Young Writers Society

Casey Jonas



Casey sat on a large rock by a small river not far from her small hole she dug as her home. She saw movement in the forest and slowly raised her gun. Slowing her breathing, she climbed the nearest tree and rested in the branches. She felt her self shuttering but she kept her breathing quiet.

"Where are you?" She whispered in a mocking tone. Soon she saw it, a big black beast coming out from behind a tree. She shot it down in one shot. She Smirked and jumped down from the tree she walked over to the beast and sat on it.

"and stay down," She screamed standing up. She smiled like a psychopath and walked back to her hole. Casey had more mud than usual on her face making her look exactly like a wild animal.

Casey sat back down in her hole and started to chew on a piece of bark. She saw more movement and groaned picking up her small pistol. She staying in her hole and dug deep into it. Casey spotted a man crouching next to her her beast.

"Hey! That is MINE!" She screamed at him madness in her voice. She relished her wasn't trying to do anything to it, so she kept calm. The man backed off and Casey psychopathic smile wipped off her face. She almost looked like a normal 13 year old.

"Sorry," he mumbled walking off.

"Nah, it's fine." Casey replied running in front of him. He stopped dead in his path and stared at her. She smiled a bit and tried to show him she wasn't going to hurt him.

"I'm Casey," She said proudly holding out a muddy hand.

"Jackson," He said quietly but castes sharp ears picked it up. He still refused her hand so she put it down and stuck the pistol in her waist band and followed him.

Casey kept acting questions which Jackson kept ignoring. He was walking fast, but Casey long legs were quick too. She really needed a friend

Bettina Cas


The day had been long and hard like always.The only thing that kept me going was Jo,her bright smile and laughing eyes.She always knew how to make the day seem brighter and this day was in great need of brightening.

"Jojo today's the day..we will leave our families don't we?"tears well up in my large eyes and I begins pacing back and forth in front of the lake,slowly making a rut.Jo pops a grape into her mouth and remains quiet for a moment then answered,"Yes today is our last day and Thomas will be glad to see us gone,"this line chokes her up with hatred.

My mind began to race with figures.Then began to buzz with the few hours I had left here with the ones I love."Go on home Jolie and start your goodbyes I still have mine to say."my voice cracked just as she got up.I ran to her and threw my arms around her neck and sobbed."How could I say goodbye to them?"My sobs drench her shoulder before I pull away and start for home at a flat out run.

At quarter past midnight I was ready for the gun to my face then to the back of my head.My grandmothers face was tight with pain and loss for me and everyone else she had lost to hard life and being born different."Okay Thomas,I hope your happy.Your finally getting rid of the two you most hate.The only two girls who are a thorn in your side."The gun became pressed even harder to the back of my neck as he shoved me out of the house.

I am frog marched to the truck waiting in the street at the edge of town.I'm thrown in on top of someone that I don't know and mumble apologies and remove myself from the boys lap.We are on the move,I can feel the rumbling of the silent engines and I see the head and face of Jolie. As she is forced into the truck I see Thomas smirk as her and then the doors close and we are in darkness.I smirk before I speak out into the darkness,"Hey Jojo." With that said I fall into silence.

~Zia-District 5~

The log of wood I stacked made a solid thud as I landed with the other. I wiped my brow and and went back to work. Once I finished stacking, I went back to chopping. The past few nights head been colder than usual, and I had been wanting to make sure I had enough to keep me warm. But the thing was, I already had enough fire wood to last me for a lifetime. My nerves had been eating at me since I woke up this morning.

Calm down, Zia. You've been far too careful for them to suspect anything of you.

I snorted. If that was the case, then what was I still doing out here? With a sigh, I toss the Ax and head inside my cabin to eat. When I finished eating I came back outside to do a little training. Walking over the table I kept all of my weapons on, I picked up the Bow Quiver of Arrows that lie on wait. As the sun crescendoed in the sky birds flew by, singing their sweet tunes as the forest critters skittered across the dirt laden ground minding their own business. Pulling an arrow from my quiver and drawing back, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Listening. Feeling. I open my eyes and let the arrow go, slowly breathing out. Hit the target dead center.

I practiced for a few hours before moving onto whips and then throwing daggers. Once that was finished, I moved over to the dummies and practiced fighting until the sun slid below the horizon. With everything put up, I head inside to take a shower and go to bead.



The sound of a door being broken down jolted me out of my sleep.

They've come for me.

A few seconds later, the door to my room burst open and several men in black uniforms rush in. I pull the throwing knives I keep under my pillow and send them flying into three of their chests, watching them slink to the ground as their guns go off, bit the others don't stop. One grabs me by my hair and drags me out of bed slaps me across the face before kicking me in the ribs. They would have to try a lot harder than that. I tackle on to the ground and elbow him through the helmet on his head, shattering the glass and cutting myself in the process, but I don't care.

I know what you're thinking; Why haven't I used my ability? Well, the answer is simple. It would be no fun to best them with out breaking a sweat. I'd rather have their blood on my hands. I've gone my entire existence with out using my ability much. I never used it much as a kid because I preferred things the way they were. I had a lot of anger to work out.

Another guy grabs my from behind and puts me in a choke hold. I flip him, grabbing his hand gun and putting three in his head through his helmet before being tackled by two other who hand't been there before. One guy pins my head above my head while the other climbs on top of me and begins beating the crap out of me until i'm barely conscious. The world begins to fade in and out as they take an arm in each hand and drag me out of the room. I yanked and pulled and fought. There was no way in hell they were going to do this to me.

"Man, we got a wild one here." one of them commented.

"She'll be put in her place soon enough." the other one said.

Put in my place? That sure did piss me off. I brought my right leg up and kicked one of them in the helmet, effectively shattering it, and repeating the process with the other. I grabbed the knife I saw glint against the ripe Moon and put it in one man's chest before grabbing the other in a choke hold. My skin was almost slick with sweat, and my hair was a mess. My chest heaved with exertion as I held the struggling man in my arms.

"I'll be put in my place, will I?" I pant.

"I-I-I was just kidding." he whispered weakly.

His helmet had flown off when I'd kicked him, so I could see his face. Read the fear in his eyes. Fell it rolling off of him in waves. I smiled. "There's a special place in hell where you're going."

I put a hand under his chin and position the other one a the back of his head, and with a quick jerk, he was in that special place. A moment later, the sound of the pin of a gun being pulled back reached my ears as the barrel of a gun lightly touches the back of my head. My fists clench at my side.

"One move, and I blow those pretty little brains out of your head." he says quietly. "Now put your hand where I can see them."

As I lift my hand the of his gun presses into my head a bit more and says, "Slowly."

His voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. Two other men walk in and grab me by the shoulder before shoving me out of the door.

"Careful," Thomas warned. "she's a handful."

I turn my head to look at him and realize he has no helmet on. His name popped into my head out of no where. Thomas. Thomas was his name. I'd seen him around on a few occasion,but hadn't ever talked to him.He must be the boss. I really couldn't fathom any other reason why he wouldn't have a helmet. Except maybe he was an idiot.

"I'll call ahead to let the Warden know we got her." he stopped and moved in the opposite direction.

When I saw where they were taking me, I put up one hell of a fight. Jerking and kicking and flailing like a mad man.

"Captain was right," one or them grunted. "Man she's strong."

"No kidding," the other one grunted in agreement.

Another man who was standing on the other side of the black Van opened the door as they struggled to get me over to it. They picked me up and tossed me into the Van. I turned just as the Van door began to close and punched one the guys through their helmet, my hand breaking through the glass. He went flying to the ground, sprawled on the grass just as it shut in my face. I heard a groan, and then a laugh before-

"Didn't I tell you idiots to be careful?" Thomas's voice came through the bone chillingly cold Van door.

Thomas laughed again before saying, "Get up dufus, the Warden is expecting us."

There was shuffling, someone muttered something, and the Van jostled as they got in and slammed the door behind them the car started, and were off. A metal slot opened to my left and someone spoke. "Sit tight and enjoy the ride, ladies."

"Come back here and i'll show you a ride you won't forget." I seethe.

Thomas laughs, but says nothing. It's then that I notice others in here staring at me, a mix of shock and something else i couldn't quite make up. Still bull stomping mad and panting, I take a seat at the end of the Van. "My name is Zia. What's yours?"

"Um," the girl with the Golden streaks spoke first. "I'm Jolie, but camm me Jojo."

"I'm Bettina." said the other.

"I would say it's nice to meet you," My lips twitched as I fought a smile. "but under the circumstances, it's not."

Jolie

I wonder...I really really wonder what the future will hold for us. There are no windows in the truck, but tiny cracks in the bottom that show a little light. Earlier my maternal instincts kicked in when I saw a dark haired guy, around my age, groan on the floor in pain. I crawled over to him and noticed that his head was bleeding a bit. My mother being a doctor in our community, I noticed that the hit wasn't fatal but he's gonna wake up with a major migraine, and the way this truck was bumping around, it would probably make his head hurt worse. So thats how his head ended up in my lap for the rest of the ride. Bettina's asleep, but Zia notices and comments on it.

"You're a pretty sweet girl aren't you?" she asks.

"I try to be nice I guess..."I answer with a sheepish shrug.

"No offense intended Jolie, but the place we're heading...it's dangerous hun. Being nice is good and all, but it would really be good if you could toughen up a bit. You'll need to." She says seriously. I nod and look down. She gives me an apologetic smile but stays quiet for the rest of the ride.

We reach our destination soon enough, and are half herded half dragged (i.e. dark haired guy) onto the waiting train. I look back into the calm forest with envy and melancholy. I'll never be in calm like that again. And for what? Because I got a power I never wanted in the first place? I wanna go back home. Back home to momma and daddy and Lucy and Anton. I miss my family so much that it hurts. But one day...one day i'll get back to them. I make that promise as I step into the dark entrance of the train.

Kixx Flight

So soft and warm. Wait I don't have a soft bed my sisters do I sleep on the floor! Kixx thought to him self as he awoke in the dark train.He could hear voices and feel a warm hand on his head.

"Ugh...what happened,and where are we?" he asked into the darkness.It took a moment for who ever was near him to answer,but when she did she had the most musical voice he had ever heard.

"We are on the train to the rest of our lives,also my name is Jolie." She said it with such tenderness in her voice it made me want to crease her cheek.Her eyes stood out in the darkness for he was using brother ravens vision to see threw the cloak of darkness.

The train could be felt as it slid to a stop and a small blonde looked like she wanted to disappear from the train car."Do not fear for the ones around us now feed from it.Turn it into a creature to use at your side,use your power to make them yours.I have brought death to so many here that lay in the grounds surrounding us."His eyes dull and hair goes white along the tips as he finishes.

Wardens open the door and begin pulling them out by what ever they can grab. One clamped a large steel ring around Kixx's neck as he was yanked from Jolies lap.Then darkness fell over him.

Oops. Changing it now.

Anyone gonna post?

are we still working on this or has it kinda gone down hill?

Hopefully my next post will move this along. And no talk in the SB~!

Athena Macon - District 3

The train growled down the tracks, the wind from the open side swiveling into the cart and sending shivers skittering up and down the backs of its occupants. The full moon allowed Athena to see the other's faces, which was one of the reasons why she had her head buried in her lap. She didn't want to see what the other's felt, because it was all written plainly on their faces. She wondered what kind of expression she had; was it grief, horror, shock? A voice in her head said that she was going through denial, the first stage of loss. Well if she was, at least she could still hold on to that.

The train hit a bump, and out of reaction Athena lifted her head and looked out through the open cart. There was a fine row of trees in the way, but she could identify it completely out of instinct. They were going over the River.

As the thought passed her the trees cleared and she was looking out over the sparkling water, made black and mysterious by the moon. It was a breathtaking sight, and for those that didn't know any better, even welcoming. Athena knew better than to think of the River like that, because if the District had taught her anything at all it would be that along with the fish came things that would eat them.

Soon the train rumbled off of the bridge and fine trees crowded against the carts, their branches whipping inside and reaching for something to swat. Athena went back to the security of hiding her head in her lap, her arms lazily crossing over her head. It wasn't until the butt of a gun smacked her on the head did she realized that she had dozed off, and that the sun had climbed the sky.

"Get up," the man barked. Athena bleakly stood and the man shoved her off, chuckling when she landed on her hands and knees in the dirt. The air was strange here, muggy and clinging to her clothes and she felt she was suffocating from humidity. She looked around, and what she saw was sleek black uniforms herding people like cattle to a huge, bleached building. Gray walls blocked her view of anything else, and soon she was shoved behind again.

She followed the crowd until she was inside, and a balding man was standing on a podium calling names. Everyone else had stopped and watched him warily, a few being pulled from the group as they raised their hands to their names. Then he called, "Athena Macon."

After a pause and the man repeating her name, she raised her hand. Someone grabbed her from behind and roughly half dragged her away and down a hallway until they finally let go. When Athena looked in front of her an aged man with kind, blue eyes held out his hand.

"I am Supervisor Brenton, and you must me Athena Macon. A pleasure to meet you."

~Zia- District 5~

One by one we were all dragged out of the Van and shoved forward like cattle toward a bleached building by men in black suits.

"Hurry up!!" one pushed me.

Bad move. I turned around and kicked him in his side and punch him, my fist going straight through the glass of his helmet and breaking his nose. A whistle went off as several guards came at me, tackling me to the ground. I punched one in the neck, and he was down for the count, kicked one of them so hard in the head their helmet flew off and he dropped. Another came at me and I kicked his helmet off before kicking him in the face. A hand came flying across my face, and I went down hard. I hopped up, wiping the blood from the side of my mouth as two more guards came at me. I readied myself as they came, but was too late to realize the one behind me with a stun gun.

Every muscle in my body convulses and spasms as I fall to the ground with a growl as the guards move in to surround me. I roll onto my back, panting, trying to get air. Damn if this didn't hurt. If I ever found out who'd come up behind me, that person would die. As if on cue, Thomas comes into view as I look up through my hair at the pair of boots just feet away from me. He smiles. "You really know how to make an impression on a person."

"If it involves using my fists or some form of weapon, then you bet your ass on it," I smile smartly.

"Mm," he nods. "So i've noticed."

"Your observation skill astound me."

Thomas smiles again, but says nothing. He instead nods at something behind me. Four guards make their way over with long metal poles. Two guards behind me yank me to my feet and hold me still while they place shackles on my neck and wrists while he watches.

"Better shackle my legs if you don't want me choking, kicking, or snapping anything with them. I don't just need my hands to defend myself." I say.

The guards turn to look at him, and he nods. I smile and blow him a kiss as they shackle me up, and push me forward. Gray walls blocked everything else out as they marched me along behind everyone else, stopping inside as we came upon a man standing behind a podium. He had a crinkled face and a scruff of peppered hair with a balding head and slightly hunched back. He called out names, and as kids raised their hand, they were pushed forward. Since I was last to arrive,my name was called last.

"Zia Morningstar."

Someone grabbed me by the back of my neck and nudged me forward. I guess they knew better than that with me. The thought made me smile as I walked down a hallway and let go of me. I stopped in front of a man with the kindest blue eyes I'd ever seen as he raised his hand. I raised mine to his, and watched the guards aim their sights on me. The man smirked and he pulled my hand into a firm grip I returned in the like. Hm. I like this guy.

"You must be Zia Morningstar." he sat back in his chair. "I've heard so much about you, I feel as if I already know you."

"Don't be so sure." was my response.

"You have made quite the reputation in the little time you've been here." he commented. "You've single handedly killed several of my guards and incapacitated them."

"They didn't know how to play nice." I shrugged.

He looked like he wanted to laugh, his eyes lighting with humor. "I guess not."

I remained quiet as he assessed me. Probably looking at the bruises blooming on my face and chest, and the blood on my lower lip.

"They did do quite a number on you." he murmured.

"You should see them," I smile coldly.

"You got the better end of the deal." he nodded.

I sure as hell did.

Jolie

"What a beautiful young girl you are." The man with the kind blue eyes says as I slowly get off of the train, my legs cramping. I immediately blush, my caramel cheeks turning into a ruddy shade of pink. "But its strange...your listed as...85% talent...not dangerously maximum like Zia...but close to." he says, a confused expression making his face crinkle as he stares at his clip board. I look down as the guards assess me. It would take me less than five seconds to turn. And then less than two minutes to kill them all. I think. I'm considering it in my head when one of the guards shove me. For a second I feel my eyes begin to burn with the golden light of the tigers I saw the other day, and my skin begin to break as the fur emerges. Calm JoJo...calm...I inhale and exhale and feel the anger begin to subside. Finally I open my eyes and look at the wide eyes of each of the guards near me. I giggle.

'What? Cat got your tongue?" I laugh at my own joke as I get mixed looks of fear and anger throughout the guards. The only face that isn't creased with disgust is the blue eyed guard. And I see laughter dancing in his eyes, but his lips stay a sharp line.

"Get to your dormitory please." He says sternly. Before I listen to him I look around for Kixx. When I see him I run towards him and grab his hand.

"Hey your head is probably hurting. I know some nerve massages my momma taught me a few months ago that take away headaches. So walk with me." I say with a smile. He nods his head at me, smiling. So we go.

Tara Westerfeld- District 4

Today is the last day I will spend in this wretched place, I thought to myself, the only thing that keeps mesane in the realization that I was probably never going to see my family again. Tomorrow they were taking the Anomalies away. And I was most definitely an Anomaly. It was the only thing that kept me alive all these years in the factory. Because I knew what the Boss- I didn't even know his real name- was feeling, I knew his moods every day. If not for my power, my family would be starving on the streets by now.

I walked into the factory, in my place next to Sarah. The second I walked over, the boswas there, whiskey on his breath, whispering the worst imaginable thigs in my ear, his warm spittle assulting my eardrum. But even though I was never goingto see him again after this, thank god, I still had to put up with this. He could turn away my entire family if I said no, if I stood up to him. I wished, even though I loathed him so muc, wanted to get away so badly, that I would have been able to stay. Maybe then my little sister could keep her innocence much longer.

I put up with his whisperings and concentrated on my work. He would still dock my pay if I didn't make the quota. And my family couldn't afford that. I put up with it all day, not really paying attention, just removing myself from the situation like my mother had taught me to do so many years ago. When I got the scar.

Once the day was over, I walked back home with Sarah, saying our goodbyes. She was most definitely not an anomaly. She was the most mundane person that I have ever known.

"You'll be okay," she said, patting my shoulder in mock sympathy. She wasn't sorry at all, not really. With me gone, she was going to be the boss's new favorite, which meant a pay raise at least. Plus she had a thing for him. Ireally didn't understand it. He was disgusting.

"Yeah. Sure." I said half-heartedly, a false pretense.

She seemed not to notice though. Without a second glance, she walked off, saying, "See you tomorrow." Yep. Already forgot.

And of course, at that moment, the heavens opened andit started to pour rain. Running inside my house, I had my meager dinner with my family, splitting the week-old stale bread between us. I wanted to go to bed a minute later, ready to cry. But I needed to be strong for them. The little ones are scared enough as it is. We spent the rest of the night playing games and maing shadw puppets in the candlelight. Isure am going to miss this.



I couldn't sleep the entire night. I stayed up, curled in bed, tears silently streaming down my face. I just sat there, thinking of all of the good memories that I had of my family and friends, of thegames we played and the stories we told. Games we will never play again, stories left untold.

I was still awake in the grey pre-dawn when they came to get me. My whole family was out there, waiting to say their final goodbyes. I stood tall and said goodbye to each of them, winking and telling jokes to the little ones, making them laugh, wiping away thier tears. I told my older siblings to stay strong, to look after Sam, Clary and Robbie for me. Ten I turned to leave. I walked, barely shaking at all, to the waiting van, where the soldiers threw me unceremoniously onto its cold, hard floor. They slammed the doors behind me the barred window blocking part of my view as my hoe, the place Igrew up, got smaller and smaller as we drove away, eventually fading into the background, the last time I would ever see it again.