The city guards covered their faces, turned from the bloodshed they caused. One of them stared at me, his eyes locked on mine in fragments of wavering light. Tears brimmed in them, made them sparkle with wide eyed terror. I tried to offer a reassuring smile, something he couldn’t get from his comrades even as they to shared pittied glances with him.

“This year’s Worst have been selected.” We all jumped, as the loud voice boomed over the city. General Amirah, she held a small megaphone and swept her unrelenting glare over the group of bloody and beaten men and women. Two children where amongst them, the sight of their red faces made my heart ache. They didnt deserve this. None of those people did. “In order to keep our city safe from the the threat of rogues and disease. These twenty five men women and children will give up their lives and their place in our home.”

“It’s their home too!” Somone from the crowd shouted before a loud explosion rocked the ground. Everyone fell silent. Nobody moved. We all knew what just happened and if we opened our mouths we’d be next.

I looked back up at him, his eyes were dancing wildly before they locked onto mine. Our shoulders relaxed once we relized we were both okay.

The General cleared her throat. “The Unemployable and the Sick have no place here. Let this be a lesson to your children and yourselves to strive for greatness.” She smiled, how could she be smiling. My eyes shot to the children on the outskirts of the platform, generals in training. Hand selected by the Elites to one day lead us. One, a girl with hard eyes and cold expression didnt seem fazed. The others two boys stood close, their eyes wide as the ceremony continued.

“Captain Zeitoa,” she nodded to him. “You may proceed.” The world at once fell silent. Stopped in time for moments after her words. His eyes widened and danced from her demanding glare to the people laid for execution in front of him. “Captian. Proceed.”

My gut hardened into a tight knot. I took a step back in a futile effort to unlock my eyes from the coming sight. “Are you okay?” I flinched when a hand grabbed my waist. Harren met my eyes after wiping his other hand off on his shirt. Guards moved away from him.

My mouth opened in an effort to speak. I glanced back up Zeitoa, he was still frozen a gun slammed into his palm. He barely held it. It shook in his hand.

Harren’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, maybe he was trying to comfort me. Maybe he was trying to make everything okay but Zeitoa was going to be killed if he didnt kill these people.

My heart slammed against it’s cage. “Zeitoa.” I breathed and pushed Harren away. I bolted through the crowd my eyes locked on his shaking hand. The gun shining in the sunlight, a threat.

“captain. Proceed.” General Amirah’s voice was hard. It burned through my head. I slammed past gaurds and snatched stumbled up the stairs as people cried out and yelled after me.

As soon as i could reach i snagged Zeitoa’s arm. “No, what are you doing?” She grabbed my shoulders and tried to shove me back down the stairs. I threw my arms around his neck.

“You are not permitted to be up here. Get down or you will join the Worst.” I ignored her threats and carefully pulled the gun from Zetioa’s hand.

“We can change this.” I whispered. “Let me help you.”

“no. No they’ll kill you.” He tried to snag the gun back but let go when my grip wouldnt budge.

“then let them.” At those words he leaned in, his sweet and earthy scent enveloping my sneses. Our lips brushed and for a moment cheers erupted in the crowd. Another bang erupted, and my chest burst into waves of shuddering pain. I grit my teeth and pulled the trigger aiming at the General. One shot through her eye and she fell to ground. Zeitoa’s arms tightened as we slid against the railing and onto the ground.

“Rayla!” Herrons voice broke through the crowd. His steps thundered toward me. “Let me through! She-“ he was drowned out by the chaos of others screaming. Zeitoa pulled me again closer to him and nestled into his waning warmth.

“I’m sorry.” He breathed.

(Based off of my current WIP VALENCE.”