directions Chapter one

Chapter one-Victoria Prior

It all started the morning of the redistricting ceremony. I wake up screaming from a nightmare

of having to leave my family, never seeing them again. I have those often these days, I hate to think about it but it's

can become real. It can be my new reality. . I can’t let it happen, though. I walk downstairs, shaking with every step. The

stairs feel longer today.

“Good morning sweetheart,” My father says kissing my forehead as he walks by me putting the plate of waffles on the table. My mom reaches over the table and takes my hand, and I try to stay calm and stop shaking. My efforts have no effect on me.

“Today is a very special day for you, Victoria,” she says with a mellifluous and calm voice, but sadness trickled through her eyes. Her eyes are a blue eyes like my brother.She is tall but sickly thin from working all the years at the factories. Me and her don't have much in calming but the same face structure.

She's right when she says it because it could be the last day I will ever be in the same room with her again. A year ago it was Jonathan's redistricting ceremony. We thought we were going to loose him but, well, he got lucky and he picked east and got to stay. I may not get so lucky. I shake that thought away, and replace it was more happy thoughts. I will get to explore new places, make new friends, and maybe meet the love of my life! That would be nice. Meet new people, fall in love with the guy of my dreams, get married and start family. That's all i want from life. Is to be happy. I have dreams.

If I could pick where I would go and can’t be here I would pick north. That's where they can be dauntless,altruistic and amity all at one. I’ve learned to be brave, that takes sacrifice to you and or the people around you. There are not many rules there but I know that there is one that sticks out to me. That you can never be torpid.

“I know. Can you get the dress that you wore from your districting ceremony from the closet? I would like to wear that,” I tell her so I don't have to look at her,It will just too sad to look at her. Just to think this could be the last full day I spend with her….. No I say to myself scolding myself for ever thinking that.

She nods and heads off to go get it. I take a waffle and drowned it in homemade strawberry syrup. Yummy… We make it with fresh produce from the local farmers market. They are grown not to far away from where I live so I sometimes sneak out at night, and get a bite to eat with my friend Chi.

I then let out a big sigh. This may be the last time I will eat here all together as a family. I don't want to leave them, but what if i have too? What will I ever do without them to help me? I take a bite of the waffle. I can’t help it anymore! I start to shake like it’s below zero. My brother ,Jonathan , comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder. He is taller than I am but not by much. He has black hair like our fathers but with blue eyes as our mothers. We don't have much in calmin only the only thing that is the same is our parents. I can’t make eye contact with him because it is like when our eyes meet he can read my thoughts. He can’t know what i’m feeling he may get mad for the self doubt i’m feeling inside. He would be disappointed. I could not bare the pain in his eyes if he would ever find out about the things i'm feeling.

“It will be okay, I promise,” He says with a reassuring smile in his voice. I look up and meet his gaze,in his eyes……. I see worry in them. He is usually not home with us, on a normal day he would be at his own house across town with his wife and little girl, Charlet. I never thought you could be in a setup marriage, but I have seen many. If I stay here i will be married to my best friends brother, Matthew, if I stay but if i leave in a few months my name will be put into a bowl and dawn to find the person I will marry in my new district. Then it will be two months till the wedding. My mom comes back in the room with my little sister at her toe. The dress itself is plain black and strapless that goes down to my knees.It is one shoulder.My favorite style. It has a black bow

“Victoria, you better start to get ready so we are not late,”

“Yes mom,” I say bring my plate over to the counter and then heading to my room for maybe the last time.

My room is a pale pink with a white door, a bed in the back corner with my side table. The side table was made out of a dark oak . The sheets were light blue with white dots. I only have one stand up mirror in my room.

I quickly slip out of my pajamas and slip the black dress on. I pin my thick dirtyblond hair into a ponytail and look at myself. I'm not that tall but everyone says i am. Im bigger than the average person. I was never made fun of for it but I feel like it’s all people see. My hair is long, it goes to about my lower back. I stand there and look at myself for a long time or what feels like forever.Then it was time to go.

We don't own a car because my dad always says “there bad for the environment” so we have to walk. Have you ever tried to walk a quarter mile in a pear of three inch heels.

We use city hall for the ceremony. The hall to my fate is very small. It's a short but long building. It is only two floors but has about forty rooms. then there is a huge room in the middle of the building where they hold town meetings and the redistricting ceremony is held.The room is made out of wood that was painted white. It reminds me of the farmhouses in the history textbooks i read in school. The ceremony is quick and after it is all over i only have an hour to say goodbye to my family plus pack up and leave.When we get there my name will be put in a bowl and will be drawn for to decide who my life partner will be. Only if I find someone I like is the only way out, but I will only have about two months to do so. When we finally reach the inside part of city hall we sit down in the prior family area. We came twenty minutes early, ;like we always do. The minutes tick by slowly until I hear the the mare's voice. The mare himself is short only about 5ft tall with a long white beard with long hair. I’m even taller than him and i’m only 5’1.

“Welcome to the ceremony that will change your life for the good. It will teach you how to live life on your own and will show you how to be heros,workers and farmers! So as a famous book once said ‘May the odds be ever in your favor’,” He booms into the microphone.

The whole room erupts with excitement. Most of the kids look happy about this, but i'm not. He calls the names one by one in ABC order. I’m in the middle of the list so it takes alittle to get to me.

“Victoria Prior” Mare peter calls in his loud booming voice.

I stand,fix my dress than shuffle my way to the front of the room. The eile is long and narrow and i barely fit thru. I take a deep breath and reach my hand in the bowl and grab a card. My hands are trembling. I slowly open the card. I look at it in horror. NO! I scream to myself. It says i'm going to north.North. The protection. I will learn to fight and protect the districts we love. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave my family and friends behind. I look up at my parents My dad is crying my mom sits there with an emotionless expression. I look back and see chi, she gives me a small smile, I don't smile back. I look back at the back wall.

“Tell us where you are going, little lady.”

“Umm,” I stammered. I took a deep breath “,North.”

“Congratulations, Miss. Prior! May the north be kind to you!” He dipped his head politely and call another name.

I shuffle my way back to my seat.I sit back down next to my parents, which are now full blown crying now. My little sister runs up to me and puts her hands up to be picked up and I do. She bear hugs me and it feels nice. It gives me hope. I need to get back to my family. I need to. I put my head in my hands to quiet my sobs. We walk back to the house in silence but you can still hear my dad sniffling. When i get home i grab my suitcase out of my closet and grab my clothing,my phone, makeup, and anything else that will help with my new life. In my new district I will see my family once a year. I hear a knock at my door and my mother walks in carrying a large bag with black and white flowers with pink trimming around the edge.

“Tori, I have something for you.” she says in a weak voice and hands me the bag. I can feel her hand shaking when she does.

I take it and open it. It is my mother bridal gown. It is a simple white dress v-necked with a black belt that stands for where she came from, where i'm going. It looked like the dress i wore today. The belt was almost identical the only difference was the color of the body. It was an off white/pink color.

“It-,” I hold try back a tear, but i don't work to well,“It’s your wedding dress.”

“But now it is yours, my gift to you, since i may of not make it to the wedding. Tell the boy that he better treat you right or your brother and dad will be after him. And that's a promise,” She says with a weak smile. She always can find humor in these things. In the worst of times.

“I will, I promise,”

“Good,”

“What have you packed?”

“Clothing and the important stuff,”

“Okay. but you know victoria i went thru this to when I was your age. I promise you will survive, I guarantee it.”

“What did you think of when you first met dad,”

“We were transfers from the same district so we knew each other and were quite good friends. We got together because it was a sense of safety I found in him. But, I knew me and your father would be together from the very start,” She says with a weak smile.

Then there's a knock at the door and i get up and haul my stuff out the room. I walk down the stairs past, my crying family, and out the door. I look back at my house for one more time. I look for the longest I can before the tall male guard nudges me forward with his elbow.Goodbye…..family and all I have loved here. I try to think of the positive side. New friends, a family of my own and the love of my life, maybe for once I will feel like I fit in.

The trucks at east are huge. They are Ford F150. They are black with silver chrome. No back seat but had and huge bed.I’m the first to hop in. I sit on the ledge in the right back corner of the truck. I changed out of the dress into a black off the shoulder top with black jeans and my favorite combat boots, also my hairs tide back in a ponytail.

A boy sits down next to me. He had short pale blond hair with amber eyes. He’s tall but very skinney. He kind of cute but not really my type. He's not that muscular but could do some heavy lifting. He would make a good fighter. Perfect for wear we are going.

“Hey, I’m Ember.” He says with a toothy grin. His voice is more high pitched with a bit of southern accent. I wonder where he got it from. Maybe his parents were from south or something, but who know.

“I’m Victoria.” I say shaking his hand. We are silent for the rest of the trip so I decided to take a nap.

It about midday when we get there. I wake up to Ember shaking me. We get dropped of with the other newbies as you would say. There were 26 people from my district so there are about 100 outfront. I am pretty shy so I just stand there in silence when everyone talks to each other. A boy about a year older than walks up to me. He looks sort of like my brother but not realy. They have the same way they are built but that's about it. It make me think of home and it makes me feel almost angry i push the thought away.

He is tall with broad shoulder with a darker blond hair that was all shaved but with specks of color. Which I find very attractive. He was in a black tank top which was tight up against his body. He didn't have much abbs but his arms were strong and muscular. He was a smidge taller than me, he was like my brothers height. He was pretty scrawny.He was my cup of tea. He gave off the attitude of a sporty and mischievous kind of guy.

“Ms. Prior, may you come with me, we need to talk,” He says with a voice vociferous not what I was expecting I was.Then, all the sudine he takes my arm and leads me thru the crowd. and takes me by the arm and leads me thru the crowd. When we get into the building i throw all my body weight to the ground and get free.He picks me up with his strong arms and hoist me over his shoulder. I don’t even know who he is!

“Who are you?!” I demanded pounding on his back.

“I’m Clayton Four and you are Victoria Prior daughter of….”

I cut him off. “How do you know who I am?!” I demanded with a weak but powerful voice.

“I've seen your records, Victoria. That's why I choose you to help, us,” He says us like a very sacred almost forbidden word.

“Who is us exactly.” He sets me down gently to my feet but puts his arm around my shoulder. He’s stronger than he looks.He had no trouble lifting me with his long arms.

“You'll find out soon, enough, hotcakes” I’m dumbfounded by this boy’s words. Did he just really just call me hotcakes!?

“Hotcakes really? That's the best you could do,” I say with a giggle. I never really giggled in my life well but yet again i never was called hotcakes. He puts his hand over my shoulders. I tense up but then slowly ease into his scrawny arms.

“STOP FLIRTING YOU TWO!” A girl with long black hair with blue eyes and pale skin hisses. She is very tall, has a purple tank-top with a black leather jacket and her pants cut off midthigh. She is with that blonde kid. What was his name. Oh right, Ember.

“What going on? Why are we gathered here?” He mutters holding his nose that is bleeding. He must of had it rough getting here.

“Because you were chosen to help fight the world, to start a rebellion. To change our world for the better.” Clayton says staring at me, smiling like an idiot with a glimmer in his eyes. He puts his arm around me. again.