the order. My youngest, older brother Roth, is 20, and I am 19. In the order, you must be at least 21 to be a soldier, but at 18, boys leave their homes in the village and live in our training camp. The learn to fight and at 21 they become members of the order. My older three brothers have all graduated and, even though it is illegal for a woman to fight, they have taught me how to protect myself.

I set down my ivory comb and turn to my doorway. I walk along the dirt floor to the front door and glance out. Some of the woman are running around with their children following like ducklings on their heels. I sighed. That is what I should be doing. Ever since civilization fell, woman have been reverted to their roles as heads of the home and soldier makers. Most girls my age had been arranged for marriage. My father had set me up this man named Kiaree. He was hard headed and told me I wasn't lady like enough. Nevertheless, his father had arrange for me to go to live with him soon. I glanced down at my pale green dress. No one was home, so I decided to go to my clothing bag. I changed into a pair of black short shorts made of denim, one of the hardest fabrics to find now. I put on a purple sleeveless shirt that had rips in its sides, but it's the best I had. I needed to go to the village seemtress and get some new shirts. I pulled my white cloak over my shoulder and covered most of my body. Our village was on the edge of the desert, near the only water hole for at least ten miles, so we had to cover our body's from the blistering heat. I stopped at the pitcher in our front room and filled my plastic bottle and tied it back on my hip.

I walked out of our stone home and wandered the streets. I walked down to the market lane. My sandals slapping against my heels, I scanned the vendors. People I had known since I was little sold fabrics, skins, fruits, beads, everything. I paused at a vendor whose tent cover was black, very unusal in the desert. My father had told me to stay away from this vendor, that it held dark objects. I glanced over his table, my eyes locking on a necklace.
"Ahh, hello there, I see you admiring this symbol," said the elderly woman behind the table. She had long grey hair in a braid over her shoudler, wearing all black dress.
"Um...yes. May I ask what this is?" I said as I placed it in the palm of my hand. The symbol was made of a silver metal and hung off a strand of black beads. The charm connecting the circle of beads and dangling the symbol was a V with odd bumps off each side.
"This, my dear, is a very very powerful charm. This," she said as she touched the V in the center, "is the symbol of one of the most powerful legions. If you take this charm, it will protect you. Hold it with you. There is much darkness in this world. If you are approached by..." she trailed off as she let go of the charm.
"A shadow?" I asked as I finished her sentence. Woman weren't supposed to know about the shadows.
"Yes...I'm surprised you know, yet again, you arer the first girl to approach my booth."
"How much for this?" I asked as I dug into my pocket for a silver piece.
"No, dear, please, take it. Nothing for it, your protection is enough payment for me."
"Oh...thank you, very much."

I twirled the star charm on the end in my fingers. I put it around my neck and tucked it in my cloak. It almost reminded me of a pre-civilization fall relic I had found. It was the same shape, but a man on a cross dangled from the end, not the star charm. I believe it was called a rosary?

I walked back to my home to find my father, Zion, and my other two brothers Diren, and Brock seated at out table eating dinner. My father cleared his throat as I walked in. I had stepped into a conversation woman weren't to know of. I heard the shadows in their conversation. "Audrey, where have you been?" he barked from his seat at the head of the table.
"Sorry, father. I was searching the market for a new bag. The canvas one I have is almost beyond repair. I was searching for an animal skin bag." I replied as I took my seat next to Zion. He seemed very on edge, his jaw set.
"I don't want you to leave the house again tonight," my father said as he wiped his chin.
"Why?" I blurted out.
My father smashed his fork down in the table. It was improper for me to question authority, especially a man. "Because I told you so, Audrey. We live in a very dark world and you are to obey me!" he said.
I closed my eyes and flinched as he raised his voice. I didn't want to be punished. Most men didn't think twice before hitting a woman for what I had just done, and I had been hit before. I remained quiet the rest of dinner. The men went back outside, which was odd. It was starting to become dark, they usually stayed inside and went to bed after dinner.

I cleaned up all the plate and put them back on the counter. I returned the extra food to the cat we had. She was great at keeping out rodents. I gave her a pat on the head when Zion gave running back in the door p, dragging my best friend Blair with him by her arm. Her white blonde hair was tied back off her face and she had her white cloak in her shoulders with a carrier bag on her back.
"Zion what's going on?" I asked.
"Audrey, you and Blair need to gather your things, only the necessities. You need to get out!" he rushed as he tossed sealed provisions into the bag in Blair's back.
"What's going on Zion? Tell me!" I yelled at him.
He ran up to me and took me by my shudders, lightly shaking me. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but F.E.A.R. is coming. The shadows were spotted gathering and they can apperate here anytime. Please, gather your things and hide." Audrey, listen to me!" I suddenly heard screaming. "Audrey, go! NOW!" he pushed himself away and ran to the door.

I ran to my room and grabbed a few things from my clothes bag and tossed them with some food into my carrier bag. I threw it over my shoulder and it my cloak in, running with Blair to the door. We sprinted down the street and to the watering hole. The sun had set and it was dark, except for the sudden flames we saw ignite, our village was burning. The screams of villagers echoed in my head. A dust cloud moved in front of us and a F.E.A.R. Soldier apparatus in front of us. Blair screamed and ducked as he swung his spiked staff at us. It grazed her arm and she cried out in pain. I pulled out the knife I kept in my hip and stabbed it into his shoudler as he turned to Blair's cowering form. The soldier shrieked and threw me to the ground.
"Run Blair!" I yelled. She scrambled up and sprinted to the edge of the desert, into the sand. The soldier glared godown at me through his mask. I could see his lifeless eyes boring into mine. My cloak fell back in my shoudlers and the charm was exposed. I reached down and held up the charm with two hands. The soldier backed away and disappear ped into a cloud like he formed. I got up and sprinted after Blair, running with no sense of direction into the desert night.

Notes

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