The Final Dawn: A Debut Novella of Revenge, Betrayal and Treacherous Love

By Alice Catherine Carter

In Joseph Stalin’s early 1930’s Russia, an entire class of people were at risk of exploitation. Valeyria and Alexei Yolkin were members of one such family.
….
It was a freezing day when the first Yolkin sibling turned on another. With the young children listening in fear below in the darkness, they heard their uncle Eduard giving orders to kill their mother and father. The only girl, Valeyria aged just seven, had a sudden desire for revenge, it consumed her. She hated her uncle Eduard and she wanted him to die – by her hands, if she could.

But would her thirst for revenge, lead her to her final dawn and cloud her judgement? Will she take it too far and turn on those she is supposed to love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499723021

Book preview

The Final Dawn

Alice Catherine Carter.

Contents

Contents

Author’s Note.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Future Works

Author’s Note.

I am 19 years old and this is my debut novella. I am currently studying Film & TV production at York St. John University and I have just finished my first year.

I have been working on this book for eleven months now and I am finally ready to share the story.

I am currently working on the screenplay for this story. As well as being a novelist I hope to be a film director, screenwriter and photographer.

I would also personally like to thank, my mum, dad, granny and good friends Lucy Moore and Holly Hayward for being the editors of this novel. Without their suggestions for improvements, the novel would not be where it is today.

Copyright ©.2014. By Alice Catherine Carter.

Alice Catherine Carter has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission.

To my family,

For always being there and supporting me in my ambitions.

If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?

CHAPTER ONE

Yakrina, Russian Far East, 1932.

Kill them a voice ordered from above.

Eduard, please don’t. You are my brother, whatever you say. You are my family! Matvei Yolkin pleaded.

I am not your brother. I never have been and I never will be. You people make me sick! Eduard replied shouting in anger.

After the orders of death were given in the final hours of the sun’s rays, a hundred bullets sounded from their guns. Below in the darkness, three frightened and cold siblings had just lost their parents. The children were Valeryia, Alexei and Makar Yolkin. Alexei was the oldest child at nine years old; Valeryia was seven and Makar had just turned three.

The noise of death froze the siblings below. They knew what had happened. At least Valeryia and her brother Alexei did. The young girl knew that Makar would want to cry out because of the loud noise and knowing he was to her left hand side, she put her hand over his mouth. It was imperative that they keep quiet; no one could know they were there.

Despite the fact they had just heard their parents’ murder, something else made everything worse. They recognised the voice above that gave the orders of death. It was their uncle Eduard; Valeryia and Alexei were certain. From their memories, their uncle and their late father Matvei Yolkin, had not only been brothers, but also friends. They could not understand why he would want them dead.

Of course, one might understand their confusion given their tender ages, but Valeryia was not an average child of seven. She was incredibly bright and well beyond the normal intelligence of a seven year old. Not only was she incredibly smart but the child had a phenomenal memory.

She remembered everything.

As well as the overwhelming sadness at the death of her parents, the young girl was overcome with anger directed towards her uncle Eduard. Her uncle was supposed to be family and was meant to protect his brother - her father. A silent tear left Valeriya’s tear duct. Her parents were dead and she believed there was every chance they could also die. She did not want to die. Her feeling of hate was only suppressed slightly because of the young girl’s new-born sense of betrayal.

No footsteps above seemed to be moving and the only sound was the voice of her malicious uncle and a stranger. 

Where are they? They were meant to be here; that’s what you told me the stranger asked, talking about the children as Valeryia listened in on the conversation from below. 

I thought they would be here - search the house Eduard ordered and Valeryia assumed he was talking to soldiers.

They must have hidden them, I told you these people, I mean… your people are cunning and not to be trusted the stranger said.

They are not my people and I am not cunning. I am on your side Eduard replied.

Is this a game of sides? I thought there was only one, his side the man questioned.

I didn’t mean it like that, of course he has won and we wouldn’t be here if he had not. What I meant was any game of politics is like a chess board, you never know when your opponent will make his move Eduard replied, supporting his argument.

Then I suppose it’s a good job he doesn’t have any enemies of value, or any with the hope of defeating him in as you say, a game of chess. You think politics is a game of chess because you cannot anticipate your opponents move, well you’re wrong about that. The thing about chess is you can always see your opponents’ move, by the way you move your piece. Politics and chess alike, are a bit of a dance - before your opponent or partner move, you lead the way and they follow, trying to overtake but always ending up in the trap of defeat and failure the stranger said, completely loyal to a man that Valeryia did not know and did not understand whom they were talking about.

Footsteps of men, probably the soldiers the girl assumed, continued to move around and search for the children above - but they were not successful in their hunt. After what seemed to