Two Sides of a Coin

Chapter 9:

I sit with Zosia at lunch and she introduces me to her District partner, Malik. He's nice enough, but a bit too serious for my liking. The way he talks about the mechanics of trains and electricity with a revered fascination, it seems to me like he'd belong better in District 3 than District 6. Not that it matters much now, anyway.

"This is all very intriguing, but can you actually kill anyone?" I interrupt him during a long explanation about electrical security.

He blinks slowly, as if surprised that I spoke. "Well, yes. In a number of ways. Do you think Zosia would put up with me if I couldn't?"

"I know she wouldn't. What I meant was, could you actually take someone else's life when it came down to it?"

Malik's expression hardens slightly, as if he has blocked off all emotion and is purely speculating about his mental capabilities. "I think any one of us would do it if our existence was threatened."

"Good. Because I'm not going to have time to cover your back as well as mine."

"You'd do that for me?" Malik looks hesitant, like he doesn't believe I would help him.

I scoff, "If I go to all the trouble of making an alliance with someone, I might as well keep them around. Besides, I may be able to kill you within seconds, but it doesn't mean I don't have a heart."

Polishing off the rest of my meal, I stand up to deposit my tray along with all the other dirty plates, but I hear a small cough behind me and don't get the chance.

The District 4 girl stands there with her male counterpart and the boy from District 2. By the look on her face, she's not impressed at what she sees.

Too bad. She looks the type of girl I'd just love to be best friends with.

"'Kill you within seconds'?" she mocks, "If you could do that, he must be an extremely fragile person."

I roll my eyes at her pathetic attempt to rile me. "While you'd be doing what? Playing with the fishies?"

"We'll see whose playing when you're stuck on the end of my trident."

"Ah, yes, but to do that you'd have to alive in the first place. And if that's your aim, an arrow sticking out of your head won't help."

District 4 smirks and swaggers forward. "You wanna say that again, golden girl?"

I raise my fists to hold off (and make) an attack, but the District 2 male, Argon I think he's called, pulls District 4 away. "Leave her alone, Jemima, she's not worth it."

Zosia stands up to stand beside me, and Malik follows, looking somewhat less formidable.

"Bye now," I wave to the three retreating figures. I realise that the rest of the cafeteria is staring, and hurriedly sit down. I don't want to deal with the expressions on their faces right now.

"Well she's an idiot," Zosia says, miming shooting Jemima in the back of the head.

"Tell me about it. Day 2 and she's already made herself a fatal enemy." I reply cheerfully, disguising the way I secretly want to punch something. Probably not the best idea right now.

Suddenly, Zosia frowns and looks at me suspiciously. "You said you'd shoot her in the head with an arrow, but I thought the axe and knives were your weapon?"

I'm almost glad she picked up on that. Intelligence might not be important to the Careers, but brute strength won't win everything.

"I wasn't going to give my weapon of choice away to my enemy, was I? And I want her to underestimate me. If she knew I was capable with all of them, we'd all be moved up to the top of her hit list."