Dwellers of the New World Chapter Seven ( Pt 6 ) Secrets!

Back at home a candle flickered in the windowsill. Cinnamon was so grateful to her mother for giving her a sign to say home was in sight.

She had made a decision not to tell her parents about Varden, she knew her father would not want anything to do with the boy. She really wished they weren't so afraid of the Master, although she herself didn't like to get on the wrong side of him if she were completely honest.

There didn't seem to be any sign of the fog lifting, it was like walking blind, even though she was used to it, the smog still got down on Cinnamon's chest, coughing she was glad when she got home.

Upon entering, the children were all up and doing their early morning chores. Rune and Brook were washing the dishes from the night before in a bucket on the floor, while Rose was helping her mother get the corn bread from out of the hot coals, in a stone oven over the fire.

Lena was making flat bread which was her speciality, she would fill the bread with cooked potatoes and carrots, with some cold meat from the night before, that was Jacobs favourite. She would then wrap the bread in a piece of skin.

“Mam! Where do you want this water?” she said as she was carrying the wooden bucket of water from the river.

“Just put it over by the fire, I'll need it to put in the pot for cooking.” Lena carried on with filling the flat bread for Jacob.

Jacob came in from the garden with two buckets of milk from the goats. He set them down and took a mug for himself. The children hadsome too.

“Ah! Cinnamon...so you're back and how's the river looking? full of fish I hope.”

“Sure father, I dived down and saw many. Are you going down there this morning?”

“Afraid not...I've got to get to the forest early, we'll have to make do with what we've got for now. Is my sandwich nearly ready Lena?” he enquired, anxious to be off.

“Yes it's coming right up. Will you be passing Ivan and Meradith's home on the way to the forest? Only I will be popping into see her later.”

Finishing his milk, he agreed to give Meradith the message. Ivan worked in the forest with Jacob, although he didn't know as much about trees as Jacob did, Ivan was a hard worker and always willing.

Ivan had told Jacob of his love for making things with wood, which meant they had a lot in common, also Lena got on very well with Meradith, they both liked to work in their gardens and would discuss new ways of helping the vegetables to grow better. Meradith also enjoyed carving charms out of wood, which Lena was fascinated to learn. She would also watch Meradith make wooden dolls for the children, which they would dress up with the left over skins their parents had collected and made into tiny clothes.

Cinnamon and her sister Rose toasted some of the bread over the fire and ate with a mug of milk. It was getting towards the time Cinnamon would need to be at the barracks, she hoped that Will would still be there, although she wasn't sure if she could trust him to give Dawson the message and not spill the beans to the Master.

Finishing her toast and milk, she quickly washed her plate and mug in the not so clean water in the bucket. The boys had left the water, which was now rather congealed with fat from the meat. Lena was annoyed and told the boys to go and get some fresh water, to which the boys were not very happy, but one look from their mother and they were off down to the river.

“Bye mam...I'm off to work now,” called Cinnamon from the door.

“See you later and see if you can bring home some apples, it would be nice to have some fruit.”

“I'll try mam, but I can't promise anything, you know how tight they are at the barracks,” she shouted slamming the door.

Normally she would run to work if it was nice and clear, but this morning the fog was still hanging around, which made it difficult to see where she was going. Approaching the great door, she knocked and gave her name. The heavy door opened slowly.

“Well...good morning to you Cinnamon and how are you this foggy morning?” said the guard with a smile.

“Oh I'm fine...is Will still on duty do you know?”

“Sorry no...he left a while ago. It's been a long night you know, not much going on.” The guard shut the great timber door, huffing and puffing, as it was difficult on his own.

Cinnamon made her way over to the cooking area, where the food had been placed ready for preparing. Cook was at another table already skinning some rabbits which had been caught earlier by one of the men.

Cook was a biggish lady with a heart of gold, she had taken a shine to Cinnamon and would always put her in charge when she wasn't there.

“Cinnamon...I have to go and see the master, will you carry on skinning these rabbits while I'm away? The other women aren't here yet, so you'll be on your own.”

“That's fine...actually I was just wondering!” Cinnamon had the idea of asking cook to give the message to Dawson.”

“Yes what is it Cinnamon?” said cook wondering what the girl was going to ask.

Cinnamon decided against saying anything, although she got on with cook, it was another thing asking her to deliver a message to a prisoner. “Oh...never mind...it doesn't matter, I'll be fine carrying on with the rabbits.”

Cook tut...tutted, then turned and walked away, wondering what was wrong with the child.

As cook made her way over to the Master's home, Cinnamon suddenly had an idea. She carried on skinning one of the rabbits, watching as cook disappeared into the building. The girl's heart was beating fast, as she pondered if she would get away with her plan.

Watching out for cook to appear, there was suddenly a tap on her shoulder, looking around, her friend Rosa appeared. “Oh! It's you...you made me jump Rosa.”

“You're here early Cinnamon, what you up too?”

Cinnamon became nervous. “What do you mean...I'm not up to anything, just skinning rabbits till cook comes back, you gotta stop creeping up on me like that.”

Rosa smiled. “Come on then shift over, let's see who can skin the most rabbits.”

“I'm not racing you...so carry on, I have things on my mind.”

Now Rosa was intrigued. “Oh yes...and what might those things be?” she said, picking up a knife ready to attack the rabbit on the table.

“Sorry... none of your business Rosa, the less you know the better.”

Now Rosa was even more intrigued. “Hey don't be like that...I thought we didn't have any secrets, we usually share everything, I thought we were friends.” Rosa pouted as she carried on with the job in hand.

“Look Rosa I'm sorry...but if I tell you, it could mean you could get into trouble and that's the last thing I want.” Cinnamon looked around, just in time to see cook coming out of the door, this was her chance. “Rosa you carry on, I'm just going to speak with cook.”

Rosa huffed as Cinnamon started towards cook, her heart racing fast. Cook was making her way over to where a cauldron of vegetable were on the boil over the fire, one of the men had prepared earlier.

“Cook!” she called as she approached the woman.

“What is it Cinnamon? Can't you see I'm busy, I have to take some food to the prisoner.”

“Please cook...could I do the vegetables? I don't mind taking the food to the prisoner, in fact I could do with a break from skinning rabbits, it's all I've been doing these past couple of days.”

Cook paused. “Well I'm not too sure about that, the master asked me to take the food over.”

“Oh go on cook...you know you can trust me, It would just be good to do something different for a change.” Cinnamon gazed pleadingly at cook, with a look of...I can get away with anything.

Cook smiled saying, “Okay I'll let you take the food this time, but you behave my girl, otherwise there'll be trouble for you.”

Cinnamon became excited, “Of course I'll behave, don't worry I just want to do something different for a change.

“Well you make sure you do girl. Carry on then, don't dilly...dally, there's work to be done.”

Cinnamon thanked cook once again, smiling as she made her way over to the big cauldron, this was her big opportunity, she wasn't going to waste it. Taking a wooden bowl, she dished up some of the broth and broke of some of the corn bread, that had been prepared earlier that morning by cook.

Walking towards the cave where the prison guard was on duty, she suddenly felt an eerie feeling, as the morning continued to be foggy. Cinnamon shivered, not only from the cold, but also in the hope, that if she was able to get away with getting the message to Dawson, that she wouldn't be caught, the girl knew cook would never trust her again and she could end up in prison herself, or worse still, the underground cave.

As she reached the door, Cinnamon took a deep breath then knocked. The door opened. “Yeah! What is it?” demanded the guard, his foul breath and blackened teeth, almost made Cinnamon heave.

“Food for the prisoner...the master told me to bring it over and...”

Before she had chance to say any more, the guard snatched the food
from her hand and banged the door shut.

Cinnamon realised there was no chance this man was going to let her anywhere near Dawson, she realised she would have to come up with another plan.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Seven ( Pt 7 ) The Day is Long | ABCtales