An Angel's Journey

The Boy's Sister

Last time: Tom slowly lifted one of his blades, shaking almost as much as he was, before he looked at his brother and smiled.

I covered my brother's eyes, knowing what would happen next. There was a scream, before a splash of red.

Tom had plunged the sword into his own stomach, blood dripped down onto the rings floor.

"Well there's a twist!" The announcer exclaimed, "Seems like Tom was the coward here."

"Oh man! I wanted Tom to win!" Seth, who had pushed my hand off, whined. "Oh well, I like Hank too."

I decided to ignore him for the time being, looking back at the ring I saw Hank cradling his brothers' body. He was crying, no he was full on sobbing. Men dressed in white robes came to the brothers and tore Tom from his brother's grasp, they dragged Tom out of the ring and dumped him into a wagon, for a healer to deal with. He would be killed with the other 'failures' the next day.

"Alright folks who's up for the next fight!" The announcer took everyone's attention off of the brothers. "That will start up soon, but for now let's all give Hank a round of applause for making it through to the next round!"

The crowd's cheers rang throughout the square. Everyone anxiously waiting for the text fight.

"Ok! It seems like it's about time for me to announce the next fight, we have Nichole and Frances Johnston!"

It was another sibling fight, this time however, they seemed eager to get their chance to fight. It was a fairly quick process, Frances chose a torch and burned Nichole's left hand, she couldn't hold her sword any longer so Frances quickly struck her down. It seemed more like wild animals fighting for life than sisters.

"Now that, is the kind of fight we like to see!" The announcer was really starting to get on my nerves, the men in white quickly took Nichole away.

Someone shoved past me. He was tall, with straight dirty blond hair and deep emerald green eyes. IT's THAT BOY! I thought as I caught myself, using Seth's shoulder. He rushed out a sorry, as he bolted through those ahead of us.

Finally reaching Nichole, the boy grasped her good hand and kissed it, tears running down his face and onto her face, even from the back you could tell what words came from his lips, "I'm sorry". 

The men shoved him off of her and onto the ground. He retaliated jumping back up and screaming, "No! I won't let you take her! Get your disgusting hands off of my sister!"

The boy had captured everyone's attention, the crowd watched as they held him down, keeping him away from Nichole. He kicked and screamed but couldn't get out of their strong hold. The guards in white took out a metal rod and began beating him with it as the others wheeled her away. "NO! PLEASE!" he shouted. But it was too late, the guards had taken her away.

"Why are you crying?" my brother asked from beside me.

My eyes widened, and a tear stained my cheek. "They are going to kill so many people, and it's  all so cruel." I said trying to explain how terrible this really was.

His head tilted to the side. "So? We need more food and stuff don't we? I think they are making a great sacrifice."

"Yes, we do need more stuff", I said crouching down to him, "but they are having people battle for their lives, and having brothers and sisters kill each other, and we don't have a choice." I said, my voice growing as I continued. "Don't you see? This is sick, killing so many kids, like you and me, and only keeping the strongest! What if I am the next one to die, huh? How would you feel if I were that girl being executed tomorrow?" I was yelling now tears constantly fell from my eyes as I grasped onto his shoulders.

People were staring, some with shocked looks on their faces, the guards paid no attention however, still beating the poor boy crying over his sister.

"Angie?" Seth questioned, eyes wide with tears in his eyes. I grit my teeth and cast my eyes to the ground. I shouldn't have exploded on him like that.

"It's okay Seth, I just want you to see how this isn't something to cheer about."

He nodded, but I can tell he still didn't understand what I was trying to say. I let out a sigh before looking at the new fight in the ring. They were two boys I didn't know and it was over before it started. One stood towering over the scrawny looking boy across from him.

The day went on, with a few more fights, I didn't even know any of the ones fighting, but that didn't help the tears stop flowing from my eyes. Fight after fight finished before sundown, Seth and I returned home and without me knowing, someone trailed close behind.