Fractured

Chapter 1

Before he had time to ask I answered. "I don't know what I'm going to do when Fern turns twelve."

As always he was quick to comfort. "She will be fine, her name will only be in there once. The odds of her being picked are low, besides she hasn't had to take tesserae like most the others." It was a cruel thought, but he was right. My parents could support our family, unlike many of the other families. "You don't need to worry about it until it comes."

He was right. I had enough to worry about as it was. I could lose Adrien and Delaney. The mere thought made my stomach ache. Being cousins was the very least they were to me. I felt like Delany was my second sister. From the moment she could walk I pulled her away to play with me. I had watched her grown and mature, and I wasn't prepared to see her die.

Adrian, on the other hand, was my best friend. Even in our mother's wombs, we reached to each other. From wrestling in the yard, and playing pretend, to doing homework, and getting a job, he was filled with memories. The nights when he would walk to my house just to make sure I was sleeping well, to when he comforted my every worry, he was worth more than a friend to me. I couldn't lose him.

After picking all the apples off that branch, I began to climb higher.

"Don't fall this time!" Adrien called to me from down below.

When he and I first started working here, I was given the job of climbing up the tree. I never liked heights, but since I was lighter, they had me pick the apples. The first day, I climbed to the top thinking that was what they wanted from me. The tree was wet because of a light downfall from earlier that day. My foot slipped and I fell, barely missing a huge limb. Through a miracle, I grabbed a branch halfway down. Though it only slowed me, and I hit the ground with a yelp. It wasn't just my pride, but also my tailbone that was bruised. Adrien had to help me home, which was where I stayed for the next week. Ever since then Adrien wouldn't let me live it down.

"Would you stop, I haven't fallen in two years!"

"Well we wouldn't want that to happen again, would we poor baby?" He rubbed his face and talked mockingly. I tried coming up with something to tease him back with, but I couldn't think of anything. He had never really messed up, except for the time when he got beat for dropping a basket of apples only three weeks into the job.

We had gathered 5 full baskets, which was more than usual. After we had finished, we were supposed to take the baskets to the storage house. On our way, Adrien tripped over a rock and fell, dropping his apples as well. Quickly I helped him scrabble to his feet. There was a peacekeeper not 20 feet away and just as I started picking up the apples he walked over. After asking who had done it, he began beating Adrian with a stick. I begged him to stop but, he didn't pay attention. When he finally noticed me, he looked into my eyes and told me to get lost or he would beat me too. I wanted to punch him in the face, but I walked over to another tree to wait instead. He had gotten 18 beatings when I lost it. I ran over to the peacekeeper and punched him with all of my might. He stumbled back a few steps holding his bloody nose. I quickly grabbed Adrien's arm forcing him run with me. He repeatedly told me how stupid I was and how they are going to kill us. I began to believe him when two peacekeepers found us hiding behind the justice building with more than anger on their faces. After pulling Adrian away they grabbed and beat me until I was black and blue. I never interfered with a peacekeeper again, not that Adrien would let me anyway.

I thought that it would be best to not bring up the incident. I didn't have time for another lecture about abstaining from unintellectual ideas.

A bell rang telling us it was time to get home and ready for the ceremony. I didn't want to leave, even though it was work, it was much better than being at home right then. My parents were extra sad and anxious. Everyone was worried on reaping day, but today they seemed even more somber than usual.