Another Selected (Book 1 of Selection fanfics)

Chapter 2

"We're broke."

The words echoed over and over in my mind, pounding against my head. We all stared at my parents in silence, our jaws wide open. Annika was the first to break the silence.

"What do you mean, we're broke?" She asked hesitantly.

Dad sighed. "I mean, we have no money. Nothing. Nada. The bank account is completely dry."

"How is that even possible?" Kaleb asked astounded, unable to wrap his mind around it.

Mom rubbed her forehead. "The weather destroyed most of the crop this year. The drought, the cold front, all of it. And most of our buyers started buying their meats and vegetables at that fancy new grocery store. Plus, the barns needed more repair than usual this year. It just all added up."

Aidan shook his head. "That can't be right. There's no possible way that we don't have any money."

Dad shook his head. "Unfortunately, it's completely possible. We have a little bit of money saved here, but other than that, well...there's nothing." He said wearily.

"Well what're we going to do?" Amber spoke up. "We can't just sit and wait until we have nothing left!"

Dad took mom's hand in his own and held onto it tightly. That in itself was a bad sign. My dad was as strong and as tough as a bull, and he never seemed to lean on anyone for support. Mom was strong too, of course, but dad had always been there for her for support. Now it seemed that dad was the one needing support.

Dad had grown up on this farm, and it was the only home he knew. Since the castes were still in effect when he was younger, he was stuck on the farm with no way out. It wasn't a problem for him though-he loved it here. He loved being outside all day, and spending time with the animals. Plus, he'd met mom here, and proposed to her here as well.

As soon as my grandfather retired from the farm, he gave it to dad, and my parents had been here ever since. Kaleb and Aidan were born shortly after, Annika came a couple years later, and another two years later I came along. Three years after me, Amber was born and, thank goodness, our family stopped growing. We were all born on the farm, and I knew dad had wanted to keep tradition and hand the farm down to Kaleb or Aidan.

I loved the farm and my home to death, even though I feared I'd never escape it. As much as it felt like a weight dragging me down sometimes, I never wanted to see a for sale sign slapped on our front porch.

Dad sighed wearily. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. We're dug too deep; I don't see a way to get ourselves out of this."

Annika grinned suddenly. "Wait! I know exactly what to do."

Mom and dad looked at each other before turning back to Annika. "What is it dear?"

"The Selection! Erika and I got our letters today. We can both enter, and we'll have double the chance of someone from our family being selected." Annika said cheerily, already confident that she would get chosen.

"Absolutely not." My father said immediately. "I'm not letting one of my daughters go to the palace and fight for some pompous Prince."

"Christopher..." Mom said, laying a hand on dad's knee.

He shook his head furiously. "No Joslyn. You and I both watched what happened in King Maxon's selection. I will not let my daughters involve themselves in something like that."

Mom looked at him. "That wouldn't happen this time. It would be different."

"We don't know that. They're not entering." He said sternly, crossing his arms.