Scarred

CHAPTER 1:

I see my brother burn in flames right before my eyes.

This is what happens when you don't choose to get a job, help be a leader for the training fighters, or become a fighter. My brother, a year ago picked nothing. Anything could happen. He is a year older than me and when you're 16, you have to pick something. I'm 16. This is my year. I walk home from the building people said they would have to "talk" to him. This is what happened. When I finally et to the door I don't know what to tell my parents about my brother, Ethan. I walk in. "Hello mother. Where's father?" I ask. My more is sitting at the kitchen table. I went with Ethan so they will ask what happened.

"He will be home in a minute. Sit down." My mother points to a chair. I was going to sit down in the living room till my father came back and hen tell them, but I may be trapped.

"So, what are we having for dinner?" I ask. I want to try to draw all the attention away from Ethan, but I won't when my father gets home. I can't live. Never.

My father walks in. He sits down on the chair next to my mother. "Where's Ethan?" Is the first thing he says.

"Listen, when you pick nothing, hey don't like that. As you guys should know. Anyways, what's for dinner?" I ask. I don't want to answer. It's too painful.

"Answer your fathers question and then I will answer yours." My mother gives me a strange look.

"The people, the set him on fire in this room. He died. They left him there. He couldn't get out. He couldn't. And they left him there. To die. Die." I can't look at my mother and father I can't. And tomorrow they expect me to pick something. Or else I may turn out like Ethan. I start to cry.

"Oh my god!" My mother shrieks. "My baby! Emma, you have to pick a job, then we will be able to see you. Promise me. Promise." I stare her in the eye and nod. My father doesn't looked concerned.

"I'm not surprised. This was going to happen. Not setting him on fire, letting him die. Something was going to happen. This was the best they could've done. The worst would be letting him in that room with nothing. Just letting him die." We sit there for a while. My mother turns off dinner. We don't want anything. I head off to bed. I can't tthink of anything now. Never. Never the same. Never.

I wake up. It's morning and I get dressed. I wear a purple jumpsuit. What people who can't pick the rest of there lives wear on the day they pick. I say good morning and head over the the Forever Building where everyone chooses he rest of their lives. We line up right away. I'm 75th out of 100 people. Being Emma Vernon means I'm one of the last. There are many siblings that are the same age and have last names after me. The ceremony starts. When it's my turn I do what everyone does. I walk into this room.

"Name." This voice says.

"Emma Vernon." I reply. I'd rather not be here, but I have too.

"I'm sorry about your loss Miss. Vernon. What shall be your choice?" The voice asks.

I think for a while. "Training." I say. That means I will be training in case I have to fight. I'm a fighter now.

"Thank you." The voice replies. When I walk out I will be in training clothes which is a blue jumpsuit. I walk out and the crowd claps. I see my mother and father and their looks on their faces. I look away and join the training group. We're called a group because it's easier. I block out the rest and then they take us to the train that awaits us to lead us to where we go. They give us our leader. There are leader trainees.

"Emma Vernon." Somebody says. "Brian." I walk over to Brian. He eyes me.

"I think we might've found our star." He whispers into my ear. I think he likes me. I have to keep my eye on him. This girl I think I've seen before comes over.

"Hi, I'm Sadie." The girl says. She extends her arm for me to shake. I shake her hand.

"Emma." I say. I forgot something. I have to act weak about what happened to my brother but I don't.

"Sorry about your brother Emma." Sadie says. "I think that was cruel. That happened to my sister 2 years ago. I was never the same. I know how it feels. I don't know anyone here that I've met before. At least with our instructor. He's eyeing you. I think he likes you." She pokes me with her elbow.

"Well when we start training and fighting each other, he's going to hate me. Anyways I'm probably strange to him not being upset about my brother." I say. When everyone's called he walk over to us.

"Sort about your brother Emma." He says. "A shame." He stays there.

"Yeah. I guess as an instructor you've see that before. People getting set on fire." I stare at him.

"You knew, I've never had the desire to see people suffer. I know you heard about me and think I'm strict and cruel, but I'm not. Trust me." He disappears.

"That wasn't wired at all."