From the Mountain

The bell rings loudly, and I jump out of my seat, racing toward the door. It is recess time, and I can’t wait to get outside. I am jostled by the other kids until my feet hit the grass, and I spread my arms out like wings and run, dipping and diving. I look behind me, and Reese follows, his arms stretched wide, too. We are dragons at the moment, but even better, we are best friends.

  Canto joins us today. Sometimes she plays with the other girls, jumping rope or swinging, but she likes to play dragons, too. I am in the lead right now, but I slow down for Reese. He is a little bit chubby and sometimes he can’t keep up. Canto swerves around us both, running as fast as she can, her bright red hair flying behind her. I hear her laugh as she takes the lead, and I want to run faster, be in front again, but I don’t want to leave Reese behind.

  Glendon, Tanlo, and the other boys are playing soldier. They find sticks or other things to use as weapons, but they have to be careful that a teacher doesn’t see them. If they get caught, they get a detention. Glendon is the best at playing soldier. He is taller than me, even, and he is fast. I am glad he doesn’t like to play dragons, or he would always be in the lead, and that would make me mad.

  I decide to race around Canto. I know that Reese won’t mind. I am running faster, swerving around her when suddenly the sky turns black. I freeze, staring up into the darkness. Reese and Canto do the same.

  That is when we see them. Real dragons. Huge purple dragons that block the sun from our eyes. And they are landing in our school yard. Some of the girls start screaming. Reese takes my hand and I reach for Canto. Reese, like always, takes charge, shoving us behind one of the huge climbing balls.

  “Crouch down low,” he whispers to us. Reese is the smartest boy in our class. His brown eyes look frightened, though. Canto and I both do as he says, and we huddle together, our arms wrapped around each other. My heart is beating fast, and I don’t know what is going on. Dragons seem to fall out of the sky, and men who must be soldiers step off of them. They pull out giant swords with red handles and hold them out. The blades are shiny and scary and I can’t seem to take my eyes off of them.

  One man speaks. He is tall with very dark skin and the blackest hair I have ever seen. I reach my neck around the giant ball, peeking at him, my eyes wide open. I think I have seen him before. I just don’t know where. He doesn’t yell, but we all hear what he has to say.

  “The Purification Law has passed. All Light Skins are to come with us. Now.” He scans the school yard with his black eyes. “It is best not to fight. You won’t get hurt if you come along easily.”

  Canto starts to scream, but Reese puts his hand over her mouth. “Shhh,” he whispers in a strong way. I am too frightened to even cry. What are they going to do with us? There are so many of us with light skin. Canto, and me. Shyla, Grace, Kendon. I make a list of all of the kids in my class…and I come up with seven. And that is just in level 2. There are eight levels in our school.

  The other kids are screaming loudly now as they are loaded onto the huge purple dragons. Some put up a fight, but others just go along willingly. We wait quietly behind the giant rock ball, hoping we won’t be found. Reese and I hold hands, like we always do.

  “Reese!” A loud, deep voice thunders over us, and we all look up. It is Reese’s dad. He is a very important man. You can tell because he is dressed in dark purple. He glares down at us.

  “Let go of those girls, now,” he yells at Reese. Reese clamps my hand tighter, but he looks up into his dad’s angry eyes. For a minute they just stare at each other. Then his dad grabs him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him up and away from us. “The law has passed,” he tells Reese, shaking him roughly. “Stay away from them…from all of the Light Skins.” He walks away with Reese over his shoulder, kicking and screaming. I grab hold of Canto, almost squishing her with my arms.

  Reese’s dad and Entho are friends. I don’t understand how he can talk that way. About Light Skins. Entho is a Light Skin. And so am I. “Over here, he yells loudly to the soldiers, pointing his long, dark finger toward us. “Two Light Skins are hiding behind this ball.