Free *Editing*

Chapter 12

Birdy lies in her bed that night eyes glued to the ceiling. Her hands won't stop shaking. Her forehead keeps producing sweat. Her head is light and eyes are heavy. Time passes and the only sound sneaking in from the darkness is distant snoring. Soon her anxious mind gives her a break...

Birdy is a child. She is standing at the bottom of her old cottage home stairs...the upper floor is pitch black, and she can not turn her head. It is as if a set of cold hands are holding her still by her throat. Her eyes are glued onto the darkness. She whimpers, and touches her neck. A dull pain is deep in her skin. She stifles a cry.

"D__ can't find us he_e"

"Brother?" From atop the stairs, a small, chubby faced child with short dark brown hair and soft eyes gazes down at her. He seems to teleport in front of her. Barn lifts his hand and places it on her head. He ruffles her hair...

"Did ___ do _hi_ _o y_u?"

Lighting explodes in her ears. She screams and hugs him. Her tiny arms grip as tight as she can...

"I'm scared."

"I know."

Two large monster hands tear Barn away from her and he flies through the darkness. Birdy's screams mix in with her brothers. Then comes the shouting...and the roaring...of prisoners.

Birdy jolts awake soaked in sweat. The prisoners are slamming their bare fists on the bars of their cells. Bang! Bang! They are stomping. Shouting. Hooting and hollering. Ardenia sits up in her bed. She stands up and whisks to the cell door. She stares out with a look of woe and mourning. To Birdy, she looks like a princess locked in a tower.

"What is going on Ardenia?" Birdy crawls out of bed and stands bare foot on the cold floor. Ardenia cocks her head and frowns. "The guards are going to come grab you." She whispers. "For the fight?" Ardenia crosses her arms and rubs the goosebumps away. The roaring of the savages around her is a death rattle-

Ardenia jumps away from the cell doors and pushes her hands to her side as a sign of obedience. A female guard with a wicked nose scar and hunched shoulders slams the door open and holds a pair of handcuffs. The light from the overhanging bulbs gives the object a maniacal presence.

"Birdy, C14. You're up." She waves her finger at Birdy as she proceeds to put her shoes on. Everything around her is a blur. Her solemn expression shows the realization that this is indeed, not a dream.

The guard spins Birdy around and tightens the steel against her warm wrists. She is escorted away, and Ardenia watches her leave. She waves at Birdy as she is engulfed by darkness.

Down in the main hall, the other contestants have been rallied. Twenty, in total. Birdy, Barn, Markus, Huld, and Craag are the only individuals she recognizes.

Barn's brown skin is flushed, and a rash has begun to break out around his jaded eyes. He makes contact with his sister instantly, pushing his shoulder against her own. Markus is a foot away, his eyes are clear, and a coy smile rests on the corner of his lips. "They do love it, don't they?" he looks up at the prisoners and nods. They cheer for him. Bang! Bang!

Markus turns to look at his companions. "They are our fans. Cheer up, at least you're popular now." Birdy shakes her head and looks at the cells. Her lip curls and her eyes clash with Huld. He is a few feet away. He licks his lips and scans Birdy from head to toe. Barn and Markus turn to catch the interaction.

"It's a shame you couldn't get the Opilampsie to me-" Huld redirects his death stare to Barn. '-now, i'm gunna make you watch me kill your sister. Same as you did to my sibling."