Waiting for War

amy

there's a swell of noise inside of the arena. a litany of comments that sounded like death. an uproar ringing around the room. both victoria and veronica smile at the same time, but when they look at each other, veronica stops smiling.

there's something about victoria. the way she holds herself like a regal scholar. like she has nothing to hide that is so off putting about this situation. although veronica looks glad of the hate that she's receiving, veronica looks uneasy. veronica steps forward first to make her speech.

"welcome to your second year at university, because of security scares we have expanded the security and the game. i hope everyone understands. it will be an honor to keep my team on the top of the charts," she gives a bow and steps back.

victoria's microphone comes on and immediately noise erupts. no one wants to hear her speak. victoria only smiles and looks towards veronica.

"i think she summed it all up quite well, isn't she a doll," she smiles even wider as she looks at her sister. a vein pulses at veronica's temple.

the room goes infinitesimally more silent as she says these words and steps away. anyone who wasn't paying attention wouldn't have noticed she said anything at all. i gulp. we still don't know what happened between them and the creatures and it creates a sense of unease around the arena.

"murderer,"

"traitor," rings from the crowd. victoria only smiles and looks at her sister. like somehow the words are meant for her. in fact if what she had on her face before was a grin it's nothing to her beaming face now.

veronica almost smiles and then she sees victoria. victoria mouths something that makes veronica go pale and sends a shiver down my spine. what happened that night almost twenty years ago? and what does victoria know that she's not sharing?

katie and i need to visit her as soon as possible. i turn to katie to whisper this but she is staring at her mother, a look of anger on her face.

"she didn't even tell me she was here," she finally whispers. "what kind of mom doesn't tell their kid that they're in the same dimension," and of all the people to leave first when we are dismissed. it's katie.