Chapter 1: They Both Knew it Was True

Fuschia looked out the window and sighed in content when she took a whiff of the air. A sweet perfume of flowers filled her nose. "It is almost spring, Ixia!" she exlaimed happily to her three year old sister. The girl squealed in delight. "Alright, let us take you to Mrs. Falmond's." Mrs. Falmond was the Dandelion's neighbour. She was a rather old woman, and was slightly crippled, therefore she could not work in the fields. Out of kindness, she would watch several young ones while their parents and elder siblings were working. She was a Godsend to Fuschia and her family.

The fifteen year girl walked her sister next door and made it back in time to see her father leave for the fields. "Good bye, Pappa! Enjoy the first day of spring!" she kissed her father's cheek gently, and then skipped off to awake her brother. "Come on, Terrence, we begin planting today!" A boy walked out of the room, rubbing his eyes slightly. He looked to be around nine years old, but was actually twelve. He looked much like his mother, not only just facial features, but in build as well. He was very skinny, much like his sister, but would be that way even if they were not deprived of proper meals. He had dark curly hair and dark brown eyes that shone in firelight. This was Terrence Dandelion.

"Morning, Fuschia. It's time to plant already? It's still so cool out. If only Mum were here! She promised me she would make me some nice woollen socks." Terrence complained.

"Never mind, Terrence, just hurry up. If we don't leave right this minute we'll be late, and if we're late, then Pappa will get fined and we'll both get a mighty good public lashing in the Square." Fuschia snapped, trying to keep the topic of conversation away from their mother.

"Fine, I'm coming!" Terrence grumbled. He finished lacing his leather boots and then the two began to walk together to the cotton fields.

"It's almost Reaping Day," Fuschia said. "You didn't sign up for any tesserae, did you?" She hoped he would say no. Her name was already in nineteen times, and she didn't want her brother to increase his chance at all to get reaped.

"I know you told me not to, Fuschia, but I couldn't just watch our family starve! I'm going to be head of the family once Pappa dies, and we both know that it's going to be soon, and so I need to help provide for you guys."

"Terrence Dandelion, what a positively horrid thing to say!" Fuschia shrieked, shocked at her brother's comments.

The boy just kept walking. "We both know it's true. He's old, and worn out from all the work he's done in his life. He's been sick recently too, and you know it. And he just hasn't been right in the head since Mum died last fall."

Fuschia knew he was right, but wouldn't admit it to herself. She looked over to her brother and saw a single silver tear falling down his dusty cheek. She embraced her brother, and there the two of them wept the loss of their mother and the illness of their father, as well as the foul world their sister was living in.

Around midday, the two siblings worked side-by-side, planting cotton in the fields. Fuschia smiled when her best friend, Faman, ran up to them, looking tired and out of breath. She was surprised to see that his eyes were red and puffy, as well as being wet with tears.

"Faman, what is the matter?" she asked him.

"I just came from the field next door. Your father had a heart attack. We don't know what caused it, but he didn't make it."

Fuschia collapsed into her friend's arms and the screams of she and her brother were soon all anyone could hear.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please review!