Chapter 7
Tris
Shouting is what I'm hearing. Dirt getting stomped on is what I also hear. People rushing and pushing one another out of the way is what I see. Violence is what I see in the city or town that we're reaching.
Tobias, who is only a few centimeters apart from me, clutches my hand and I refuse to let go. My heart is already pounding but I'm not tired. I can run all day if I need to. My feet stomp hard on the dirt that creates a large dust storm. All of us are creating a huge dust storm from all of our running. I haven't seen this much dirt in my life. I think this is also one of the reasons why were bordered up.
I sigh in relief when all of us finally stop and stand right in the city or town. The town is complete chaos. A bunch of people are lined up with a huge flag which I cannot see what exactly it reads but I see the number 6.
"And this is what we think of the Capitol!" a loud and deep voice coming from a man yells as he holds up a large stick with flames at the end, positioning it straight down to the flag, letting it burn and turn into ash. The flag goes from white to black dust. As the flag burned, I noticed that it also had the word "District" on it.
District 6.
Is this city named District 6? Is this whole world named District 6? I bite my lip and notice Edith get off an automobile after it parks in between the chaos and all of us.
"Now did all of you see what just happened?" she points at the people who burned the flag.
None of us respond but I know that she knows that we did, because we witnessed the whole thing right in front of us.
"This is part of what's going on everywhere else!" she adds. "Now, do any of you know where we are?"
We don't respond.
"We are in District 6," she says.
I'm right. I think.
"But this is the sixth district of the twelve that exist right now. This country that was outside of ours is named Panem. We're in Panem." she states.
Panem.
So this world is pretty much the same as ours. We're divided and we're controlled but these people don't seem to be controlled. They're rebelling, they're giving—whoever they're giving that action to—a piece of their mind. If we do that, we're Divergent and we will be executed.
"Were all of you sent from the Capitol? Because if you were, this is what we think of your games!" a big angry man yells at us.
Edith shakes her head. "No," she says, "We're not from the Capitol. We weren't sent from the Capitol. We're from that city inside the fences from far away."
The man nods slowly.
"What's the Capitol?" I yell out and everyone turns to look at me surprised, even Edith.
"It's wealthiest and most powerful reside of Panem. Panem is led by Coriolanus Snow, the President who resides in the Capitol. The Capitol controls all of these districts. The Capitol also organizes an annual event each year which are known as The Hunger Games." Edith says.
Why did Edith wait all these years to tell us about all of this?
"What's The Hunger Games?" Tobias yells out.
Edith takes a deep breath before saying, "That's something all of y'all will find out, because this year's a special event of The Hunger Games. It is the third Quarter Quell. For those of you who don't know what that is, which I know that none of you know, the Quarter Quell is held every twenty-five years where they add a twist to the event. None of us know what the special twist is this year but we will find out in one day."
I bite my lip when I think of the so-called "Hunger Games". Does it mean that every year, people have to search for their food in order to survive because "The Capitol" is hiding it? Does it mean who can go the latest without eating food? What is it? I need to know. I have to know.
"Well fun's fun but let's tour this district." says Edith and we follow her.
I feel uncomfortable when we pass by the citizens of District 6. All of them glare at us as we take a step closer into their District. I know how they feel because that's how I'd feel if a bunch of the Erudite stepped into the Dauntless compound.
"Like each district in Panem, this district has its own principle industry. Transportation is the principle industry. I know this isn't the best place to live in but it seems like an averaged place to live, I guess, without all this rebellion going on." Edith is stating all these facts while we walk around the district.
The district looks nothing like home. There are a lot of people who look too miserable to do anything. There's some who are actually working but don't seem to be enjoying it. My heart starts beating faster when I see three people dressed in a tint of white to greyish colored uniforms. They wear a white helmet with a dark visor that hides their faces and grey gloves with knee pads on their pants. I also notice a gun that they're wearing around them. This isn't good. I think.
"Freeze!" I assume they're all men, judging by the sound of the voice that just yelled.
All of us do freeze; the thousands of us but Tobias, Uriah, and I are at the very front, witnessing everything. The three of them are pointing their guns at us.
"No, no, no," Edith stops them, "Hold your fire. I'm Edith Prior and I have permission to be here. These people are from the other world."
When she says "other world", a chill runs down my spine. We are from the "other world" because our world is nothing like this. For the first time, I notice that our world without people like me would be perfect and peaceful.
"I see," the same man says, "I'm watching all of you."
And in a matter of seconds, they walk off and I can somehow picture their vicious faces. Why is this world even like this?
"In case you guys are wondering," Edith says, "Those are peacekeepers. They're pretty much like police around here. They're supposed to make this country better by stopping violence. You don't want to deal with a peacekeeper so stay out of any trouble."
We continue to walk throughout the district without any more problems. I think of all of the districts: why are they like this? Why are they divided like us? Did our war cause them to separate and divide? I think of The Hunger Games and wonder what it could be. My guesses and hypothesizes might be correct but I know that it has to be something greater than that, something more dangerous than that.
Who knows, maybe I'll participate in them…
NOTES: Hi guys! I'm really sorry that I haven't posted in days. I've been at my cousin's house these past two days and I'm back home. So here's Chapter 7:D Remember, no one knows what The Hunger Games are or why Panem distributes twelve districts. Of course, they don't know about District 13 either. But Edith Prior knows all of this so just keep that in mind:D I hope all of you are enjoying this story and please review:) Chapter 8 will be up in an hour, I promise!
