A Wooden Raven ch. 1

Chapter 1

I think that my happiest time was when I was in my mother’s womb. That was the only time in my fourteen years that I had a mother. It was the only time that I had a person who nurtured me and loved me like a mom did. She died giving birth to me. She gave her life so I could live. But I hated that it had to happen because then I would have had a life. In my society if a woman gives birth to a girl, the baby girl is certain to live a life of hardship and men looking down on her and having to work ten times as hard as a male to survive. When a female is born and she loses her mother for whatever reason, the father usually decides to discard his daughter because he has more of a chance at started a new life with a new wife and having more children (preferably a boy). The reason for getting rid of a child before getting a new wife is that another law in our society is that you cannot have a child with another woman if you have a child from another. I used to be a slave in a rich man’s household. He took pleasure in another’s pain and used me to quench that thirst. I still have the scares along the bottom of my feet where he whipped them. They would be sore for days and made walking much more slow. He would also use his bare hands as weapons and that was bad enough. When he died, his wife didn’t want me and threw me onto the streets where I am today. The streets are a horrific place for kids like me. We live in constant fear of the Street Soldiers, or as we like to call them, Streeters. The Streeters are a part of our President’s (President Azad Ciller) military force. But these soldiers have a different job then fighting for our – or to be more accurate, President Ciller’s- country. They prowl the city streets for orphaned street kids to take and either sold as slaves if they are strong enough, or thrown into a ditch just outside of each city where ill, crippled, or unwanted babies are abandoned to die a slow horrible death. Our goal as street orphans is to keep out of the “death ditch” –as we call it- and keep out of the Streeter’s grasp.

I sat on the rotting crate that once held apples at the daily market in the center of our city, Hasaden. The room was dull, dark, and damp. We were currently in the nether city, we being me and my band. The band consisted of me and four other boys. We were never named because we were never worth a name; any street orphan has no real name. So when we join a band or create one, we receive names by the leader. Our leader is Berk. He is the oldest male, 17 years old, and therefore the alpha. Below him is Derin, he’s 15 years old. Unlike Berk, Derin is a bit quieter, but is very wise and understanding. If anything he is like a big brother to me and looks out for me and protects me. He is very kind to me and is one of the two boys who treat me with a bit of decency. The others still barely notice me. The only reason Berk allowed me to join his band was because I am small and more slender than the rest so I can slip in and out of undersized places to snatch a bit of food or a blanket there. The third member of our band is Aiden, 15 years old. He is the other guy in my band who is somewhat a friend. He’s like Derin in the sense they are both more quiet than loud, but Aiden is quiet but extremely sneaky. You cannot hear him walk up behind you if you had hearing like an owl. He has a comfortable personality that makes you feel able to talk to him, not that we do because there is nothing to talk about. Aiden usually does the stealing with me. The fourth member is Ismet, 15 years old. He is the newest member and doesn’t really have any special place in our band. Berk just gave his name to him two days ago. So far Ismet seems extremely outgoing and a hint of arrogance about him. And then there’s me. I am Yasemin, 14 years old. I have been a part of Berk’s band for five months.

When Berk and his band found me, I was crouched in an alleyway. I had not eaten since my old owner kicked me out, which was about four days earlier - I wasn’t really sure because those four or five days were a dizzy blur of fear, confusion, and alert. They thought I was a member of another band and took me back to their hide out where they queried me. I was weak and could not murmur but a whisper. I finally croaked out that I was not a member of any band. Berk just about threw me back on the streets but Derin convinced him otherwise because he had a “good feeling about me”. I thank Derin every moment I get because if Berk hadn’t accepted me into his band, I would be caught by the Streeters for sure by now, unless another band recruited me which was highly doubtful seeing as though I was a girl. It took but a five days to prove m worthiness to stay and be given a name. It took all night, but the three boys conjugated a name to present me. Later, I was told that Aiden was the one responsible for giving me the name Yasemin.

I looked across the room at Derin who was playing a board game they made up with Ismet. Aiden was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He noticed me looking at him. I looked away. Berk was pacing back and forth. It was day and therefore, it was not safe to go out. We only went out in the daylight hours to go to the morning market and grab what we can. But today we would not eat because Taner’s band had gotten to it first. Bands don’t usually get along because everybody is in competition for food and shelter. There were a couple exceptions though. Tesa’s band was our ally. We were close friends with his band and whenever another band ganged up against Tesa and his followers, we came to help them out and likewise.

“Hey, Yasemin,”

I looked up from a puddle I was studying to see who spoke. Ismet was walking towards me with his hand in his pockets of his over worn pants. He stopped in front of me and I strained my neck to look up at him.

“Yeah…”

“Berk wants you to go find Tesa’s band. We need them right now.”

“What for?” I asked getting to my feet. I wasn’t too much smaller than Ismet, but he was the shortest guy there.

“Food.” He sighed turning to look at Berk.

“But we never ask for food. That’s cheap and – ” Berk didn’t let me finish.

“We have had no food for three days.” Berk said with a sense of authority.

“We’ve gone longer before!” I protested.

“Taner’s band has been manning the marketplace for a week, and you know, Yasemin, that we CANNOT steal from the same place as another band!” I thought that I could hear some annoyance in is voice.

“Maybe they’ll be more understanding. They we need food.”

“God damn it, Yasemin.” He threw his hands up. He took Ismet’s place standing in front of me. He towered over me. I didn’t have the pride to look him in his eyes so instead I looked passed him at Derin. “Why do you think that they get to the marketplace before us on purpose? They don’t want us to steal food, they want us to starve.”

I was starting to say another thing in protest but Derin gently shook his head to quiet me. I would just ask Derin about it later, when Berk wouldn’t bite my head off.

“Just go find Tesa.” Berk turned away from me.

Not wanting to upset him anymore, I got up and walked towards the old sewer pipe that once emptied out into this room. The street orphans lived in an abandoned sewer system that was started but never finished. They were the only ones that knew about this old sewer. This sewer was built about twenty years ago, so it’s been long since forgotten by the public and most importantly the Streeters.

The evening was young and only a few stars showed their brilliant faces. The moon was crescent and was still a bit hazy in the sky. I looked both ways before coming out of the secluded alleyway that hid our entrance our hideout. The streets had a couple of people walking in clumps here and there. I waited for a group of talkative women to pass before I made a move to cross the dirt street into the cross alleyway. Tesa was usually in the 23rd alleyway (all the sewer’s entrances were placed in alleyways when it was built.) Our band is located on the 20th alleyway. The only problem is that between the 22nd and 23rd is Esad and his band. They are the worst of the bands. Esad has no problem being feared. His is known to have ganged up against other bands with Taner’s band and beat up other bands, sometimes they would capture other members of a band and old them hostage for food, money, or other prized objects. The way to get around this issue is the roof. If you climbed onto the roof of the building by the 22nd alleyway and walk along the rooftop, Esad’s band is less likely to detect you. I used the rain pipe to shimmy myself up onto the roof, I held my flip-flops in my mouth so they didn’t fall off when I climbed. My skirt got caught on a screw coming out of the pipe. I really didn’t want to put another rip on my skirt because it was the only thing I had besides my flip-flops, a pair of underwear, and my old tank top. All these things were given to me by my old owner. I reached down carefully to unhook the brown skirt. It came off with ease, but a thread did rip off. I had to make sure to fix that so it didn’t become worse. I reached the top and took a moment to catch my breath. I kept low as I walked along the rooftop so that nobody could see me. I was careful with my footing as to not make a sound so if there was a person inside the building, they would not hear.

‘This is when I need Aiden…’ I thought to myself. There was one time when I was with Aiden. It was my second time doing a task with him. But it was my first time making the dangerous journey to Tesa’s with him. We didn’t speak a word the entire time, yet it wasn’t an awkward silence like I usually experienced with Berk (I had a strong feeling he was just waiting for me to make a mistake so he could have a reason to throw me out). Aiden was the one who taught me to shimmy up the rain pipe and use the roof as an alternate route to get to Tesa’s. He was so gracious he carried me across the roof. Even with my weight in his hands, he was so graceful and made no sound on the tin rooftop. I don’t know what it was, but when a guy carries you in his arms, you feel a sense of security and friendship. But that was about the extent of our relationship. He still says a small “hey” once in a while and we exchange a few words, but that’s it.

I looked over the side of the overhang. I could see the dark alleyway that concealed Taner’s hideout. I kept walking. The end of the roof was about a quarter of a yard away from Taner’s. I carefully slid down the drain pipe on the other side. I kept in the shadows, using them as my disguise. I ducked into the nearby alleyway, 23rd to be exact.

‘Oh crap…I forgot where the entrance was. I guess I didn’t pay close attention when Aiden took me last time.’

I closed my eyes trying to recall how we got into the sewer last time. I took a deep breath and reopened my eyes. I heard movement behind. I turned round as my heart picked up speed. As I turned, I felt a presence overcome me. My body almost froze as a dark figure came into my peripheral vision. Then, before I got a clear view of who the figure was, a large hand clamped over my mouth. Even so, I tried to scream, but it was fruitless. Then the feeling in my body came back and I began to kick and squirm. The worst possible thoughts were running through my mind.

‘Is it a Streeter? Oh, *bunny*! What if it’s Esad? What if it’s a pedestrian…’

My captor tied a cloth gag around my mouth and eyes. He threw me over his shoulder. I gasped at the impact. He held my legs from popping up and smacking him. I know that it was probably the least of my worries, but I was afraid that my skirt was coming up to short...it was a skirt that was two years old and getting a bit short…

I started pounding my fists on his back, but it did nothing if phase him at all. After a minute I stopped my attempt at escaping. And another minute went by and I felt my butt hit a cold damp floor. The blindfold was removed and I immediately recognized the atmosphere of an underground sewer.

‘At least it means it’s not a Streeter.’

I looked around for a way out. I had concluded it was Esad’s hideout and therefore I had to get out. I saw the exit chamber pipe. I jumped up and made a run for it but I smacked into something hard. I reeled backwards but caught myself before I fell. I looked up frantically. I had been blockaded in my four guys and had run right into one.

“*bunny*…” I mumbled, not realizing I had spoken that aloud.

“Yasemin?”

I looked up shocked to hear my name.

“Holy crap, Tesa!” I exclaimed truly happy that it was him.

Tesa started to laugh and the others joined in except one. I slightly giggled. I felt like giving him a hug. I had thought I was captured and was either faced with the cruel band lead by Esad, or the doomed consequences of a Streeter.

Tesa’s band consisted of Elven, 15 years old. Elven is rather roudy as is his brother, the other member of the band, Azad, 16 years old. Both the brothers were normal teenage boys with all their basic interests.

Tesa stopped laughing and turned to the one who hadn’t laughed.

“What the hell were you thinking? She’s from Berk’s band!” He questioned him. The boy only looked down in shame. Tesa turned back to me with an apologetic smile on his face.

“That’s Evren,” Tesa pointed at the guy. “He’s new. Sorry.”

“Sorry…” Evren said not making contact with my eyes.

I stood up and straightened my skirt.

“Well now, what was it that you came by for?” Tesa half joked.

“Berk wants your help.”

Tesa looked around at his band members. He looked back at me and nodded.

“Okay, but Evren stay here. Guard the hideout.” Tesa gathered the rest of the band and we headed out.

We crawled into the alley and made sure no one was around. Tesa was the first to climb the pipe. He was clearly string in his upper body and scaled the drain pipe with relative ease. Alven and Azad insisted I go before them. They said it was “Ladies first”. I’m not dumb, I knew why they wanted me to go first, and I was just too tired to protest. So I put up with the brothers whispers and giddy laughter as they looked up my skirt. Tesa didn’t make any move to shut them up. He held out his hand to help me up. I took it and with a great pull he lugged me onto the rooftop. Then up came the brothers. Azad was the first and as soon as he got to his feet he winked at me with a mischievous smirk. I rolled my eyes and punched him in the arm. This behavior would be considered extremely rude and would be severely reprimanded if we were normal children, but we were street orphans and we were the lowest of the low. Behavior had no boundary with us.

All four of us cautiously made our way towards the 20th alley. Berk was still pacing when we came back. Derin and Ismet were still locked in their made up board. Aiden was sitting on a crate with a piece of wood and a knife in each hand. He seemed to be whittling something and there was a growing pile of wood scrapings.

“Finally!” Berk glared at me.

“He, it wasn’t her fault. Evren mistook her for an intruder. He’s new.” Tesa explained.

Berk growled a little but stood down.

“What’s up Berk? Why is there a need for us?” Tesa continue.

“Well, before I tell you…” Berk shooed Derin and Ismet away from the crate table with the two stolen chairs and motioned for Tesa to sit with him. “I have to say that I’ve thought about it for a while now and it’s for the better.”

Derin walked over to where I stood and placed a hand on m shoulder.

“I was winning too!” He whispered to me. I withheld a laugh.

“So what is it?” Tesa tried again.

“I think we should team up and take on Taner’s band…”

“What?!” Everyone shouted in perfect unison.

“Whoa, that’s not what you talked about earlier.” Ismet objected.

“I know. I didn’t want to tell you until the appropriate time. “ Berk trailed off. “I truly think that it’s for the best. Taner is cutting our food supply and we can’t just let that happen. We have to rebel.”

“But he might team up with Esad’s band and then we’re dead.” Aiden pointed out.

“He’s right.” I agreed.

Berk gave me a side glare. He never liked when I put my two cents in. He never was too keen on the idea of a girl having a say in a matter. I ignored him.

Tesa was deep in thought. His hand on his chin and his eyes closed.

“Alright.” He simply said.

“What? But Tesa…” Azad began but Tesa silenced him with a wave of his hand. “Berk is right. You all know that he is trying to take control over all the bands through taking our source of food.

I looked at Derin. He looked distant and worried. I placed my hand gently on top of his. He looked at me and all of a sudden his face changed from worried to caring and he smiled down at me.

“Say we do defeat them by some miracle, what then?” I asked.

“If anything, we’ll take Taner. That way they’ll have to submit to us or their leader is ours.” Berk answered me hastily as if he knew what I was going to ask and he had the answer on the tip of his tongue.

“Azad, go back and tell Elven our plans. Come back as soon as possible. We’re staying here tonight.” Tesa demanded.

Azad left right away, leaving Alven and Tesa with us.

“When and how do we attack?” Aiden asked

Walking up to the table where the two band leaders sat.

“Tomorrow – ” Berk began, but was cut off.

“Tomorrow? Are you joking?” Derin stepped up. Berk shot him a glance that read ‘shut the hell up’. Derin did so.

“Yes, tomorrow. Tomorrow we know that Taner’s band will be stealing their share of food…”

“And everyone else’s…” Aiden mumbled.

“We will wait for them to return at their alley.” Berk spoke as if it were as simple as that.

I turned and sat to a crate next to Aiden who had picked up his wood and began madly whittling away at it. I watched as his hands did the work. They were so skilled and fast. It was quite fascinating, but now wasn’t the time to look at Aiden’s hands. I had to focus on the current situation.

“We’ll leave Evren and…Elven here. That we have back up. The rest will go and fight.” Tesa said.

“Wait. You really think she should go and not stay back?” Tesa asked as if I wasn’t there.

“Hey! I can fight!” I yelled jumping up.

Tesa snorted and rose to his feet. He haughtily walked up to where I stood and stared down at me, as if to challenge me.

“I wouldn’t want to place our band in jeopardy.” He whispered.

“Damn you! I wouldn’t do that! I can fight.” I yelled back hot with anger.

“She’ll be fine, Berk. Give her a chance.” Derin defended me.

“A chance? We don’t have time for chance. We have one shot at this and if we fail, there are no other chances!” He shouted at Derin.

“Berk, I think you need to calm down.” Aiden chimed in.

“Yeah, let Yasemin fight with us. Like I said we have back up.” Tesa soothed Berk.

All was silent and then Berk leaned in closer to my ear.

“I swear, if you mess this up…” He warned, his voice sopped with venom.

I watched him sit back down at the make shift table. I looked at Aiden, his eyes were still on me. I mouthed ‘thank you’. He smiled in return and when back to his piece of wood. I felt Derin step back behind me. I whispered another thanks. He squeezed my shoulder.

Berk and Tesa started planning again and the room’s inhabitants were attentive except me. I was worrying.

‘What if I can’t fight? What if I do screw it up?’

I knew how to fight, but I wasn’t necessarily good. I could throw a punch or kick, but that was it. I noticed that Aiden wasn’t paying too much attention either. He was too focused on his craft. It didn’t matter. I’ve seen him practice. He would go outside late at night and just throw around a couple of punches or spin kicks. He was fairly good and I hoped that tomorrow I could copy some of his moves. I sat on a crate beside him. He didn’t stop his work. I leaned in to watch his hands.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” I whispered, making damn sure Berk didn’t hear me.

“I taught myself.” He said grinning.

“What’s it suppose to be?”

“You mean you can’t tell?” He joked. I laughed quietly. “It’s a bird.”

“What kind?” I whispered.

This is when I recalled a moment in my life that put a huge smile on my face and sorrow in my heart. I was making a daily trip to the shopping market. It was my last chore of the morning for my owner, Mr. Ogun. A woman passed me and then stopped a few feet in front of me. She turned around to look at me, her eyes wide.

“Are you the daughter of the tailor?” She asked.

Te city of Hasaden is so small that there are only two of almost everything, two blacksmiths, two carpenters, and two tailors. I happened to know that my father was a tailor so as you can imagine I was filled with curiosity at how this women recognized me.

“Yes.” I replied smiling.

“And you are an orphan?” She kept prodding.

I figured her reason for asking me this question was because one of the two tailors had a son, and I was no boy. Despite the fact that I truly had a father, he disowned me so I was technically an orphan.

“Yes, ma’am.” I said looking down.

“Oh my god…” She gasped placing her hand to her mouth.

I looked at her, waiting for her to continue and share with me why she was so surprised.

“You look just like her.” She whispered. I had a feeling she didn’t mean to say that out loud.

“Just like who?” It was right then that it clicked. She was talking about my mom.

We stood in silence as she stared into my eyes.

“You knew her?” I inquired. My voice was so quiet I almost couldn’t hear it.

“She was my sister.”

My heart skipped a beat. I was talking to my aunt. I looked at her realizing she was the closet I was going Ito get at looking at my mom. I dropped my basket of vegetables and embraced her. At first she didn’t wrap her arms around me. I could feel her body starting to shake as she held me. I felt tears threatening. I tried to hold them back. She gently removed my arms from around her but didn’t let go of my hands.

“You have her raven black hair and grey eyes. You defiantly got her beauty!” I smiled at the compliment. My hair was in two loose braids that rested on my shoulder. The hairs not long enough were loosely dancing in the breeze around my face. “She was always so proud of her hair. She loved the darkness of it. It reminded her of her favorite bird, the raven.”

When she said that I almost let the tears fall, but I held back. I now knew a personal fact about her.

I couldn’t talk, I was literally speechless. But then a question rose up out of my mind. I realized it was burning to be answered and before I knew it, I blurted it out.

“What was her name?”

I never knew her name because just like children like were never named, we were never told our parents’ names because it was against our beliefs. When a child is disowned, you do not want the child to be attached with the parents at all. Names are a sign of knowing the person, of being connected so I was never told neither my mom’s nor dad’s name.

She seemed to hesitate in answering me. After a few seconds she decided to speak.

“I cannot tell you dear child, I am sorry. But I’ll tell you what her childhood nickname was. I used to call her Raven or Rae because she loved the raven.”

I snapped out of my flashback.

“I’m not sure what kind it. What does it look like to you?” Aiden asked holding it up for me to see.

“Raven.” I answered not even looking at the wooden sculpture.

“A raven? Okay.” He smiled and went back to carving.