Dance till I die

Elizabeth - 2

We arrive at the field where we will be spending the next five days of our lives. The tent wagon comes first, followed by the performers. We see all the Pure children lined up by the fences, awaiting our arrival. Silvio steps out and begins to throw sweets at them. They reach out to him with outstretched hands, cheering at him. We walk out and give a taster of our acts. Emmanuel begins riding to the tents one of his lions. Emerald holds Sophie like a baby doll and she plays dead. They manage this while on their Penny Farthing. As the star attraction, I have to go last. The flames go up and I walk out. My image is displayed on a hologram flashing around the city, my hand flipping round fire. I force a smile when looking at the Pures. They're far too busy wondering where the sweets are landing to notice the performers. I stare up at the Powerhouse. The big mansion where the Prime Minister and her stupid family. I'd love to live there, but how could I, no one would let a Dreg lead the country, let alone a 'wild' Dreg. That's the name they give to anyone in the Resistance group - fighting for Dreg rights. A few years ago we launched an attack on a football match. We got the PM's kids and held them at knifepoint. Since then, the family has never shown their faces in public again. I'm a proud member of the Resistance group, but I attack in a different way. I don't die when I perform, I show a sense of hope in my eyes. The main reason the Pures flock to the Theatre every day is to see us die.

As the crowd die down, we set up the tents and Arena. I try to reach Emerald and Sophie but a whip catches my back. I wince in pain and fall to my knees, hammering nails for the tents. "Come on people, time is money." Silvio watches over us with eagle eyes. I hate him more than I hate the Pures. He hates us. The only thing worse than a Dreg-hating Pure is a Dreg-hating Dreg.

Putting the tent up is gruelling work but we get it done quickly enough and head to the dorms. Sophie finds me and Emerald and we all huddle up next to each other, ready for one of the older people to begin tonight's story. I suddenly remember that it's my turn and run to find the story book. I'm not going to tell a sad story, I'll tell them my favourite which used to always give me hope before the Theatre finally crushed me. 

I sit on the only chair and turn to the correct page. I look at Emerald and she nods her head. "Peter Pan," I begin. I see Emerald playfully roll her eyes at me. "All children grow up, all except one..." I see Sophie's face and she's enjoying herself. I stumble over a few of the words, but I manage to finish the chapter all the same. We all begin to head to bed but I stay up later to look at the stars. They always seem brighter when I'm not angry or thinking of all the possible ways to kill the Pures. I finally decide to crawl into bed and close my aching eyes, thinking of a way to survive to see the next day.