The Death of Hope

Chapter Three

Victoria's muscles tensed as she stood, waiting to be escorted into that dreaded room. One by one the Lower-class members picked by the Choosing Committee were escorted in.  Her tired eyes roamed over the faces entering, searching for someone she knew, hoping she didn't see them. Hours had passed, hundreds of people had shuffled by. The large room slowly emptied. After what seemed like forever, the only Victoria was left. She smiled sadly, Eloise wasn't here.
"Victoria Towers, come forward." Barked a soldier near the door. Victoria obeyed, there was nothing gained from resisting now. Two soldiers flanked her and escorted her out the door. Instead of marching her across to the other room, they turned left and entered a different room.
"Ms. Towers, "A man begins as soon as she enters through the doors. "You have an extensive record of unruliness and rebellion. Thirteen encounters with the armed guards, four identified robberies of military supplies, you have resisted questioning eight times, and been seen after curfew seventeen times, all in the past three years. This sort of behavior is severely frowned upon." The man said, chiding her like a small child. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I..." Victoria hesitated, thinking over what she could say. "I have nothing to say," she replied, struggling to keep her voice from shaking. The man shook his head in mock dismay.
"You know the punishment for such offenses, together... That is over nine years of prison, or seven years of manual labor." Victoria slowly attempted to break free of the guards holding her still. Without saying a word, they twisted her arms painfully behind her back. Victoria gasped in pain, then clenched her teeth to keep from crying out. "You see what I mean? Always struggling. Now, as I was saying, if you are Chosen, all charges will be dropped. If not, your sentence will be doubled, by order of the Leader." Victoria closed her eyes, taking in this new information. If she was Chosen, she would be completely separated from her past life. If she wasn't Chosen... No one survives more than three years in prison. Labor camps were no better.
"Take her to private holding cell 3a. The Leader wanted to see this one." The man said calmly as if he ruined people's lives daily. Victoria was dragged down the hall to a room. A strange device stood in the middle of the room, its table-like surface at a 45-degree angle from the ground. She was forced to lie down on it, shivers ran up her spine as her bare skin touched the cold metal. No matter how hard she struggled she couldn't escape the guards hold. Her wrists and ankles were fastened down with some sort of handcuffs. Victoria struggled, knowing it would do no good, she did it anyway. Her eyes filled with tears but she angrily blinked them back. Her determination slowly ebbed from her and her fight slowly died. she relaxed, forcing herself to think of anything but the present.
​She thought of Cole, the leader of the Scrap lifters. She thought of Casper, the youngest of their gang, only seven. She thought of the games they used to play, the fun they would have. She thought of the times when Rag would arrive late after helping his mother with the other children, and all the Scrap lifters would give some of their scraps to him so he could pay the rent. She thought of Eloise, her small smiles, her sparkling blue eyes. Of Rip, his permanently messy hair, his lopsided grins, and his grease smudged face from working in the Factory all day. Her heartbeat slowed, her breathing calmed and her determination returned. None of the others would give up so easily, and neither would she. None of the others would be stupid enough to fight against armed guards. They would be smart, planning, plotting, winning. She would be patient, just like the others would. 
She clenched her fists, and slowly forced her determination away, that would only get her killed in her current situation. Not long afterward she heard the faint sound of footsteps. The clicking grew louder until it was just outside. The door opened and in walked the Captain. Behind him came guards, at least ten of them. Then came the Leader.  His dark eyes seemed to pierce right into Victoria's soul. His perfect skin seemed to glow and his demeanor radiated power. His full lips parted in a humored smirk.
"So, this is the infamous Victoria Towers, I must admit, I have never seen anyone get away with so many felonies and not have gone to prison once. It's quite astonishing, to say the least." Victoria glared at him. "Captain," He said, turning to him, "Take your guards and leave, post two at the door if you'd like. I'll send one of them to inform you of my decision." The Captain looked like he was about to protest, but silently waved for the guards to follow him out the door. When they left, the room was completely quiet.
"Now that they're taken care of, let's see." The Leader walked around her, eyeing Victoria from head to toe. "I know everything there is to know about you. I've done my research."
"Why would you want to research me?" Victoria asked, her eyes blazing.
"Well, you see... you are impossible. I don't understand how you can survive that many encounters with the guards and still be alive, and out of prison. I know all about you, your friends, your family..." Victoria stiffened, eyeing him warily. "Christopher Towers," The Leader said, pacing in front of her, "Was a drunkard, everyone knew it. His seven-year-old daughter would work all day trying to make enough money to pay the rent, and to feed her two sisters." He sauntered forward, smiling cruelly at Victoria. "When her father came home drunk, some nights he would decide to have some... Fun. You know this story don't you, Victoria?" The Leader said, fingering the scars on her face. Victoria closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, in a failed attempt to keep herself from shaking. "When she was seven, her father disappeared. With no parents, the younger girls were taken from their home, Victoria was working, and didn't get home in time to say goodbye. She was left to roam the streets, searching for the family she would never have. Sad story, yes?" The Leader stood, eyeing her, waiting for her to react. He let out and exaggerated sigh when she made no move to say anything. "Well, you don't seem to talk much."
"there is nothing to talk about," Victoria replied icily.
"I like you. You seem like fun." The Leader says, his young face twisted in a cruel grin.
"That isn't a word many people use for me, but think what you like," Victoria said.
"What words do people use for you?" The Leader asks.
"Determined, stubborn, unruly," Victoria replied, though she was in no mood to play games with him.
"Well, for me, that is fun. You see, if someone is meek, patient, or whatever else, that makes them boring. What's the fun of having someone to do whatever you say if you don't have to make them do it?" He was insane, mental. Victoria was sure of it. She stared at him, not replying. "Yes, I rather like you." He waved at the door, beckoning for the guards to enter. "Guards, take her to the Chosen's Cells. A private one, she is to be mine." With that he exits the room, breezing past the doors as if he hadn't just stolen Victoria's entire life.
The guards marched over to her and opened the cuffs from around her wrists and ankles. They dragged her to her feet, and cuffed her hands behind her back, before pushing her forward. Victoria was pushed and pulled down corridors, through doors, and upstairs in a dizzying maze of walls. When they stopped, they were in a small room almost identical to the one they had just exited, the same table-like device in the middle. The guards secured her to the device, then stood by the door, apparently waiting for someone.
Minutes ticked by. A doctor entered the room, a nurse came in behind him holding a small tray. The doctor lifted a small canister and attached a small tube to the top. He fastened a small face mask to the other end of the tube. Victoria had seen this before, on one of the military bases. Sleeping gas. She frantically struggled against her restraints as the mask covered her face. Gas filled her lungs and her eyes began to close. Her limbs relaxed, and her struggles slowly stopped.
I will escape. Victoria though, before the darkness filled her mind.