Sarah E. Burr
Battleground Eden: Anointed
Excerpt from Chapter One
© Sarah Burr 2010
A chilly wind seeped under the high windows perched on the attic walls. It blew the dangling, dilapidated light bulb gently, the brown light suddenly spinning around the room. Amelia watched it carefully, afraid that it would drop from the ceiling, causing more problems. The breeze sent a chill up her spine as it continued to blow into the room. Amelia stood up slowly, marching towards to check the windows, when the dim moonlight drew attention to the far corner.
A smaller trunk, covered with obscure books and papers, sat contently up against the aging wall. The ceiling fixture settled around it, almost like a spotlight. Amelia crooked her head as she reversed her direction and slowly approached it. Her hands, suddenly trembling with anticipation, carefully cleared off the top of the trunk. After a few cautious minutes, she picked up the last book, a Bible, placed it softly on the floor, examining at the lid.
An agitated confusion settled across her face. The same unknown blossom was skillfully etched into the marbled wood. It was far more precise than any of the other furniture pieces bearing the same symbol. Amelia could see even the tiniest details in the low light; the veins in the leaves stood out particularly clear. Amelia’s eyes narrowed as she focused on the leaves.
The wind pushed the light to illuminate the trunk better. Even with the dark shadows loitering across the top, Amelia could see everything clearly now.
“They’re not veins at all!” Amelia’s voice pierced through the silence. She leaned closer to be certain; tiny words danced across each leaf with beautiful clarity.
The fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden.
These words meant nothing to Amelia. She searched her mind, but the meaning behind them remained hidden. She stared at the phrase, which repeated itself on all four leaves surrounding the flower. The brown light began to flicker, pulling Amelia from the strange trance the words seemed to cause. She moved with caution down the attic steps and reached the door just as the overhead light flickered out for good.
Consciously, Amelia wandered into her room, her mind consumed by the poetic phrase, the blossom drifting through her whirling thoughts.
“What is it supposed to mean?” She chided herself aloud. It just seemed too coincidental for every piece of furniture to be carved with the same symbol. Amelia bit her lip, feeling somewhat unsettled. Sighing reluctantly, she began rooting through one of her clothing boxes for her cotton pajamas before going to her bathroom to brush her teeth. Gently lowering herself onto the bed, Amelia groaned, knowing that her legs and arms would be sporting dark purple marks by the morning.
The glow from outside her window captured her thoughts once more. The light in the woods seemed to be projecting even more than it had been earlier. Amelia felt like the sun was rising already. She quickly shook her head, looking at the small alarm clock she set up beside her bed. Morning was coming quickly, and Amelia realized why she suddenly felt so nervous. In just five hours from now, she would be making her way to Hanoch Academy of Fine Arts.
Comments(8) 
13.46.
