Labeled (A The Selection Fanfiction)

Chapter Six

The man lifted his gun and declared, "If eitha of ya younguns moves an inch, ya dead. Ya hear me?" He spits at us to make his point even more clear. But I don't think Cora and I will need a reminder anytime soon. I am so scared my fingers started shaking, and so I clench my dress even tighter.

The air tingles with tension, one movement could make it break, and end everything. Literally. We didn't nod, to scared to move. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cora, who was staring the rebel down with a knife-sharp gaze. I realize she has probably faced the rebels before, and knows what to do better than I do. I wonder if she got taught what to do. I turned my gaze back to the rebel with the slightest movement of my head. I copy Cora's gaze.

"I said, d'ya hear me?" I flinch when he puts his face next to mine and spits in my cheek, but I hide the fear screaming inside of me. I silently nod.

"I said DON'T MOVE!" He screamed. His eyes flashed and reminded me of a snake before it attacks. Instead of fangs, he has a gun. Instead of poison, he has a bullet. And his fangs are sinking into my head.

The round metal shape of the gun presses into my temple. I bite my tongue to keep from crying out, for that would sure earn a bullet straight through my head. Soon the taste of blood fills my mouth, but I barely notice. I hear faint crashes and pops echoing through the hallways like background music at a funeral.

Well, I was right. I wouldn't be staying at the palace for a week. But this way, it doesn't matter what the Prince thinks of me.

I glanced at the rebel. He was looking into space intently, apparently thinking something over.

"List'n. Ya one of the selected, aren't ya? And ya'r just a palace maid." Just a palace maid?

I quietly said, "Yes." Cora did the same.

"All right, your coming wi-" I jumped, the rebel had been pushed to the ground, and in the process his gun had fired. I looked at my arm and saw a red spot growing, but I only felt a tingling sensation. I looked behind where the rebel was standing and saw Prince Alexander quickly looking around. His gaze landed on me and his eye seemed to sharpen. It doesn't register that this is the Prince - the pain in my arm demands attention, and I fight to keep it elsewhere.

He steps forward and offers me his hand. He hasn't noticed that I'm shot.

"Lady Clarissa, I believe?" He nodded at me, and then took in Cora. He acknowledged her with a short nod of his head and then turned back to me.

"Are you ladies all right? We need to get to a saferoom as soon as possible, follow me." Uh, hello? Mr. Fancy Pants Saving People's Lives? I'm shot. The room is swimming in my eyes, and I can't tell the wall from the ceiling anymore.

Cora moves to follow him, but when I don't move, she stops and looks at me funnily. I feel like I am about to faint from the pain in my arm, but calm myself enough to mutter, "I - got shot - in - my arm."

The shock on Cora's face is so evident I feel like I could grasp it. "Where, oh, Clarissa, no!" She sees the growing spot of blood on my arm and starts crying, her tears falling faster than mine.

Prince Alexander gasps and looks shocked for a moment before shakes his head to clear his mind.

"Here." He says as he picks me up, "We can't get you to the doctor, we have to get to a safe room."

"Okay," I say under my breath, barely whispering. His arms are so strong he carries me like I weigh nothing. I suppose this should feel like a fairy tale, but it's more like a horror story.

Fairy tale: The fair maiden was injured with no means to help herself when the Prince came and swooped her out of danger's reach.

Horror story: Clarissa got shot in the arm by a scruffy rebel, and the ignorant Prince didn't notice that she was shot. When he was told, he picked her up and didn't even bother to ask how she was as her blood soaked through his shirt.

"Clarissa," Cora breathes, "How does it feel? Is it numb?" Numb? I wish.

My vision is so blurry I can't make out anything. I close my eyes to avoid more dizziness and try to answer Cora.

"No" I say, and then there is darkness.