Chosen - July 10, 2012

[note: this was written during a writing exercise: we had 20 minutes to write something inspired by the word "chosen". This is the result, unedited, exactly as it appeared when time ran out. You can read all of them in the waves category]]

Chosen - Squiddy Geiger - July 10, 2012

Sam paused by the window, looking out briefly. Still no sign of anyone. He continued his pacing, willing it to be over. Why couldn't they decide already? No answer was forthcoming from his agitated brain.

It had been a week since the announcement that they'd narrowed the field to five names, and Larissa was on it. He didn't now if he could bear to have her go, but he couldn't bear to see the disappointed look if she wasn't Chosen.

He heard a sound from outside, hurried to the window, and sighed. It was just Hatfield arriving home across the street. His pacing continued. He wondered what was going through her head upstairs. He was agitated and it wasn't even his fate on the line.

The doorbell rang. Somehow in his agitation he'd missed another car arriving outside. He reached for the doorknob, paused, reached for it again, and paused again. He heard footsteps on the stairs as his daughter descended, and still he hesitated.

"Daddy! Open the door!" Larissa ordered. He glanced at her, then reached for the knob again, and turned it to greet the two people outside.

"Hello, Mr. Davis, Miss Davis," the tall gray haired man said. "I'm Irving Leach, and this," indicating his shorter, redheaded companion, "is Martin Wilson. We're here to give you the results of the Choosing." After a pause, he added. "May we come in?"

"Oh, of course, of course, gentlemen. Come in, please, have a seat." He gestured to the sitting area to the left. "May I get you anything?" he added as they sat.

"No, thank you, Mr. Davis," Wilson said. "We won't be here long." He pulled out an envelope, and passed it to Leach. "We're only here long enough to give you the results, then we must be on our way. You understand, I'm sure."

Sam looked from one to the other slowly, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I do." He did, really. They had no desire to stick around in a home where much needed to be discussed, and affairs settled. "Please, don't keep us in suspense."

Leach nodded. "Very well, then," and unsealed the envelope. "Before I read this, you understand that I don't know if your daughter has been Chosen or not. We are chosen at random to deliver the news to the Finalists, and we don't know until we read this." Sam and Larissa nodded. He continued. "Very well, let me see here. Ah yes, Miss Davis. It would appear that you have indeed been Chosen! Congratulations!"

Leach and Wilson got up to shake hands. It was done. In a week's time, the Chosen would be left for the Dragon. It was an honour. A fitting sacrifice. And Sam would be rich.

He wept.

Posted by Squiddy at July 10, 2012 08:45 PM | TrackBack