Violet Betrays [Completed]

Chapter 10

I'm sitting in the bath, all of the stress of last night washing off of me. I wish I could have stayed longer, but IJ's prospects of war and peace terrified me.

I didn't want his father to be chosen. I didn't want people who he loved to get hurt.

I didn't want to get hurt.

God, I'm such an idiot. I should have just begged my father to let me stay locked in my house for the rest of my days.

I wish I had never met him and caused him all this pain.

I walk down the street with my father. He's trying to be quirky and positive, yet I know and he knows that he is going to be drafting people of color to throw themselves into a mindless war.

God, please do not let him be drafted.

Please don't take him away from me.

I get dressed before the sun rises. I wish Beatrice was here to help me tie my corset and tell me that everything would be okay. Instead, I let her leave in the dead of night to find who she truly was.

My dress sways in the stinging wind. It's about to rip my face off, it feels like.

My father squeezes my hand as Christian Vergin shakes his other. There's a large black square on a table that's placed on the stage. I assume that's where the names are as my entire life slips out from under me.

Christian stares at me, but I'm not with him. I'm somewhere else entirely.

IJ is there.

His eyes burn into my stomach and chest. I don't dare look back. I can't watch this.

Christian Vergin tells something about war and how it's against our own country. He explains why we're here. He tells how he is going to kill off the minority. I mean, draft them for war.

Christian opens the box and I see all of the names. One of them is IJ's and another is his father's. Please, anyone but their names...

Name after name is called. Tears are shed. I'm pretty sure about what happens if you attempt to escape the draft.

IJ closes his eyes as the fear and panic flows like electricity throughout the crowd. I can't even imagine those big, beautiful chocolate eyes staring dead at the sky...

I want to say that I shake the memory away, but it's not a memory; it hasn't happened. I would call it a prediction.

I shake the prediction away, wanting to run away. I'm not sure to where, or how far, but my legs want to move.

Vergin calls name after name. The ordeal lasts hours, and time drags on and on. The crowd gets smaller and smaller.

They'll only pick 100 out of 300 minorities living here. There are 500 citizens here total. One fifth of the population will be slaughtered by the richer, heavily populates, and more powerful cities...

"Elijah Carson."

Their faces sting me and I begin to feel faint. IJ is terrified, and his father looks even worse. I stare at IJ as he follows his father, skipping every other step on the staircase.

He interrupts his father, putting his arm down. Something is discussed between him and Vergin and Elijah doesn't sign the paper. Instead, Vergin holds onto it.

My heart wants to explode in my chest, and every last thing feels surreal.

Just last night I was kissing him, and now he's no longer mine.

Night came quicker than I expected, despite the solstice accruing already.

I slump in my chair, and I crawl into bed, reality settling in my skin.

IJ isn't mine.

My father seems glum to the fact that Beatrice isn't around anymore. The day after the drafting, I receive two letters in the mail.

I despise the charcoal envelope with its dainty gold ribbon around the edge. I want to b urn every single one.

I open both of them and my eyes go to IJ's handwriting first.

Dear Violet,

My mother has left my father to be with Beatrice. She said they're going to Michael to start over.

Violet, my love, you were so right.

I'm so sorry.

IJ.

My mind conjures the images of IJ speaking with Christian Vergin in whispers. It shows the fact that the binding of Elijah and the army didn't take place. It shows that IJ has put himself in his father's place.

On one hand, I love him even more for it.

On the other... I want to rip his trachea out.

Bravery is a challenge, and I know that my IJ will come to terms with it.

If he doesn't die first.