An original story with some similarities to the Hunger Games.
Title from the The Faint's song - Posed To Death. I just thought it was really cool :)
Nia and Allie are based on people in real life. No one else is.
I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you'll like it :D
Chapter 1
There are six of us. All here for the same here; we're hungry. So very hungry...
Everyone knows about the Course. All the mothers and fathers threaten to send their children here when they're bad. When the won't make their bed, or do the dishes. Only the heartless drunkards do though. The ones with hearts like shadows, and no morals. People like our parents.
"What happens now?" asks a timid 8 year old called Joel, looking down at his shoes. He reminds me a bit of a red squirrel, impossibly small, and sporting a spectacular mop of red hair. He's the youngest here, by far. What bastard sent him here? Makes me want to slap someone.
"Dunno, little guy," says a taller girl with dark skin. Her nametag says Debbie. "You okay? Your parents send you here?"
He looks up, and there's an audible gasp from the group.
"Oh my God. What horrible, horrible person did this to you?" says Nia, grabbing him into a hug.
Joel's face is mess of bleeding cut and purple bruises. He's been beat up bad. His eyes, though swollen, are bloodshot and red rimmed, tears streaming down his face.
"My dad." His whisper is barely audible. He bursts into silent weeping, burrowing into Nia, his body convulsing with his sobs.
I sit down.
"Why?" I ask no-one in particular. I hug my knees and close my eyes. "Why?"
"Oi, guys. Come here!" yells a boy called Blue. "You gonna sit here and wait to die? Like cowards? Huh?"
I raise my head, but don't get up. Why should I? Nia slopes over to him with Debbie and another boy whose name I don't know. Blue quickly talks with them and with them and walks over to me, hand extended.
"C'mon girl. We gotta stick together if we wanna get through this. Think of all the food we'll get at the end!"
"It's not bloody worth it! I have to put my life on the line to feed my stepfather's fat arse! Huh? Why? WHY?" I square up to him and look straight down on him. He stumbles back in fear at my unexpected outburst. "Tell me why. TELL ME! WHY?"
I sink to the floor, still screaming. No words now though, just pure misery. When I stop, a gentle hand wraps around my shoulder and pulls me slowly to my feet.
I properly look at him for the first time. His watery blue eyes and grubby face are deep with concern and his dark hands are resting on the white skin of my shoulders.
"I don't need your sympathy." I shrug his hands off my shoulders and walk away from him.
"C'mon Allie. We need to make a plan."
I turn around and offer him a mock salute. "Whatever you say, Mr Leader." I walk back to the group with him, trying to act like I hadn't just had a mental breakdown, I didn't just scare Joey shitless, that no-one is looking at me like I'm a freak.
Which they are. Debbie, Nia and the boy start staring at me, open mouthed.
"Guys, guys... What are we here for? The Course. Okay? The harsh truth is, we're gonna die if we don't make a plan and keep together. Josh?"
The boy jumps. "Hmm?"
"Get your arse back down to Earth. What were you thinking?"
Josh goes bright red. "Nothing..."
Blue bursts out laughing. "Nothing, huh? I know that look, dude. We don't need that right now."
Josh shuffles his feet, the perfect picture of a boy caught in the act. Debbie nudges me and Nia and we burst into fits of giggles. Blue grins at me and suddenly I'm the happiest I've ever been. I forget about the Course. About my stepfather. But there's still that horrible voice.
You can't get too attatched Allie. These people aren't your friends. They're cannon fodder. Tools to help you survive.
"How long have we got 'til we have to go?" I ask, trying to cut off the voice.
"45 minutes – ish?" Debbie answers, looking back at the clock.
We're in a dark, dirty basement, looking in dread at the door. In three quarters of an hour we're all going out there to pretty much certain death.
The Course. Where you go if there's nowhere to go. When there's no more food left to eat. Or if you're heartless, and want to trade your kids for some grub. Nobody will send their children here if they love them. They'd rather starve.
Snakes, arrows, spears, or being turned slowly into the Undead! Come send your child to almost certain death! And if they don't die,we guarantee they'll be driven mad for the rest of their lives!
I sigh bitterly.
"Anyone good at anything?" Blue pleads.
Shrugs.
"I'm pretty good with knives..." Nia mumbles, running her hands through her hair.
"I'll hunt." I say.
"Good." Blue leans in. "We need to look after Joel too. If anything happens to him, I don't think I'd be able to look at myself ever again."
There's a chorus of nods and murmurs of sympathy.
"Quarter of an hour left, guys."
"Shit. I can't do this." Blue drags his hands down his face and leans into the wall.
"Hey." I walk over to him.
He turns around and looks at me like there's nothing left to live for. I've seen that look before. Many, many times.
"Look, we don't need this. I don't need this. You have to be strong, Blue. Be our leader, or God knows what'll happen to us. Stop being a pussy. We're all going through this together."
"You really think so? But I can't take care of all these kids! I'm only a bloody kid myself!"
"What other options do we have?"
"Yeah, I guess so..." He smiles weakly at me. "God, I'm a twat sometimes."
We laugh and go back to the group, trying to take our mind off our impending doom.
^^ Hopefully I can keep both my stories up, but at the moment this one is the priority.
