Betrayed: Chapter 24
Aug. 2nd, 2011 07:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zelda_queenZeldaQueen: In which the wangst continues. I'm very sorry
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 24
ZeldaQueen: Zoey exits her shower and finds that Shaunee and Erin have brought her soup and brown pop. They tell her to eat something so she can drink the stuff Neferet gave them, as well as to feel better. Zoey says that she doesn't think she'll ever feel better and, if this were better written, it would be believable as her reacting to her grief. As it is, I expect to hear her whine "What is food?" at some point.
Of course everyone is in full-on drama llama mode, so when Zoey says she won't ever feel better, Erin bursts out crying and declares that if Zoey never feels better, she will never feel better. By this point, I don't think I'll ever feel better either and we're not even one page into this chapter. Shaunee plays the old "the deceased would be unhappy if you never got over it" card, and they all fondly reminiscence about Stevie Rae's over-the-top accent. So nice to know that Stevie Rae had so little characterization that there's nothing to remember her by but her stereotypes.
Zoey starts to eat, but pauses to wangst over how the House of Night won't be holding a funeral for Stevie Rae. Erm, we already established this, hun. You know they don't hold funerals, seeing as they ignored the deaths of Elizabeth and Elliot in the last book. The Twins mention that there probably will be a funeral held by Stevie Rae's family, and we get some "hilarious" banter about how Stevie Rae was from such a remote hick town of a bumpkin area that no one from the House of Night will bother to stop over and visit. This causes them to remember the Fighting Hens mascot from the town and gets them to wonder if hens really do fight and ultimately leads to them making jokes about cock fighting because ha ha, they said "cocks", isn't that funny?
Someone kill me. Please.
Zoey finishes her soup and goes off for bed. The Twins remind her to drink Neferet's liquid, but Zoey, in a burst of genre savy-ness, is mindful of Aphrodite's warning and pours it down the bathroom sink. Just as she gets to her room, her phone rings. Surprise, surprise, it's Grandma Redbird! Grandma has had a completely unexplained Deus Ex Machina feeling that Zoey's soul is tortured (no, they don't word it exactly like that, but they pretty much go on like it is) and whatever could the matter be? Zoey tells her grandmother about the death of Stevie Rae, and Grandma Redbird is appropriately sad and gives comfort. She goes on about Stevie Rae being reunited with Nyx, and I have to wonder what is up with the mentality of the people in this world that they just drop their previous beliefs on the spot to worship the same deity. Doesn't anyone hear about Nyx but say "That's nice, but I still am a devoted [insert religion here]" or "I get what you believe, but I still believe blah, blah, blah". It's unbelievable and it's pretty unfortunate implication-y in regards to the People of Faith, considering that they're the only ones who know about Nyx and decide to hold on to their previous faith instead of jumping on another ship.
Anyway, Zoey tells her grandmother about how she's expected to treat Stevie Rae's death as a speed bump and how she can't bring herself to do that and will instead see to it that her friend's death is properly honored. That's all well and good, and as I've said several times, it's a great flaw in the vampire world, except for a few things.
First of all, the entire thing just comes across as rather casual, considering what they're discussing. I know there are ways people talk about the death of a loved one, but referring to someone refusing to acknowledge the deaths of children as anything more than temporary setbacks is more than "shortsighted" (which is how Grandma Redbird describes it).
Second of all, Zoey has known about this since the first book. She learned about this when Elizabeth died. She saw it all when Elliot died. And she only suddenly decides it's Sick and Wrong when it's her own friend who has died? I'm serious, her thought process is basically "Oh, well, that sucks. OH MY GOD, HOW DARE THEY IGNORE STEVIE RAE'S DEATH???" Protagonist-centered morality, anyone?
*sighs* Grandma Redbird warns Zoey not to do anything that might get her in trouble. Zoey replies, and I'm dead serious, "Grandma, I am the most powerful fledgling in the history of vampyres. I think I should be willing to get in a little trouble for something I feel strongly about".
There you have it. Zoey just outright said "I'm the best, most important fledgling in the history of vampires and I can do what I want". Yes, I realize it's supposed to be her saying she should use her power for a good cause, but keep in mind that she also considered this as a reason why she should be allowed to shack up with her teacher.
Grandma Redbird sends Zoey love and says she'll pray for their grandmother's spirits to watch over her (because she's a Majik Cherokee, remember?) and they hang up. Zoey starts getting ready to wangst some more when Heath texts that he got his own Deus Ex Machina feeling, and is everything alright? Christ, what is up with everyone magically knowing that something happened to Zoey so they can run and hold her hand? Zoey texts back that her friend died and, in a rare poignant moment, Heath texts back how his own friends have been dying.
Yes. Thank you. Remember that, Zoey? Remember that stuff is going on with the lowly humans? I guess if your hot human boyfriend isn't bringing it up, you don't remember it. After all, they smoke pot and deserve to die for it.
Zoey sins thine ass off about forgetting that Heath's friends have been getting violently murdered and texts that she's sorry. He offers to come visit her, and she instantly starts going on about how much she'd love to find comfort in his manly arms. While her boyfriend just came home and has been very worried about her. Just thought I'd remind you that Erik does, in fact, exist. Zoey seems to have forgotten about him.
Finally, Zoey pulls herself out of her flight of fantasy and texts that no, she's good. Plus he has school. He replies that it's a snow day, and there's a brief moment where Zoey remembers snow days at her old school and how much she misses them. That would be great, if it wasn't pulled out of thin air for this one moment. Cast ladies, you can't do that. If you have Zoey do nothing but go on about how her human life sucked and how she doesn't miss anything about it, having her randomly say "Oh yeah, there was that one thing that I never mentioned before and will never mention again that I miss" has no emotional connections to us.
Heath texts back that he'll comfort her on Friday, and Zoey goes on about how much she'd love to be with him on Friday. I really cannot wait for Erik to break up with her in the next book. Zoey sins her ass off some more, this time in regards to her imprinting on him. She acknowledges that she ought to go to Neferet, confess that she drank some more of Heath's blood, and see what can be done to fix it. She then remembers what Aphrodite said about Neferet being a liar and uses that as an excuse to do nothing. That's right, she doesn't figure to try talking to another teacher or something, she just decides to ignore the problem. Oh, and she texts Heath and tells him that sure, she'll see him on Friday.
*head desk*
"What the hell. It felt as if my life was unraveling like the hem of an old skirt. I didn't want to tell Heath no, and worrying about our Imprint was just one thing too many to worry about right now"
ZeldaQueen: Yes, you just sin that ass off, Zoey!
Zoey snuggles down to go to sleep, when Shaunee and Erin enter the room and ask if they can sleep with her as well because they don't want to be alone. Whatever, can we please just end the chapter already?
No, because now Damien is coming in with a sleeping bag and pillow. Erin and Shaunee make a stupid joke about him "getting ready to defile us virgins". Erm, is the usual terminology "deflower"? Anyway, Damien launches into a sappy speech about how they must all stick together. He finishes by assuring them that no *ahem* defiling will be taking place and congratulating them on using such a big word like "virgin". Oh, for Christ's sake, if virgin's a big word what's the smaller word equivalent? "Unsexed"? There's also a jab at the fact that Erin and Shaunee are probably not virgins, which they are not bothered by and which I honestly do not care at all about. Zoey does though, because she makes a mental note to ask them questions later. Okay then...
Damien tells them that it's a snow day tomorrow, so they won't have to worry about sneaking him out as everyone will be sleeping in. He asks if Zoey and Stevie Rae had ever listened to the radio in the morning, and Zoey replies that they always listened to country music, which served as a motivator because she wanted to escape it. Ha ha, it's funny because Stevie Rae is a hick and only hicks like country music!
Everyone goes back to being sappy and promising each other that if they die, they won't forget one another. Thank the lord, they all finally go to sleep and the chapter ends. GAH, this is boring!!!
Onward to: Chapter 25
Back to: Chapter 23
Back to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 24
ZeldaQueen: Zoey exits her shower and finds that Shaunee and Erin have brought her soup and brown pop. They tell her to eat something so she can drink the stuff Neferet gave them, as well as to feel better. Zoey says that she doesn't think she'll ever feel better and, if this were better written, it would be believable as her reacting to her grief. As it is, I expect to hear her whine "What is food?" at some point.
Of course everyone is in full-on drama llama mode, so when Zoey says she won't ever feel better, Erin bursts out crying and declares that if Zoey never feels better, she will never feel better. By this point, I don't think I'll ever feel better either and we're not even one page into this chapter. Shaunee plays the old "the deceased would be unhappy if you never got over it" card, and they all fondly reminiscence about Stevie Rae's over-the-top accent. So nice to know that Stevie Rae had so little characterization that there's nothing to remember her by but her stereotypes.
Zoey starts to eat, but pauses to wangst over how the House of Night won't be holding a funeral for Stevie Rae. Erm, we already established this, hun. You know they don't hold funerals, seeing as they ignored the deaths of Elizabeth and Elliot in the last book. The Twins mention that there probably will be a funeral held by Stevie Rae's family, and we get some "hilarious" banter about how Stevie Rae was from such a remote hick town of a bumpkin area that no one from the House of Night will bother to stop over and visit. This causes them to remember the Fighting Hens mascot from the town and gets them to wonder if hens really do fight and ultimately leads to them making jokes about cock fighting because ha ha, they said "cocks", isn't that funny?
Someone kill me. Please.
Zoey finishes her soup and goes off for bed. The Twins remind her to drink Neferet's liquid, but Zoey, in a burst of genre savy-ness, is mindful of Aphrodite's warning and pours it down the bathroom sink. Just as she gets to her room, her phone rings. Surprise, surprise, it's Grandma Redbird! Grandma has had a completely unexplained Deus Ex Machina feeling that Zoey's soul is tortured (no, they don't word it exactly like that, but they pretty much go on like it is) and whatever could the matter be? Zoey tells her grandmother about the death of Stevie Rae, and Grandma Redbird is appropriately sad and gives comfort. She goes on about Stevie Rae being reunited with Nyx, and I have to wonder what is up with the mentality of the people in this world that they just drop their previous beliefs on the spot to worship the same deity. Doesn't anyone hear about Nyx but say "That's nice, but I still am a devoted [insert religion here]" or "I get what you believe, but I still believe blah, blah, blah". It's unbelievable and it's pretty unfortunate implication-y in regards to the People of Faith, considering that they're the only ones who know about Nyx and decide to hold on to their previous faith instead of jumping on another ship.
Anyway, Zoey tells her grandmother about how she's expected to treat Stevie Rae's death as a speed bump and how she can't bring herself to do that and will instead see to it that her friend's death is properly honored. That's all well and good, and as I've said several times, it's a great flaw in the vampire world, except for a few things.
First of all, the entire thing just comes across as rather casual, considering what they're discussing. I know there are ways people talk about the death of a loved one, but referring to someone refusing to acknowledge the deaths of children as anything more than temporary setbacks is more than "shortsighted" (which is how Grandma Redbird describes it).
Second of all, Zoey has known about this since the first book. She learned about this when Elizabeth died. She saw it all when Elliot died. And she only suddenly decides it's Sick and Wrong when it's her own friend who has died? I'm serious, her thought process is basically "Oh, well, that sucks. OH MY GOD, HOW DARE THEY IGNORE STEVIE RAE'S DEATH???" Protagonist-centered morality, anyone?
*sighs* Grandma Redbird warns Zoey not to do anything that might get her in trouble. Zoey replies, and I'm dead serious, "Grandma, I am the most powerful fledgling in the history of vampyres. I think I should be willing to get in a little trouble for something I feel strongly about".
There you have it. Zoey just outright said "I'm the best, most important fledgling in the history of vampires and I can do what I want". Yes, I realize it's supposed to be her saying she should use her power for a good cause, but keep in mind that she also considered this as a reason why she should be allowed to shack up with her teacher.
Grandma Redbird sends Zoey love and says she'll pray for their grandmother's spirits to watch over her (because she's a Majik Cherokee, remember?) and they hang up. Zoey starts getting ready to wangst some more when Heath texts that he got his own Deus Ex Machina feeling, and is everything alright? Christ, what is up with everyone magically knowing that something happened to Zoey so they can run and hold her hand? Zoey texts back that her friend died and, in a rare poignant moment, Heath texts back how his own friends have been dying.
Yes. Thank you. Remember that, Zoey? Remember that stuff is going on with the lowly humans? I guess if your hot human boyfriend isn't bringing it up, you don't remember it. After all, they smoke pot and deserve to die for it.
Zoey sins thine ass off about forgetting that Heath's friends have been getting violently murdered and texts that she's sorry. He offers to come visit her, and she instantly starts going on about how much she'd love to find comfort in his manly arms. While her boyfriend just came home and has been very worried about her. Just thought I'd remind you that Erik does, in fact, exist. Zoey seems to have forgotten about him.
Finally, Zoey pulls herself out of her flight of fantasy and texts that no, she's good. Plus he has school. He replies that it's a snow day, and there's a brief moment where Zoey remembers snow days at her old school and how much she misses them. That would be great, if it wasn't pulled out of thin air for this one moment. Cast ladies, you can't do that. If you have Zoey do nothing but go on about how her human life sucked and how she doesn't miss anything about it, having her randomly say "Oh yeah, there was that one thing that I never mentioned before and will never mention again that I miss" has no emotional connections to us.
Heath texts back that he'll comfort her on Friday, and Zoey goes on about how much she'd love to be with him on Friday. I really cannot wait for Erik to break up with her in the next book. Zoey sins her ass off some more, this time in regards to her imprinting on him. She acknowledges that she ought to go to Neferet, confess that she drank some more of Heath's blood, and see what can be done to fix it. She then remembers what Aphrodite said about Neferet being a liar and uses that as an excuse to do nothing. That's right, she doesn't figure to try talking to another teacher or something, she just decides to ignore the problem. Oh, and she texts Heath and tells him that sure, she'll see him on Friday.
*head desk*
"What the hell. It felt as if my life was unraveling like the hem of an old skirt. I didn't want to tell Heath no, and worrying about our Imprint was just one thing too many to worry about right now"
ZeldaQueen: Yes, you just sin that ass off, Zoey!
Zoey snuggles down to go to sleep, when Shaunee and Erin enter the room and ask if they can sleep with her as well because they don't want to be alone. Whatever, can we please just end the chapter already?
No, because now Damien is coming in with a sleeping bag and pillow. Erin and Shaunee make a stupid joke about him "getting ready to defile us virgins". Erm, is the usual terminology "deflower"? Anyway, Damien launches into a sappy speech about how they must all stick together. He finishes by assuring them that no *ahem* defiling will be taking place and congratulating them on using such a big word like "virgin". Oh, for Christ's sake, if virgin's a big word what's the smaller word equivalent? "Unsexed"? There's also a jab at the fact that Erin and Shaunee are probably not virgins, which they are not bothered by and which I honestly do not care at all about. Zoey does though, because she makes a mental note to ask them questions later. Okay then...
Damien tells them that it's a snow day tomorrow, so they won't have to worry about sneaking him out as everyone will be sleeping in. He asks if Zoey and Stevie Rae had ever listened to the radio in the morning, and Zoey replies that they always listened to country music, which served as a motivator because she wanted to escape it. Ha ha, it's funny because Stevie Rae is a hick and only hicks like country music!
Everyone goes back to being sappy and promising each other that if they die, they won't forget one another. Thank the lord, they all finally go to sleep and the chapter ends. GAH, this is boring!!!
Onward to: Chapter 25
Back to: Chapter 23
Back to: Table of Contents
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-03 02:24 am (UTC)There is a time and play, and a way, to relieve tension in a scene. There are some character-types who would try to smile and make a joke in light if the situation, to try and make everyone happy, to try and deal with their own pain, or because they're too sad to want to deal with anything right now and they need to laugh so they'll forget what's happening, damnit!
This...is entirely wrong in all of those ways and the Casts should feel ashamed. Now, as a way to show that no one but Stevie Rae's friends and family will care that she's dead, it's alright but the subject and dialogue are stupid as hell. Buuuut considering that apparently the whole school is sad and giving everyone space to mourn, it fails in that department too.
Doesn't anyone hear about Nyx but say "That's nice, but I still am a devoted [insert religion here]" or "I get what you believe, but I still believe blah, blah, blah". It's unbelievable and it's pretty unfortunate implication-y in regards to the People of Faith, considering that they're the only ones who know about Nyx and decide to hold on to their previous faith instead of jumping on another ship.
I would LOVE to see an -insert religion here- fledgling who continued to worship and pray in the safety of her room...oh, the drama there would be!
*sigh* But now. Apparently ALL OTHER RELIGIONS IS TEH EBILS.
There's also a jab at the fact that Erin and Shaunee are probably not virgins, which they are not bothered by and which I honestly do not care at all about. Zoey does though, because she makes a mental note to ask them questions later.
What, is ALL premarital sex off-limits now? Dang, Zoey just loves to burn people who aren't up to her standards; Heath and his friends smoke pot and drink, so they deserve to die, Aphie was beejaying her boyfriend and now she's a slut, and now two of Zoey's friends may not be virgins, so she's going to "ask them about it" later. When I read that, I get the image of her driving them out to a secluded area, forcing them into white robes, then dunking them in the water repeatedly while yelling "REPENT" or ~symbolically giving back their virginity.~
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Date: 2011-08-03 02:36 am (UTC)Also, the joking about Stevie Rae's death is AWFUL. Now, I come from a long line of jokers to relieve tension and sadness, but we most definitely would never make cock jokes at such a time. That came out weird, but seriously, the 'twins' jokes seem off the mark.
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Date: 2011-08-03 03:31 am (UTC)It’s nice to know Zoey’s friends live their lives vicariously through Zoey’s. It’s not like they should think or feel anything for themselves!
~~~
So nice to know that Stevie Rae had so little characterization that there's nothing to remember her by but her stereotypes.
IF any of these people dropped dead would their be anything to remember but their sterotypes? Have any of them contributed anything to the plot (for lack of a better word) ?
~~~
You know they don't hold funerals, seeing as they ignored the deaths of Elizabeth and Elliot in the last book.
BUT ZELDAQUEEN THEY WHERE ICKY AND TOTALLY NOT ZOEY’S BEST BFF SUE BUDDY SO THEY DIDN’T DESERVE IT LIKE - um - uh - that girl we’re mourning right now…
~~~
Doesn't anyone hear about Nyx but say "That's nice, but I still am a devoted [insert religion here]" or "I get what you believe, but I still believe blah, blah, blah".
But ZeldaQueen, NYX is REAL and everyone knows that only idiots would agree with the mary sue!
I mean… oh skip the sarcasm - that is was I mean!
~~~
Christ, what is up with everyone magically knowing that something happened to Zoey so they can run and hold her hand?
Nyx is an awfully devoted goddess - devoted to the sue at least! I’m surprised she hasn’t just declared Zoey the new goddess - I mean it’s not like Zoey is expected to be (or capable of being) humble!
~~~
Just thought I'd remind you that Erik does, in fact, exist. Zoey seems to have forgotten about him.
Come on Erik - there is still time to leave her before you are derailed! She’s cheatin’ on you man (of course she IS justified because - um - she’s female and when girls/women cheat it’s a-okay because it’s the guys fault - or she forgot the other guy existed - which is of course somehow his fault… Unless that girl/woman is someone Zoey doesn’t like…in which case she‘s a whore)
~~~
I really cannot wait for Erik to break up with her in the next book.
You forget it’s because he’s a jerk and not because she’s a cheating bitch you should be pushed off a cliff for emotionally manipulating men and acting like some innocent woobie when she is in fact one of the most shallow selfish bitches every to unintentional grace a book with her presence.
~~~
"What the hell. It felt as if my life was unraveling like the hem of an old skirt. I didn't want to tell Heath no, and worrying about our Imprint was just one thing too many to worry about right now"
Do you EVER worry - ABOUT ANYTHING!?
~~~
There's also a jab at the fact that Erin and Shaunee are probably not virgins, which they are not bothered by and which I honestly do not care at all about. Zoey does though, because she makes a mental note to ask them questions later.
Because it’s her business as GRAND-SUE!
You know the whole conservative about sex thing could have been good characterization about Zoey and the way she was raised, but instead it comes off as preachy, obnoxious, and frankly hypocrite giving her stringing guys along, being ashamed that her boyfriend (whom she treat terribly) may have been raped by Aphrodite, doesn’t mind having an immoral affair with her teacher, gets off on drinking her human boyfriend’s blood, and comes off as a creepy sociopath.
It’s like someone who works as the most popular whore in a brothel telling the village “good time girl” she a bad person because she just wants to have fun and isn’t charging money! Zoey is by far one of the my hypocritical people I have ever seen in a book who is unintentionally that way!
I do wonder if her and Bella are related because one can draw a lot of comparisons between them…
~~~
On a side note - Poor Erik...
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Date: 2011-08-03 08:30 am (UTC)Magnificent, Marvelous Mad Madame MimCherokee Grandma, but that doesn't mean she automatically has some kind of soul bond or whatever with Zoey.If Zoey acted like a real person and actually dealt with things that pop up as soon as they happen, like with the red-eyed ghosts for example (what did happen to them, anyway?), this series would be... oh, two books at the most. That won't make the Casts nearly as much money as they can if the series is longer than LongCat. And we can't have THAT!
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Date: 2011-08-03 02:16 pm (UTC)Well... I know for a fact that grief and stress combined make people do the weirdest shit. I experienced it first-hand a couple of years ago when I tried to administer some morphine to my cat who was dying of renal failure. Of course, the cat had no idea what was happening, she was confused and in pain, so she was thrashing around and making strange noises. I sat with her on the floor at one o'clock in the morning, trying to hold her still long enough to make an injection, and at some point I broke down and just started to laugh hysterically because the flailing cat suddenly looked so funny.
So, yeah. If this book ever showed signs of having a psychological layer deeper than a puddle of rat pee, I'd have given the Casts the benefit of the doubt. Okay, these characters are under a ton of stress - their friend just dropped dead, each of them can drop dead at any given moment, they need to vent somehow, even if it's not done in the most respectful manner possible. But this remark just does not seem like a nervous break-down or a knee-jerk, because in just a moment they'll be making jokes on how their gay friend came to them to have an orgy on the very night their friend died. It was not a lapse - it was an example of their normal behaviour, as these people are incapable of going five seconds without making some kind of sex reference, the cruder the better. In other words, it's business as usual with the small exception of Stevie Rae being, y'know, corpsified. At least we'll be spared the constant mentions of her bowel movements, if only for a little while.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-03 09:45 pm (UTC)R We there yet?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-23 12:41 pm (UTC)Characterisation is so bland, everyone has to live through the Sue. No, no one can ever have their own feelings on the situation!
God, is that what YA Lit has been reduced to now, cock jokes and giggling about them? :P
You know, the grief everyone is supposed to be under in this chapter is either a.) totally melodramatic, b.) totally schmaltzy, or c.) totally inappropriate. Seriously, isn't there meant to be the 6 Stages of Grief or something? I could get it if Zoey was trying to throw herself into school and the Dark Daughters and her friends were worried about her because she wasn't confronting her emotions and grief and not giving herself time to come to terms with it all and on the edge of burning out, but, of course, everything has to be dealt with in that giggling and immature way everything gets dealt with here.
Oh, and I like how Zoey is all like 'Ah, fuck it!' and just decides to see Heath behind Erik's back. Because, naturally, real world consequences don't apply to the Sue.
Seriously, when is Erik coming back?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-22 05:17 pm (UTC)I was begging Zoey "please no don't drink it don't drink it!" as to how dumb this character is I actually expected her to...
"Doesn't anyone hear about Nyx but say "That's nice, but I still am a devoted [insert religion here]" or "I get what you believe, but I still believe blah, blah, blah"."
They obviously have the power of INSTA-CONVERT(TM) just like in Chick Tracts.
My name is Aisha Bin Sohail
Date: 2011-09-30 11:05 pm (UTC)*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
My name is Aisha Bin Sohail. I am a vampyre.
I was Marked when I was sixteen. Young. I had my whole life ahead of me, choices to make, a future to live. And then, suddenly, I didn't.
My mother cried when I began to sicken, and my parents realized what had to be done. I had to go to the House of Night, to the cult-like boarding school for vampyres. I was bundled into the car with a small bag of belongings, what my mother could grab in her haste. My older brother Shawqi was left to mind my younger sisters while my parents and I made the crosscountry journey to the House. I believe I was delirious for most of the journey, and the only things I can recall from that night are my parents' voices- my mother assuring me that everything would be fine, my father telling me that there must have been some sort of mistake and not to worry, they'd get it sorted out and I'd be able to go home again. Even then, only half conscious and sick, I didn't believe him. There was a sort of sadness in the air, like they were already mourning me.
We arrived at the House of Night, and almost immediately I was dragged from the car, away from my parents, by the awaiting vampyres. My mother cried and called out "We love you"s; my father argued and shouted that they were my parents, and how DARE the vampyres go stealing me away from them and how this couldn't be- shouldn't be- legal. Near the end of his rant, I think he began to cry as well. I wanted to run back, get in the car and go home with them- to see my siblings again; to hang out with my friends; to live my life like I was meant to. But the Mark was heavy on my forehead, and the further away I got from my parents, the worse I felt.
I was escorted to the office of a woman called Neferet. The first thing she said to me is "What name do you want?"
"My name is Aisha Bin Sohail," I replied.
She tutted, shook her head, and explained that if I so wished, I could choose another name to live by. I shook my head.
"My name is Aisha Bin Sohail," I repeated firmly.
She did not seem particularly happy about this, but filled this out on my form. She got me to fill in another few details- my age, my date of birth, etcetera etcetera- , before she dropped the bombshell on me-
"Vampyres are expected- REQUIRED- to worship the Greek goddess of night. Nyx."
No!
I was a Muslim. I had been a Muslim my entire life. Started wearing the hijab when I was eleven, and followed the rules if Islam. I did my prayers, every time. If I missed a prayer time, I was quick to make up for it. I did what I could to live a good life, to obey Allah. Most of my friends were Muslim. My family was Muslim. I was Muslim.
I told Neferet as much. She shook her head, and replied that worship of Nyx was required. I refused. She insisted. I refused.
"You must," she said, a vein pulsing in her temple. I watched this with great interest while I replied
"I will not."
Her face went a stark white. She pursed ger lips and glared down at the firms. "Very well. You may go."
I was brought to my room. I waited until the vampyres had left, and then I lay on the bed, too exhausted and sad to even cry. I missed my family. Simple things like my mother's cooking, the music Tamara would blast through the walls while I tried to study, Shaqwi helping me with my History homework. Simple things that were gone, forever, because of that Mark- that stupid, stupid Mark!
But at the same time, I felt eerily happy. I had rebelled- refused to cooperate- stuck by my beliefs. I had been strong, like I would need to be.
My name is Aisha Bin Sohail. I am a vampyre. But I will stand by my religion, and my beliefs.
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Please tell me if I grossly misrepresented a Muslim teenager. I have little experience with Islam, so I may be a little hazy on the details. Hope you enjoyed! Comments?
Re: My name is Aisha Bin Sohail
From:(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-10 03:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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