Valeria's Selection

Chapter 8

It's my birthday. September 20th.

The party starts at 2:57pm, the exact Time I was born in that safe room.

The decorations are my favorite color (Purple-gray mixture) with silver and white. I have a giant pile of presents, big and small. And I'm in a beautiful dress that ends just below my knees. It is white and Icey blue. It has a icicle design where it turns from whit to blue. It has a silver belt and I'm wearing a small silver heart necklace. There is amazing food too.

But I'm not happy.

Not sense 5 years ago on the second rebel attack when I lost my voice, my words, my happiness. Not sense 4 days ago when my sister went missing. Not sense a week ago when my parents told me I'm doing a selection.

The selection forms are drawn tonight after the party.

Tonight.

I can't wait for tonight to be over.

My Grandpa walks up to me. He is the one who has most of my trust. That makes me a little happier. I love him.

He shares pain like mine. He lost his wife, my grandma, 5 years ago. Just days after I lost my voice.

We became close then.

We shared each others pain with each other then.
We share our pain now.

"Come to the garden with me Val?"

He said it like a question so I nodded.

We walked out there and the noise went away except for the soft sound of music.

He held out his hand and I took it as we danced slowly. (I just randomly started crying for no reason...)

He held me close to his chest as we danced. And even as an old man he still was strong.

I danced with my eyes closed as he calmed me down and I forgot all of my fear, even without the guards I wasn't scared right now.

Because he was the one I was closest too. He was the one I loved the most.

And I didn't need a husband for love as long as I had my grandpa. Grandpa Maxon was all I needed.

Then we stopped dancing and he grabbed my hand and led me to the studio.

It was time for the selecting to begin.

For the first time I sat in the middle of the studio. For the first time I'd be a "Speaker" on the Report.

I drew names.

Jaice.

Brody.

Spencer.

John.

Reńe.

Jonathan.

Vincent.

Alex.

Kyle.

Stephan.

Wyatt.

Ryan.

Jouny.

Uni.

Kori...

There were many more, but I zoned out.

Finally it was done.

I walked out and my grandpa followed me to my room.

We stood on my balcony staring at the diamond-like stars in the sky.

Then he spoke.

"Guess you're all grown up now. Gonna get married and have kids."

Then I noticed, he was crying. He was scared I'd leave him.

I walked up to him and hugged him.

We cried together.

We cried for a long time.

Then he left.

I put on short thin leggings and a tank top angrier I showered. Then I went to bed.

I slept.

And for the first time I don't have nightmares.

For some reason I just started crying twice in this chapter and just started crying again. I think I'm just tired because it hailed last night so I fell asleep at like 1 am an I did a practice ACT in school today... But oh well. Hope you have good weekend and Easter if you do anything on Easter. Goodbye my peoples:)