The Prophecy of Water | ✔️ 🎖 [2018 Wattys Shortlister]

CHAPTER 1-A Stolen Apple

I eat, I breathe, and I sleep. But am I alive? 

LoG, 303

Squinty woke up with a start. Her eyes desperately tried to adjust to the brightness, haloed around a shadow so close to her face.

A shadow?

A head!

It was Roko, sobbing above their bed.

"Squinty, I... Help me! Please! You have to help me!" His sniffles stopped any sort of meaningful understanding.

"Calm down, Roko. What is it?" She huffed at him as the horse might snort at an annoying fly it couldn't get rid of.

"A...a... an apple," he stammered. "I just... stole an apple!"

It didn't take Squinty long to process his fear, even in her groggy pre-breakfast state.

Apple was a big deal. Apple meant water.

In the orphanage, stealing was punishable by ever-increasing beatings, and since his sister's death, Roko had become something of a thief.

A lousy thief, who was consistently being caught.

Squinty glanced at the welts on his shoulders that still hadn't healed from the last time they pummelled him.

"Give me the apple," she said, "and move aside so I can get up."

He obeyed, scampering away from the bed.

"Now," Squinty leapt on her feet and outstretched her hand. "The apple, Roko. We'll just put it back before anybody notices. No big deal."

"I... I can't." Roko whimpered. "I've eaten it. I was so hungry and thirsty."

"You've eaten it already? Dammit. We have to think of something." Squinty brushed past him, flinging the grey sleeping gown to the corner of the dormitory.

She changed into a shabby, tattered dress with haste, and then foraged an eyeless rabbit plushie from under the grimy pillow.

Roko's huge brown eyes lit up.

"Can I carry Mr. Big Ears today? Just for a little while? He'll help the scare go away."

"No way!" Squinty snarled at him, burying the toy in her bosom. "No one ever holds Mr. Big Ears but me. Now, come on. Let's get to breakfast or they'll realize we're not there." She grabbed Roko by the hand and the two hurried towards the canteen.

Prior to entering the room, Squinty positioned her hair over the face.

The world didn't see her.

She didn't see the world.

As long as the world respected that deal, everything was in order.

Dozens of tables filled the vast stone room, occupied by numerous orphans.

The governesses sat at the main table at the farthest point from the entrance, chattering lively.

"Drat. We're late! The cooks had already served breakfast!" Squinty hissed, motioning Roko to squat. "This way!"

They picked the table closest to the door and sat down.

"Do you think they noticed we were gone?" Roko frowned at the sight of food in their plates. "Ewww! Corn porridge again."

"No idea. Shh!" Squinty brought her forefinger to her lips. "You're the one to complain. You already had breakfast!" She shoved the spoon to her mouth after a quick "Glory to the Mind."