The keys

The start of a long journey

Emily wakes up from her dream.

The whole world flashed in front of my eyes. It was that stupid dream again. But, it was for one purpose, and one purpose only. Today is the the day. The Choosing. My lips started to tremble with the slight fear of the death that I will face if I get picked today. I started shaking, a tear runs down my face, for the only thought I have been having for months, and even years.

My sister Rachel peeks her head around my door and comes in. She knows what I'm feeling by the way I look. She sits next to me and starts talking to me. "Are you ok, I know you're terrified." she asked.

"Then why did you ask me?" I glare at her. She just stares at me. I'm never mean or rude but I can't help myself. I have a chance of almost having a guaranteed death. She doesn't have to go anymore, she's older than 18. If you're 15 you have to go though. She just kept staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"I know you're upset but it's going to happen for another 3 years so, get over it." She responds to me.

I go to the kitchen and grab an apple from the wooden bowl in the middle of the table. I sit down and take a bite. I just sit here staring at the wooden wall. I suddenly get up,throw away my apple, and get ready to go to the keys.

    It's time. I get to the line ,trembling, and notice that they cut everybody's hand open to check that I'm actually a human, and not a robot or something like that. They have to take my blood and know I'm here. I walk up and she sees i'm nervous so she pricks my arm instead of cutting my hand. She nods and I keep walking.

Then the announcements come on, "Welcome! This is the year's 49th annual choosing ceremony. For those who have not been here, the rules are very simple. No lying, no sneaking weapons in that you don't find, and have fun," wow really? You had to say that? "Now the game is simple. There are guards with weapons. You have to get 10 keys. When you get those keys you go to the middle where you have to unlock a handle which will give you millions of thousands of dollars that is for you, and you can spend it as you chose. But, only one can get the money and be pampered, and the others? Well let's say we will get rid of your body like everybody else, humanely. And don't forget, you may kill the other tributes if you would like during the hunt. Now we will start with the boys."

Christa walks over to the big bowls of the names of the boys in our district. She reaches her hand in and pulls out a card.

"Josh Sean!" She says.

The flash backs. That name brings up memories. He is in my dreams, the nightmares. I see flashes of him. He has blond hair,and bright blue eyes. I've had a crush on him forever but he doesn't like me. He's super handsome. Everybody likes him, but of course, he's single. All the people around him move away. He stands there with his face white as snow.

"Come on now." The lady tells him.

He walks up slowly, his whole body is shaking. When he gets up there, they shake hands.

"Now for the girls!" My heart starts to race. She reaches her hand in the bowl.

"Emily lander." She says.

I sit there, relieved. Wait, that is me, Emily lander. I stand there for a second with my face blank. I can't believe I just got picked to die. I walk up there slowly when I trip on my foot. "Careful." the lady says. She smiles at me like it's totally ok, but it's not. I walk up to the stage and shake Josh's hand. I can feel the sadness in the air. "These are our tributes of our district to participate in the keys. Let's go you two."

I wait in the waiting room for the people who want to say goodbye to me. All of a sudden my sister Rachel walks in. "Hi." She says. "Hi." I answer back. "I can't believe this is happening." She gives me a big hug, I dig my head in her shoulder.

"It's ok. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I love you, and your good at fighting. You can hunt with a bow, and throw knifes." She says. I nod at her. "Be strong." She says. A guy walks in and takes her away.

"NO!" I scream but he ignores me.

"I love you!!" She yells. Then he shuts the door.

We are on the train going to the arena. Christa walks into the room. She's the lady that said the announcements. "Ok guys i'm going to go get Riley, your instructor guider thing. Whatever you want to call him." She leaves with an eyeroll.

Josh looks at me, "Have you ever met him?" He asks.

"No, have you?" 

"No." He answers back. He sits there and stares at me.

"What?" I ask.

He starts to say something then looks away.

"Nothing."

Hmmm, I think. I just turn and look out the window.

    We are here, my penthouse where we stay at for 1 week. It's beautiful, it has wide windows and granite everything. I walk in my room and lay on my bed. It feels like silk, and I instantly fall into a deep sleep. When Krista calls me to dinner, I walk to the dining room and my eyes instantly open wide with surprise. There is turkey, chicken, pasta, mashed potatoes, and many more wonderful things to eat that i've never eaten before at home. I sit down with everyone else and grab some of everything. We talk for a while about the rules, and how I like my stay as I stuff my face with food.

After dinner I go to my bedroom and change into my pajamas. I'm so full I almost fell over from eating so much food. I get under the covers, put my head on my pillow, and fall into a deep sleep.

    When I wake up I walk downstairs to eat breakfast, which happens to be everything in the breakfast world to eat of course.

5 days went by and I find myself waking up the night before the keys. I walk into the living room to find Josh sitting there looking out the window. I sit next to him on the window ledge. He turns and looks at me.

"This is so messed up." He says. "I don't like how they think it's ok to throw us in a tight area and make us fight to the death because they think it's fun to see us die."

I sit there looking at him.

"Ya, I wish there was a way to say they can't just make us go in there, we are people too and we deserve as much as they do."

He turns toward me and stares into my eyes. He had beautiful blue eyes, it's like I am looking into an ocean. He smiles and we sit in silence.

We eventually walk back to our rooms, thinking about our conversation. I don't think anyone can sleep tonight.

    I wake up and sit down to eat breakfast before the keys, but I don't have a big appetite. I look around me thinking this is the last day i'm going to get to see this. Josh walks into the room and sits next to me.

"Not hungry?" He asks.

"No, you?" He shakes his head. "

Ok guys it's time to get on the airplane." Christa says.

I start to shake when Josh slowly slides his hand down my arm a laces his fingers with mine, but he doesn't look at me. He squeezes my hand and I squeeze his back.

    On the airplane

    They come around with a needle. "What is that?" But she already stuck it in my wrist.

"Your tracker." She says.

Everybody sits silent as the plane slowly continues to fly.

I walk off the plane and look around me. It's dark, but I see a hint of sun behind the mountains since we were flying all night. I walk on the ground and its pure gravel. "Wow." I whisper as I look around.

"Ya." Josh says like I was talking to him.

We walk into a white room and a guy stands there, but doesn't speak. It's a gatekeeper. And he's holding something pretty interesting...

******Sorry if there are typos in this :/ *****