WAIT FOR ME

Reality

-AXEL-

People file into the roped off area, being crammed into any open space available.  Patrol officers guard the perimeter of town square, standing shoulder to shoulder so that no one can exit after entering.

"What a bore," Rhys complains, glaring down at the people below from our seats above the stage. "What do you mean?" I immediately regret asking this, because he turns his glare to me.  "Are you serious? What idiot would find anything about this entertaining in the slightest?! And we don't even participate! Not that I'd want to, but we don't even have to be here! Talk about a waste of time."

He storms off, and argues with an officer that stops him from leaving.
I turn back the the large crowd down below. Too large. They're going to have to deal with a lot more people this year. And a lot look sick. It would be a problem for there to be an illness going around. The patrol starts going around, picking people who look weak, or susceptible to disease to come up onto the stage, just below me.  A few minutes pass, and it seems like they're done.
Then, one patrol officer grabs the shoulder of one teenager who doesn't look too weak.  A young man who was standing next to the teen smacks the officer's hand off them, and starts yelling.

Rhys, suddenly next to me, snorts. "What's going on here? This could get interesting. We could use some entertainment."  He turns to me, smiling coldly. "You know, Rhys? You're an ass." He sticks out his tongue. 
A few other officers run over to hold the man back, as the first one starts to lead the teenager up the stage. They yell a few words to the man, and he seems to stop fighting. I can't help but feel sorry for the two. Nobody's put up that much of a fight for years, seeing as everyone's too scared to resist giving any people to the government. I feel protective for this teenager who appears my age, and I don't want to let them be killed. I stand up, shove the officer to the side, push open the door, make my way down the stairs, and push open the door to the stage. People standing by the door jump, and I push through the group.

I jump off of the stage, a few feet in front of the two, face the patrol officer, and smile.

"I'm terribly sorry, but would you mind letting me take care of this one? Thanks." I throw my arm around the teen (who I now realize is a girl), and lead her along with me to the edge of the square.  Nobody tries to stop us, of course. They know who I am.

"Nobody's following us, and nobody's going to."  I turn and smile at her, only to jump back.

Because I can see her face.