Chapter oo1: Hold On

            It has been six months on the dot since I took Haighlee’s life.

It was the first thing I remember when waking up this morning. Actually it was the only thing I thought about these days. Every time my eyes open each morning, I clearly remember how many days it has been since I killed my friend.

I remember the way her lips parted when the knife went through her skin. I remember the light leave her eyes. I remember the students cheering in the stands above when they knew she was dead. I remember staring at my hands coated in dirt and her blood. I remember just running out of the arena to my bedroom, where I cried until I ran out of tears. I remember everything from that day, like it was only yesterday that it had happen.       

Of course, everyone at Paradise is not making it any easier for me to forget. Their crude comments and whispers almost bring as much pain as the flashbacks of the event actually happening. I know I deserve everything that comes to me, not only because I killed my best friend in cold blood, but because murdered others. More than I can count.

I have been at Paradise Pier since the day I was born, which already makes me different because I am the only one. There use to be six other kids like me, who grew up at Paradise, but they went crazy when they turned five. I watched them, one after another, turn five and then they would either come at somebody with a sword or a knife or use it against themselves. Both choices resulted in their death, which I witness.

When I turned five, the professors also expected me to go crazy. I guess they knew living at Paradise would do that to you. But I never felt the urge to kill myself or others around me, and the professors were amazed by this. They took notes and examined me, trying to figure out what was different. They found nothing, I guess, because they left me alone after and asked nothing more of me.

Two years later they bought in new kids. Before that I had to live at Paradise alone, so you can guess my excitement when I found out I would actually have playmates. It didn’t last long, because I soon found out that I was not allowed to be friend any of the new kids.

There were twenty of them. Ages ranging from as young as three to as old as sixteen. They were all orphans or runaways, who were brought to Paradise Pier for a better life. Most of them could hardly remember their first name, which at the time I did not find strange at all. It wasn’t until I met Haighlee in the group that I found out who more about them.

Haighlee was only seven when she woke up in a truck with thirty-eight other kids. She could only remember that her name was Haighlee Walker, nothing more than that. All the other kids in the truck were asleep, so she was scared when she first awoke. When the truck stop, a big man took her out and another man in a white coat told her to sit down. I remember Haighlee describing the arena to me, a large circle that you looked down into. The man in the white coat told her she got a free pass because she was a genius.

At the time, Haighlee had no idea what was going on, but she soon did learn. The other thirty-eight kids were put into the giant circle and were order to fight to survive. Haighlee told me with wide eyes how horrible it was and she was in tears by the time she was done talking. It was the only time I ever saw Haighlee cry,

I met Haighlee the day after. She and the nineteen survivors were in the cafeteria when I woke in for breakfast. Haighlee was sitting by herself, because the other kids thought she was different, because they didn’t see her in the arena. She was a pretty, willowy girl, only six years old, one year younger than me. I sat down at her table, smiled and said, “My names Jo. Do you want to be friends?”

Haighlee already knew that it was against the rules to become friends, but she smiled back and nodded. That was the beginning of our friendship and strangely the end was ten years later on that exact date.

I was trained to be a warrior. I killed without thinking, which was why everyone was afraid of me. When someone was caught breaking the rules, I would be the one to carry out the punishment. It never bothered me, though I could tell it bothered Haighlee, even if she wouldn’t say a word about. Haighlee, on the other hand spent her time with books and doing math problems. It was actually scary how smart she was.

Because of our talents, every Thursday night we were never chosen for the Gladiator Wars. Paradise couldn’t afford to lose us, so we watched as they choose two horrified kids, matched in skill, and were order to kill the other to survive. It was funny, how quickly you could decide to hurt somebody, if it meant saving yourself.

Most students at Paradise only had to kill at least once, to get here. I killed at least once a week and Haighlee, well; Haighlee never killed anyone in her life. That’s why we both knew she was dead the moment we stepped into the arena. The students and professors knew it too, and no matter how likable Haighlee was at Paradise, nobody was going to say something about it. Nobody ever did.

So Haighlee’s last hope of surviving was me and I let her down.

Author's Note

So this chapter explains more, then going on with the story. I really needed to add this because Jo will keep going back and having flashbacks about her time with Haighlee and struggle to do what is right. So if you don't understand something, it will probably be brought up again in later chapters.

Reviews

[Dark Angel]

This should've been part of the first chapter. With it here, it just seems like an after thought. I do like how it explains more but then that's all this chapter is: explanation.

[Larry Dyson]

can I ask ..what is your native language?...the grammer here is way off..almost street ...hood...translation being done in your head or just doing the best you can?...anyway you have talent...story and concept was very much...remanicent of the street series on a few years ago...kids worked at the delivery place after they broke out...just wondering where you are going with this story?

[Naomi]

I really enjoyed it, again it's a great story and I'm interested in it! I hope I can read more, keep me updated on it!
Naomi

[The Perfectionist]

I want to like this story, I really do. The premise is neat and original, and I don't totally hate your main character (yet, anyway). Your emotions are realistic and mostly conveyed well and your storytelling isn't bad either.

But dear lord, your English hurts me. You can't seem to decide whether you're writing this in past or present tense. I don't care which one you pick, but for God's sake pick one and stick with it. Switching back and forth is terrible writing and just wounds me to read.

I'm happy to keep reading, but you've gotta fix that big problem.

Oh, and making the chapters longer, with a bit more detail, wouldn't hurt either.

[Mitch*Dandy]

I read this before the intro... The intro helped me on what happened between her and her best friend. It's very descriptive and just plain great! Send read request on this book anytime :)

[Sam Severn]

Another fabulous chapter, Scarletta!! The backstory is well-told, n' the tension is supremely well-written! N' the ending is SPELLBINDING!!! PLEASE WRITE MORE SOON! ㋡

[chaotic katie]

awesome chapter i loved it