Another winter is over. The first green of spring sprouts from the hard ground. Although it is still cold in the morning, I sweat as I tirelessly chop the firewood and stack the logs next to the cabin. I pause when I hear a soft flutter. A stone's throw away from me, a raven has landed to search for food in the barren earth. For a moment I look over at it and it seems to return my gaze just as intently.
"Zelena, hurry the hell up!" Father yells out of the open window. "Bring the damned wood in there, I'm freezing."
My axe hits its target with a crash, and the black bird screeches away. I quickly gather as many logs as I am able to carry and hurry around the corner. A cramping pain in my abdomen forces me to pause.
"Move your ass, you useless lazy brat!" His voice becomes more urgent.
I realize what is going to happen if he loses control. As quickly as I can, I continue my way into the cabin. Next to the stove, I pile up the logs and put some in the fire to get it going again. Suddenly Father is standing behind me, causing me to flinch in fright.
"Just let me rest for a few minutes", I mutter.
He shakes his head. "You brought this on yourself. Now go to the village, we need some money."
When he rises his hand, I expect a slap, but he just laughs. Before he can change his mind, I leave the cabin again. I can't work as hard as I used to, which means less coins to bring home.
At the fountain in the main square, I see the draper's son, who has become a handsome young man, with his fiancée, the butcher's youngest daughter. The couple pauses in its courtship and eyes me disparagingly. Protectively I put my hands on my belly. By now I'm unable to hide that I'm pregnant and I can easily guess what they are thinking. I know the village gossip. The witch brat, who's still unmarried and living with her father in the forest, is carrying a bastard. I can't sink any lower than that. I am nineteen.