Childhood is long gone for me. Adriana may be the oldest, but I'm not far behind. Responsibilities are coming at me left and right and now i have to lead the sacrifice this time. i don't understand why i have to take part in their definition of fun! When someones different, they decide to "sacrifice" them to "please the gods" i honestly don't know whats so important about them, that the gods would want them dead! if you're not the way they want you, then your done. if that's what a god is for, i don't know what to believe in anymore. i live in a town where if you aren't perfect and how they want you, you're a sacrifice to please the gods. Some day, i will leave this place for good. This sacrifice is going to be something i will never forget.

---Raine Baldwyn


i glanced out the window at the ice particles attaching to the window and felt an unusual presence walking towards my house. i walked to the window and peeked behind the curtains. A girl, about the age of fourteen, ducked under a tree, shivering. i didn't recognize her from anywhere. i was scared for her though. She had what seemed to be a tattoo across her face. i never saw someone so beautiful before. Her milky skin seemed to She had caramel curls hanging from her head. Her heart shaped face, and red eyes is what made her different from what I've seen. Dressed in a blue pullover, barefoot, and scared herself, she walked through the woods. She glanced up at the window, and i pulled the curtain closed, thinking she saw me. i sat on my bed and re-pictured her in my mind. Fourteen. Caramel hair. Pale. Red eyes. Then it came to me, shes the sacrifice.

A few days later...

"Raine! Raine! Wake up! Madam Catalina is back! Shes back!" Adriana's voice echoed in my ears. She was my sister, the prettiest one out of all of us. She was the oldest and mainly the one in charge when father or Madam Catalina weren't here. There's is just one thing that i hate that she does; shes the one who does the sacrifice. Madam Catalina was my mom. We were never aloud to call her "mom" because she wasn't raised that way. One slip-up and we'd be the sacrifice.
Outside the streets were busy with villagers. Just like it always was around Christmas, everyone ran from store to store, trying to get the last Christmas ham. Good thing i had went to the store yesterday, or we'd be eating the scraps from the garbage. Then again, the rich always eat well. Sometimes, i wonder how the other half lives.
i jumped out of bed and put on my best morning clothes, as instructed by Madam Catalina. it was a simple red dress traced with gold around the edges. Madam loved that dress as it belonged to her mother. i had to wear for the week of Christmas every morning, makeup and everything. i never understood why i had to dress up and the others didn't.
"Raine! Get down here now!" i knew that voice anywhere. Madam Catalina was officially home. i walked downstairs, wondering what task she was going to have me do. i just wanted to say hi, walk past them and go find that odd girl. Of course, what i wanted was never accomplished. "Why must you where that dreaded thing? i bought you a new one on my travels." As she searched through her bag, i just wanted to push her out of my way. She handed me a shorter dress, embroidered with gold symbols for peace, love, and prosperity. i had to admit it was, it was the prettiest dress id ever receive from her. That's one good thing about being the youngest, you receive more things than you must provide.
WE sat down at the table, and Adriana sat as far from me as she could, like usual. When i looked at her, i saw a confused girl, shutting out the world. Her defined beauty was what i envied. She had the looks of a model, Blond hair, blue eyes, and curvy. When i looked at myself in the mirror, i saw ordinary. There wasn't anything that popped out on me. With Adriana it was the blond hair, blue eyes concept. With Candela, my other sister, it was her eyes. She had jet black hair and reddish brown eyes. I'd never seen her eyes before, on anyone. She was the difference among us. Of course, Madam Catalina wouldn't let anything happen to her, so she was protected.
i finished eating, and asked to be excused. Surprisingly they left me leave, without doing any ridiculous chores. i grabbed my jacket and walked out the door. i searched the area for her, and found her hiding under a tree crying. i walked up to her, cautiously. i softly touched her shoulder, ans backed away as she turned around. She scrambled to her feet, and back up against the tree. "Who... Who are you? What do you want from me?" The girl cried.
"My name is Raine Baldwyn. Are you lost?"
Fear flashed over her face as i said my name. "Don't... Please don't hurt me" She fell to her knees and begged for her life.
"I'm not going to hurt you...honest. Whats your name?" i helped the girl to her feet and looked in her eyes. A shade of reddish black twinkled as she spoke.
"Adalyn. Adalyn Riordan." She took my hand and shook it, in forgiveness for her life. i looked at what i thought was a tattoo and reached out to touch it. She flinched as my hand went across her face. This picture plastered on her face made her unique. but not in a bad way. it complimented her and i had envied her. "its a birth defect. its hideous, i know." She turned and looked at the floor in disgrace.
"No, its not hideous. its beautiful." She seemed to have accepted my compliment and didn't respond. "Listen you have to get out of here."
"Why? What's wrong with me, that i have to go?" She turned and proceeded in the other direction. i tried to catch up to her, but she was too far away for me get to her.
i looked back into the woods but didn't see anyone anymore. The trees hid her in darkness, protecting her from me. i walked back in the house and called for my parents. No one answered me, so i walked into the kitchen. A note was attached to the fridge and it read: "We went to the market to get milk and bread. When we get home, we are going to have a talk, young lady. --Madam."
i thought to myself They must have seen me with Adalyn. i brought shame upon my family. i mustn't talk to the sacrifice when i have to execute her, so to speak. This will not go over well.
i awaited on the arrival of my parents and the talk we were going to have. i felt horrible, going against my fathers wishes. Just then, they walked in and told my sister to leave the room. "What in the world were you thinking? Talking to an outsider, nonetheless? if it weren't for your father speaking to the townspeople, you would have been done for!" Madam stood in shock as i held back from screaming. "Answer me!"
"i didn't know who she was! Sorry for trying to be friendly!"
"Don't raise your voice to me child! You have no respect for anyone in this family! Your lucky you're my daughter!"
"i know, its amazing! i just love being your daughter! Do you think any of the other children have to call their mothers Madam? You don't feel like a mother, you feel like my keeper."
"You will be raised, the way i want. Not the way those middle-class children are raised. You are a Baldwyn and Baldwyns' do not compare thy-selves to lower class!"
"You act like were better than everyone else!"
"We are. Well at least i thought you were too."
"Look around, mother! No one cares what happens to us! We don't have relatives visiting us. We don't have friends asking to hang out with us! No one cares except you!"
"Listen, you may not call me mother! i raised you with respect, and i expect you to show it! Now go to your room!"
"Make me!" i slammed the door as i walked out, with them calling my name. i had to find Adalyn, and save her.

Two weeks after Christmas...

"Let me out of here! i never did anything to you!" a soft voice sparked out from a prison cell.
"Adalyn?" Raine voices appeared in the darkness of another cell on the opposite side of the room.
"Raine! Raine! Get me out of here!" She shook the gates as if they were just going to magically come off.
"i cant! I'm locked up too!" i felt like a disgrace once again. My parents found me with Adalyn and arrested us both. i didn't remember most of the attack, but i knew what was coming. i didn't want it to end this way. An innocent, lost child, stuck in an unforgiving town, is going to sacrificed, and i couldn't do anything about it. "i am so sorry, i feel like its all my fault."
"You tried to save me. Everyone else in this town wrote me off as a mutant. You didn't." i could hear the remorse and joy, of having a friend, in her voice.
"Well, seems like were going to be in here for a while, and i wanted to ask you a question."
"Okay, ask away."
"Well, i wanted to know, how did you get that on your face? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, ill understand."
"Well, my mother was a scientist and she loved experimenting with anything. Well, one night, when i was with her, she tried an experiment using plants and a ladybug. Shes was going to make a minuscule forest on the surface of her desk. i told her it was impossible, but she did all the test and they came out positive and true. So she placed the plants and the lady bug on the table, and placed a drop of purple die on it. Accidentally she turned the burner up higher with her bracelet, and turned quickly to shut it off. in the process, she knocked the experiment of the table and on little old me. the grass traced the markings on my face and the lady bug stayed with it. She figured there was something in the die that didn't mix well with human skin, so she tried it again. She placed a lady bug and grass on her arm, and dropped the dye on it again. The exact same thing happened to her. She died trying to figure out a way to get it off."
"Wow, so its kind of you're mothers fault?"
"i guess and after she died i lived with my aunts and uncles. They all hit me, and showed me off as a mistake. Whenever i meet new people, they run, fearing my scars. That's why i reacted how i did, sorry if i scared you."
"Don't worry, i would have acted the same way..." i heard foot steps in the distance, that made me fear for our lives.
A man dressed in all black, appeared in the doorway. A fracture of light his Adalyn's face, and i saw a piece of her beauty. He walked over to my cell and stood in front of me, staring. He smelled of fire; ashes spread across his face. i backed against the wall, as his hand reached for the lock. i cried; i wanted this to end. He turned away and walked to Adalyn's cell. She backed away, frightened by a man she fairly knew. he opened her cell door and yanked her out from the back. Pleads sprang from her mouth and i couldn't help her. Another man came through the door after the other man left. He repeated exactly what the last man did, except he put handcuffs on me and led me to another room.
"Let go of me!" i tried to get lose, but he didn't budge. i knew where we were now, the sacrifice room. They flipped the switch, and i saw they had Adalyn already strapped and ready to be sacrificed. "Adalyn! Let her go! Take me instead!" Adalyn had a handkerchief covering her mouth and couldn't say anything, just like the rest of the subjects.
The rest of my family entered the room; my sisters by me.
"i call upon the god and the goddess, to rid our town of the mistake. She doesn't belong here. She appeared in the world as an outsider, and leaves it as a sacrifice. Lead me in this ceremony, and accept my gift to you." My father sounded so well rehearsed, but at the same time, misleading. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice. "My eldest daughter, Adriana, shall take the place of my youngest, Raine, who refuses to help us. Adriana shall aid me in my practices. Please come forth."
i turned to my sister, and looked her in the eyes. She shot daggers at me and walked over to our father My own sister, was going to take part in this practice of theirs, and didn't show any emotions. My dad shot a passing glance at me and then looked down at Adalyn. "Don't you hurt her!" i pleaded, but the guard enforcing me backwards, held my his hand to my mouth.
"God and Goddess, with this dagger, i shall put forth my blood, and rid this girl. i shall drink of your Holiness, and stand rock solid in what i do. With this bread, i shall eat in your honor, for everything you gave to me." Adriana looked at me as if to say she was sorry for what had to be done. holding her finger over the dagger, a drop of blood fell upon it. The dagger glowed in its power. She drank from the chalice supplied and swallowed the bread provided. She lifted the dagger over Adalyn, and said, "With thy dagger, i shall rid the world of Adalyn Riordan for good. i wish you to take her as a gift and accept her for who she is with you." Adalyn squirmed on the platform, and cried as the dagger approached her heart. "Ali di an gai hen di." Adriana started in the chant, as my father and my mother joined her.
"You...will...not..touch...HER!" i broke free from the clutches of the guard and took the dagger from my sister. "Let her go!"
"Sissy, go stand back over there and let me finish my work. Okay? Thanks!"
The dagger glowed brighter and grew hotter. i had forgotten that the chant was to call upon ancient power, that anyone who wasn't taking a part in the ceremony, would be burned by the dagger. "Let her go!" The dagger began to burn my flesh, but i held back from crying. 'this entire ceremony is a pathetic excuse for murdering someone! This ends today! This ends now! i call upon the gods and goddesses to help me in my practices, to rid the world of a creature who shouldn't belong!"
"STOP!" Adriana tackled me to the ground, as i dropped the dagger. "You don't understand! This is to help people like us live in a world, without people like her! You disobeyed your family and brought shame up the Baldwyn's name. You will be rid from the world!" She reached for the dagger and brought it above my chest. "i am sorry, sister." She tried to take a stab at me, when i realized Adalyn was behind her. Adalyn took the other dagger, and stabbed her, making her yelp in pain and get off me.
Adalyn helped me to my feet and stood with me before my parents. i looked down at my sister, and realized she was turning pale. i picked up the dagger, and saw the engraved words on the back. "For use on Raine Baldwyn. This was for me? You poisoned a dagger to be used on me!"
"Raine you don't understand. You didn't want to help us. You disobeyed the rules. You brought shame upon you and others. You know the rules."
"i don't care about the rules! I'm your daughter! The rules don't pertain to me. You would sacrifice your own daughter, just for your own sick enjoyment."
"We love you, really."
"Save it, i don't care!"
"Guards! Kill them! By any mean necessary!"
Adalyn and i ran out the doors of the cellar and up to the day light. "Where do we go? Where do we go?" i repeatedly asked Adalyn.
"Follow me, i know this guy who helped me. He'll help you too!" We ran through town, frantically shoving people out of the way. i knew today was the last day i would see my parents, and that didn't bother me one bit.

Two Years later....

Still we search for a place to stay. Running from town to town, state to state. Every where we go, I'm expecting to see the guards standing there, waiting to kill us, by any means necessary. We burn anything we get our hands on, and use it for warmth, we haven't eaten for days. We search for food, but it doesn't exist. Sometimes i wish i never left, but then again, I'd be dead. the smell of fire still stays in my mind. My hand is still burning, from touching that unforgiving dagger. its the little piece off Haven i have left. Sometimes when we sleep, my sister visits me. She begs for me to forgive her. She wishes she never took apart of it. Adalyn thinks i hate her for it, but i don't. Yes, i miss my sister, but things happen for a reason. My sister was going to kill me, so my friend saved me. i just wished i would have gotten her out of here sooner. We wouldn't be running for our lives. Soon we'll be in England, a place where i know we'll be safe. We'll settle there for awhile and then relocate to be safe. The train is going to leave soon, so i must say my goodbyes. Goddess, if i ever see Damian and Catalina, it will be their last days on earth. This is my last entry, i shall bury this, for when i return, i will tell the story of The Baldwyn's Sacrifice, and how i survived it. Farewell.

-- Raine Baldwyn.