Culling

Part I • Chapter VIII

Poor North looked like he had been struck just as speechless as Victor and I.

This was going to be the death of me.

Then fury such that I've ever felt before rushed through me.

Seriously? District six had sent this tiny, feminine, delicate girl to join in the Culling? What the hell were they thinking? Were the men in her district complete idiots? Why had no one helped her? Why was she here? Was there something more at play here?

"Please don't let anything be wrong with her." I heard Victor mutter under his breath.

So he was thinking along the same lines? This could get interesting.

"You and me both." I patted his upper back, letting him know that he wasn't alone in his contemplation. "How about we go meet her?"

"But... but..." Victor had a look a panic in his eyes and he fidgeted with his tie nervously. "She's already with the others. Dr Green had his arm around her already. What do we do? How do we stand out?"

Oh dear god, popular Victor was afraid of a girl. Now I've seen everything.

Though, he had a point. We had to stand out somehow.

I glanced around the room, as if ideas would just come flying into my line of sight and save the day. Then I spotted it - the buffet table.

Eureka!

It didn't appear as though anyone in our group had eaten and she only just arrived, so maybe she hadn't yet either.

"Come on Vic!" I grabbed his arm and made a beeline for the display of fancy spreads. "We'll feed her!"

"What?"

I didn't answer him, it seemed pretty self-explanatory.

Victor followed after me as I reached the ornate china stacked at the end of the table, grabbed two plates, and went through the options in front of me. Chicken legs, some fancy looking bacon wrapped asparagus, baby carrots, spinach.

Who the hell serves spinach at a meet-and-greet? It's not even a finger food!

My eyes traveled the length of the display, trying to take a guess at what she'd like.

Couldn't go wrong with chicken, most people liked chicken. I stuck some on the plate. There, protein. I might as well add some vegetables, otherwise North would probably have a fit, so I threw on a little of everything except the spinach.

No one needed that kind of pain in their lives.

Victor tagged along silently behind me as I filled the plate with a little of mostly everything.

Then we arrived at the glorious chocolate fountain. I wonder if she liked chocolate, or if she was like North and wanted to keep with the healthier, more disgusting options.

Nah, she was perfect. Of course she'd like chocolate.

I began picking up strawberries and other fruit, placed them under the chocolate and put them on the plate.

"Have you lost your mind?" Victor hissed in my direction. "She's sitting next to North!"

"It's fruit! He can't say anything about it!" After all, what was he going to do, take it away from her after I gave it to her?

Not even North was that cruel.

I knew my brother, and from the look I had seen on his face she'd be able to get away with eating whatever she wanted tonight.