The Girl Who Shone Red

Chapter 2

The Grogan is filled to the brim with people, standing room only. The 18 year olds stand at the front on the stage 3 feet off the ground. I climb the stairs and stand next to my fellow teenagers. I look around at the crowd searching for Andre. Andre is the leader of Blood Rose. He is tall and has emerald green eyes that shine with a hint of yellow. I find his head in a dark hood looking at the stage, obviously finding the path in which I should run away.

He notices me staring and shakes his head but subtly points to the right. I know I shouldn't have been staring at him for it would be too suspicious but I couldn't help it. I am so nervous, I take his direction and look to the right. There are few guards, and it should be easy to slip by, that is if they don't capture me beforehand.

I look at the other teens waiting for the ritual, they look nervous. There are a few that stand confidently but have an anxious look in their eyes. I know one or two of them but they don't notice me. Everyone is staring straight ahead so, I turn my head and there he is. The Leader of the Elenic.

President Moniget.

He is a strong and worry worn man. His grandfather was the general in the Elenic army over 30 years ago. He is standing at a podium, and looks each of us in the eyes, but stares just a second longer into mine. I start to get really nervous. I search the crowd for Andre but I couldn't see his hood anywhere.

I begin to doubt my ability to do this. What if I can't deny my loyalty? What if I get captured? What if, what if, what if? My palms start sweating, and I start to shake a little bit. I notice my parents staring at me. What should I do? I smile in a reassuring way to them hoping they would move on to something else. They did and turned to face President Moniget.

President Moniget is talking about how his grandfather won the war and things like that. He talks about the reason we pledge our loyalty to Elenic. I don't really listen, still searching the crowd for Andre. I finally spot him in the direction he motioned me to run. I nod my head in the slightest but he gets the message. He takes a deep breath, making it dramatic to show me that I should do it too. So I take a deep breath in, hold it and let it out. I feel calmer. I can do this.

Finally President Moniget came to the part where we sign our name on the contract in our own blood. It is really weird but it has a superstition, if you break the contract you will die a horrible death. Each 18 year old goes up slices their own hand and drips the blood into an ink bottle, then takes a pen and signs their name in blood. After you complete the ritual you take a seat by the elders to signify that you are a member of society.

Moniget starts calling us up one by one in no specific order. I watch the people I grew up with pledge to serve Elenic until death. It hardens my heart. How can they do that? Elenic is a poison to our life. I need to stop this.