"Curiosity killed the cat."

"How do they crown the Daisy Duchess?" Heather tilted her head to the side, staring at the large festival in front of her. Polly began walking inside of the festival, Heather following quickly behind. "Heather- I'm shocked! You've been here a week, and you don't know the nursery rhyme?"

As they walked in, balloons that are white and gold hovered over a speaker. They were tied down to them, as the Mayor of the town sat on a chair in front of the stage. Behind him, a large opening covered by black curtains. If you were to look behind the opening, it's shaped similarly to a Cornucopia.

"What nursery rhyme?" Heather glanced over at Polly, an uneasiness wrapping her words. "You know! The 'Two go in, one comes out!', you're telling me you've never heard it?" Polly seemed amused at the fact that she didn't understand what she was talking about. She shrugged, leading them to a set of chairs. "Well, you'll find out."

Heather's back stuck to the metal chair, sweat drenching her already. "Why does only one come out?" She had so many more questions, but she was afraid to ask them. Polly nudged her. "Shh! It's starting. And like I said, you'll find out."

The mayor stood up from his chair on the stage, It was at this moment that Heather realized, there was a large gap between the actual stage and all of the chairs that were lined up with people. "Good morning Daisyhill community! I hope you're all having a splendid day."

After he finished a single sentence, the crowd erupted into cheers, whistles, and clapping. It was clear that the population cared about their mayor. Polly clapped loudly, as Heather sat silently. She wasn't sure why she was here anymore. She felt outcasted. Like she didn't belong.

"As you all know, annually, we hold the Daisy Duchess Festival and Ceremony. An opportunity for young teenage girls to feel powerful. Wherever these daisies land," The mayor pulled out two long daisies from his back pocket, to which the crowd blew up again.

"And whoever catches them, will have the chance to be crowned the Daisy Duchess. Then, they'll go through the covers, and see who comes out on top, Now, I'd like all teenage girls between the ages of 11 to 17 to come up to the front, where there's no chairs."

Polly grabbed Heathers hand, tugging it quickly as they ran to the front. "Wait! Polly! I don't want to-" But she couldn't hear her pleas. There were a ton of girls scattered in the front, each having excited and determined expressions. "Polly?.." Heather shook her head. "What's gonna happen?"

Yet, despite Heather's question, Polly seemed to not care. As the mayor held a daisy up high, Polly reached her hand up, along with everyone else. So did Heather.

Girls began jumping for the daisy once he lost grip on it. They reached for the falling daisy, but it didn't land in their hands. Instead, it landed in Polly's open palm. Girls began screaming, other girls Heather didn't know began hugging Polly. She seemed ecstatic, like this was what she was waiting for all her life.

Polly shook the white daisy in her hand, beaming widely at the mayor. "It seems we have our first tribute!" He smiled. "Polly McPowell! A favorite amongst the Daisy Duchess. Believe it or not, she's been chosen twice now!"

Without direction, Polly raced to the front of the stage and climbed up next to the Mayor on his stand. "Splendid! Let's throw the other daisy to see who you'll be going against." He held the last daisy, and the crowd erupted once again. More girls shot up their hands.

So did Heather. She stood quietly on her tiptoes as the daisy drifted amongst the crowd. She was just curious. All Heather wanted to know is what would happen. As if it was in slow motion, the daisy cupped itself into her hand.

She held it carefully with consideration, not hearing the loud screams next to her. Girls were tugging on her shoulder, others saying something along the lines of, "Good luck!" or "Do good!".

Heather looked up at the mayor, who maintained eye contact with her as he spoke. "Someone new? The daisy duchess must have this in plan. Congratulations to the other tribute, Heather Brunt!" He smiled in a predatory way, which made Heather a little anxious.

"You can come on stage now." She made her way past the other girls, before she climbed on stage like Polly. Polly, seemingly zoned out before, looked more aware, yet mortified. Her skin had become more pale, and her jaw had tensed. "Now that we have our tributes, let them go inside to see who the Daisy Duchess shall pick!"

Polly began walking behind the curtain, and Heather followed behind. Inside the curtain was a sphere shaped room. It had a pedestal, which held a small marble statue that depicted a woman. Heather hesitantly looked at it, walking closer; On the pedestal, the words "Daisy Duchess: Light the candle to see who she chooses." were engraved onto the stone.

Cocking her head up, Polly smirked. "You seem eager. Go on, light it. Try." Heather shook her head, beginning to go up to it. "Is there a lighter? Or anything to light the candle?" The candle was being held in a small hole, located in the middle of the Daisy Duchesses open hands.

"No." Polly seemed almost offended at the idea of a lighter. "You, yourself, has to light it. No lighter."

Heather gasped. "That's rigged! There's no way I can light it." She backed away from the candle. Polly smirked, "Let me try." She said quietly. As she walked up, Heathers heart randomly began to pace quicker.

Walking silently and slowly, Polly approached the front of the pedestal. She put her index and her thumb against the wix of the candle, before pulling back. The black stem turned a ignited orange, before a tiny flame came out of the top.

"She chose me again." Her face fell once again. Heather tilted her head and eyebrow. "What? Again?" Heather remembered back to when the mayor said 'again.' "But, now what happens? How come the nursery rhyme says only one comes out?"

An odd silence passed between them. Polly took the candle from out of the pedestal. "Well, I'm the winner. Again." She seemed defeated. "I don't want to leave you." She toyed with the burning candle in her hand. The wax dripped onto her fingers. "Why do you have to leave me? Whats gonna happen?"

Polly brushed the wax aside, before chucking the burning candle at Heather's eye. She yelped in pain as the flame sealed off and scolded the bottom of her right eye. "What?!" Holding the bottom of her eye, the candle bounced off her face, landing onto her knee.

It severed off the top of her kneecap, causing her to collapse to the ground. "Polly.." Heather gripped the grass beneath her, tearing some of it out as she attempted to rebalance herself back up.

She looked up, one eye only being able to be seen through, to see Polly's crying face. "The Daisy Duchess made me do it. I'm so sorry." She wiped her tears, before kicking Heather straight in the stomach.

With a groan, Heather sat up against the walls. Polly lingered, picking the unlit candle back up from the ground. "I'm so sorry, Heather. But she chose me." Polly left her in the cold room. Heather stared at the pedestal.

Grabbing the grass once again, she sighed. Heather rested her head against the wall in defeat. "Fine." She said. "Fine."