Those who Fled

Prologue

It was a mistake that I was taken.

A miscalculation, a minor infraction that drastically changed the course of two lives: the intended targets's, and my own.

The girl and I were both blondes at the time (at the time because 1. I have never seen her since that day, and therefore do not know what she looks like and 2. I have since dyed my hair brown, for reasons to be revealed), but that was as far as the similarities went. I had always been a small, scrawny child, even before Scarlet, while the intended victim was thick with muscle from consistent lacrosse playing, her natural athleticism obvious even while we were both so young.

That was what Scarlet wanted. Young and strong. Fresh meat that she could turn into a monster.

I hadn't even seen the black van parked along the side of the road as I was walking home from school. My mother had promised me that if I finished my homework before dinner (which I didn't always do), then she would make me a triple fudge sundae.

And for an eight year old self acclaimed chocoholic, that's a pretty damn good motivator to get home and do homework.

I remember that it was about to rain, the enormous gray clouds a bad omen that I neglected to take note of. I remember seeing a Volkswagen Beetle zoom by me, and wishing that someone were nearby so I could say, "Punch buggy, no punch buggy back" and slug them in the arm, like my younger sister often did.

What I don't remember was him sneaking up behind me.

But I remember the chloroform cloth put over my mouth, and being lifted into the air and carried away as I passed out.

The next time I woke up, Scarlet was staring down at me, her ruby red lips curled in distaste. The surrounding guards were snickering at my kidnapper's mistake.

"Look at the twig the dog brought in."

"She won't last the week."

"Might as well toss her out now."

A manicured hand went into the air, and they all fell silent. She stepped closer, studying me carefully. Little did I know that she had already decided that I was going to stay, and that her observation had more to do with who would be partnered with me this week in the Main Events, because newbies were always in those.

She then stood and grabbed a fistful of my hair, and dragged me, sobbing, to the nearest of several cells lined up against the wall. Other young eyes watched me struggle as she closed the latch, remembering a time when that was them being dragged.

I sank to the ground and pulled my knees to my chest.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the first day of eight years in hell.

Authors note:

So, what do you think?

I know it's starts off kind of dark and rushed, but I'm trying to get the point across of how sudden and life changing this event was for her.

This prologue was a flashback. The next chapter will take place nine years in the future, when she has already been free for a year (this will also be the main time setting of the story).