Snow child

Grabbed, dragged. There was no point in screaming or crying, struggling was pointless too. He yanked my arm and pulled me away from my mother's arms that were trembling like a leaf in a hurricane. Soldier's. They must be losing the war and are finding people they can force into it, but what would they need a child for? My mother's cries and screams could be heard as they beat her alive. My father had already gone to war and we never heard from him after he left.

"We found this one. She didn't struggle and although small she's got a stable body, let's take her."

The man holding onto my arm spoke in a slightly soft tone as he addressed the person in front but I could tell he wasn't a soft person. Not even to children. Another man approached me and looked down at my small frame with a calculating gaze.

"What is your name child?"

I pause, my lips are dry and my tongue is frozen in the cold. I breathe out into the mist.

"Xuě háizi. I'm 10."

"I see."

He brushes his beard with his fingers and I keep my gaze down on the pure white snow under my feet.

"Are you frail, do you have any medical conditions."

These aren't questions he's asking me, these are tests disguised as questions. I know if I say I do then that's it for me, but if I tell him I don't then they'll bring me with them...and probably train me as a soldier. They must've run out of Men and women to use. Now their only options are children.

"No sir."

I rely with courtesy.

"So be it. Take her."

I am dragged by the arm again towards a carriage. He places a cloth over my mouth and I feel the world around me fade and blur, must be Chloroform. When I wake up, I am lying on the floor In a dark room. There are small light beams coming from a stone window. bars too like a cell. I stand up, my body is weak and shaky but that doesn't stop me. I reach out and grab one of the bars. I stand on my tip toes and look out. Snow. And more snow...and...red snow. Red snow? No...blood, and bodies of soldiers. Some men, some women, it didn't matter. I stare at them for a moment, sooner or later that will be me. I then moved my gaze down to my wrist and ankles, no chains but to be fair why would you need to bother putting it on a child who couldn't run far even if they tried. Though I'm surprised they didn't at least use rope, it makes me feel like because I'm a child they underestimate me. I hear footsteps and let go of the bars, standing back. The man from before opens the steel door and looks down at me.

"Come."

I don't argue or resist, I follow. He leads me to a tent and we walk in. He tosses some clothes at me.

"Take these and change into them, you'll have one meal a day and training will be from dawn till dusk. You can run if you want but trust me when I tell you at least you have a chance of survival here. Out there is a death zone, you'll die before you get far so I suggest-"

"I won't run."

He looks at me, I don't want to be pitied, I won't be looked down upon.

"I was right when I believed you weren't as fragile as the rest. Alright then girl, let's see how long you'll last."

I nod, once I'm challenged I won't look back. Not until I win.

"Yes sir."

The clothes I am given are plain and dark, I wouldn't call them comfortable and they are thin too but those who are unable to survive the cold are unable to make it to the next step and will die off. I stand with the other children in a line. There are 40 of us. I'm surprised, I thought there'd be more, is this all that's left? The man who questioned me earlier walks in the room with his hands behind his back. A wooden sword in his hands.

"You will fight. And you will die. That is your purpose now. The chances of survival are slim to none. That being said it is not definite that you can't survive. So if you want to live to see the next season or even your next birthday you better work and train till your limbs feel as though they'll fall off. Do you understand?"

Many of the children hesitate, the fear is clear in their eyes and expressions but that won't help them, nor will crying. I raise my hand and eventually all hands are raised. The man nods in approval and then sends us off to a separate room where we begin training.

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