I sat quietly in the cafeteria, spooning stew mechanically into my mouth, Simon hadn't written me once. He promised to write every week. Months, and I hadn't heard from him. Suddenly it was all making sense, I had been making excuses for him, telling myself he was busy, he would write soon. But no, he's just forgotten.

I sighed, pushing away the rest of the stew, not hungry anymore. I felt tiny and alone, Volger was right, I was nothing but a little mouse. I had a feeling the trap was snapping shut.

"River!" Someone hissed my name. I frowned, looking up toward the doorway, Nevva waved frantically to me, beckoning me to her. I quickly put away my dishes, and hurried over to her. She didn't wait for me at the door, but waved to me from the stairwell, I followed a bit behind her all the way up to our room.

"Nevva?" I asked, pushing inside.

"Someone clamped a hand over my mouth. And an arm around my neck, cutting off the air, I tried to scream, but nothing came out as I was slowly lowered to the floor. A piece of paper was thrust into my hands. I read it quickly.

"Don't talk." Nevva stepped out in front of me, a finger to her lips. I nodded and the arms let me go. I stood quietly as Lee stepped in front of me, taking the paper and a pulling a pencil from her pocket. She erased the first message and wrote, "the rooms are bugged." I nodded again to show I understood, even though I didn't really feel like I did.

"Was dinner good?" Nevva asked out loud. I glanced at Lee who nodded for me to answer.

"It was good," I nodded.

"Tonight, you and Nevva come with me," Lee wrote, thrusting the paper back at me. I nodded again.

"Are you ready for training?" I asked Nevva.

"Yes, change and we can walk together."

I dug through my dresser pulling out the loose tunic and pants we wore for training, and slipping into them. When I had turned around Lee had left.

Today's hand to hand combat, it's nothing I ever was interested before I came here, but it's become one of the only things I look forward to. It's like dancing, only lethal.

It's also the only 'extracurricular' activity I share with Nevva. We pair up and begin sparing. I quickly fall into the rhythm of it, dropping to the ground as she punches, and sweeping my leg underneath her, and dropping her to the ground. I stand back as she gets up, then push back in taking another swing at her which she dodges; she fakes a punch to the left, and gets in a good kick when I fall for it.

The teacher circles the student pairs slowly, occasionally murmuring tips, or demonstrating a defense. We have all become adept with the hand to hand, some more so than others. I feel the teacher pause next to us, watching as we circle each other, watching for an opening.

"Das Fallen schneller abwärts," it's barely a whisper but I hear him. Blood pounds in my ears, my vision seems to convene on Nevva. I bound forward, clocking her in the face before she knows what's happened; she falls in a pile to the ground. The class is silent, all fighting stopped.

I turn to the nearest person; somewhere in the back of my mind I register it as Volger. I snap kick him in the stomach, but he's ready for it, and grabs my foot holding tight. I try to pull back but he's got a firm hold.

"River," there's no emotion in his voice. I jump, kicking my free leg over the one he's trapped, it tears across his jaw and he lets go, I land on both feet, crouched, ready for whatever's next.

Wahnsinn, der umgekehrt gleitet "," the teacher whispers and Volger's looking at me with death in his eyes. He swings at me, but his aim is wild and I dodge easily, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back until I hear a snap. He cries out and throws his head back into my chin. I taste blood, and letting go of him touch my lip to find it bloody.

Left arm limp at his side, Volger takes another swing, this one catching me off guard and snapping my head to the side, I let the momentum of his punch carry me to the ground, I land on my hands. I snap-kick behind, catching his broken arm, he screams louder this time, clutching his arm. I come up swinging, three quick jabs into his stomach and he's bent over. I grab the back of his head, bringing my knee up into his nose. He knocks me away and reaches for my throat, wrapping his hands around and squeezing. His face is a mess, tears mixing with blood, as he squeezes harder. I reach up and grab his head. A sharp twist and his neck snaps, his body falls limply to the ground.

"Eta Kooram Nah Smech!" The teacher yells, running to Volger and checking for a pulse. I crumble to my knees, exhausted and terrified, hand over my mouth as I watch the teacher. The students stare numbly at me, even Nevva looks terrified, a bruise already forming on her cheek, she shakes herself and comes to me, kneeling next to me and wrapping her arms around me. The other students wander off and begin to spare again.

"Ta ma duh," the teacher swears, taking a walkie-talkie from his belt. "Security to room four recreation building."

"Nevva," I cling to her, "don't let them take me, I don't want to be like Khia. I don't know what I did. How it happened." My voice sounded thick, panicked as I clung to her.

"We have a casualty," the teacher continued.

"On our way." It seemed like seconds later two of the bigger guards strode in; together they lifted Volger and carried him from the room.

"River," I snapped my head up at my name. Dr. Mathias stood there. "You're dismissed; go back to your room."

"But," I sputtered. "Volger, I, oh run-tse duh FWO-tzoo."

"It's taken care of," he replied curtly. "Back to your room." Nevva helped me up, supporting me and leading us to the door.

"You aren't dismissed." The teacher called after Nevva.

"I am staying with my friend," Nevva answered through clenched teeth, turning to give the men looks daring them to contradict her.

"Let her go," Dr. Mathias laid a hand on the teacher, "we have enough to deal with."

The door shut behind us and slowly, Nevva lead the way back to the dorm, stopping halfway to hold my hair as I was sick in the bushes.