Four

“Kai, run!” My mom screams at me. I bolt to the front door of our house and slam it behind me. I realize too late that I accidentally closed the door on my five-year-old little brother. He’s sobbing and banging on the rattling wooden door. Once I notice, I quickly open it and shove him inside. I put him on my back and we run upstairs into my bedroom and hide under the bed.

My name is Kai Robertson, fifteen, and I live in the Fourth community. Let me backup - there are four communities around where I live. The First community is the most wealthy - they have mansions up and down the streets, and all the schools have four floors. The Second community is your average town - regular sized houses, regular sized schools. The Third community is poor, but not too poor. The Fourth community, however, is super poor. You’re lucky to have a concrete floor in your house.

The four communities are always at war. Sometimes, me and my brother Jake will wake up and Mom and Dad will be out of the house, weapons taken with them because we’ve been attacked again.

There’s a lot of war between the First and Fourth community and the Second and Third. The First community has really strong weapons and the Fourth - well, we don’t.

“Kai, help me!” My brother shrieks. I turn to look at him and see that his wrist has been shot. I quickly lay him on my hard mattress and take my last bandage from my closet. I wrap it around his wrist and apply pressure. After the bleeding slows down, I tape the bandage.

“There,” I say, kissing my brother’s forehead. Tears are streaming down his cheeks.

“Kiss it better,” he sobs. I lean down and give Jake’s wrist a long kiss. His tears seem to disappear almost right away.

There’s a loud explosion outside and our house comes down. Jake and I scream as I sprint down the stairs with him in my arms. We make it out the door just in time. My best friend is kneeling outside our house, her face buried in her hands.

“Belle!” I run over to her. She lifts her head and stands up to hug me. I put Jake down to give Belle a quick hug. As soon as his feet touch the ground he wails. Belle nods at me and I go pick him up again.

“Why’re you here?” I ask.

“Oh, right. I…” Belle pauses. “I didn’t want to have to say this. Ever. But… The First community raided most of the houses, and blew up a couple, like yours. Your parents, they… they tried to protect your house but… but…”

“Did the explosions kill them?” I whispered, my voice shaking. Belle gave a silent nod. Jake starts screaming and I hold him close as I tug on my dark brown hair. I always tug on my hair when I get upset. Belle stares at me, almost as if plotting our next move. How we’re going to get back at the First community.

“We take the bodies of your parents to the Third community,” she mutters, almost as if she’s talking to herself.

“What? Why?” I question aloud.

“Well, the Third community is very much like us, you know. Weak. Vulnerable. If we carry the bodies there and prove the First community is out to get us, maybe we can team up with them.”

“I don’t want my parents’ bodies used as bait to bring the Third community in, Belle.”

“It’s the only way! Our community will be destroyed.”

“Belle, stop! Go away!” I shout, pushing her away. She looked momentarily shocked before running up and over the hill and to her house. I take Jake to my grandma and I decide to walk over to the Third community. It’s a huge risk, but I need to take it. And I know exactly why.

Last night, the Oracle of our town told me to go to the Third community for something very important. It was a seven kilometer run, but I was determined.

I run over hills and down into ponds and through every thicket you could imagine. As I run, I have to pull up my old, matted dress so it doesn’t get dirty. Mother would’ve hated that.

I know that at this point, I have to make my parents proud. And Jake. I was utterly exhausted, but I wouldn’t stop. I used Jake’s heartbroken shrieks to keep me going. I had to do this for him.

Finally, finally, I was at the Third community. It looked like a holiday resort. I couldn’t even begin to imagine living in such a lovely place.

Guards stood at the entrance. My mind reeled as to how they could afford guards.

“Kai Roberston,” one says in a low, raspy voice. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“I-it’s okay,” I stutter. I feel tears flood my eyes but I force myself not to cry. “I’m here for an important message. Could you send me in?” “You need this first,” the other guard says. He’s taller and more muscular than the first. He pulls a green metal bracelet out of his pocket and puts it on my wrist. I immediately try to take it off, but it’s stuck to me.

“It won’t come off unless you die, kid. When you’re alive, the bracelet is green. If you’re dead, it turns red then falls off your wrist and disappears. There’s a couple special occasions, however. If someone gives you their life, it turns blue. If you’re revived, it turns purple. If you die from a horrible sickness or disease, it turns orange then also falls off your wrist and disappears.”

“Oh,” I stare down at my wrist. The bracelet was stuck to my wrist, all right. It was big and clunky and not at all pretty.

“Go in now,” the first guard tells me, pushing me along.

I walk inside the Third community. There’s dirt paths and shops everywhere you look. Some people are selling bread, other’s selling weapons.

I’m looking around wildly when I saw a girl about my age, maybe a year or two older, standing in front of me. Her blonde hair blew in the wind and she had a bow slung over her back.

“Hi,” I say, nervously walking towards her.

“I’m Esme. Please follow me. Quickly, now. We mustn’t get killed in the process.” Esme grabs my hand and we ran through the crowd, pushing through people. Someone looks in my direction and pulls out a gun.

“RUN!” Esme screams at me. “Go to the old oak tree in the west!”

“I can’t leave you alone like this!” I yell back. The man points his gun at my forehead and puts his finger on the trigger. Esme shoots me the angriest look a human could give and I take off.

The oak tree in the west, I think. Since the sun is setting, I head in that direction.

I hear a faint shout from the man with the gun.

“I’m sorry!” He pleads. “I didn’t know you were Esme. Please let me go!”

“Fine,” Esme replies. “But don’t ever threaten Kai Robertson again. Leave this community, in fact.”

“Yes ma’am!”

A few minutes later, Esme arrives at the oak tree. Her face is cut and gaunt, and her hair had a few twigs in it. She has a huge gash on her thigh, but just sits down calmly and pulls gauze and medical tape out of her bag she’s been carrying. Esme quickly wrapps her thigh and stands up. I’m about to say sorry for what happened when she also pulls a dagger out of her backpack and hands it to me.

“This is now your weapon,” Esme tells me. “Now you don’t have to run away from the dangers we shall face.”

“Will you teach me how to use it?” I ask.

“Yes. In fact, let’s begin now,” Esme began showing me all kinds of tactics to use with a dagger. She even taught me how to fake an attack then go in for the kill. Personally, I never want to have to kill someone. But Esme told me that when worse comes to worst, I’ll need to know how to kill.

At the end of the night, Esme and I trudge back to the Third community. I can tell by the look on Esme’s face that the night wasn’t over.

We first went to her house and I met her mother and father, which made me get a bit emotional.

“I’m terribly sorry about what happened,” Esme’s mother, Mrs. Caleeska, says. She has a look of pity in her eyes. I hate that look.

“Yes, I am as well,” Mr. Caleeska adds. “Please, come in for tea and scones.”

“Really, it’s okay,” I tell them. “I’ll just go home or something.” “Idiot. You cannot, Kai. You’re wearing the Third community’s tracking device now,” Esme rolled her eyes. “If you are wearing that bracelet, it will send off an alarm when you step foot outside the Third community. In the meantime, you can go next door to Cayden’s house. He has an extra bedroom meanwhile I do not. I shall see you tomorrow at six in the morning sharp,” Esme leads me outside to Cayden’s house. She then heads back to her house and leaves me alone in front of some random person’s house at ten p.m. Reluctantly, I knock. I hear footsteps pound down the hallways and someone opens the door. Standing in front of me is a tall boy with brown hair and bright green eyes. He’s wearing a dirty hoodie and some jeans.

“Hi,” he says, smiling at me. “I’m Cayden. Are you Kaimbe?”

“Kai. People just call me Kai.”

“Sorry,” Cayden apologizes.

“No, it’s okay!” I tell him. “Um, anyways… Esme said that I could sleep over here…?”

“Yeah, of course,” Cayden brings me down the hallway. “My parents aren’t home right now. They’re battling with the Second community, actually. Did Esme tell you I have an extra bedroom?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I don’t really, but I do have a little mattress you could sleep on in my room,” he pauses. “What am I even saying? You can sleep in my bed, I’ll sleep on the mattress.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

***

It’s one hour later and Cayden and I are still awake. His ongoing humor keeps me awake. Everytime I say “okay, goodnight,” it’ll be quiet for about five minutes before he tells another joke.

“Cayden, goodnight!” I say, laughing. I lean over the bed and look down at him. He squints at me for a moment before pushing my face upwards. I can’t help myself. I crack up. As we laugh together, I begin to feel guilty. I’ve left Jake alone for some stupid message and he’s probably still sobbing right now. I stop laughing and lay down.

“Kai, what’s wrong?” Cayden asks.

“Stop!” I scream. Tears soak my ratty old dress. There’s a pause before I hear floors creaking. Suddenly Cayden’s sitting at the end of the bed.

“Kai, please tell me what’s wrong.”

“No!”

“Kai,” Cayden puts his hand on my shoulder. Normally, I’d sweep it off, but right now it feels comforting. There’s a minute of silence before Cayden lifts his hand.

“Will you tell me what’s wrong?” He asks once more.

“I just feel bad because I’m sitting here laughing in this

mansion

while my brother is probably sitting on a concrete slab crying!” I cried.