CHAPTER 3

MEMORIES

Haven City: still 200 years after founding. Month two

Told by Maria

The accident was on the news for weeks afterwards.

The biggest problem now was finding a suitable heir to the throne; I had no plans of ruling the city. I would never make it.

The second choice fell on Kate, but she was only five years old.

So until she grew older or another heir was found, Cedrik Praxis took over.

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

According to Ronny, the best thing to do was just to live normal.

It was strange, but already back then I knew things would never be normal after this.

In his speeches, Cedrik used to say this was the start of a new era, and that he alone would defeat the metal heads.

It all sounded great, but I couldn't loose the feeling that something terrible was going to happen.

A month had past and things seemed to settle down.

Everyday life started to go back to normal, although Kate kept asking why Cedrik had hired so many new crimson guards.

She was right, earlier you could maybe see one lonely guard on his way to work; now you saw at least two every time you turned around.

Cedrik said it was for extra security.

He was convinced the fire in Jacobs's house had been started by terrorists and had to make sure nothing like that would happen again.

Some citizens agreed, but even more meant he had lost his mind.

Cornelius made it a habit of running crying out of the room whenever it was mentioned.

Ronny on the other hand, kept saying that his brother would get the city up and running in no time.

"There was nothing wrong with the city while Jacob ruled it" I said one day while we where eating.

"I don't mean to say that your uncle was incapable of ruling the town Maria, but you got to admit he could have done more to stop the criminality" Ronny answered, "if he had done that, the fire may never have..."

"I know. If he had been more careful the fire would never have started" I finished, "why can't we talk about something else for once?"

"A boy at school said uncle was lying" said Kate, "he heard it of his parents"

"Well they're wrong" said Ronny, "you just tell him, if they're messing with your uncle they can actually get punished"

"They're not teasing you are they sweety?" I asked.

"No, its mostly Ashelin" said Kate, "I've tried to help her, and Erol and Cornelius keeps shooting all the kids teasing her with their water guns, I've even heard Erol wants a soft gun"

"I thought those were only for adults?" I asked.

"That boy would have played with a peacemaker if he got hold of one" Ronny added with a laugh, "but it may even be smart these days, I'm sure he and his little brother will make great crimson guards when they come of age. It helps to start training early, even if they only use water guns"

"I don't think kids should be exploited for violence that early" I said. "Send me the potatoes, please"

"They can handle it" said Ronny, ignoring the potatoes, "besides, you won't make a good guard if you don't want to kill anything. How are you going to defeat the metal heads?"

"They could hurt someone!" I complained,"kids like that don't always know the difference between good and bad!"

"I never said we should give guns to three-year-olds!" said Ronny, "but I would think a six-year-old like Erol would know what to shoot. Actually, Cedrik is already planning to let younger kids into the crimson schools", he gave me the potatoes. I didn't take them.

"I think I need a nap" I said, "You can do the dishes".

I walked up to our bedroom, but I didn't go to sleep.

Instead I found an old photo album.

"Are you alright mommy?"

Kate walked in the door.

"Of course honey, I was just thinking of old days" I said and sat down on the bed with the pictures, Kate sat down next to me.

I opened the first page; it showed me and Ronny on our wedding day.

I remembered it all to well, Ronny had ordered all the most expensive food, later it came clear nobody wanted it so he was forced to eat it himself.

Since then he always despised turkey and other fancy food.

"Is it true daddy puked on the wedding night?" asked Kate.

"He sure did" I said giggling, "Afterwards we laughed at it. It was the happiest day of my life. Fine, second happiest" I said as I opened the next page.

It was a picture of me at the hospital, Ronny sat on a chair next to my bed holding a small yellow-haired infant.

"That's me!" said Kate, "when all my hair was yellow"

"You were so cute back then" I said, "and you still is, with your little bright green hair in front of your ears, it shows you're a heir of Havens biggest hero"

I opened the next page, this picture showed a terrified Kate holding around the neck of a bright blue flut-flut-bird

"That's you on Tiny Blue" I said, "remember that?"

"It was so much fun!" said Kate, "as soon as I stopped being scared. Tiny is the cutest little bird in the world.

Little was really true, although Tiny Blue was huge compared to other birds he's the smallest flut-flut known to elves, his owner, Charlie (who happened to be Erol and Cornelius' uncle) said he would never be big enough to be ridden by adults.

He was only used as training bird for kids.

The next picture showed Kate on Tiny Blue again, this time she looked more confident.

Ashelin was there to, she rode a much bigger but nice flut-flut named Fluffy.

"Can we go back to the flut-flut-ranch one day mom?" asked Kate.

"Of course hon, when we can afford it. We can't just get a transport outside the city" I said, "We have to beware of the metal heads".

"Mom, where do metal heads come from?" asked Kate.

"Nobody knows" I said and closed the album, "we do know they appeared first in a small village called Sandover Village. Long before Haven was built".

"Where is that village?" Kate asked,"does it still exist?"

"It was destroyed during the first attack" I answered, "but most of the inhabitants survived, Mar was one of them too you know. He came back later and built Haven City upon the ruins of the old village"

"He made the eco shield too right?" said Kate, "a guy from the power station came by our school and told us"

"That's right, he's a smart man that grandfather of yours" I said.

"By the way, did Mar have a flut-flut?" Kate asked.

I had to laugh, no matter what someone tried to tell Kate, she always managed to get a flut-flut in the conversation.

"I think so. He had a nice flut-flut-bird" I said, "she was looked after by one of the ancestors of old Charlie down at the ranch, and after Mar died she stayed at his farm and got lots of small flut-flut-babies"

"Is that flut-flut still alive?" asked Kate.

"No sweetheart, flut-fluts live for a long time but not that long" I answered.

"When I grow older I'm gonna buy myself a flut-flut" said Kate, "maybe I should buy Tiny Blue? He already knows me well"

"Of course you can, then you can ride him every day" I said.

Then we both started laughing, and I felt happier than I had done in weeks.

CHAPTER 4

FAMILY TROUBLE

Haven City: 208 years after founding. Month four

Kate

"There she is".

"Where?"

"There, next to that green and yellow-haired girl"

The whispering followed us all the way trough the school yard.

"Hey Ashelin! Where's your escort? Does you father really want to risk you being attacked by metal heads?"

"Just ignore them" I said to Ashelin.

"You don't have to tell me" she answered, "They have been doing this for years. You'd think they would get bored of this some day"

"Why don't you tell your father" I asked, "he could have stopped them"

"He'll just overreact" said Ashelin, "I guess they are right when they say he's a bit paranoid"

"My dad says he is just being careful" I said.

"I knew he would say that, uncle Ronny is his own brother's biggest fan" Ashelin said and laughed, "unlike someone else we know"

"Speaking of which, heard from Erol and Cornelius lately?"

"Nope" Ashelin answered, "not since they went to that school. Except that Cornelius have been kicked out"

"He's what? Why?" I asked in surprise.

About two years ago Cedrik opened a new school for children who wanted to become crimson guards, I found it quite weird that someone could be kicked out, since it seemed like violence was rewarded.

"My father said he didn't have the qualities required" "whatever that means, he is just as violent as his brother"

"Where is he now?" I looked around the schoolyard as if I would be able to see him, "has he gone back to his old school?"

"No, not that I know" Ashelin answered, "Dad says if he can't become a guard, he can't become anything. So he's just at home now at days"

Sounds like a load of crazy talk. Then again, everything Cedrik said sounded way of track. He might be my uncle, but that doesn't have to mean I have to adore him (although my father does).

"I know it's stupid" Ashelin said before I was able to answer, "He doesn't have to be a guard, does he? Then again, if my father keeps on with his actions, that will be the only profession left in a few years"

We stopped talking as a crimson guard passed us.

As soon as he had disappeared Ashelin burst out "now they've come to the school to! Where is this gonna stop?"

"The baron does not stop until the entire city is in the guard" I said.

"You bet" answered Ashelin.

That day we had a visit from the crimson guard commander, (again)

He told everyone of his "noble" profession and he said he hoped every one of us should join.

In other words, the same propaganda we heard every day from the radio boxes baron Praxis had put up all over the city.

"I would like to know how much he got paid to say that" whispered Tetra, the girl sitting next to me, (we where four students on each desk, Ashelin was sitting closest to the window, I sat next to her, on Tetras other side a boy called Jinx was sitting), "do you think metal heads take in any more members?"

"They would love you" said Jinx, "as lunch, I think the crimson guards would do the same actually"

Before Tetra got to say an extremely cruel word the guard noticed we weren't listening.

"Who's talking back there?" he asked strict.

"Sorry commander, we were just talking about which squad we would join when we joined the guard" Tetra answered quickly while holding Jinx's mouth closed, "not to mention what a great and handsome leader you are, are there more cute guys like you in the guard?"

I giggled, if it something Tetra knows its how to suck up to someone.

I also noticed the guard was turning red, it didn't seem to matter much that Tetra was only thirteen.

"Another jerk" she whispered as soon as the guard started talking again, "that's why your cousin didn't get in; the crimson school is for morons only"

We all started giggling except Jinx who almost laughed his head off and got thrown out of the classroom.

When I got home that day I heard noises coming from the kitchen.

Mom and dad were fighting again.

They did it quite a lot these days, I didn't want to listen but as I passed the closed door I heard my name being mentioned and stopped.

"This is about her future! Haven City's future!" I heard dad say.

"She's just a kid!" mom's voice, obviously, "I refuse to send my daughter away like that!"

"You know perfectly well she's not a baby anymore! She's got the right to decide for herself!" dad shouted.

"This is not what she wants, it's what you want!" mom said, "You and that creep of a brother you have! Kate's not going! She should be with her friends, those who are left!"

"That's the point!" dad answered, "Half of her friends are already gone, and the rest will follow. Cedrik has decided to send Ashelin too in only a few days", he tried talking with a calm voice, "she'll like it there, the crimson school has the best teachers and the intern has the best computers for school use"

"Children are not supposed to do nothing but school work" said mom, "you should know that, skipping school every second week. My daughter is not going into baron Praxis' private army!"

I had heard enough, I ran up to my room.

It's true many of my friends had been sent to crimson school and I had rarely heard from them since.

Some of them had sent a few letters but after a while they never got time because of all the schoolwork, one thing was for sure, not one of them liked the school.

The crimson school was said to be the best school in town, but also the strictest, the students had to go to school six days a week from early morning to late at night, Sundays was used for homework.

I didn't want to go, I refused to go! My father couldn't make me.

I don't know how long I had been in bed thinking over and over again, "I'm not going! I'm not going!" it felt like minutes when my mom came in, she still seemed very angry.

"Pack your things" she said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Away! I can't take this anymore!" mom said angry, "how dare he suggest anything like that? He has to be insane!"

I decided not to ask, it would probably just make matters worse, I packet the photo album I had on my night table, including a frame with the old picture of me and Ashelin with Tiny Blue and Spot in a bag, the stuffed toys was put in the back pack.

All of them, except the teddy bear I got from uncle Cedrik on my seven-year birthday.

Mom packed my clothes with hers in a suitcase and dragged me downstairs.

"Where are you going?" dad asked from the kitchen, "we're not done yet!"

"Oh yes I am!" mom said, "I'm done with you Ronny! It's over! Hope I never get to see your face again!"

Then we left the house I had been living in my whole life.

I asked my mom where we were going but she didn't answer, she just dragged me trough the city.

After a while we stopped on a hotel.

We stayed over night, and then we left again.

My mom was obviously trying to shake of any pursuers.

The third day after we left the house we were stopped by a crimson guard.

"Where are you going Maria Praxis?" he asked with a calm voice.

"That's none of your business!" mom answered with a not so calm voice, "Get out of my way!"

"Your husband is worried" the guard said, still sounding very calm.

Mom snorted, "Sure he is! Let him cry himself to death for all I care!" she said, "The same can that dork you call baron too. Why don't you just tell them both to stay way clear of me and my daughter! And it's Maria Greenstone for you ugly! Now get out of my way!"

I had never seen my mom that angry before, and I had definitely never heard her yell at a crimson guard before.

The guard seemed very surprised as well, he just stood there looking shocked and didn't try to stop us