I managed to drink some thin oatmeal. I had spent three days kneeling in that cold, abandoned house, followed by two days of unconsciousness—meaning I had only five days left.
The law states that if a woman is caught in an act of impurity—like having her face seen by a man—she must be dealt with within ten days.
Today, my father and Ronald still hadn’t returned.
In the dead of night, I dragged my heavy body out of the house through a doghole and made my way straight to Awakening Manor.
Awakening Manor was founded fifteen years ago by a woman who stood for equality and against the rigid social hierarchy. Her ideas sparked a wave of support among women.
But her radical beliefs caught the attention of the authorities, and they found an excuse to have her killed.
However, her death didn’t stop her ideas from spreading.
The remaining members quietly moved Awakening Manor to a new location and continued to secretly recruit like-minded women.
Viola and I were among them.
In the darkness, I hurried as fast as I could and soon arrived at a door.
“Emily, you’re finally here. We were so worried about you.”
I smiled weakly.
My friend Janet, who was also part of the organization, grinned at me. “Emily, you’re going to be saved. You won’t die, I promise.”
I looked at her, confused when two people emerged from behind her—it was Viola and her mother.
Viola ran to me, tears streaming down her face. Only then did I realize Viola’s mother had known all along about her involvement with Awakening Manor but had turned a blind eye. Now that everything had gone wrong, she didn’t hesitate to join us to protect her daughter.
“Thank you, but Viola did this because of me,” I said to Viola’s mother.
“You’re Viola’s best friend. I’ve watched you grow up. I’ve been fed up with those unfair, ridiculous rules for a long time!” Viola’s mother said.
I broke into a tearful smile, the warmth of their hands grounding me.
On the sixth day, my father and Ronald still hadn’t returned from the palace, and everyone at home was on pins and needles.
Some people were even bold enough to toss notes over the courtyard wall, urging me to write a confession to protect my family.
My mother came in with a plate of cookies, her eyes red and puffy. “Emily, try these. I made them just for you.”