Page 79 - NS 2024

wondered how all of these different flowers could constantly be in bloom together.
It must be the Almighty, she thought. There could be no other explanation. The Almighty kept the island permanently beautiful for the young girls who made their Journeys there. Lyssa was careful not to trample any of the flowers that fell into the path. She thought doing so must surely be sacrilegious.
When they reached the house, Lyssa realized that it was made of some sort of white stone. Marble maybe. The girl who had been the first to walk away from the docks was the one
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who now pushed open the large wooden doors of the house. They were carved with images from their religious text, mostly depicting scenes of womanly sin, punishment, and the pains of childbirth. The girls stared at the images, even though they had all seen them before. Somehow, the scenes carved into the wood felt more real now, as they were about to take their Journey into womanhood. Lyssa shivered, despite the warm air.
Immediately upon entering the threshold, the girls spread out and dropped to their knees. They bowed their heads and each began a silent prayer to the Almighty, as was custom of entering a new living space. After their prayer, the girls started to mill about the house, exploring their new home for the coming week. The room immediately upon entering the house was, conveniently, a vast prayer room. Through a gaping doorway, Lyssa could see the sleeping quarters, a large room filled with perfectly made beds.
As the girls began to disperse, Lyssa fell into a group with the older girl and two others that seemed to be around her age – one very shy and the other bubbly and friendly. They entered what appeared to be a dining room and the older girl turned towards Lyssa and the others, sizing