Rae-Won

Sometimes I wonder why I was given the powers that I have. I wondered if I just stayed quiet would we have still been there. I mean I basically grew up there. But...death came and everything changed from there on.

My father was the first to be taken by death. I was 10 years old at the time and my sister was set off to get married. My mother wanted me to get married but I wanted to stay behind and take care of her.

I call it a gift because no one else can see the things that I have been able to see. It gets scary sometimes because it can be everywhere at one time.

Sometimes I've seen whole villages whipped out and it's some memories that I don't think I can ever let go off.

My sister doesn't really consider me her blood because our complexions are completely different. I mean I just have a tan and long curly hair. While she is white as snow, with red stained lips, long beautiful black hair, and a stunning smile.

She never bullied me or anything but we have always had our differences.

I mean we both look like my mother. I'm just the "darker" version. I don't hate myself. I love my skin color, my mother do to so that's all that matters. My mother just wants me to meet someone that's going to love me for me.

Anyways.....I was out getting water from the well when I glanced at the ocean for a sec. I didn't see it at first but when I turned to look again, it looked as if there was a person laying face down on the sand.

I don't know what that was about but that didn't sit well with me at all. Never seen anything like it and no one really knows where this village is.

I followed my instinct and went back home. My mother and I lived good. We weren't poor and the village consisted of three families.

We helped each other and I gave them insight of which family was going to die soon. Sounds tragic...I mean it is. Some of the people didn't believe me and that was okay. I didn't mind that because I know for a fact I knew when death was coming.

When I got back home I told my mother what I seen and she told me to stay away from the well for a little bit so no one could spot us.

My mother was always the type to live a quiet life. There have been times when surrounding villages have been attacked. I mean we are prepared just in case something do happen.

I could wield a sword and bow and arrow. I know how to defend myself I just worry about my mother because she is getting up in age. Her safety is my main priority. 

I was helping my mother prepare dinner for the families when she asked me to go get more water.

I grabbed the bigger bucket this time so I won't have to come back out because night was starting to set in. When I reached the well I took a chance and climbed down to the ledge that led to the ocean.

I scanned around to see if I was able to spot the person from earlier...but there was no one there. That's when panic started to set in. I was about to climb back up when I noticed something glowing in the distance.

"What is that"

I was trying so hard to leave but what ever it was, was drawing me in. I snapped out of the trance and climbed back up the ledge. I grabbed the bucket of water and ran for the house.

I busted through the door and lying on the table was a woman with a towel draped over her forehead.

"엄마 (eomma / mom)" I called out.

She didn't answer me the first few times. I searched the entire house for her. A few moments later she came through the door.

"Where were you" I said with panic in my voice.

She looked at me all strange.

"What's wrong with you" she asked.

"Who is that" I said pointing to the lady on the table.

"I don't know when I was outside getting the clothes she was there laid out at the door" she explained.

"And you brought her in, mom come on she could be dangerous" I ranted.

"Ohh hush and help me with the food please" she said as she waved me off.

I just looked at her like she was crazy.

I stared at the woman cautiously. I hid a knife in my pocket just incase she wanted to get fresh.

I helped my mother set up dinner but I kept a close eye on her. I didn't notice it before but it was a sword and a gat (hat) by the door.

The sword was radiating weird energy from it. The energy was light blue. It put me in the same trance as the object I saw by the sea.

The trance was so hard to break out off. It took all of my energy to break away from it. Something was not right.

I don't like it one bit and I feel trouble brewing. Something was telling me that a bigger problem was coming and soon.

"Something strange is going on".

I began placing food on the bigger table that was by the window. I just felt so uneasy the whole time I was prepping the table.

I talked to my mother about it but she was telling me that I was just being paranoid. I told her that something was coming but she told me to just drop it.

The woman began waking up. She sat up slowly on the table. She looked around confused. Come to think of it I didn't see any scars or injuries on her. NOW that's weird!

She looked at me and just stared for a good minute. The expression she had on her face was as if she knew me. Don't know how that's possible because I have never seen that lady a day in my life.

"Oh you're awake" my mom said as she checked on her.

My heart began to race and my head began to pound. Then I saw death around that lady and my mother.

OH NO! I knew that lady was trouble!!

I pulled my mother to side to speak with her.

"Mom we have to leave. Death is here I see it everywhere" I said to her.

My mother has always believed me but this time she didn't.

"Rae if you don't stop over reacting. Look I know I shouldn't have brought her here but now you're over doing it" she said getting upset.

I was taken aback by what she said.

"Mom I'm serious please" I begged her.

"Drop it" she said as she walked away from me.

I began to get mad because this was something she would never say or do.

I grabbed a bamboo box I made a couple months ago just in case and started packing clothes.

I grabbed as much stuff as I could and grabbed my sword and bow.

"Rae what are you doing" my asked.

"Mom I am packing our stuff so that we can leave it is not safe here anymore" I said to her.

"Rae please listen to me. Nothing is going to happen"

One of the Choi kids came bursting through the door yelling.

"We're under attack"! she yelled.

I looked at my mother and grabbed her hand. We ran out the back and into the woods. We ran to the cottage that was a few inches away from the house and settled there.

"Are you okay" I asked her.

"Yeah. Ohhh Rae I'm so sorry" she said.

"It's fine. We have to reach the docks" I said.

I peeped out the door way and saw that the cost was clear. I grabbed my mother and lead her down to the docks. We reached the docks but it was surrounded by the men dressed in red and black swordsman hanboks which means they were apart of the Cheong dynasty.

That's miles away from Hamsu village. How did they even know people lived here?

My thoughts traveled back to the lady that my mother was tending to.

I knew she was trouble. I saw fire in the distance, I began to tear up because our home was burning. All of the years we lived here trouble came nowhere near us. I was always careful to not be seen or spotted by anyone.

But some how the woman was able to find our village and bring trouble along with her. I couldn't help but feel rage because she was the cause of this.

Now my mother and I have nowhere to go.

When the cost was clear we boarded the boat and set off to find a new place to settle.

I looked in the distance at the fire and the screams that was heard also. I shed a tear or two but I'm glad that I had my mother safely with me. As we set down the river the gleams from the fire began to disappear. Call me selfish but I was not about to let my mother die and the first thing that was on my mind was to flee!

My mother is all I have and I am not letting her go no time soon. It was completely dark so I lit the lanterns that we kept in the cupboards of the boat.

My mother was quiet the entire time.

"Mom you okay" I asked.

"Yeah just wish we were able to warn the other families" she said.

I did feel guilty but it was last minute. I didn't see death until that lady came.

"I know but I didn't see it until that woman came. I don't even know how she was able to even find our village and not that many people know about it" I said. 

"Yeah I did find that kind of strange" she replied.

"Well off to a new start" I said.

"Seems so" she replied.

I looked up at the moon that was beaming on us and smiled.

Things will get better I know it.