The howling of the wolfs

Isabella

I.
1st. June, 12023
I felt my hair fluttering in the wind; it was the best feeling. The sensation of being free, though I knew I wasn't truly free – still, it replaced everything. I aimed an arrow at a small deer when I saw something I hadn't in years. Something jumped on me from behind, and for a moment, I couldn't move. Then I heard laughter and knew exactly who was behind it.
"Amiel! What was that?" I laughed.
"Well, Is, a bit of adrenaline." He replied with even more laughter than before.
"That's great, but I just saw a wolf." I playfully covered his face with my hand.
"Apologies, honorable Isabella." he teased. I retaliated with a stronger punch, but we both took it in good humor.

"I'm hungry," I said after a while, getting up. He nodded, and on our way to the village, we collected some blueberries and rescued squirrels caught in prepared traps. We climbed a fence together.
"We'll sell them at the fair again, right?" I asked, already sure of his answer.
"Yeah, after breakfast, we'll go there." he replied exactly as I expected. We reached my house, opened the door, and Amiel helped me unload everything on the table.
"An hour and we'll meet at the fair?" he asked. I nodded.

"Echo, where are you? Come, I brought food." After a short wait, he rushed in.
"Sure, sorry, Is." he apologized.
I served him cream with berries, the same for me, and our father – who didn't show up as always

"Is, I'm still hungry." Echo mumbled after finishing. I took the remaining from my bowl and gave it to him.
"There you go... soon, I'll go to the fair, sell some squirrels I caught today. We'll get something better with the money." I smiled. He nodded. I heard footsteps, my father's unmistakable drunk steps. He appeared in the doorway.
"Good morning," he greeted, then continued, "Isabella, where did you get this?" I sensed anger in his voice and just nodded. "How many times have I told you not to go out before six? You know very well we all have a curfew from eight in the evening until six in the morning. And you know the consequences of breaking that curfew." He almost shouted, something I hated, especially when he drank the night before. I generally hated how he raised us – we turned out fine of course, but no thanks to him. He barely earned anything – like most citizens. But what he earned, he spent on the cheapest alcohol he could find, every evening pouring it all into himself. If it were just about him, I wouldn't care, but he has two children. I wouldn't worry about myself, but Echo... that's why I always hated my father.
"You know, if I didn't go out..." I paused for a moment, "we wouldn't have had anything to eat this morning and for a few more days. Again. Maybe you're used to it, but I am not going to live like this, and i'm especially not goinf to let Echo." He opened his mouth, then closed it again. He finished his food and went to his room. I turned to my little brother and saw his saddened expression. Physically, he was quite strong, but mentally... there was work to be done. But to be honest, I never blamed him for it; it was normal.
I waited for Echo to finish, then headed to the fair with squirrels hidden under my coat. I didn't want any Peacdoers to find me with them at any cost.

When I arrived, Amiel was already in front of the fair, and we entered the building together.
"You know what's interesting, Isa? Peacedoers know about this fair, but they let us have it anyway." He marveled.
"Well, it's obvious," I said, perhaps a bit mockingly, "this fair doesn't bother them, and it just satisfies us, so it's much more advantageous for them."
He nodded. There was a short pause. "But I think that at the first hint of any rule violation affecting them, they'll burn this building to the ground without any thought of whether someone is inside." I said, horrified, but I spoke the truth. "They would burn it just to show us their dominance." confidently stated Amiel. We both laughed. "See, you're starting to understand." I teased him a bit.

We reached the meat stand, and I exchanged three squirrels for a large piece of deer. It was one of the best purchases in the last few years. We thanked them, and Amiel went to check the bread stand while I went to the wool stand. We needed a warmer blanket for a long time. I chose one of the cheapest, handed a few silvers to the old woman. I was just turning to leave when she grabbed my coat and pulled me back to her. She gave me a necklace with a wolf. I showed a questioning expression on my face and tilted my head to the left.
"Isabella, right?" The old woman asked. I could only nod. "This is for you; you will need it. You don't know what awaits you yet, but this will help you. You must always have it with you. Is that clear?" The old woman insisted, and I nodded again. "You have a piece of a wolf in you, Isabella... I can feel it. Now go." I didn't understand anything, but I was too confused to inquire further, and the old woman didn't want to reveal anything else.
So I went. Amiel accompanied me home, and I didn't pay much attention to what he was saying on the way, something about feeling like someone from our village would be chosen for the games. But I don't know much.

II.

The wind was once again running through my hair as we ran through the forest. However, it wasn't the same as yesterday. Today, it wasn't as pleasant; rather, it felt petulant. The sky also lacked the clear beauty of yesterday; it was getting darker. It was darkening, and we all knew a storm was approaching. Storms were never pleasant. Our houses always shook, and something always collapsed.
"Something unpleasant is approaching," Amiel caught my attention. "I said it yesterday. They'll select one of us for the Games." I turned to him with an unbelieving expression. At first, I thought it was just superstition, but no. For once, he was right. We heard a massive vehicle approaching. We looked at each other and without hesitation, started running. My heart pounded the entire way. I didn't want them to take anyone from here.
We stored our bows and arrows, climbed over the fence, and reached the square. Most people were already there, and it was clear something was preparing. A trio of Eslark representatives came out from the massive vehicle – one woman and two men, dressed in colors we had never seen.
"Good day," echoed after a few minutes. I gazed at a small podium where the woman stood with a microphone. "Today, participants for the 'Games' are being selected, as you surely know, and one person has been chosen from here," she declared. Mockeries and criticisms echoed from the crowd, but the woman continued. "Don't worry; I'm not entirely thrilled with the outcome either, but what can be done," she looked down on us, like all the 'rich' and 'chosen families.' I could never say that about the 'middle class,' but everyone thought so too.
"For these games a girl was chosen – that girl is Isabella Stahlart." the woman said with a smile. I froze; at first, I didn't want to believe it and tried to convince myself it was just a dream. Before I could do anything, two Peacedoers came to me and cruelly dragged me into the vehicle.

A few minutes in that massive car, and shivers ran down my spine. What they did was disgusting. We in the districts starved while they literally swam in gold and money – Only what they had in this car had more value than our entire village.
The doors suddenly opened heavily, and Echo entered. The moment he saw me, he jumped to my arms and cried so much that I was instantly soaked. Following him, my father entered. His eyes were more red than usual. He didn't say anything and just sat beside me. Finally, they forced Amiel into the car, who settled with teary eyes.

"You have 3 minutes for a call," the voice of the other man suddenly came from behind the door.

"Isabella, I'm scared," my brother cried and hugged me. "I won't manage without you."
"Of course, you will. You're strong. You can sell milk and cheese from your cow, and if you want, Amiel will surely teach you how to hunt," I looked at Amiel, who nodded.
"Maybe you'll win, Isa. You're strong, and you'll make a great impression on the president," Echo sobbed. I smiled at him.
"Maybe, you just have to believe in me."
Amiel reached for Echo, took him from my hands, and hugged him tightly.

"Father, I won't be here now, so there won't be anyone to bring you food. You have to improve. Do it for Echo. Don't cry!" I ordered my father. "You have to be strong, not like when they killed mother; now, you're the only one left for him." He just looked at me and said nothing.
After a moment of silence, he turned back and took Echo into his arms so that I could talk to Amiel.
"Is, you can handle it, I know. You're strong," he tried to support me. "And don't worry; I'll help. Count on that. We'll wait for you together." I smiled at him and then collapsed. "I can't, Amiel. I don't have it in me. Everyone will still be from the chosen families." I cried in tears. He looked at me and hugged me properly. "Of course, you have it in you. Show everyone how strong a girl from the districts is. Prove that you're more than a wretch from the districts." He whispered in my ear. "Then come back here, and we'll be better." We held each other for a while as victims, and then the doors flew open, and three Peacekeepers rushed in, dragging all of them away. I cried and collapsed to the ground.