Flower Crown Girl

The First Night

I think about what happened in the past few days.

I'm normal. I honestly am. Two days ago I was happily watching a news report, trying to make the world better. The government loved me. The last normal morning of my life I put my hair in pigtails, placed a flower crown on my head. Then they took me and threw me in a soon-to-be-graveyard. They put me here because 'I'm a monster'. I guess they forgot the fact that I'm only nine.

I thoughts fill my mind about what they did to me. Hatred runs through my veins. I hate them. I hate this graveyard for making me die here. I hate the fact that I was taken away from my family. I hate that I made my sister throw herself into a graveyard. I hate those other kids who can kill me.

Kate's rough voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "That was amazing!" The boy just laughs and shakes his head. My head tilts at an odd angle. "You just burnt that tree." Kate says, obviously understanding why I'm so confused. That's three things I can do. Burn stuff, run with superspeed, and read minds. I goofy grin falls on my face as I look at a burnt tree. My hand goes over my mouth. Is this good or bad? Is this the end or is it just the beginning?

"Now let's go hunting. Be quiet. Don't get caught." Kate says looking around. "There has to be some animals around here."

Kate and the boy whose name I had not learned yet scan the perimeter, searching for anything living. "Matthew, you go east and I'll go west with Samantha, yeah."

"Yeah," Matthew yells back to Kate.

I job over to the tall brunette. She puts a finger to her lips and sticks her arm in a bush. I open my mouth to say something but Kate covers it with her freezing hand. A bow and arrow come out of the bush and so does a gun. Kate comes close to me and whispers so quietly I can hardly hear her. "What one do you want?" I take a moment to decide which weapon I would have an easy time coping with. After a minute of thinking, I point to the bow and arrow. I probably won't be good at using any sort of weapon but at least I won't waste a good bullet. My numb fingers wrap around the wooden bow and I put the sheath of arrows around my back. I look up at Kate with big, fearful eyes as she nods her head and starts walking.

It took forever but we managed to get two squirrels and a little rat. If I weren't so desperate for food, I would definitely not eat it but desperate times call for desperate measures. I sigh and look down at my snow-covered shoes. I blow some strands of hair out of my face. Kate surveys the area then becomes satisfied with our game. She nods her head and I get up from the log I was sitting on and follow her back to our camp. I know I shouldn't but I have to read Kate's mind. I have to know what she's thinking because I know she's hiding something. I focus on Kate and get her thoughts:

We have to fight someone. I know it's a bad example for the kid but how can I help her win if we don't kill. Maybe I can hunt at night while she's asleep. Yeah, that can work.

I had to stop I couldn't listen to another second of it! I bite my lip so hard I start tasting blood. I can't cry in front of her she'll know I read her thoughts. Kate looks back at me, her eyes widen when she realizes my eyes are glossy. "Samantha..." she whispers. I just shake my head and let the tears fall. I sit down on the ground and put my head in my knees. My whole body starts trembling with my cries. "Samantha, we have to go, now." Kate whispers in my ear. I don't move until I hear leaves crunching. "Run!" Kate screams. I look over to see Kate pointing her gun at a teenagers head. It takes me a second to realize that Kate is risking her life for me and if she dies it will be all my fault.

"No!" My raspy voice screams. "I'm not leaving you."

"I said the same thing to you nine years ago. Trust me, you will break that promise." Kate screams back. Suddenly, I remember the night I was taken away from my family;

"Don't take her! Stop!" My sister screams. I assume that I am only an infant. They don't listen. They don't even look her way. I start crying. I can't comprehend anything that's going on.

"Run! Run as fast as you can, Samantha! Don't look back! Don't stop running until I tell you it's time to stop! Don't stop unless if you drop to the ground dead!" Kate's voice snaps me back into reality. It's time to save myself. I pick myself up and run as fast as my short legs allow me. I don't care about making noise, it's a life or death situation and I have no idea what I'm up against.

I try to do everything I could to lose our followers, they're gaining on Kate and me. I know what I have to do. I have to use my superspeed ability.

"The kid has superspeed! Take her down now!" One of the followers yells.

A gasp escapes my lips. How he knew is a mystery. Maybe he's like me. Maybe he can read minds too. I'm tackled to the ground. I can't move. I'm placed in a net by one of the boys. I look over to see an unconscious Kate laying by a tree, she looks like she's almost dead.

"Please don't do anything to her." I whisper. A girl with a half shaved head looks over at me and laughs, she shakes her head.

"Please ain't gonna cut it, sweetie. Not after what you've done to us." She says snickering.

A guy with a buzz cut looks around, "go back to camp! Quick! Someone's coming! And they have a lot of people with them!" Buzz cut whisper/yells.

"Should we take the kid back?" A broad blonde asks.

"Why else do you think we fought off someone as powerful as her sister! Samantha the most valuable person here!" Buzz cut says.

They all start running, away from our camp, the people coming, away from my big sister. I was held captive on the first night.