they were just kids }} reibert }} rook

he had a big ben heart
an only child with a ten-ton aorta
but the pressure, the pressure was enough to oxygenate the moon
his mother wanted a daughter with a face to light up the room

bloodletting

The adults tower over us, peering over their pointed noses to judge us with eyes made of heavy, solid gold. They screw up their faces and walk past us, making harsh disgusted noises conjured from the backs of their throats. They look at us like we are street rats, like we are vermin scurrying beneath their feet. We don't belong here. Each second that we spend out in the open is a second I want to be back in Thirteen, where we are safe. My breaths are short and desperate, my chest tight and anxious. Can we go through with this? Will it all go smoothly? Not even I can be sure.

Being half the height of the multi-colored mass of Capitolite pedestrians has it's advantages. We are able to slip through them like we aren't even there, and what's more we are able to remain hidden from view of any Peacekeeepers. That's the key part - Not being seen. I look over my shoulder into the innocent eyes of my brother.
"Take my hand, Bertl." I extend my arm back to him. His sweaty palm claps against mine, and I grip it tightly, like I will lose him if I let go. I can't lose him, he's all I've got. I lead him through the crowd with a newfound assertion.

My legs are tired and my feet are blistered. Weeks of travelling on foot from District Thirteen to the outskirts of the Capitol have taken toll on our young and underdeveloped bodies. Even after all the training and preparation, we still weren't ready. This has been much more difficult than I ever imagined. Every second we spend in the wild puts our world at risk of exposure. Our lives are in danger, and the conditions inhabitable. So many adults die out here, trying to leave the poverty of their Districts to get to somewhere better. We are just kids. How do they expect us to do better? 'Cause we were born to do this. We still struggled through fear and hardship, hoping that we would make it another day in the wilderness. We knew that we would be killed if we turned back. That was the only motivation we were given. It was the only motivation we needed.

We weave through the forest of legs, me leading and Bertholt in tow. Any flash of white and I barge my way closer to the buildings or towards an alleyway, yanking Bertl too. The streets are crawling with Peacekeepers, all of which are on high alert. I see them speaking into their communication devices and waving signals to each other, their voices harsh and professional. Several hovercrafts lurk above us, the boom of their massive engines cutting harshly through the light morning air. The hang for a few second, scanning the streets below, before flying eastwards, to the breach in the wall. I look into Bertholt's eyes. He is afraid. I wish I could tell him that I am just as scared as him, but I doubt that would give him any confidence. I need to be the strong one. It's hard to think that someone as mentally unstable as Bertl can be capable of blowing a hole the size of a two-story building into the side of the Capitol's thick, sturdy walls. The panic that ensued was frightening. It was crazy that we managed to get in and away from the hole unspotted. No one questions children.

We push against the tide of bodies, becoming more and more desperate as we draw nearer to our destination. There is an alleyway to the right, a parting between a block of offices and the massive Capitol education center. I break away from the hoard and into the alleyway. I fall to my knees, panting heavily. Panic has filled me. I close my eyes and force my breathing to become more steady. My heart rate drops, and the red panic leaves my body. I've learned to calm down so many times that it's become second nature to me. Bertholt enters the alleyway looking more afraid than I have ever seen him. This is it. This is where we make our attack on humanity.

We move between bushes and trashcans, trying to stay hidden in the shadows, away from view. Bertl finds the air conditioning vent and moves towards it. I follow close behind, watching over him as he unzips his backpack and takes out his equipment. He has enough toxins in his backpack to kill everyone in that building. Beads of hot sticky sweat trickle across my temple and down my neck. It all comes down to this. I have every confidence that Bertl can pull it off. Ripred knows how many times he's practised it. They wanted to be sure he'd do it right.

"Reiner," The calling of my name draws my complete attention to my closest friend, "don’t get too close. I don’t want you to breathe it in."
I want to protest. I want to be next to him as he does it, with my hand on his shoulder, letting him know that he's not doing it alone. I can't. We only have one gas mask, and he's right, I shouldn't risk breathing any of that stuff. I nod, turning and walking to the other side of the alleyway.

Killing children. It's always struck me as morally wrong, of course, but those intense Hijacking sessions in Thirteen have removed any morality in me. Memory alteration, fear conditioning, brainwashing. I'm okay with it. It's made me who I am, and I have never questioned why they did it. Killing children my age for the glory of District Thirteen, and for the justice of the thousands upon thousands of people dying in the Districts. I watch the gases go into the vent.
"Death to the Capitol." I mutter.

Bertl takes off his gas mask, his hair a drenched mess.
"Just give it about thirty minutes," He says quietly. "I don’t really know if the vapors will be gone completely… should I just go in after? Or do you want to go? Actually, I don’t really want to go in alone…"
I can see the the desperation in his eyes. He isn't sure if he can handle the pressure on his own. What he doesn't realize is that I need him as much as he needs me. We're in this together. I dig into my rucksack and pull out a handgun and several flares. I throw one to Bertholt.

"I'll go in. You wait here." I'm more agile, and stronger too. I can grab a couple of bodies at a time and bring them out. I hate to say it, but Bertl will slow me down. I throw him another canister.
"Flash bangs. If Peacekeepers find you whilst I'm in there, use them to get away. Get out of here and back to the breach - Forget about me." I load my gun and flick the safety off. "Go back to Thirteen. They won't kill you." So long as I there are children dead in that school, this mission is a success.