Human Harvest

Chapter 4

Her heart pumped hard in her chest, harvests made everyone nervous, more so for those being harvested... Staring at the people around her, wonder flashed through her mind. Which of these would the Reaper take? Usually someone who was going to be harvested kept it quiet, only telling those closest too them. Suddenly the thick bell sounded, indicating that the Reaping was about to commence. Feeling her heart pump faster and faster, and her breaths come quicker, she barely noticed Grey taking her hand, and tenderly rubbing it with his thumb. His hands were hard, rough and grounding. Much like the darkness of mines she sought in times like this. Closing her eyes and imagining the sanctity of her mine, her breathing cooled...
Opening them, she saw the familiar sight she saw every year. Dark cloaked figures weave in and out, eyes settling on each ones faces, finding those that had to be winnowed out from the rest.

Few people had the skills to see those that had failed the test, few people wanted the skill. But those that had it were highly paid, enough to warrant their travel from place to place to harvest people.
For a moment her heart stopped, noticing a heavy set Reapers eyes settle on her face. Her breath caught in her throat and wouldn't budge... Her sight became fuzzy at the edges, Grey noticed, yanking her arm pulling her towards him slightly. But it was enough to reliever her. The Reaper was looking passed her... Not that it made the bakers youngest son any happier.

His tears almost drowned her heart. Marlin was her age. Only been eligible for the harvest for two years, a good man, a really good man. Hardworking, smart, and talented, so she thought. But maybe the world had enough bakers, or maybe... She looked towards his younger sister, this would be her first year available to harvest. Her heart pounded. Marlin was talented enough, smart enough, but if he hadn't got enough wealth, or his talent hadn't made him enough money. Then well... He would be harvested. Knowing he sacrificed himself to save his sister, her heart pounded a little heavier for him... And she could even feel her own hot, stinging years coming to her face. Burying her face into Greys chest, and pulling her eyes tightly shut. She couldn't wait for it all to be over.

Peeking from her hiding spot, she saw them load them into the 'combine' and begin to hall them away.
No one exactly knew what they did to the harvested. She only knew what the powers told them... And the powers told them that the harvested were killed, so the magic energy that they held could be put back into the ground and used to create more powerful being among them all... She hoped for the sake of Marlin it wasn't true... It couldn't be true.