Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 28

The rest of the night we'd been in my room reading three separate books about Jamestown. We fell asleep on my bed still in our dresses with books still in our laps.

Early that morning I'd gotten up when Addy did so she could get ready for breakfast. Once again I didn't go. So I just read as much as I could understand. Of course that barely consisted of every other word but I made do.

"Charlie?" A soft knock was at the door. Addy pushed it open and ran in. "Let's go to that room. We can look at the pictures as we read."

"That sounds great." We sneak out of my room trying to dodge any of the Selected still coming back from breakfast. I couldn't run as fast any more and my bones were starting to get more defined under my skin. How much had I even eaten in two days? Tea? Surely I had eaten something else right? It didn't matter. I wasn't hungry anyway.

"Okay so." Addy starts. "Here are the ships. Here are a few scenes from the ships and here they are. Right here." She points up. "They landed here at Cape Henry. A few boys here are cleaning pots and pans in the sand by the water. Here they have people setting out to hunt. Almost immediately after they start looking for a place to live but they find this place. A peninsula."

"Then from there started to built their new colony, but they didn't realize that they couldn't drink the water and in the summer it turned into a marsh. They named the place Jamestown. That summer mosquitos were everyone and started to spread diseases that killed people."

"That's as far as we've gotten right?" I ask.

"Yeah let's keep reading. More than half of the settlers died during the first winter either from disease, starvation, lack of water. Though some died from local disputes with the Local native Americans."

"Those are the Indians right? The ones with the marks all over them and the bow and arrows?" I ask. Addy looks at where I'm pointing and nods.

"That's them. In 1608 John Smith became president of their colony. John Smith wasn't fancy like the other men there in search for gold, but instead was an experienced seaman and soldier. Unfortunately Smith was injured and had to return to England." Addy stops to catch her breath. "The summer after Smith left turned out to be the worst time for the settlers. This time is often referred to as the starving time."

"Wait." I point to the ceiling. "Are all of these pictures from the starving time."

"I'm not sure. The book doesn't go into specifics." She skims over the page but finds nothing. "The pictures... Their horrible. Look at them. There's nothing to eat. Could you imagine?"

Yeah. I could actually.

•••

That afternoon during dinner I sat alone in my room drawing in my diary when a knock came at the door.

I don't answer. A minute later they knock again. If it was Addy she wouldn't of waited this long.

"Charlie I know your in there." It was Alex. "I brought you something to eat. I know you haven't eaten just open the door please."

I stand up from the bed and walk over to the door. I can still hear him outside. I want him to come in and sit with my like the first night her came into my room. I wanted him to hug me and protect me but I know there's no protection behind a guy who has to hide behind a line of girls.

"Charlie please." It was like he knew I'd walked over there. I sit against the door and listen to him moving around.

What would happen if I stayed? Did I love Alex? No. Could I love Him? I might never know. Until I'm an elite. I tell myself. Once I'm an elite if I can't love Alex, I'll tell him. I can go home and be with Paisley and Jason again and my additional new family.

"Fine Charlie I'll go. I'm leaving the tray outside alright? I'm here if you need me okay?" Alex says through the door.

I don't hear him go away for a few minutes after that but then eventually I can hear the scuffs of his shoes on the carpet.

I open the door and a tray of fruit and pancakes with a cup of some sort of juice sit on the tray. I shake my head and shut my door without grabbing the tray.