The Rally

   Birds chirping, dogs barking, it's a beautiful day out, but it leads to something horrible at 5 p.m. tonight. It leads to what nobody ever wants. It leads up to The Rally. I started being in The Rally 2 1/2 years ago. I was 14 years old, that was the worst year of my life.  The Rally was where you were put in a big building, and the government picks 10 people from your state to go, 5 girls, and 5 boys to be in a group, and you all just fight till the death. Until there is one last group standing. Then they take the people that are left in your group, and they make you kill them until there's one boy standing, and one girl standing.  The lowest age of the group was a 9 year old, and she was killed the first night by a guy about 15 giving her a blow to the head, with a hammer. It didn't seem fair at first, but once those 10 kids are pulled out, your kind of relieved that's it's not you, and it's a 13 year old instead. Our group won 4 years ago. I had seen my best friend killed, by the same exact thing as many others.

   "Becka, are you dressed, and ready to go?" my mother calls, from down stairs, interrupting my thoughts.

   "No, mum!" I yell back.

   "Then hurry up. Mr. Timmons wants us there early today, so that I can set everything up," mom says, walking into my tan bedroom. 

   "But I have no idea of what to wear," I murmur. 

   "Fine. Go get showered, do your hair, and makeup, and I'll have something sitting out for you,"my mom says, with a beautiful, young smile. 

   "Yes, ma'am," I murmur, getting up from my bed. 

   I go into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I strip off all of my clothes, and hop into the shower. I turn on the hot water, and then make it warm, just the way I like it. I take the Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo , and scrub my dark red hair, I keep scrubbing until my head stings. I then take some Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Conditioner, and smooth that on my hair. I grab the strawberry body soap, and I wash my body. I'm careful not to get the conditioner in my eyes, and I rinse off the body wash, and the conditioner.I turn off the water, and then I grab my red towel from hanging on the shower curtain, and I dry myself off. I wrap the towel around my body, and start on my red, curly hair. I put my hair up into a bun, and then put a red head band on. I'm careful putting on my makeup. I take a little bit of brown eye shadow, and smear it on my white eyelids.I take a little mascara, and put it on my eyelashes, and i don't forget to add a little bit of lipstick. I walk out into my room to find that my mom has set a small, red, strapless dress on my bed. Red is our state color. As much as I hate the color red, we are forced to where it at The Rally's. I'm not sure why, but if we don't wear red then they send us home to change. I go to my dresser, and open the first drawer. I grab out white panties, and get a white strapless brawl. I put the panties on, and my brawl on, before walking into the bathroom again. I sit on the edge of the bathtub, and grab my razor off of the sink. I'm careful not to cut myself as I run the razor over my leg. After I get both of my legs finished, I dry them off, and head to my bedroom. I take the dress off my bed, and slip it over my head. Below my feat are red slip on shoes. I slide my feet through them, glad that there not high heels, like she wanted me to wear last time. I wore high heels last year, and as I was coming in to sit down in a chair I fell, and broke my ankle, it hurt really bad, and I was rushed to the emergency room by the presidents assistant. My mom would have taken me, but she had a son, and daughter in the audience, and she had a speech she had to say aloud. My dad on the other hand, wasn't even there yet, him being an alcoholic, he didn't even show up, until 5 minutes after the ceremony had begun.

     "Becka? Are you ready to go?" my mom asks, knocking on my door.

     "Ya," I say, only loud enough for my mom to hear through the door. 

     She steps in, and gasps at me. She's wearing a red dress, with flowers all over it, and it has straps. She has a pair of black heels on, and she has her red hair straightened. She looks beautiful, and for a minute, I wish I looked like her. 

     "Becka! You look stunning. Let me get a picture," my mother squeals, pulling out a digital camra from her hand purse.

     I smile at the camera, and put on a little pose. I never really understood why she acted so, so excited about these things. It wan't meant to be exciting. The only person who ever got excited for the Rally was my mother, everybody else was terrified. I'm pretty sure that the only reason my mom got excited was the fact that she couldn't, and wouldn't believe that at any of these Rally's one of her own kids could be called to take the stage, and kill all there friends that were on that team, and the fact that we could die ourselves. She thought that since she was a helper for the mayor, that her own kids wouldn't be chosen. When honestly, everybody else knew that we could be chosen.  During the time of the Rally, nobody did anything. We got out of school for a full month, just to sit, and watch kids kill each other. I remember watching one year, where a 15 year old girl had her throat slit by her little sister, I also watched one, where a 19 year old woman killed her fiance, just so she wouldn't die. 

      "Mum, can I go to Lexi's, and then her mom bring the both of us over?" I ask.

      "No, you need to be there with us," my mother says.

      "But I need to say goodbye to my best friend. What if this is our last time to see each other," I say, almost in tears.

      "Why would you think that? Your not going to get chosen, and neither is she," my mom says, soothingly.

      I burst out in tears, loosing my breath a lot.

      "You don't know that!!! We could be chosen at any of these Rally's," I sob.

      "They wouldn't do that to us," my mom says, wrapping her long arms around me.

      "Not intentionally. But it could happen. And why is it so important that we walk in to the Rally together anyways. We never sit together," I cry, trying to keep my calm.

      "Because, we want to look like a normal happy family," my mom says. That really made me mad, and mom knew it to because she rubbed my arm, and kissed my cheek, but I went off anyways.

      "Nobody's normal!!!!!!! A normal family wouldn't have to go to these things!!!! We never have been normal. Normal families would be celebrating the 4th of July tomorrow, but 10 of those families are going to be watching there son, or daughter die on a T.V. We have never been normal, we never will be normal. That's that. You know how many times I've set in those chairs at The Rally, and thought about Alyssa. Every field trip to the Rally, every visit, every graduation, every ceremony, every July 3rd, Every time I go to the Rally I think of how I never got to say goodbye to my best friend, before her death sentence. I just want the chance to say goodbye to Lexi to," I plead.

     "Do you promise that as soon as you get to The Rally, you'll call me?" my mom asks.

     "Yes, Ma'am," I say, as I sniffle, and wipe my nose.

     "OK, and you better be there at least 5 minutes before we begin," my mom says.

     "I will be," I say.

     "OK, you can go over there, and be careful on the way there," my mom says.

     "Yes Ma'am. Bye, love you," I say, getting up from my bed, and walking out of my bedroom. My mom follows me, but i don't pay her much attention.

     "Love you too," she calls, as i walk out the front door. I walk right across the street, and knock on Lexi's door.

     She opens the door, and pulls me into a big hug. I hug her back. Lexi has been my best friend since, Alyssa died, witch was 3 years ago.  Lexi has black straight hair, and looks like a model. She has red streaks in her hair. She wanted blue, but they would only allow red. And when I say they, I mean her parents. Her parents next to my mom were lovers of the Rally. 

      "Lexi!!!! Are you ready to go? Oh, hi, Becka," Lexi's mom calls coming up to the door.

      "Morning Mrs. Seglis. My mother was wondering if I could ride to The Rally with you, and Lexi," I say.

      "Of course, but there won't be a lot of room, because I'm letting Sasha go this year," Mrs. Seglis says.

      "Oh, of course. Her first year at the Rally. I'm sure she'll just absolutely love it," I lie, straight through my teeth.

      "I'm sure she will, but being 5 is a big year, and she needs to expect this stuff to come," Mrs. Seglis says.

      I see Lexi role her eyes, let out a sigh, and cross her arms over her chest. It takes everything for me not to do the same exact thing.

      "I loved it my very first time," I lie, once again.

      "So did Lexi," Mrs. Seglis says.

      "No, I hated it, and I think it's awful that your taking a five year old to one," Lexi hisses.

      "Lexi!!! How disrespectful. Now, go get in the car, and I will get Sasha, and dad. GO!!!!!" Mrs.  Seglis yells.

      Lexi stomps off to the car, and I follow after her. As soon as we get in the car, I know there's something wrong with Lexi.

      "What was that? You know better than to disgrace the Rally! Especially in front of your mother!" I yell in Lexi's face. 

      I didn't mean too, I really didn't mean too, but Lexi started crying. I start to panic. I hug her closely, and rock her, trying to do my very best to calm her before her mom gets to the car.

      "It's over," Lexi cries.

      "What do you mean it's over. We never get picked for these things," I say, soothingly.

      "Becka!!!!! It's different this year," Lexi cries. I know that she's flipping out, because she never calls me Becka, she always calls me Bells. 

      "Lex? How is it different? It's the same every single year," I reassure her.

      "Not this year," she says.

      "How not?" I ask.

      "I didn't mean to. I really didn't," Lexi cries into my shoulder. I'm stunned. What could she have possibly done?

      "What did you do?" I ask, terrified, of the answer.

      "I went out to check the mail. Everybody was gone, except me. You were gone too, cause i was having a sick day. I looked through the mail, that's when I found it," Lexi mumbles.

      " F-found what?" I stutter.

      "This," she says, taking a little envelope addressed to her mother.

      "I can't read that. I don't have the right," I murmur.

      "Take it, and read it. I'm begging you," Lexi pleads.

      I take the letter out of Lexi's hands, and open it.

      

"Dear Mrs. Seglis,

         Congratulations!!!! This year, we are making a little bit of a change. Everybody that is 15-18 will be fighting. Since there are so many 15-18 year old, we have decided to put them each in a group of four.We have sent one of these to every employ in the government. We wish your son, and daughter the best of luck in the Rally.

                                                                                                                                             

  Yours truely,

Mr. andMrs.Timmons"

  

I stare at the letter in disbelief. My mother knew all along, and did not get the guts to tell me that I would be fighting this year. 

  "Maybe it's a mistake, maybe they mistyped something," I urge, even though I know it's not true.

  "You know that it wasn't mistyped Bells. We're going to war this year, and there's nothing we can do about it," Lexi says, calm now.

  I hate the fact that she decided to be calm as soon as I begin to freak out. I hear the front door close, and I put the letter in my jacket real fast. 

  "Does your mom know?" I ask.

  "Ya, I guess so, because she got an email on it last night," Lexi Says.

  "What are you girls talking about?" Mr. Seglis asks.

  "Nothing," I murmur.

  "Sasha buckle up," Mr. Seglis says.

  "Yes, sir," Sasha says, climbing into the seat beside me.

  Mrs. Seglis gets in the drivers seat, and wait for Mr.Seglis to get in the passenger seat, and close the door, before driving off. We drive for 5 minutes, and hen pull up to a big building. I follow everybody inside, and sit by the other kids going into war. I look around for my family, but don't see anybody. After 5 minutes of just siting there, they finally begin.

   "Hello! How is everybody on this fine day?" the president calls.

   "Good," we all say in sync.

   "This year we are going to be different. I want all the 15-18 year old to go, and sit over there," Mr. Timmon says, pointing at a section where only his 15 year old daughter, and 16 year old son are sitting. 

   All the 15-18 year old, get up, and shuffle to the front of the room where there are just enough seats for us to sit. I end up sitting by Lexi, and Grabiel Ions. Grabiel is 15, he's a total band geek, he plays the saxophone , he has brown hair, green eyes, and he looks like a very athletic person, but he's not.

   "Ok, thank you. I will now tell you what has changed, and then I will call out your group members. This year everybody that is in the age range of 15 and 18 will be fighting till death. A girl, and boy from each team will be left standing, and then we will take those boys, and girls, and they will fight till one girl, and boy remain standing. That boy, and girl will then be forced to to go to college, get married to each other, and have kids," says Mr. Timmons.

   I watch as couples look at each other, as people look at there crushes and hope that they get to be together, but in the end we're all hoping that we don't die.

   "For team 1, we have Ayden, who is 15 years old. Ayden, please get on the stage," Mr. Timmons, instructs. Ayden gets up, and moves to the stage. 

   "Ayden with you being the smart out of your group, you are the leader, they must follow your rules. You get to chooses the person that will take over if you die, and then that person gets to pick someone to take over if they die," Mr. Timmon says.

    We go through groups 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,and 8, and I began to get extremely bored. 

   "OK, the group leader for group 9 is, Becka. Becka, please come to the stage," Mr. Timmon says. I can't help, but smiling just a little. I wonder who is going to be on my team. 

   "Then we have Ian, Jackson, Dylan, Addison, Zoe, Sofia, Eric,Kaitlyn, and Lexi," Mr. Timmons announces. I almost squeal at the thought of Lexi being in my group, but I know that eventually I'll have to kill her,. It's real life now, not just our teenage life, where we fan girl together. After the ceremony, they let us say goodbye to our family in a big conference room. I follow the president, Mr.Timmons, to the conference room. Each of the groups get there own conference room, and then after we say goodbye to family, we are taken on a private plane to Washington D.C. where we meet our trainers, and stylist.  We call our trainers, and stylist, Wishers. I'm not quite sure why they call them Wishers, they just do. Each person gets there own Wisher. 

   "You knew," I whispered in my mom ear, as I hugged her. I felt my mom tense.

   "I knew what?" she asks, with a soft voice.

   "You knew I was being sent off today. That's why we did so much over the weekend together. That's why I was forced to eat dinner with our family, instead of Lexi's family," I cry, onto my moms shoulder.

   "I'm sorry," my mom whispers, her voice cracking. 

   "For what?" I ask.

   "For not telling you. I didn't want you to be scared. I love you more than anyone. I didn't want you to be afraid to come today," my mom sobs.

   "It's OK. But I do need to say bye to everyone else," I  say, kissing my mom on the cheek.

   "OK. I love you, bye," my mom says, hugging me close to her.

   "I love you too," I say.

My mom walks off,tears in her eyes. I then see a little boy, and girl run in. Belainee, my little sister, and Olline, my little brother.

  "Hey, Olly," I say, pulling my little brother into a big hug. He's four, and wasn't quite sure what was going on. Then I notice my little sister, in the back crying.

  "Olly, remember that sissy love you,' I say, giving him a kiss on the cheek. 

  "I know, sissy. I love you too," he says, kissing me on the cheek. I start crying, and hug him to me tighter.

  "Sissy? Why are you sad," he asks, wiping the tears off my cheeks.

  "Sissy, just loves you so much," I say, I wasn't going to tell him this was the last time I would see him, that would break the boys heart.

  "wove you too," he says, kissing my cheek. 

  OK, sissy wants you too wait out in the hall with mommy," I say, giving him one last hug. He runs out of my arms, and into the hallway. My little sister runs up to me, and hugs me.

  "Hey, Bellybutton,' I say, kissing the top of her head.

  "Hey, Beck," she says.

  "Bellybutton. Promise me that you'll take care of Olly. OK?" I ask my little sister.

  "Pinky swear," She says, holding out her pink. I link our pinky's together, and shake them.

  "You take care of Olly, and mamma. Ok," I say, making sure she understands.

  "Course. They're safe in my hands. If you promise to stay safe yourself," Bellybutton insists.

  "I'll try my very best, and you know it," I say, giving her a small kiss on the forehead. 

  "Contestants, you have 15 minutes to say goodbye to your last visitor," someone calls over the intercom.

  "Well, looks like I have to go. Dad still wants to say goodbye," she whispers, in my ear.

  "OK. You stay strong, and if dad bothers you all just call grandma, and talk to her," I say.

  "OK, I will," Bellybutton says.

  I hug Belainee close to me, and I can feel her start to sob. I hug her closer to me. Rubbing my fingers through her brown hair. 

  "I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want you to leave," she sobs, into my arms.

   I take a deep breath, and prepare my self to tell a hopeless lie. I've never lied to my sister, I've never told her one little lie. Even when my mom told me I had to lie to her, I still didn't. I told her the honest truth, and here I was about to use words that I would regret, that she would know I had lied, at my very last time to see her. I look down at my feet, and then lift my head up, and look at my beautiful 14 year old sister. The one who took up for me when I got in trouble, the one that creeped out of the house with me when I was 14, and her 12. Just so that I could see my boyfriend, and then took the blame when our parents caught us. The girl who taught me pretty much everything about true friendship, and I was about to tell her an awful lie, that I would never get forgiveness for.

  "OK. Well, instead of goodbye, how about see you soon?" I ask.

  "OK. I'll see you soon, Becka. I love you," she says, standing up from her sitting position on a brown couch. 

  "See you soon, and I love you too," I call, as my sister's figure dissapears out the door. 

  My dad walks in, and I can tell he had been crying. His face was red, and puffy. He looked really tired. He walked over to me, and sat down beside me, and put his arm around my shoulder.

  "Hey, baby girl. How are you?" he asks.

  "Good, and you?" I ask, trying to be respectful.

  "I know your not good, For gods sake, your going to be put in a fight that you never wanted to be put in," my dad says, too loudly. I stare him down, giving him my worst look possible. 

  "I'm fine. And don't use Gods name in vein," I hiss. 

  "Ok. When you get back from where your going, your mom, and I are gping to be good," my dad murmurs.

  "And how's that?" I ask, feeled with hate rid.

  "She's going to apoligize," he says, simply.

  "NO! She didn't do anything. You did. You apologize to her, not the other way around. And if they don't want you at the house while I'm gone, then don't be there," I hiss, in my fathers face. He nods, and looks at me closely.

  "Be careful," he says, kissing me on the forehead.

  "I will," I murmur.

  "Visitors must exit the room at this time," a loud voice booms over an intercom.

  "Bye daddy," I say into my dads shoulder as I hug him. 

  " I love you, Becka. I'm sorry I messed up, please stay alive for me so, that I can prove to you I'm better," my dad says, looking me in the eye. 

  "I will daddy. See you in a month," I call, as my father walks out of the room. I stand there, dumbfounded. 

  "OK. This year you will be going to China. In China you will go, and live with an innocent person. You must care for them, and keep them alive. If your partner happens to die than you will be kicked out on the streets to defend for yourself with no shelter. I will now call your name,and you will follow me to a small room. I will give you a pin, a piece of paper, and a picture of your partner. I will then tell you your partners address, phone number, name, and some basic information about them. Any questions?" a man with a brown goatee asks. No one raises there hands, or just blurts out.

  I wait patiently for my name to be called. I'm the sixth person to the room.

  "OK, Becka. You have Adrian Rimmers. He's 18 years old, and in collage," the guy says, and write all of this down. He tells me his address, and phone number too, and I write that down too. I find out that Adrian is a outsider at is school, he's responsible, articulate, decisive, and he doesn't have a family, because they all were murdered, when he was 16 years old. Forcing him to live in his house by himself. I soon get a picture of him, and find him very attractive. He has blond hair, and brown eyes. He has a small nose, and full lips. He has some muscles, and he has a beautiful smile. In the picture that he's in, he's just smiling at a camera, and he's wearing a tight plain back shirt.  He's also wearing a shark tooth necklace. I walk out of the office, and rush to Lexi. AS I'm making my way to her, I stuff his address, and phone number in my pocket, but keep the picture out. I show Lexi the picture, and she gasps. 

  "He's cute. Lucky," she says, pulling out her picture. 

  I see a picture of a boy with glasses, and dark brown hair. He has a big nose, and small lips. The total opposite of Adrian. 

  "Ok, we can go now! Just to be sure if you didn't get your person please speak now, " Calls the guy with a goatee. Everybody stays silent.

  "Well then. Please follow me to the plane. You may sit with whom ever you would like. In the middle of the flight we will pair you up wish your Wishers. Until then you may do as you like." he says, and then he gestures for us to follow him. We all follow him, and when we get to the plane everybody rushes to a seat. I look around, and I seem to be stuck at the back with nobody, because Lexi's sitting with another couple of girls. I sigh, and lean back in my seat. I take out my phone, and begin to text Bellybutton.

  "At this time, we'll ask for all phones to be shut off," the flight attendant orders. I sigh, and quickly turn off my phone. Oh, this is going to be a long ride.

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THE END OF CHAPTER ONE!!!!!!!!!!

 WELL, I hope you liked it!!!!! I'm trying my very best to improve my writing skills, so don't be afraid to comment, and tell me what you tjink. It would also be a big help if you put in the comments things I should work on. Plese follow, and vote on it if you want. Thank you so, so much. I'll post chapter 2 soon! Ur always in my heart, love you all!!!!!!!!!!!! :)