Read Famished for Free Online Page A

early.”“Who else was selected?” she asked, her voice detached.
    “Colin Martin,” I answered.
    She looked away, lost in some trance. “Good. The Martin boy is strong.”
    My initial reaction to seeing my name was shock, almost too shocked to react at all. Colin acted so brave after he’d read his name, proud that he was going to be doing this service for our colony. I tried to hide my fear. I tried to pretend that I wasn’t afraid. After seeing my name on that paper, I held my head high nodding in agreement. But really, I was terrified my limbs were
    shaking. “Mom,” my voice trembled. “I’m afraid.” Who wouldn’t
    be afraid of an empty, unpredictable world? I felt like my death
    certificate had already been signed.
    My eyes were drying up and I was starting to get used to the fact that I would now be out on my own in a deadly wilderness with Colin Martin. At least I wouldn’t be alone. That made me feel a little better. When I peered over at my mother, she was the one who now had fear in her eyes. She focused on the dirt wall, eyes searing with x-ray vision. It was like she was looking through the wall, observing what was behind it.
    Waving my hand in front of her face, I tried to get her attention. It didn’t work. She didn’t break concentration. Then I positioned both of my hands on her shoulders and shook her, gently. “Mom.” She still didn’t respond. I shook her harder, desperate to snap her out of this catatonic phase. “Mom!”
    She came to attention, blinking her eyes repeatedly. “Oh, Georgina. What is it, dear?” she asked.
    I didn’t get the chance to answer her because, less than a second later my father walked into the room. “What’s going on here?” he questioned.
    My mother turned toward him, sneering. For a second, I thought I actually heard her growl at him. “Nothing.” It was a short answer, but the way my mother said was full of brutality. She thought my misfortune of getting selected first was all of my father’s fault. She pulled me back into her arms, resting her chin on top of my head.
    A frown spread across my father’s face. His youthful features aged in a matter of minutes. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?”
    “You mean your beloved council members haven’t told you?” my mother snapped.
    “Told me what?”
    “Georgina’s name was pulled for that stupid lottery.”
    “What?” A baffled expression replaced the frown. “They weren’t supposed to draw names until the end of the week.” That seemed to be the statement of the hour.
    “Yeah, well apparently they don’t stand by their word.”
    I peeked up at my father, who remained silent. He gazed at me intensely for a minute or two, then left the room.
    My mother pressed her lips into the top of my head. “Don’t you worry sweetheart, I’m going to get you out of this.”
                                                                                    * * * *
    But she couldn’t get me out of it. I had to admire her efforts though. Never in a million years did I think I would see my mother resort to begging. That just shows you what lengths a parent is willing to go to for their child.
    She collapsed onto her knees in the mess hall , yanking on Mr. Baker’s pant leg. “Please Mark. Please. I’ll go in her place.”
    Mr. Baker’s eyes washed over the room, giving people a reassuring smile, and a nod. “Get up, Marcy. You look ridiculous,” he said, not breaking his smile. The last thing he wanted to do was look bad in front of the colony.
    My mother rose to her feet and brushed her sandy, blond hair away from her face. “You have kids, Mark. Wouldn’t you be doing the same thing if they were selected?”
    “No,” said Mr. Baker.
    “Then you’re heartless and you don’t deserve to be a parent.” I didn’t expect what happened next to occur. My mother pulled her hand back and slapped Mr. Baker across the face.
    Whispers broke out