Culling

Part I • Chapter X

"I have been so excited, thinking about that date you promised me." He bent his head towards mine, his lips against my face. I could smell his foul breath against my cheek, and his body was pinning mine to the wall. 

I fought against shivering in disgust.

"Um..." 

Did he still think I was going to date him? How to say this in a way that I didn't hurt his feelings. Despite the major creep factor, perhaps he was just a scary looking guy who needed to have things spelled out. "Well... I didn't exactly agree to go on a date with you. Also, we aren't allowed to leave the area."

"Who says we have to go anywhere? Look, our rooms are even on the same floor! What are the odds of that?" Greg raised his arm and I could feel his fingers tracing my collarbone and moving down towards my hips. 

I tried pushing him away, but my arms were trapped between us and I didn't have the strength to move him. This was not going according to plan.

"No, thank you." I said in what I hoped was a firm voice, but I knew that it was weak sounding from the smirk that appeared on his face. "I'm really not interested."

"Is it because you are dating one of those guys? You seem like you are pretty comfortable together." He was speaking directly into my ear now, and his hand now groped my butt. Stroking and grabbing. 

"There's no way you just met them. Did you get caught sleeping around above your station; so they threw the lot of you in together to die? What's wrong, were the men in district six not good enough for you?"

"N- no..." I was gasping in fear now and I was barely blinking back tears. I needed to get away but I couldn't break free. "It was nothing like that!"

"I think you are lying."

"I'm not!" I knew I was crying now, but I couldn't help it.

"Hey!" A sharp voice caused Greg to jump.

Then he was suddenly pulled away from me and thrown into the wall on the other side of the hallway. 

I watched North as he grabbed Greg by the throat and pushed him up against the wall until his feet dangled above the ground. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

Greg glared at him, but didn't, couldn't, say anything as his hands clawed at North's arm. 

North didn't budge.

I had fallen to the ground once I was released, and I held onto my towel like a lifeline. Victor was suddenly next to me and he touched my arm softly as he tried to get my attention. I looked up at him and noticed that his eyes were blazing in fury. "Sang! Are you alright?"

They were here! 

They had noticed that I was gone and actually came looking for me. 

I threw myself into the comfort of his arms, needing the security of someone who cared. 

"Sang?" He sounded unsure. I wanted to respond but I couldn't say anything yet, I just curled up tighter and closed my eyes. He sighed and wrapped his arms around me in response. I could feel him stroking my hair in a comforting gesture.

There was the sound of running footsteps and then Kota's sharp voice broke through the sounds of the strangled noises that Greg was currently making. "What happened?" 

I still couldn't answer, but it didn't matter because apparently he hadn't been talking to me, but to North.

"We were looking to see if she had come down this way, and found this fucker with his hands all over her. She was crying."