I stared at Emily, inside the hospital room. Tears staining my checks. She will not die. I thought determined. Then Emily suddenly grabbed my hand, her cold finger wrapping over mine. I clenched my fingers tight onto hers. As if I wanted to pull her up to life. "Kaylin." She whispered. I nodded my head attentively.

"Promise me you won't participate." Tears kept pouring down my eyes. I knew I could never promise her that. "I can't promise you, on that one." Emily looked so sad and helpless. Nurses passed by her ward a couple of times shooting me sympathetic looks.

Emily wrapped her fingers even tighter around mine. I stared at the wall for a moment. Then I looked at the mirror. My eyes were swollen. I had dark patches underneath my eyes from no sleep. I saw on my left cheek the biggest cut. Emily must have seen me notice how terrible I look.

She passed over one of the celestial pads over to me. The glowing little sparks on it glowed purple and blue ember little marks on it knitting together all at once. I shook my head. I won't use it. Emily looked so sad. I sighed in exasperation.

I picked up the the celestial pad, and pressed it towards my face. The warmth flooded through my skin. Then the celestial pad went grey. I chucked it away into the bin. I turned to the mirror hoping it didn't work. But it did. My cut had disappeared.

Emily started coughing uncontrollably. "Emily! Emily!" I shouted panicked. A nurse came in and shoved me aside. She grabbed a air bag, and pressed it to Emily's lips. The coughing slowly stopped, as the air bag became bigger. I sighed in relief. Anything as simple as that can kill Emily.

There was only one Leader of this world now. And he wouldn't even let the poor have good resources or food. I hated him. Then nurse turned to me. "Kaylin Pierce. Please go back home. You are not needed here." Then she strutted out on her white high heels. Her black hair flipped over and almost hit me in the face.

I clenched my fist in fury. How dare she? Emily was my sister! And she tells me to leave! Emily's eyelids drooped downwards. I walked out slowly to see Mother. Her dark blonde hair messy as always since Emily got sick. Her mascara ran down her eyes. And her dark red lips trembled. She still looked beautiful as always, but this time it looked like she had fallen from grace.

My Father left her when she gave birth to me. And now to see that her first daughter was about to die, she would lose herself completely. She grabbed hold of me tightly. Hugging me until I could no longer breathe. But I didn't care.

"Mrs Pier-" Mother shot her hand up, signalling the man to be quiet. "Miss Miller, please." Mother had always said that since my birth. Everyone still called her Mrs Pierce, since she and Father never divorced. But she hates that last name now. She goes by her maiden name now, Miss Miller.

"Miss Miller," The man said slowly. "We will let you know that your daughter, Emily...Pierce, should no longer be alive in 18 months. Unless she gets proper medical care. But then again, you don't have enough money for that." He said arrogantly.

Mother did something shocking. She walked straight up to the man. And slapped him right across the face. "Don't play games with me, Sir." She said dangerously soft. Then she grabbed me by the hand and walked out with me. I looked behind me seeing the man gaping at her. I raised my hand and stuck my middle finger up towards him.

He glared at me. I looked back at my Mother. Tears were running down her face. "Mother, it'll be okay. I'm going to get the money." I whispered. Mother let a low laugh. "How?" She replied. I stayed silent. I nodded my head towards the sign up of  "Deathrun".

Mother stared at me. "No." She shouted. "No!" She yelled. Tears streamed down her face. "I'm not losing both of my daughters!" She screamed. Many of the people in the Hovercars stared at us. I quieted down. I saw our small house come into view. "I am going." I said softly.

Mother ignored me and unlocked the door, and slammed it. She had locked me out. I trudged up towards Deathruns' sign up. I remember all the rules. I was not going to regret anything. Or so I thought.