●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●

I’m sitting in the mess hall eating my disgusting chowder with a smiling Adam. His smile is great and helps make me overlook the insurmountable negatives of being in the camp. He doesn’t talk much but he’s sweet and perfect to look at. The art on his arms, the only colorful thing in this godforsaken place. 

Today has been about mental warfare techniques and weapons. If it wasn’t clear before that we’re here to be more than just your average soldiers, it was damn obvious today when we learned the intricacies of chemical compounds in the latest technology. No, we wouldn’t be soldiers. We would be assassins on a massive scale. From our superiors pinning us against each other and denying us meals and basic needs on the daily, they were making us killing machines. 

Luckily, learning information was something I could actually do and I had to help Adam with it in secret. He was embarrassed that he didn’t understand most of the lesson today and so we kept the reason for our meeting private. He’d helped me out and now I was happy to help him.  

“It’s almost curfew. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, getting up and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. He’s always so gentle with me. He’s two years older than me but he doesn’t treat me that way because I’m younger or a girl. He’s just a kind person. I smile and wave goodbye. 

I go back to playing with my food and am deciding whether to go to my bunk or not when out of the corner of my eye I see Bran walking over. I remember that Bran had asked to spar with Adam during dinner break as usual-since they were a good physical match for each other-but Adam declined so he could spend time with me instead. Apparently, Bran didn’t like that, or anything about me for that matter. He, like everyone else expected me to be weak, but somehow, I’ve been surviving. I’m not the strongest but like I said, I’m a quick learner. 

He was alone and I was alone. This wouldn’t be a random show of dominance. This would be personal. This was so not good. 

“You think now that Adam has an affinity towards you everything is going to be fine, skank?” he begins slowly. His words are always slow, creepy. I don’t answer and try to get up quickly. Even though my body isn’t as exhausted today I’m still sore from every other day before, and I’m not quick enough.

I feel a tight pull on my scalp and I’m rammed into the table. 

“Look at me when I speak to you,” Bran commands with a smirk while holding me up by my brown hair. He leans in and whispers, 

“I’ve had just about enough of you getting in my way.” He pulls tighter and I struggle uselessly. Tears start to fall uncontrollably and I feel pain everywhere. 

“You want to cry now? Well, you can cry about this,” Bran continues in a gruff voice. Instantly I feel a sharp coldness slice through the skin over my rib cage. I scream from the all-consuming pain, hoping for someone to come help, knowing no one will. 

Warm liquid starts to gush out. I fall on the floor blindly, sobbing uncontrollably as he walks away and spits at the floor next to me. 

“Go back to where you came from, skank.” I touch the place where the liquid is coming from and lift my hand to see blood. Everything starts to turn black, and I think maybe this is how I’m supposed to end.