The Selection

Alternative ending

takes place in chapter 12 

It had been a few hours since Peter went missing, and it drove Tony mad with worry. Everyone around him was acting like there was glass on the floor. Nobody dared to say anything, or even breathe a little too loud, anything could set off the kind.

All the royal guards were scattered over the forest trying to locate the boy, at first, they tried to follow the footsteps left behind, but they were long gone by now, the heavy rain erasing them, leaving nothing but mud behind

"Nothing yet?" Tony asked breaking the heavy silence.

"No, your majesty, we have people scattered all over the city" someone replied.

"He is a child, how incompetent can you be if you can't locate a single child in a city that he doesn't even know. The king yelled "it's freezing outside, he's been out there for hours."

"I'm sorry, Sir, we will find him."

Peter was walking on the edge of the city, trying to remain unseen by sticking to places that nobody walked on. He was starting to lose hope, he had been out in the rain for hours, he was shivering uncontrollably and could barely feel his feet, but he had to keep going.

But then he saw it, in all its glory, there it was, the train station.

There would be no denying that it was what he was looking for. Peter smiled; he was one step closer to going home.

He put one step on the street eager to enter the station, he could almost smell his apartment and his aunt perfume. At the same time a car pass by him at an incredible speed the sound of the horn echoing the street

Peter's heart came out to his throat, he was almost hit, but the worst of all, was that he was seen, he could only hope that whoever was in that car didn't know about his disappearing.

He entered the station, it was empty, of course he doubted that it was even used by the population. Almost immediately he saw a train that was ready to leave, not the gran one that he had come, but a cargo one, that was probably going to get supplies from section two. Peter's hands clenched, they already had few and even then, the little they had, they had to give to feed the greedy mouths of the rich

Suddenly the train came to life slowly moving forward, Peter's eyes widen he had to move fast. He ran across the station, his wet sneakers squeaking threatening to slip at any minute. Finally, Peter manages to jump into one of the carriages, unlocking the door and slipping inside. He panted out of breath, there was no light inside, Peter could only seat in the corner in the darkness listening as the trained picked up speed.

Now that he stopped, the adrenaline slowly leaving his body, Peter was left trembling, he was soaking wet, and the metal box didn't do anything to keep the wind outside, he could feel the freezing gushes of air hitting him from every side.

He crawled back to the corner hugging his knees to his chest trying to keep himself warm, an useless attempt but at least he was able to bring some comfort to himself.

After a while his body started to shiver, he closed his eyes trying to fall asleep to escape the cold, thinking about the warm hug that his aunt would be able to give him, or seeing Ned.

After a while the young boy finally let himself fall asleep almost invisible in the corner of an empty wagon.

While Peter slept everyone at the palace was wide awake searching for the missing heir "sir, we searched the whole forest, the boy was no where to be found" one guard said.

Tony got up from his seat, enraged he threw the glass he was holding against the wall making it shatter into a million pieces.

"Sir, we took the liberty of checking the security cameras and we caught the boy on the station. We think he entered a cargo train that left for section two" another one said.