Excerpt: The Betrayer

“Slightly horrifying, isn’t it.”
Gherin turned and saw one of the strangest looking girls he had ever seen. She was probably only five feet tall and thin enough to be a boy. Her hair was a mousy brown and cut short just past her ears, framing a face with a wide mouth and snub nose. But it was her eyes that really caught him. They were huge, standing out prominently in her thin face, and two different colors. The left was a piercing green while the right was a crystal blue. She wore a white token around her neck. He glanced around, trying to make sure his mother wouldn’t see him talking with a White, before replying.
“What it?”
“All of it Being paraded out here like trade goods. These stupid tokens...” She tugged at the thong around her neck. “As if we’re only as good as our siblings ”
“Uh...” He stared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“All of this The Market, everything Don’t we get a choice?”
“No Of course not We weren’t Chosen, so what else is there? Now we have to settle down and marry someone who will hopefully produce children who will be chosen. It’s our only purpose.”
“Someone trained you well.” She looked up at him. “Is this your first Market?”
“Yes.”
“So that makes you, what, fifteen?”
“Yes...”
“So, at fifteen, you’re good for nothing but breeding stock?”
“I told you, I wasn’t chosen.” He hung his head, the shame of it almost crippling.
“So?”
He stared at her, completely shocked.
“So? So So my life is over There’s nothing left for me I’m going to have to spend the rest of my life in Twenty Three I’ll never see the Overland...” His voice cracked and he turned his back on her, willing the tears away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Her voice was soft and gentle. He slowly turned back to her.
“I don’t see what you’re so happy about. You weren’t Chosen either.”
“Nope.” She smiled, making her mouth seem even wider.
“You don’t make any sense.”
He turned to walk away from her.
“Wait ” He turned back. “My name is Searis.”
“I’m Gherin.”
“Nice to meet you Gherin.” She smiled again, and there was something very infectious in it. Gherin smiled back. “Now that’s better Nice kid like you should smile more.”
“Nothing to smile about.” Gherin mumbled.
“I know how you feel. Like your whole world ended. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not alone you know.” She patted the seat next to her and he sat down. “I bet you everyone hear feels just as bad as you do. Well, almost everyone.” She patted his knee. “I mean, how else are you supposed to feel? Taught your whole life that going to Overland to serve the High is the only good thing you’ll ever do. And then they just walk right by you.” She sighed. “And then you have to come here, paraded around with all the other losers, with a color around your neck the only thing you can hold on to. Red. Blue. White.” She shook her head. “But what does it mean? Who cares how many of our siblings went to Overland?”
“You’re so strange.” Gherin stood. “Of course people should care The only thing I can do now is make sure my kids get Chosen That they don’t have to feel like this ” He turned again. “And I won’t do that talking to a White.” He hoped to hurt her, but she only laughed again.
“Gherin, I’ve been coming to this Market for five years. Most girls my age have been married that long and have at least three kids But I think there may be more to life then that.”
He started to walk away.
“If you change your mind, if you want to talk some more, I live just outside town near the lake. Find me.”
He refused to look back. There was no point talking to a crazy White.