I sat alone in a small room no bigger than a broom closet waiting for the bleeding to stop. As I was told I was being taught how to handle pain. Taught how to heal myself. The bullets sat on the floor next to me with the tweezers, needle and thread. I held a cloth against my wounds as I began to fade away. Sleep helps you heal. Healing gives you energy.
I wasn't alone. There were lots of us. Every couple of months a select few of us were taken. It wasn't age related. No one would come back. New kids would come in every now and then.
I was jolted from my sleep to the sound of a new kid in the room next to me. I looked through a peep hole I had made to see what was going on. A boy that looked older than me had and arrow sticking out of his leg. The two men that had brought him to the room ripped it out making him scream. The boy began thrashing around in pain before he passed out. The men mended his leg before leaving.
It wasn't soon after that the boy woke up, frightened. This kid must be really new. I watched as the boy began crying and I began to panic. They don't like tears here.
"Hey." I whispered trying to get his attention. He noticed the hole and began to wipe away his tears.
"Hi." He replied with a sniffle.
"If they find out you were crying they beat you more." He began frantically wiping his tears and I felt sorry for him.
"How long have you been here?" He asked, I assume trying to take his mind off the pain.
"Forever. I'm five now. You're lucky. You're only up to the easy stuff." He widened his eyes at me. Oh no I think I might have scared him more.
"I'm Kayden by the way." He said looking like he was going to fall asleep.
"I'm Kylie." The boy was asleep before I finished my name. Good. He should rest.
I wanted to sleep again but I was by a scream down the hall. They were choosing again. It was everyone's worst nightmare to be taken. Mainly because we had no idea what to expect. So we expected the worst.
My body froze up when they stopped at my door.
No...
I looked up to find Talia. I had only ever seen her once before. She smiled down at me which only made me nervous. It wasn't a pleasant smile. It was the kind that made you worried.
"What's your name young one?"
"Kylie." She pulled out a little necklace out of her pocket and put it around my neck.
This is the single strangest day in my entire life.
"Your new name is Kayla. I will be handing you over to your first combat trainer. If she ever learns your real name I will kill you." She seem so nice until that last sentence.
"Who is my trainer?"
"Her name is Jace Todd."