PROLOGUE

Prologue

As the snows melt away, green grasses slowly appear. A new year was born, birds flew on the sky, squirrels abandoned their homes in search of food. Everything is lively again, colors came back as the cold breeze gone by.

“Good morning!” 

A man from outside my window, just a meter away greeted as I opened my windows to let the wind of the spring enter my old fashioned bungalow house. “There’s no such thing when we’re having that as a breakfast!” I said and pointed on the body of an old oak tree in the side of the road.

It’s only a meter in my house that’s why I can see the writing on it, big and clear. “Date a Liar is it?” he asked as he walk past his flower bed that has been swimming with cold water from the well recently unfroze. He touché the rough textured tree as he read the announcement posted on the tree.

“It’s that time again.” He uttered and flattened straight the parchment. I sighed and laugh it off. I tap the window top and inhaled the fresh wind. “Well, good day to you, sir!” I said and finally turned my attention to my old chimney, still burning up woods.

I picked up my cooking knitted gloves from my wood table and comfortably wore them on my arms. I admired its flower touch before finally turning to my oven from the twenty first century. I slowly opened it and pulled the metal rack in order to check my bread if it’s done.

“Delightful!” 

I cheerfully said as I stood up carrying my fresh baked wheat bread. Using my left toe I closed the oven, placed the bread on my table before turning again into my oven to turn it off. I’ve been addicted into collecting vintage appliances for a year now!

After the bread slightly cooled, I pulled the parchment out of the mold and thrown the whole bread on a chopping board. Held my stainless steel bread knife and cut the bread into perfectly thick sized breads and after that thrown the sliced bread on a hand crafted basket.

I left it sitting on the table to turn back to my chimney and pushed the woods further inside of it before it fell on my beautiful chiffon carpet. 

“That will do.” 

I wiped the bit of sweat on my forehead before again returning to my cozy kitchen to finish off my breakfast.

I prepared a non-stick pan after pulling up two fresh eggs from my refrigerator. I then placed the pan on top of my gas stove and fired it up until into a medium fire before pouring a drizzle of oil on it. I cracked the two eggs and wait for a solid minute before seasoning the sunny side up with pepper and salt.

After a more minutes, I am now ready to transfer my sunny side ups into a plate that I will soon wash after eating.

Before finally seating to enjoy my meal, I went back to my fridge and grabbed myself an avocado, washed it the sliced it in half. I went on its core and it bit my knife, turned it to left and pulling it out. Now I am left with two beautifully sliced avocados free from skin.

Sliced it into four small pieces and placed it on a smaller plate. I now finally sat in front of my table, two legs up on a smaller stall under my table. I grabbed a slice of bread, placed the first sunny side up and placed three slices of avocados.

“I’m coming!” I screamed through my lungs out of frustration because I haven’t even got to bite my breakfast when someone decided to knock so loudly on my door!

“What is it?” I asked before even fully opening the door. When I had, I was surprised and my frustrated mood changed into a light one.

“Jose!” I blinked and smiled, fixed my hair and stared trough his soul. “Did I disturb you?” he asked, smirking like he just got bit on his left eye by an insect. “No!” I lied then laughed as if I was suddenly turned into a goat.

He also smiled awkwardly and then gave me his freshly picked flowers that I don’t know where he got it. 

“There’re a lot of people!” I said after he kissed me on my chicks as if I didn’t like it. He looked around and no one was looking at us, he shrugged his shoulders and flicked my nose.

“If I have to shout your name, I would! Soon to be Mrs. Artemis Barlue Winslet!”

I shushed him and we both laugh as we enter my house. We sat together on my table, talking about the new life this spring brought us. We’re laughing and silently flirting with each other when suddenly a paper slipped to the space below my front door.

Both of us looked fazed as we walked to my living room passed my couches and into the door. Jose picked the paper and opened it for me.

“What it says?”

My brows lifted out of curiosity as my boyfriend slowly unfold the paper that was finished with a touch of gold on its sides.

“Weird, it has nothing except your name and your address.” He said as he flipped the paper in search of other words except to what he mentioned.

I leaned closer to him and held the paper using my left hand. “Don’t joke around, it has a lot of words!” I exclaimed and laughed a bit. Then a bit of realization that made me stop from smiling, we both looked at each other and saw the terror on his eyes.

I gulped as he hand me the paper, I grabbed it from his hands without breaking our eye contact. I blinked three times, that’s what I remember, before looking down to the paper that I’m holding and unfold it again.

“Come on, read it!” he fanned his hands to rush me, I know he’s also desperate to know what’s written on it.

I gulped once again as my hand trembles.

“Dear Artemis Barlue,

 The Mayans, as you know as the leaders of our country Maharlika, are very delighted to see you participate on our yearly game!

 You were randomly picked from the mother box so we’re expecting that you’re unmarried.

          Lovingly yours,                      

           Mayans.”

I looked at Jose, he’s displaying a rather calm look compared to what I have expected. I dropped the paper as my heart beat rose. I shook my head aggressively that I almost drop my butt on the floor out of dizziness. 

“What should I do?” I asked him.

I am unmarried but I have a boyfriend. We’re already planning our marriage and now this?!