The Selected |Weekly Updates|

Chapter Twelve

"Remember, we should always stay together." Marcos declares loudly as he explains the plan to us. "No matter what happens, we should stick together." He states as he looks down at the written plan.

"What if we are separated?" Santi whispers with fear creeping in his tone. He looks around the room alarmed.

"Oh, we will most likely." Isaac chuckles. He leans against the sofa and winks at me. His whitish gray hair is falling down, half-covering his purple, shining eyes. "But we should try to remain in pairs at least." He adds with mischievous grin.

"And under no circumstances leave Valerie alone." Marcos adds in overprotective tone. He approaches me on the other side of the table, patting my head. "Basically, this whole twist to the competition is head-hunt on her." Marcos adds in lower voice.

"Isn't she too young for competition?" Joseph smiles at little me as he puts is arm protectively around me. "Wasn't there age limit? Like children under fourteen could not participate? What happened to that rule?"

"Jo..." Santi looks at him annoyed. "I have been participating ever since I first came here." He rolls his eyes and looks at Marcos. "He has been trying to negotiate my participation ever since the first competition."

"I am going to be alright." I grin at them and shrug off Joseph's arm. "It is not that easy to kill me." I grin once again.

"Well, you do need that confidence now." Dante murmurs as we crack our eyes open.

"I did not know what was about to happen, Dante." I shake my head and sigh. "Nothing would have prepared me for that."

"Val." I look at Santi. "I am sorry." They whisper in a low voice. I offer them a small smile.

"It's okay, Santi." I smile once again. "It was not your fault." I murmur the words out and I believe what I say. It was not their fault. They could never know and even if they did know, Santi would not be able to stand against the monsters with me.

"You are talking about...?" Dante whispers, tilting his head. "About that?" I nod my head.

"I can't do it, Santi." Little me whispers with horror filled voice as she stares at him, wanting to do nothing more, but to crawl into the hole and hide forever.

"You can, Val." He whispers with gentle tone as he brushes my hair away from my face. "Listen to me, kiddo." I smile at him. "I will protect you at all cost, okay?" I nod my head, believing in everything that he is telling me. "I will not let anyone harm you, little princess."

I smile weakly at Santi. But I know that despite giving me all the promises in the world, he will never be able to protect me. His powers, they are amazing in a different way, but in no where are the powers fitted for combat fighting.

He takes my hand as we start running. I am slowing him down, making it harder for him to survive. I can hear the cries of distress coming all around me, I can hear bodies void of life hitting the ground in a loud thud.

"We just need to find Marcos." Santi whispers to me in a low voice. He starts crawling behind the bushes, not letting go of my hand. "Just  a little while longer, princess, okay?"

"Well, well, well..." I hear clapping from behind me. I look up with fear glistering in my eyes. He is standing in front of me, Tyler. The leader of the Second Section, the merciless of them all. He chuckles, as he moves his hand, vines wrapping themselves around us. "The little abomination and her weak protector." He laughs loudly, freezing blood in my veins.

Santi pushes me behind him, standing in front of me protectively. His hands are raised and I know that he is sending vibrations of distress down the earth, the vibrations that will echo back to the animals, making them rush towards us.