Warmatch

3

"Let me go!" I yelled in vain as an Ice Guard pushed me into the back of a long, rusty trailer. Well, at least, the maroon stains that lined its worn sides looked like rust. 

Something told me that they weren't. 

Careful not to touch any of the flaky red patches, I pushed my way through the crowd of fellow warmatch contestants, trying to find a relatively comfortable place to stand. There were at least thirty of us stuffed in the tiny trailer, and the air already reeked of sweat and blood. There was barely enough room to breathe, let alone sit down. My feet ached at the thought of standing for the entire duration of our long journey to who-knows-where.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of my parents, Syra, and little Josie, recalling the hollow look in their eyes as the Ice Guards took me away.

I would probably never see them again. 

Scratch that, there was no way I was winning the Interplanetary warmatch championship with zero experience in the arena.

I would never see them again. 

My fate hit me with full force as the Ice Guards slammed the trailer's back door shut, trapping us in total darkness as we began to move across the bumpy road. I couldn't help but cry- as silently as I could, of course. 

"Don't waste your golden tears on those Iceheart dogs, little princess," a soft voice beside me whispered into my ear. "You're too good to cry because of people like them."

"Thanks," I smiled softly, turning my head. 

"Anything for a fellow warmatcher," the voice laughed. "Is this your first time?" 

"Yeah," I sighed. 

"Oh, no wonder," she said sadly. "First match is always the hardest. Although, I'm surprised they're shipping you up to Interplanetaries right off the bat. They usually put you in an easier match first, so you can get the hang of it. Seems like it's getting more brutal every year. Anyway, we should probably be properly introduced, little princess." 

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm Cascadia, but you can call me Cady. I'm fourteen, and I'm from the East Arabella Province. I would shake your hand, but I can't see you." 

"I'm Toya," the voice chuckled. "I'm seventeen and a half, from West Arabella." 

"The Flame province!?" I gasped. 

"Sadly, that's just a rumor," Toya sighed. "The Flame base is somewhere in our province, but the average West Arabellan knows nothing about the whereabouts of the rebellion. I wish I could tell you something about old Eleanna Myers and her crew, but I honestly can't."

"Oh," I looked down at the floor, mildly disappointed. 

"Hey, shut up back there, you Rhenan swine!" an Ice Guard barked from the front of the trailer. 

Toya and I instantly grew still as I pressed my face into her shoulder, terrified. I couldn't believe it...I was usually so strong! 

The warmatches already changed me, and they hadn't even started yet!

However, Toya seemed to understand. She held my hand reassuringly as I fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of my mother's sorrow-stricken face as she stood over my grave.