Free Into Death's Arms by Mary Milligan

and began to apply cosmetics to my face. 
         I had to ask. “Were you afraid?” I sounded hopeful. I hated that in my voice to sound weak before a stranger, but I couldn’t help it. You really don’t contemplate the things you are going to miss until there is a chance you won’t have them anymore. Laurna’s laugh, my dad’s constant nagging that said more than anything did how much he loved me. The way the air smelled in the winter crisp and clean. There was so much I was going to miss.
         She nodded, “terrified,” she said in a conspiratorial tone. “Furthermore I know for a fact Caden was terrified as well. He tried to run away. Iris told me, ” s he winked making herself seem much more reachable she probably wouldn’t thank me for the comparison but she seemed more human .
        I gasped. My father running away, “no way ,” I said shocked to my socks. He was the epitome of masculine bravery well unless I was involved then he was kinda a chicken but scared of death? Not my dad, s he nodded.
         “We are ready now. ” S he piled all the makeup she’d used on me back into her little bag, took Laurna’s hand , and led her from the room. “We will wait for you out back.”
         I looked at myself in the mirror. Not bad, all my red hair was piled on top of my head , pinned into place with invisible hairpins. I don’t know how she made it stay like that. Heck, I didn’t even know I had enough hair to make it do that. I couldn’t see the makeup Deanna had applied , but I knew it was there because I had never looked better. My eyes looked like ferns on the edge of the lake.
       I had to find out how she did that. The dress barely covered all my parts. My belly, my back, and my arms were bare. Boy was I glad I had a fl at tummy.  I took a deep breath . I think I can. It was okay. M y dad had been scared, and Deanna had been scared. Being scared didn’t make me weak , it made me normal. I smiled at that . I’d never thought of myself as normal before. I spied my gift from Laurna lying on the bed, unopened forgotten. I peeled back the paper. Inside lay a wooden case , I frowned, opened the case, and caught my breath. The sword that lay within the case was a work of art , totally exquisite. I picked it up , testing the weight. I swung it a couple of time s experimentally. It was short and almost rectangular, a gladius , the sword the Roman’s had used . I l iked the way the Roman’s fought. Laurna and I had argued the merits of Roman blade work over more modern blades many a time. Usually in the middle of history class just to annoy our professors.  My dad believed I could do this. Laurna obviously believed I could do this. My confidence grew. I put the blade back in the case , closed it gently , and left my room.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 5
        My back yard was lovely . O f course in San Mateo , you have to fork out a lot of cash to have any kind of yard . Sunlight glinted off the pond. I was freezing. I shivered as I watched them standing together. Everyone waited for me , far enough away to be out of the shade of the house. No shadows could touch my body while we performed the ritual. Redwoods framed them in the background, squirles chirped their annoyance as leaves skittered across the lawn. A humming bird flitted past me and for a moment time stood still. Laurna looked worried , but she was the only one. Deanna and my dad smiled benevolently. Both looking peaceful and content . I was happy somebody felt peaceful . A space had been cleared of trees, shrubs, and anything else that might interfere. Father Mike stepped forward. He was in his full priestly garb and held an air of authority. He carried with him an air of power that I would never have suspected. His confidence helped me to gain back a measure of my own. “Macyn Devlyn Reece , come forward.” He held out his hands . H e wore black and white, a man of the cloth . My