Trapped

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

            We all wait patiently for Leader Sutton to make his announcement. I sit alone until I feel a strong set of arms snake around my waist. I look back to see Frey smiling down at me.

“Hey.” He greets me casually. Before I can reply, Leader Sutton comes out and orders us to be quiet. A few seconds pass before he begins.

“As you all know, 16 is the age you usually are when you get to chose your future companion.” He shuffles a few pieces of paper on his podium, and then continues. “For some of you, you are in the process of choosing that person. I’m sorry to announce that from now on, we will be choosing your companion for you.”

Frey’s grip tightens around me as people begin to yell in protest.

“However,” Leader Sutton continues. “We will be basing our choices for you on a chemistry level so it is highly likely that you will be put with the person you would have chosen yourself. This change is being made because we feel that some of you will make your choice based on pressure.”

They have to put me with Frey. We have amazing chemistry.

“If you are in the 2 week process of choosing, please go to the front office where you will get your companion.”

“I’ll wait here.” Frey tells me. Can they do this? No one is even fighting back. I walk in a straight line with the other minors. Some are excited but most are nervous.

The line moves quickly but it feels as it I’ve been waiting for hours. The lady, dull and bitter, hands me an envelope. I step to the side and start opening it. I unfold the paper inside as Frey walks over to me.

My heart drops to my stomach.

“It’s not you.”

I tell him. It’s…Alexander. Something has to be going on. How did they figure I would pick him?

Then it hits me. It’s his punishment for falling in love with that girl at an inappropriate time. They’re punishing him for feeling.

“Do you want him?”

Frey asks me, disappointment filling his voice.

“No. Of course I don’t.”

“Go to the waterfall tonight. It’s just outside state borders. They won’t be able to find you.”

Nobody else knows about the waterfall. It’s a secret. It’s our secret.

“What about you?”

This is my first time breaking a rule. It’s thrilling but if I get caught, everything will be ruined.

“There going to want me to get a companion. I’ll spend a few days with her then come see you. I can’t stay with you. If we disappear together it will be too obvious.”

He whispers his words as he pulls me away from the crowd.

“When will you be able to stay?”

“A few days after you’re not their top priority. And don’t worry; they won’t look outside state borders.”

How can I not worry? They have to find us sometime. They’ll figure it out. That’s why no one has tried to run away for years; because they’ll figure out.

“You should leave tonight; the sooner the better.”

“But, what about my Guardian? He won’t be able to see where I am but he will be able to see the last place my tracker was.”

“He’ll see that you were in the woods. They’ll investigate for a few weeks and then come to the conclusion that an animal got to you. Your Guardian will be assigned to someone else, your tracker will be shut of and then I’ll stay.”

“What about my mom? I can’t leave her. She’ll have no one.”

The thought of leaving her is enough to make me tar up. She’ll be heart broken. He pulls me into a light but comforting embrace.

“Leave her a note saying that you’re okay. Make sure she knows not to tell anyone.”

I realize how little we really have figured out every time a new question pops into my head. He seems to be able to answer them as though he can read my mind.

“I’ll bring you food every time I come see you; once or twice a week. Bring some with you tonight; enough to last a few days.”

“I can’t walk there. That will take too long.”

“I’ll drive you.”

I look away from him. The crowd has shrunk but the line has grown. I look down at the paper in my hands, feeling bad for Alexander. He’ll get his paper and be crushed. He’ll see me instead of her and he won’t be able to do anything about it. And then I won’t be here. But, maybe since I’ll be gone, he’ll get another chance.

Frey lifted my chin up, making my eyes moves from the paper to him.

“I’m gonna go get in line. You go home and pack.”