Book

Selling your words is a sin.

I have been raised on that philosophy.

A persons words are sacred. We don't make money off of whatever talent we have with writing. It's a gift and selling it to the world is like exploiting it.

When we turn 16, we have to swear an oath. Anything we write does not go to another person in exchange for anything. We just write it. Each person receives a book when they swear the oath. This book has a lock and you receive a key.

Everyone has their key on them at all times. It's illegal not to. People have gotten creative in the last 100 years. I am going to wear mine around my neck. It'll be easier that way. Everyone's book, lock and key was created to describe their personality and writing style. It's interesting really, because no two people have ever had the same thing.

I get my book today. It's scary because it's this whole ceremony. Everyone is watching. So if you get one of the sacred locks or one of the forbidden locks, everyone will see. Except, the Locksmith has done their best to keep the forbidden locks a secret. No one actually knows what a forbidden lock looks like.

I hop out of my bed and throw on skinny jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. It's rainy today but not cold. I head down the wooden stairs and head into the kitchen. The grey clouds make the red walls look even darker.

My mother greets me with a broad smile and a kiss on the forehead. Her short, brown hair falls into my face, tickling my nose.

"Good mornin' Love." She says. You can always hear her expressions in her voice. She has a smile on her face that could be used to advertise a dentist office.

"Good morning mom." I grab a glass of orange juice and chug it. I have to get to school. I can't be late today. I rinse the glass and put it in the sink. I kiss my moms cheek and head outside.

When I get to school, the halls are buzzing. You could feel the energy in the air. You can hear the announcements sorting people into the order for the ceremony by last name. From A to Z. I'm S. Bearing a legendary last name of Summers. My grandfather had one of the last published works and my dad is part of the Locksmith. Anna would get her book before me. Her last name is Antoine. Her mother is the first ever woman to become part of the Locksmith.

My dad talks about it all the time but he can never go into detail. He has to swear an oath of secrecy. Nothing he does can be told to anyone. Someone's lock is a sacred thing.

The line goes fairly fast. Anna walks up to me looking ecstatic. She skips the last two steps towards me and holds out her book. Her lock has an intricate rose. The details bringing out the true beauty of the plant. That really does fit Anna perfectly.

I hear Liam Quincy get called into the auditorium and I know I'm up soon. I start to feel anxious. My hands sweat and shake but I'm more excited than anything.

"Samanya Summers." I take a tentative step forwards. There is someone ahead of me to direct me to where I am supposed to be.

"Go girl!!" Anna cheers loud enough to be heard over the announcements. I walk over to the person that is directing people and and head onto the stage of the auditorium.

It's completely dark in the crowd but I spot my parents immediately. They're cheering and clapping louder than everyone else. I can see my book sitting on the podium. I walk up to the podium and place my right hand on my book. I read off the oath. It's short and I have it memorized.

The woman tells me to remove my hand and she picks up my book and studies it. Her eyes linger on the lock and key longer than I would like.

Finally, she hands me my book.

"Where will you be wearing your key, Miss Summers?"

"Around my neck." My breath catches in my throat.

"Hmm." She grunts. She puts the key around my neck and dismisses me, handing me my book. I don't look at the lock or key. I run out to Anna. I want us to look together. I'm too scared to do it alone.

I see her waiting and I run to get to her before the next person comes through the door.

I hold my book out to her and she studies it.

"Have you looked at it yet?" She asks, her face twisting into a puzzled knot.

"No."

She takes it and turns it around, holding it out to me.

It's a snake.

I start to feel more nervous. A snake is one of the traditional signs of deception or someone's inner evil.

The lock is beautiful. One of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I look at the key and gasp.

Its gorgeous. The snake head is at the tip of the key and the shaft is made of the body of the snake. The bow is made up of a series of twists and the snakes tail comes out of the top with a hole for the chain.

I breathe in the new leather of the book. It's beautiful. I go through the rest of a day in an ecstatic daze. I'm practically buzzing. I just wanted to show my parents. I wonder if my dad made it.

///

My dad throws the book across the room. I have never seen this kind of anger from him. He's yelling about how he should've known this was mine and how I never should've been the way I am.

My mom is standing close in front of me with her hands to her mouth. Dad starts throwing the plates and candles on the living room table. My mom is yelling unintelligible things. Just yelling to be heard over the shattering glass.

"It's not her fault, James!" She's defending me and I can't figure out why.

"She needs to leave." My dad says this with a deafening calm. He's scared. This isn't my fault. He wants me to leave to protect all of us.

"I need to leave." I repeat calmly. My mom lets out a sob and collapses. I turn quickly and run up the stairs. I fling open my bedroom door and rip my suitcases out of my closet. I start ripping shirts off the hangers and folding them. I go through my clothes, trying to make them as compact as possible.

I bring one of my suitcases downstairs and my mom is no where to be seen. I leave it at the front door and run upstairs for the other one.

///

I'm walking out my front door, for what feels like the last time. I have both suitcases in hand and I carry them to my car. I already have a box containing my possessions that would break.

I can feel my hands shaking and hear my mom crying. My dad says nothing. I slid the suitcases into my trunk and close it. My mom runs to me and hugs me. I hate that all of this feels like it's the last. I get in my car and my dad still hasn't said anything to me. We meet eyes, I throw the car in reverse then pull away.

======= Quinn=======

I wake up with a jolt. I look over to the other bunks and everyone is still asleep. I silently swing my legs out from under the blankets and step on the cold stone floor. I slid my book from under my pillow and run my fingers around the eye of the dragon. A red gem around intricate gold engravings.

I carefully pad down the corridor, careful of any of the mothers that could be lurking in the halls. I can feel the weight of the book pressed against my back, slid into my waistband of my jeans. I hear the clacking of a mothers footsteps. I hide around a corner.

"He is changing, ya know." She says this into a phone and I cant tell who she's talking to.

"Will he be able to stay here much longer? He's helpful but soon it could be dangerous. He's 18 now." She's talking about me. I should've known.

I slip down the hallway, not wanting to hear the rest. I head down the stone stairs and out the doors to the main driveway. I jog until I see the main road.

///

I see headlights and stop walking. Just to observe. The vehicle gets closer and I see its a red, four-door. Nice, but not expensive. The car pulls over and the driver puts their head to the steering wheel. I walk up to the car and knock on the window. She's beautiful girl. Straight hair the colour of chocolate. She has wide eyes. I might have startled her. She rolls down the window.

"Can I help you?" Her voice is sweet even when she's trying to be bitter.

"Where are you headed?"

She looks at me with curiosity. "A place belonging to the mothers?"

I look at her sideways.

"Well I'm headed back there. Could you give me a lift?" She nods and looks at me, skeptical. I get in the car and she breathes a sigh. I peer at her from the corner of my eye, trying not to seem like a creep.

"What's on your book?" The curiosity has been killing me since I got in the car. Not a lot of people come to the mothers for no reason.

"A snake. How 'bout you?" She sounds afraid. She's tense. Her knuckles are white on the steering wheel.

"A dragon."

======= Sam=======

The image comes to mind at once. A dragon is a very rare symbol. Three people have gotten the dragon since the beginning of the Books.

"Can I see?" I can feel my nervousness sinking in.

"When we get there." He has a hint of a smirk crossing his lips.

"Turn here." I turn left into the long driveway and pull up to the front of the building. It's a tall church with stain glass windows. We haven't used churches as churches in a long time. The mothers kept the title but the idea of God died.

=======Quinn=======

There's a mother waiting outside. She puts the car in park and opens the door. I get out.

"Hey Sue." She gives me a stern look.

"Mother Sue." I breathe a laugh. She walks up to the girl.

"I never did find out your name." I move closer to her.

"It's Sam."

"Thank you, Quinn. Please help Samanya with her bags and show her to the room." I try to hide my smile. Her name is even beautiful. I don't think she wanted me to know it though. Her trunk is open and I pull out two of the black suitcases. She grabs the backpack and closes the trunk. I lead her to the double doors and walk inside.

We walk up the sets of stone steps and reach the room. I open the door and everyone is still asleep.

"You can sleep in the bed beside mine if you want." I turn and see her nod. She's swallowing the idea of being here instead of with her family. I get that. I park her suitcases under her bed and grab her backpack from her. I set it beside her bed and she climbs in. She's laying on the blanket, facing away from me. I lay on my bed, thinking.

"You know, You can come lay with me if you'd like." I don't know why I said it, but I wanted her to know I was here for her.

=======Sam=======

I'm in shock. I met him less than an hour ago. Maybe it's a consolation thing. But I want to go to him.

I slowly get out of my bed and slid in beside him. He's laying on his back and I lay on my side, head on his chest. I can feel the muscles under his shirt. His breathing is calm and comforting. He puts his arm around my shoulders and holds me.

This isn't a romantic thing and I knew that. That's why I came over. I can feel his shaggy, brown hair on my forehead. I can feel myself falling asleep but I can't stop thinking about him. His voice, his eyes, his build, his openness.

=======Quinn=======

I didn't expect her to come over. I didn't expect her to lay on my chest. I didn't expect her. I met her less then an hour ago. I feel like I've known her forever.

/// to be continued///