The tournament

1900: Truth

"That is the point. Why not don't lie to people? making them believe their kids are alive.”

"Those parents should be lucky Archiefield granted them a ticket of survival opportunity, those parents didn't participate."

"Our lives shouldn't be held in the hands of any one, it shouldn't be this way." Angerily, I retorted.

"They believe the bunker needed space. When the civilize ones have only one child, the market people have over five children per each family. Archiefield citizens had quadrupled through the years."

"If really the courthouse cares for the people, it wouldn't take this option. When its people are quadrupling it will provide a new home for us not get us thrown out to an unfamiliar land and get us to kill ourselves for others satisfaction. Because in my perspective this whole tournament is devotion to the ultimate planet in case the Ephraim family didn't notice." I snapped.

"Maybe it's the right decision." Harper surprisedly defended what we all know is unfair.

"So innocent and incompetent are sent to die out here?" That's when it occurs to me: "It must be the reason why my father was killed. He was junk in the space." I gasped, terrified.

"Your dad's situation was different." She exclaimed but it seems she never intended for those words to slip out.

"The courthouse executed him in the headquarters." I shook my head, having different thoughts coming up my mind.

"It was his choice."

"No!" Is she insane? What parent would choose death over their daughter? "There's no way my father would make such a choice."

"Give me your hand, I will show you." Again she offers the scariest of condition I've ever gone through.

I shake my head, signaling refusal.

"I don't want to live what I did minutes ago, I can't see it again. You can tell me."

Harper's hands drop to her thighs and she takes a deep breath.

"Your father was an innocent man who fell in love at a tender age. Therefore everything Vincent had planed with your mother Erisa, crumbles when they learned about the pregnancy the same year he was due for the mandatory tournament." She halted for a while staring at nothing particularly, before continuing:

"But the love Vincent had for Erisa was stronger than pursuing the ultimate planet, he therefore, forfeited every effort he had made through the game and returned to the bunker at the very last minute. It's called a country crime and the punishment for what Vincent had committed was a certain year of imprisonment and so he was thrown to jail. However, the next season, after Erisa had fittingly came to age and had just given birth to their child, you Daphne." She pointed out, her eyes coming in contact with my wet ones.

"Erisa had to participate in the tournament. But when she didn't return, as she promised to Vincent. Your father had to plead with the tribunal to grant him free six years in exchange for his life, so he could raise you and he was granted those years gracefully." By the time she finishes I could barely swallow, I have uncontrolled emotions, pain from what I've brought to that young couple. Depressed about how much I lost such devoting parent all because I happen to come along.

"That was the reason your father was executed in the headquarters, Daphne."

"My father gave his life for me," I said more like a whispered.

"That is what a good parent would do, Daphne. They die for their child."

My eyes, lowered to the last piece of my parent that came as golden stone. In my hand I squeezed it tightly and the sob let loose.

I truly am an orphan.

I've never felt alone, hopeless and regretful.

I wish I knew, I wish I was left on my own until my father's imprisonment duration became due. Oh I wish I had any sort of talent, of any kind, it could have granted my family a pass to stay down there; my mother wouldn't have left, she wouldn't have been exposed to the most painful death, my father wouldn't have been electrocuted. I would've been the child with both parents just like Bella. I would've gotten home, care, and maybe love.

"They love you, Daphne. You were loved by them." Harper quietly says.

But that's not the point. The point is: "They don't deserve all of it."

"You don't deserve to be here because you are not even yet of age. I shouldn't be the first of my family to be here knowing I will die here. Hell, no kid should be sent here to die, to kill ourselves, or let the infected nature do the job. We all don't deserve this discrimination neither do we deserve this world. But there is nothing we can do about all of this. To survive we have to make tough decisions no matter how they will affect others." She tells.

Those were the last words we exchanged before I spot three participants ahead who haven't notice us yet. Three of those I'm familiar with. It was the girl with weird eyes from the shoreline and I could see Rees had made new friends, he was by her side. The other was one I could tell. She was in the headquarters, I don't quite remember her name but I know she was there, she sarcastically introduced herself the first day I had to attend training camp.

"We need to hide." In a low tone, I scream. Fear ripples through my system. "We should get on the hills. Or you could veil us." I exhale a satisfying laugh, however not very satisfying because I feel like s**t inside.

I shove my stone in my pocket and begin gathering up my less-than-five-hours air tank, hanging it over my shoulder.

My hand was by the strap of the food backpack when the most ponderous blow came down to the back of my head.

I wasn't able to comprehend when I began losing consciousness and everything went blank.