Control

Chapter 1 - Memories

"It's a girl." My eyes took a moment to adjust to the flash of light, and the quiet murmur of confused voices. Kaira. My name is Kaira.

Strong arms pulled me up out of the shaft onto soft grass. I looked around, fear pulsing through me. Getting up on my knees I started coughing, blood dripping from my bottom lip.

I was in a box. Green stretched out, a forest of broad trees in one corner, with a sizeable hut leaning against the other. Four mountainous, grey walls stretched up more than fifty metres, thick ivy covering most of them. There was only one exit; a slim section on one wall that seemed to lead to endless darkness.

I had to get out of here. So, I ran. Towards the darkness. Running. It was so easy, as if I had practiced it every day since I was born. At that moment, a million thoughts flooded my mind. A million memories. Memories of my mother and father, my brother and sister. The family I never had. The family I never will have. The scars on my left leg, that I could sense without seeing, reminders of my childhood, suck in the limbs of a gumtree, too scared to come down. They all came back, a rush of images and scenes. And this. This place.

I've been here. I know this place. I need to get out.

I reached the exit, falling to my knees, tears trickling down my cheeks. Only then did I notice that the voices, catcalling and whooping the whole time were boys. Of every race, all around 16, dishevelled and looking like they had been working continuously. They had all run up to me but kept their distance. Scared of what was happening and what would happen next.

"Hey, Greenie. You ok there?" I turned around to see a tall, blond boy had stepped forward, cautiously, scared I would run into the maze. He had crouched down, reaching out a hand.

This was all too much. Too many memories. Too many people. Too much pressure to succeed. I couldn't stand it anymore.

I felt strong arms catching my head before I fell to the ground. Then voices. Yelling, orders being handed out, people running around. Then everything was dark.

I dreamt of fields of dead bodies, burnt by a betraying god.

A demon, killing, picking them off one by one, marking the bodies off her list.

People mad as a hatter. Spinning like tops. All of them off their rocker.

Fire, everywhere. A planet of rock and metal turning into a ball of flames.

And in the middle of this savage inferno, stood me, with a box of hells matches.