Just One Word

Chapter Three

"Come on Aria! Come on!" Its Caleb. He's tugging at my arm.

"Where are we going?" I hear myself say.

"To District 13!"

District 13. But that place doesn't exist, not since the dark days, when the Capitol bombed the district, killing the entire population of people, just to show a point, that the Capitol has power over the districts, that however many times the districts revolt, the Capitol will always rule over Panem.

"District 13?" I say.

I wake with a jolt. The room is unfamiliar. The ground is rattling. It is dark, so dark I feel as though I will never see light again. A bump moves through the floor. And another one. I stand up and take a small step. Thump. I land on the floor hard. I don't know why. Maybe the floor jumped again? Without notice a blinding light tears through my vision. Slowly my eyes adjust. A man stands in front of me. He wears a white helmet that covers his face in a black shade, leaving his features hidden. He is covered in white insect shell looking armour. He is a peace keeper, the capitols soldiers, supposed to keep the peace and prevent war in the districts and the streets of Panem's city. He takes my arm and forcefully yanks me down towards him. He pays no more attention to me. Instead he moves up and forward into the room. It's a truck I realise. The peacekeeper emerges holding the wrist of a male. Another Avox. That's what I tripped over. A man, a Avox like me. This is a transfer. They are putting us to work.