This is the first chapter of one of my many in-progress novels. It is also untitled, so if you happen to think of a good title that might work from what you've read please tell me! Because what I thinking currently is Of Fractured Souls (not unique...), Of Amurus? Anyway, enjoy! Don't forget to vote, comment, and share!! 

-Olivia Koepp 

The warning bells began a quick staccato of urgentness.

"Everyone get up and make your way out the back door and get to the cellar quietly." Zemra calmly as she stood up before her class of around twenty-five students. The Razmigs were here.

They all knew what the bell meant and stood up silently, their heads up and alert. Zemra moved to the front of the line and opened the door a crack to see the surroundings of the small schoolhouse. All that could be seen was the majestic mountains of Amurus.

"Okay, quickly everyone." Zemra stepped out of the schoolhouse and threw open the cellar doors, and as each child in their dirty tunics passed by her she counted them. When the final child passed she was one short.

"Where is Rhoslyn?" Zemra asked her pupils. "Has anyone seen Rhoslyn!"

"Theobald and Alba!" Zemra called the two eldest. "Watch the children till I get back with Rhoslyn."

"Yes, Miss Zemra." They answered and both started to get their classmates settled and calm.

Zemra closed the cellar doors and locked it, behind her. Rushing back into the schoolhouse she looked around, "Rhoslyn!" She finally found the young child huddled under a desk her dark skin marked by the trail of tears.

"Rhoslyn, get out from under there. We need to get to the cellar." Zemra could hear the screams of her village from outside. "Please, child, we need to hurry to safety."

Rhoslyn crawled out and Zemra picked her up and ran out of the schoolhouse and to the cellar. Fumbling with the lock, she opened it there was Theobald.

"Take her." Zemra handed the child to Theobald.

"Where are you going?" He asked, his face showing no fear as he took the youngest child in his arms.

"To find something to hold the cellar door."

She rushed off and into the schoolhouse yet again to find something to hold the cellar door more than the wooden latch. There, next to the furnace was a small pile of wood and coils of rope. Zemra grabbed the sturdiest log and the coils of rope. The screams and shouts of her village climaxing.

She ran to the back door and threw it open, and came face to face with a man in a chainmail tunic and a menacing sword in hand. She screamed "Get away!" Slamming the door in his face and ramming her body against the door.

Zemra propped the log under the latch, to try and keep the door closed. When the man beat the door, then ramming his body against the door. Zemra turned and ran to the other end of the schoolhouse and hid in the closet.

Just as she closed the door. There was a loud bang! As the back door burst open. Silent tears were streaming down Zemra's dark face. She prayed to their god, begging for the children and her safety.

She could hear his footsteps. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. They were getting closer and closer. She looked down and saw toes of his boots right outside of the door. She quietly shuffled back as the door was yanked open. Zemra threw her hands up, "No!" She pleaded. "Take the food, don't take me away from the children!"

He grabbed her forearm and yanked her out of the closet, shoving her out of the schoolhouse and binding her hands. She should have gone in the cellar with the children. 

It's pretty short, but my first drafts tend to be extremely short. Lol... What do you think? Would you be interested in another chapter? It's going to follow two POV's. 

-Olivia Koepp