The Death of Hope

Chapter Six

He stalked down the hall, dragging her behind him. Her skin was surprisingly smooth, like silk beneath his fingers. She struggled, a little, not as much as he had expected. He smiled happily. She was his, he could do whatever he wanted with his new possession. 
"Now, before we move on... Any questions?" The Leader slid to a halt, then turned and looked at Victoria. To his delight, she looked like she was about to crack, her mesmerizing silver eyes stared at him, but without the defiance that was there before.
​"What... What's your name?" She asked, her voice shuddering. 
"That is an odd question... Why do you want to know?" She sighed, looking at her hands, the walls, anywhere but at him. Just like Colette. Memories ran through his mind, her sweet face, golden curls, rosy cheeks. Her dark eyes, that seemed to know exactly what you were feeling. No one could replace her. No one could replace what was taken from him. Victoria's words break through his memories like a battering ram.
"If I'm supposed to serve you for the rest of my life, I think I should know the name of the man who took my freedom." Her determination was returning, slowly. That was good, it was more fun that way.
"Callan." The Leader replied, his voice surprisingly soft. He knew this small piece of information would be an invitation for more questions.
"Why? Why did you do this? Why me? Why are you doing this?" her voice broke when she looked his way The Leader saw tears in her eyes.
​"why not, you seemed like fun. Determined to a fault, easily persuaded. Close friends, those are fun to toy with..." The Leader jerked her into the room in front of them. "You remember Amber, don't you?" He rushes on, not waiting for a reply. "Now, Amber... You have three hours. Please, my dear, explain to Victoria everything. Then she is to be made ready for dinner." Amber sat, her angelic features lit perfectly in the soft light. 
"Of course, anything in specific?" Her voice was angelic, soft, yet strong. Tinkling lightly across the room.
​"All the basics, you know what to do." Her pale eyes stared straight ahead, never pointing directly at him. "Chance will be in to see you when you are finished." The Leader grinned at her delight. "I'll see you tonight." He stood and walked softly out of the room, locking the door behind him, just in case. Across the hall stood a small door, The Leader slid through. 
"Pull up a video feed for Amber's room, and audio." The large screen lit up. She's smart, Colette, but she will never replace you. No one will. Don't worry, Colette, not everything is wrong. I will make things right again, please, don't cry. It will all be all right. He would not let Colette down, he smiled happily, hearing her joyful reply. We will be united soon. We will be happy together. Colette, Callan, forever.
~~~~~
Victoria sagged against the wall, hearing The Leader, no, Callan's footsteps fade away.
"Victoria, where are you?" Amber asked, concerned. Victoria slid forward, grabbing Ambers outstretched hand. "Victoria, we need to talk... I'll explain."
"answer one question; Is there a chance for escape?"
"I have been here for... A very, long time. I have tried and tried. I'm still here."
"How many times?" Victoria struggled to cling to hope.
​"Twenty-seven." Amber sighed. "Twenty-seven times I've tried and failed. I, I don't think there is any way to escape, now that they have the Devices." 
"What keeps you alive? How do you have hope?" Tears filled Victoria's eyes.
"To stay alive in a place stripped of hope... Is the most difficult thing you will ever need to do. You need to find something worth living for, once you find it never let it go. Search for the small things, a blooming flower, a young child free to do as she pleases, Anything."
~~~~~
"I see you have finished," The Leader said as he stalked into the room. "Amber, as I promised, Chance." A small boy, about three years old ran out from behind The Leader.
His deep blue eyes gleamed as he embraced Amber. "They will be here in ten minutes. When you are done, come to my Chambers, both of you." Without another word, he exited the room once more. Amber knelt, running her fingers through Chance's golden curls.
​"Why do they take me from you?" The child asked, in his small innocent voice. 
​"I don't know, my dear. Sometimes, things need to be done that we don't like."
"Mommy, who is the girl with the scars on her face?" Her brow furrowed in confusion, then smoothed out again as she realized who he was talking about.
"Chance, be kind. This is Victoria. She was Chosen, just like me." The young boy looked
up with his innocent eyes, then ran up and gave Victoria a hug.
"You look sad, Mommy says we must always smile. Hugs make things better." Victoria
knelt, eye level with his serious face.
"I think, you should go hug your Mommy."
"Not until you smile," he said with a playful grin. Victoria gave him a halfhearted smile. "You must be very sad, even when you smile, it seems like you just want to cry." He scampered off to his mother, leaving Victoria alone. Time passed, Victoria ignored their playful giggles. After a while, a soldier entered to take Chance. Amber stood, gave him one last hug, and let go. Victoria could see that she had done it many times before. Amber made no protests as her child was taken from her. Amber brushed off her hands and stood.
​"They'll be here soon." Amber began, but was cut off as a stream of people entered. They swarmed around Amber, then stood back, waiting for her to speak. 
"This is Victoria, Callan's new Chosen." She stated, motioning around the room, not knowing exactly where Victoria was. "Clara, Martha, Simeon, and Bryce, you will prepare her. The rest of you stay with me." She ordered as if she had done it a thousand times. The swarm swept her out of the room, leaving behind only the four servants and Victoria. A young girl, about seventeen years old, stepped forward.
"I'm Clara, this is Martha, Bryce, and Simeon," she said, motioning to the people next to her. Martha was tall, with dark skin, and dark brown hair falling around her face. Bryce was a tan, muscled, boy, no older than seventeen. Simeon was tall and lanky. With a mop of blonde hair on top of his thin face. "Follow us, Miss Victoria," Clara ordered, marching out the door. With a few sorry glances, they led her down the maze of corridors. They went into a small room and sat Victoria down on a chair.
"Why do you do this?"
"Do what?" Martha asked, a questioning look in her dark eyes.
"Serve people. Don't you have a choice?"
"None of us have choices. We do as they say, and we stay alive. That's how it works. No one has a say in anything," She replied bitterly. Without another word, they began.
They washed her hair, scrubbed the dirt off her body, and painted her face with makeup.  The silence was nice, almost calming when paired with their rhythmic work. When her hair was washed, they dried it and started putting it up in an elaborate hairdo. The boys had surprisingly nimble hands, working quickly to finish the job. When they were finished, they sat back and looked at her, like an artist looked at his finished painting. Martha pulled out a mirror, handing it to Victoria.
When she saw her reflection, Victoria gasped. She looked like an entirely different person. Like a china doll, completely fake, only pretty to look at. Victoria hated it. She wished to still have the grease and grime on her arms, to have tangled hair, and dirty clothes. For no one to care, to have her freedom back. She closed her eyes. Wishing is for things that will never happen. Freedom is still possible. When she opened her eyes once more, Clara shoved a dress into Victoria's arms. 
"Go change into this, hurry." She motioned to a small curtained-off section in the corner of the room. Victoria entered, then looked at the garment given to her. It was dark blue, almost black, with a gold trim along the seams, made with a soft, silk-like fabric. One dress like this would feed Rip and Eloise for years back in the Lower City. She sighed but began the task at hand.
After a moment of struggling, Victoria finally got into it. It was skin tight, and barely covered anything, but when she walked out of the room Clara looked her up and down, straightening it here, adjusting it there. Victoria felt more like a possession than a real human being. Dressed up to look pretty, but not important at all.
"Why does everything have to be perfect?" Victoria's voice echoed in the silent room. Bryce spoke for the first time.
"If the Leader doesn't approve, well..." He let out an unamused chuckle. "Let's just say it won't be pretty."
The silence fell again as they escorted her back to Amber's chambers. Amber was waiting for them, decked out in finery.
"Victoria, we need to go, The Leader will be waiting for us. Martha, could you please come?"
"Of course, Miss Amber," Martha replied meekly. They were led through corridor after corridor, Amber's hand resting gently on Martha's slim shoulder. Victoria felt an uneasy discomfort as she walked closer and closer to the man who took her freedom, to the man who has Eloise, to the man who has control.
Control, ever since childhood Victoria had searched for control. Victoria yearned for control, to be able to take care of herself, not have to lean on anyone. To be free, on her own. Escape was impossible for her now, nothing could change that.
I can't escape, so I'll just fight back.
Slowly an idea dawned on Victoria, and a plan slowly began to form.