Silent Rebellion

Chapter 5.) The Ball

There were tons of people here. It wasn't just the 48 chosen and the staff, but a lot of other people from the City. The room was filled with loud music and people talking. I yelled to Dawn that we should make our way to the snack table, but she was already gone. Okay, on my own now. I meandered through the crowd and bumped into a tall woman wearing a black, long sleeved dress and white heels. Her red hair was tied into a bun on the top of her head.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-" I began, but she cut me off. As I looked at her, I could make out who she was through all that makeup she was wearing.

"It's alright, Evelyn. How are you doing?" President Ember said.

"I'm great, this place is amazing." I replied. We made small talk until she mentioned the thing that bothered me most. Elliot.

"Have you told any of your friends about you going here?" She said. I saw it immediately. She was setting me up. I don't know why, but she was.

"I haven't really talked to my friends in a while. My family are the closest friends I have." I replied, carefully choosing my words. She merely nodded, obviously not believing what I said.

"What about that boy you talked to. Oh, what was his name? Oh, right. Elliot. What about him?" She said his name as if it were a curse. I didn't know what to say after that. I opened my mouth to say something, but shut it and plastered a smile on my face as Nick approached.

"They wanted the 48 chosen to be up on stage. Let's go!" He said, reaching out his hand. I said goodbye to President Ember and took his hand as he led me over to a small stage that already had many people sitting in chairs. We sat down in two empty chairs next to each other. Soon, the rest of the kids came up with us and sat down in empty chairs. A younger looking girl with short, curly black hair and a baby blue dress sat down next to me.

"May I have your attention?" Said a short, chubby man into a microphone. The crowd slowly stopped talking and music was no longer playing.

"Thank you." He said. "I am George Branch. This is my first year being the head training coach for our young leaders. Now, it would only be fitting to introduce them to you. First, we picked up Miss Evelyn Green." He motioned for me to join him by the microphone. I stood and slowly walked over to him. I heard oohs and ahhs over my dress as I walked.

"How old are you, Evelyn?"

"15."

"Where are you from?"

"I lived in Zale."

"And what is your favorite part about being here?"

I thought for a moment. "The beds are so much softer." I replied, feeling my cheeks become red as people laughed in the audience, even George.

"Yes, that would be true. Don't you people in Zale sleep on mattresses filled with hay or something?" He said. Anger bubbled up inside me.

"No, and we're actually not as poor as you people think. We have all of the things that people in the other counties do. We work together. We don't argue with others. And, because we're a smaller community, we know each other better. Which makes us special." Just as I finished speaking I noticed the cameras in the back of the room. This was being broadcasted. I suddenly felt sick. George thanked me and apologized to me, then I sat down. Nick looked at me with concern as George called the next person up. Nick held out his hand and I gladly took it. He gave it a firm squeeze, then mouthed, "It'll be okay. I know how you feel." He released my hand and I gave a weak smile. Time dragged on.

Finally, the music began and we were allowed to walk about. I hurried to the bathroom, not knowing that I was being followed. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and that's when I saw her. Logan.

"You're wrong." She said. I turned around to face her.

"What?"

"You're wrong. Zale isn't the same. It's completely poor and different, and the people living there deserve to die, including you."

"No. That's it! I'm done! Whatever you have against my county, just drop it. I'm not playing this game with you. You cannot mess with me, my family, and my friends. Stop." I stood staring at her expressionless face. She reached down, took off her shoe, and flung it at me.

I ducked in time, and the shoe hit the mirror, which shattered into a million pieces. I turned around to look back at the mirror, and I saw her take off her other shoe and hurl it towards the back of my head. I ducked to the floor and she grabbed my wrist and yanked me back up. Logan kicked me in my knee and then in my chest, hard. I fell to the ground, trying to regain my breath.

She stood on top of me and said, "I was matched to him, not you. That's why they chose the both of us." And with that, she stormed off. I rolled over onto my back and tried to breathe. I rolled back over onto my hands and knees and coughed. Blood spattered onto the floor. I felt the world spinning as I stood up. I grabbed the wall and worked my way to the door. I saw somebody approach as I fell to the ground and blacked out.