Chapter 1
Prologue
They called it justice, and they made sure the whole country watched.
They broadcasted it on every screen,
cloud penthouses glowing white and gold, ground-level apartments flickering through cracked glass. The image stuttered, then steadied. A platform. A beam. A woman standing barefoot with a rope around her neck.
Tatiana McBroom did not scream.
Her hands were bound behind her back, skin bruised and split Her face was swollen, one eye nearly shut, but when she lifted her head, her gaze was steady. Defiant. Alive.
President Wright’s voice poured through the speakers like warm oil.
“Today,” he said, smiling for the cameras, “we correct disorder. Today, we remind the nation what happens when citizens forget their place.”
Tatiana searched the crowd below the platform, even though she knew her children would not be there. They would never let them watch this in person. Pain was a privilege reserved for the masses.
Somewhere deep in the ground districts, a six-year-old girl who stood on her tippytoes in front of a flickering screen, her small hands clenching the fabric of her dress.
Violet watched as mother died.
The lever dropped.
The rope snapped tight.
The feed cut a heartbeat too late.
Fear settled into the nation like a disease.
That night, her father stopped believing the system could be fixed.
6 YEARS LATER AFTER THE WAR
They came for us in the dark the day after my father killed himself to aviod trial
I clung to my sister sleeve while guards read a law that hadn’t existed the day before. “If a criminal died before sentencing, his children would serve his punishment” the guard read aloud as I held my sister tightly. The words slid over me like cold water I couldn’t swallow.
Mya went first, chin high, Jayden squeezed my shoulder, Marisa cried without sound, Mika stared at the floor, and Tiana cursed and spat and promised to kill anyone who touched us.
I was eight when the doors of the Ground Rehabilitation Center sealed behind me.
In the center I didn’t get along with many of the kids there I was small I barely met the weight requirements for the axe job given to me.
I sit at the lunch table quietly staring at my food feeling nothing but anxiety today was the day I was going into the trials that none of my siblings made it out of.
It was just me, I was the weakest out of all my siblings and the youngest if even Tiana the strongest one out of all of us didn’t make it out, why would I?
I was knocked out of my thoughts all of a sudden by the soft voice of Judy my friend I met her when I was 10, and she was 8 we bonded off sharing food when the bigger kids took hers and I offered mines.
“What are you doing over here?” Judy asked while reaching for my fries
“thinking about how I’m about to die soon” I say plainly with a blank expression
“I think you're going to win” Judy said with confidence while stuffing her face with pudding that look like it had been sitting out for a while
“First ew why are you eating that, second you said that to Marcus, and then he died” I say as I scrunch my face up in disgust watching her devour her pudding
I couldn’t blame her she had been in solitary for weeks without food for disobeying a guard, so I know she was just eating it because she hadn’t eaten, but it was still disgusting to watch
“Ok no I said that to Marcus because I wanted to give him hope, duh!” Judy responds with an isn’t it obvious tone
I shake my head and slightly giggle given our Circumstances Nothing should really be funny, but Judy really knew how to make someone smile no matter the situation.
“I actually think you can win” Judy says as she places her pudding down
“your smart, fast, good with an axe, and you can hide” Judy said with a wide smile on her faces as she called out my skills
“Yea, but I’m in there with 24 other girls and 25 other boys, and they could be a lot better than me at these things” I say I wasn’t confident I would win if my siblings barely made it.
Why would I?
“Watch and when you do you better bail me out of this place before it’s my turn” Judy says while laughing
“you know I will” I say while joining the laughter
“QUITE DOWN” the head guard Tessa yells from the other side of the Cafeteria
Me & Judy stop and look at each other before we let out quite giggles
DING DING!!
The bell rang throughout the cafeteria letting us know lunch was over and it was now outside time
which means we can finally meet up with the other 2
Micha and Jaylen I met micha first the same night I came he came as well
We quickly clicked after he defended me against some girls and boys after my sibling were put in solitary for defending me and we bonded over the fact that we shared the same birthday and age
I met Jaylen when I met Judy they came together they were around the same age she was 11 and he was 13 they bonded after they were both thrown in solitary for being rebellious you can see how they’d get along.
We all met up at our signature spot a table way in the back of the courtyard out the ear way of the guards
“ how you feeling vi?” micha asked his brown eyes piercing mines
“ I could be better” I say not knowing how to respond
“ your going to win” Judy repeated
“And what about me?” Jaylen asked with frustration laced in his voice
I almost forgot today was his trials too
The table fell slient no one spoke
“I’m sorr-“ Judy started but was cut off by Jaylen storming off
“ I didn’t mean it like that” Judy turned to us her eyes welled up with tears
We both knew Judy didn’t mean it like that Jaylen was known to take things the wrong but we could do nothing but wait till he came back around.. but I guess that won’t be happening this time
“ you gotta go apologize to him before the trials” micha said with concern in his voice
“ I will” judy responded she would never let her best friend be mad at her the day of his trials
With that Judy got up to go and find Jaylen leaving me and Micha
“I think you can win aswell” Micha said his words coming out serious for once
“Why do yall keeping saying that” I ask with genuine confusion
“ your strong” he said
“ I’m strong? You literally had to defend me the first time we met” I exaggerate
“ violet you watched all your siblings die one by one yet you still haven’t fell into a depressives state hell when I lost only sibling I could barely walk or eat yet you lost all 5 and your still standing, still eating your truly strong I think you can win mentality your smart enough” Micha express
For a moment I smile because it’s true but then it quickly fades as i remember that it was all a mask every night I cried myself to sleep knowing the brutal deaths my siblings faced knowing I was eventually next and time couldn’t move faster
Cause here I am now waiting for my trial to begin
“ yea” I say pushing back the horrible memories
“ I believe in you” Micha said while staring at me
I look around trying to avoid eye contact Micha made me nervous ever since we’ve been younger I could never actually look him in his eyes I just couldn’t
Micha reached for my chin directing my face towards his are eyes lock I watch as he looks around before he comes down and place and quick yet long kiss on my lips
Pulling away from the kiss out of shock
“I’m sorry” Micha says his light skin flushed a rosy red
“ no it’s okay” I say as I reach for another one
DING DING!
The bell rang before I could even reach his lips we quickly step away from each other as the guards started to rally us up for the trials
It was time
“I’m scared” I say as my stomach feels like it’s twisted into a knot of despair and emptiness I start to regret not eating before
“ I believe in you don’t be” Micha responds in a reassuring tone as we make our way to our designated line
During the trials process both genders line up separately by youngest to oldest
Tessa the main guard will call out the names who are on trial 25 boys and 25 girls
girls are called first
“Nancy rue” was the first named called she was sweet girl who was well liked by everybody including the guards sad to say she won’t make it far she only has one leg
“Amanda jay” was the second named called I didn’t care much hearing her name be called she was the one who gave me this nasty scar on my face
*flashback*
“ so how does it feel knowing all your siblings cant protect you now” Amanda asked as she hovered over me with her fist balled
“Fuck you” I respond Spitting out the blood in my mouth
Before I could get another word out Amanda’s boyfriend Omar snatched me from the ground and pinned me against the wall
Amanda brought the knife to my neck dragging it across my neck slowly I couldn’t help but shiver from the cold metal pressing against my skin she swiftly moved the knife to my cheek
before i could even react she sliced my cheek and punched me in the stomach just as they were about to finish me off a guard came causing Omar to drop me on the ground
“This aint over v remember we in the same trials” omar says with a slight grin before running off
*flashback over*
“ violet mcbroom” the sound of my name on the speakers shook me
The room felt like it fell silent even tho it was already quite
I stand there frozen before I actually move, just as there about to call my name again I step out the line
I walk slow paced looking around feeling the eyes on me I scan crowd trying to find Judy, Micha or maybe even Jaylen but I can’t spot them anywhere until I make it on the podium
Tessa looks at me with a scowl before turning her head to call the next name
“Na’cari blank” she says
I barely hear it as everything now sounds muffled to me i dont know why but eventually it clears
na’cari was a quiet yet vibrant girl I didn’t know much about her only that her brother died in the last trials and she went hey wire and got put into solitary.
she wasn’t even supposed to be in this trial but due to her outburst it got her trial pushed up If you get put into solitary more then 3 times before your trial your trial will be pushed up as punishment.
For next 10 minutes the rest of the girl names were called before it got to the boys
“Now for the boys” she say as she pulls the boys sheet of paper out
“Omar daughterly” Amanda’s boyfriend
“I’m dead” i say quietly to myself as i watch him eye me down as he walks up the podium
The knot in my stomach grows worst and my stomach ache is starting to feel like i have to throw up
I was knocked out of my thoughts when another name was called
“Kaiden Blake” I knew him he was the best friend of Mika my oldest brother they were close before he passed I didn’t conversant with him but he knew that I knew him and he knew me
He definitely had a chance at winning he was a buff boy and very smart
He’ll probably be the one to win
“Jaylen Ortega” when his name was called my heart dropped for him I watched as he made his way towards the podium his head low his long lanky arms hang by his side Jaylen had no faith in himself and I could see it
for a split second I looked away from Jaylen and my eyes locked with Michas he gave me a lazy smile before mouthing to me
“Good luck” I read
Scanning the crowd one last time I find Judy she’s already looking at me with tears running down her rosy cheeks my heart ached all I wanted to do was hold her and tell her it’ll be okay but I couldn’t
“Barkley black” ms.tessa called out a small scrawny boy steps out of the line head held high you could tell he had confidence in himself but with his build and stature he wasn’t making it an hour in the trials
“James opez” I didn’t know much about him either only that he was fighter and was in and out of solitary he could also be the winner he’s strong enough
15 minutes later
The trials pick was over it was time to transport us to the training center
They loaded all 50 of us in a van boys on one side girls on another me and Jaylen where seated across from each other but for some odd reason he couldn’t even look at me
It didn’t take long before we arrived at the training center we were loaded off the van one by one and our handcuffs removed
We were leaded inside this building with no windows just a door when we Enter the building a cold breeze immediately over comes all of us sending a shiver down my spine
Infront of us was 50 other people one for each one of us they were are trainers they were pervious winners of the trials.
after you win the trials you are set free, given money from the government, a place to stay, and a job which is being a trainer for the next batch on contestants
My trainer was a man bout 5”11 dark chocolate skin with locs longer then my own hair
“Hello, my name is Marcel and I’ll be your trainer until the trials” Marcel says in a welcoming tone while reaching his hand out for mines
For a moment I hesitate,I don’t trust him, I’m scared, but I grab his hand anyways I don’t know why but a sense of comfort washes over me his hands are warm and kind of remind me of my fathers hands
No matter how cold it was fathers hands always seemed to be war comforting Marcel reminded of him just from our small interaction
He leads me to our training room on the top floor of the building when entering the room I’m surrounded by obstacles,weapon, and a lot more
“This is where we will train for the next 3 days before you are put into the trials” marcels says with a slight smile
“ will it be the same factory as the last trials?” I ask as I scanned the room
I asked the question genuinely concerned because if it is I might just die the first hour there
“Well yes of course maybe a few tweaks and a few hall changes nothing major we don’t change unless necessary” Marcel responds
I nod my head making sure to remember the part where theres few tweaks meaning some things were changed
“So what are you best at?” Marcel asked
“I can run and I’m good with an axe” I say remembering the skills that judy called out about me
“I can work with that” Marcel says while nodding his head
“Come” he says as he makes his way towards the puzzle station
“Puzzles?” I asked in confusion
“There’s going to be a lot of these your going to need this the most please” Marcel responds
I nod we sit and do puzzles for at least 2 hours before he shows me how to fight in combat
We trained for at least 5 more hours before he finally let me go get ready for bed and explore
The building we were in wasn’t just a training facility but in the front of the apartment is a full blown training center but deeper down the hall is the other side of the apartment is a bedroom, a kitchen, a tv, and a bathroom
Walling towards the kitchen and opening the fridge to see it packed with food i feel tempt to eat it all being that i have never seen this much fresh food before.
But then gulit and pity rushes over me i cant help but think about the grounds people and how there starving while up in the sky theres unlimted food and supplies
More then enough to spare
feel sick to my stomach knowing the my people had none of this they had all this stuff up here to spare for kids who will die in the next few days
But had nothing for the ground peoples who were starving to death and fighting each other for food or clean water
It was sickening how the system worked and it made my heart ache.
Something had to change and fast..
