Mission: Survival

Chapter III: Entering the Mainland

Bella!

My mind screams the word before I am aware of it. Bella spins around and we lock eyes as I start towards her. But then Keepers from both sides are pushing me back and I start to panic. "Bella!"

Kyle stands just slightly out of formation, his eyes darting from me to my sister, torn between helping me and stopping her gradual forward motion. She's only a few feet away from the stage. I start to breath hard. I don't have any other choice. I have to do it. Shoving the Keeper in front of me aside, I call out again. "I volunteer as tribute!"

I am no longer being held back, but instead given no option except forward. Abbey seems surprised that the village has offered up its very first volunteer, but she extends a hand to help me onto the stage. Bella is screaming behind me, "No, Jade! You can't go!"

I connect to her mind firmly. Bella, let me go. I'd rather I went instead of you.

The poor girl clenches her hands into fists and, with tremendous effort, pulls away. Venne steps forward to give me a hand up. "Up you go, Jade," he says in a voice that's fighting to keep steady. I take his hand and brave the stage. Abbey Dolgot moves me to the left side of the stage and asks for applause after introducing me as Smokey Mountain's very first volunteer.

The crowd in front of me does not clap, but instead every person puts two fingers to their mouth, my squad included, and then holds their hand out to me. Eyebrows raised, Abbey nods and zips over to the boys' tribute bowl. I meet Venne's eyes amongst the many other pairs, both of us hoping that no more werewings go to the Hunt this year, because we are the only five Guardians in the whole of Smokey Mountain and for another one of us to go would spell disaster. Every one of us are needed to ensure security in the village.

To our great relief, Venne is not called, and neither are Darry, Seth, or Kyle. But I still recognize the name when Abbey calls it out. "Conner Mirven."

Oh, no. Any human but him!

I search for Darry's eyes, his being Conner's second cousin. Dread fills his gaze to the brim, even though he's very good at hiding emotions. This day couldn't possibly get worse. Because Conner saved my life years ago, and now I'll have to worry about the present problem of killing him, because only one person can win the Hunt. I remember that day so well. . . .

It was raining heavily outside, but the money was needed. So I grabbed the clothes that Bella and I had outgrown and headed out. I reached the square in a few minutes, but by then, both I and the clothes were soaked through.

Exhausted, I tried to sit down, but I only succeeded in dropping the bundle in a mud puddle. We hadn't had much to eat in a few days, and then merely seasoned water boiled over the meek fire. My stomach growled, but I ignored it. No way to fix that right then.

Staring at the clothes blankly, I rested my head on a wall before an idea popped into my head. Perhaps the stores hadn't emptied their trash bins yet, and maybe there was something in there to hold us out a bit longer. I looked across the street longingly, wishing that the Guardians hadn't left, that Dad hadn't died. If they were still here, I wouldn't have been despairing like this; I'd be at home studying dragonlore with Dad, who usually did most of the errands. I was still wishing for a surprise dragon when I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the rain had relented some and a young boy stood at the trash bins, emptying the basket for inside.

My breath caught in my throat because I knew that boy. He was the one who'd kept me from following my father to his death, the one who'd turned me away to spare me the horrid sight of my father's broken neck.

He shook the basket over the hole and turned back to go inside when he saw me. We locked gazes for a moment, until I heard his mother calling him.