The Clearing by Shalini Boland

Author:Shalini Boland
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, juvenile fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: Adrenalin Books
Published: 2013-01-15T06:00:00+00:00

When Liss was fourteen years of age, she realised that she had lived at The Close for the same number of years that she had lived at home. Seven years on the farm with her parents, seven years under the rule of James Grey. Was this going to be her whole life now? Would she be here forever?

One day at lunch, out of the corner of her eye, Liss saw Sarah and another of the women whispering frantically and glancing over at her. Liss’s stomach dropped to the floor. Was this it? Was this the day she had been dreading? The day she was discovered. They must have found out about the soup. What should she do? Could she run? But her legs were jelly.

Sarah was coming over to their table. She was definitely staring right at her. Liss hastily looked away, adopting a semi-glazed expression.

‘Come with me please, Deborah,’ Sarah said, her voice too neutral for Liss to determine whether or not she was in trouble.

Liss’s breathing grew shallow and her head swam, but she forced herself to stand. She felt Anna’s eyes on her and was able to quickly squeeze the younger girl’s hand in reassurance.

Following Sarah out of the dining hall, they left by a different exit. It was the way she had come in, seven years’ earlier. They walked out into the lobby, past the wash basins and coat hooks and left the building. The sun was bright and she screwed up her eyes against its glare. They were in the small courtyard. It was empty and still, apart from some trees swaying beyond the wall.

‘Follow me,’ Sarah said. ‘Quickly.’ She strode over to a metal gate set into the wall, drew out a key and clicked open the lock. The gate opened and Liss followed her through.

As Sarah locked the gate behind them, Liss cast a surreptitious glance around before quickly lowering her eyes again, for this courtyard was filled with robed guards and workmen. The only man Liss had seen for years was James Grey. Even the boys had never attended cathedral services at the same time as the girls again. So it was shocking and a little scary to be in the presence of so many males after so long. It made Liss more convinced that she was about to meet her death. For what other explanation could there be for this trip out of the women’s quarters?

It was rumoured that all girls would be married when they reached the age of eighteen. But Liss didn’t know if this was truth or gossip. However, it was true that the majority of girls did leave the dormitories at eighteen.

Sarah crossed the courtyard and entered a building. This time, Liss kept her eyes fixed either on the flagstone floor or on Sarah’s back, too terrified to take in these strange new surroundings. Their footsteps echoed in her ears as they continued on through the entrance hall and along wooden corridors. Soon they emerged into the open air once more.

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