Yuri grabs my bag and stuffs it into the trunk of the black car, which still looks as shiny as when it arrived. Either the dirt roads had no effect on this car, or they washed it every use. They probably washed it every time. Wasteful. It would be up their alley.

"Are you ready?" he asks.

I nod, although a lump in my throat continues to grow. Be strong, I tell myself, but it's harder with every passing minute. It is only a matter of time until tears come. I'm leaving everything I know. Every single thing familiar, safe. Everyone I love... Kol, Mr. Green, Kazimir. No number of goodbyes will be enough. Even if it is just for two years. It feels like a lifetime.

Of course I'm not ready. I probably would never be.

"Good," he cheers as he gets into the car, and I follow suit. "So, are you ready to see the Motherwealth? You'll love it. You'll train with the nation's best and really learn about the Motherwealth. You can see with your own eyes that we aren't too different than you."

When I told Mr. Green I was going to the Motherwealth for training, he was quiet for a moment before assuring me that I would truly be great. I had never really talked to Mr. Green about the Motherwealth before. Honestly, it was never important, and he never brought it up. But as I sat in his living room, I couldn't help but ask a million questions about his home.

He was patient, taking time to answer every question I had. But the most important question I asked was why he left. He paused for a long moment before answering. He told me it was because he realized he didn't fit with the Motherwealth mindset any longer. When I asked him what had changed, he just shrugged his shoulders and said it was a natural progression.

I fear I would hate the Motherwealth like Mr. Green did. Two years is a long time to be in a place you hate. "You said your goodbyes?" Yuki asked.

My eyes well with tears. Thank goodness he's too busy looking at the road to notice.

Mr. Green and Kazimir were excited for me when I said goodbye. Kazimir never actually thought I would go. He was surprised and ecstatic, but he did admit he wasn't the one that sent the Talent Seeker to the pond.

Kol on the other hand was nowhere to be found. I searched for him for hours but he vanished. He was probably too angry to say anything to me after I left him in town. He needed to know this was for him, for us, for our future. When 5PM rolled around and he was still gone and I knew he wouldn't return. There would be no goodbye. He would rather leave without saying anything. That stung.

"So just to make sure there is nothing else you need. Right?" Yuri asks, looking back at me from the driver's seat.

I wipe a stray tear from my cheek with a nod. I tried my best to find Kol and came up empty handed. He didn't want to be found. There was nothing else I needed. My belongings only fit into a small bag. No small toys, no fashionable accessories, just a few basic clothes and my skates.

My hands ball into fists as I try to control my breath. I couldn't help but fear this is all a mistake. A stupid mistake. Driven by money and necessity.

"Alright. Perfect. Nice and easy. Love it."

"Stop!" Kol's voice rings out. He runs out in front of the car.

The car screeches to a stop. Kol slams his hands on the hood of the car. His eyes are wide, searching the car for me.

We lock eyes.

He found me. In the nick of time.

Yuri looks at me then to my brother. "You know him?"

Tears stream down my face like a broken dam. My bottom lip quiver. He came for me. "He's my brother. Can I talk to him for a moment?" I choke out.

Yuri sighs. "Just make it quick. I want to get back to the Motherwealth at a decent hour."

I nod then stumble out of the car.

Almost instantly, Kol wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a hug that warms me to the core. My feet barely scrape the ground as I embraced him back. I would miss this, just add that to the endless list of mine.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you. I- I just didn't know how to take it," he mutters.

A sob rips apart my lips as I hold onto him. "I'm going to be back. I promise."

He runs his hand through my hair and holds me tighter. "I know you will be. I'm just going to miss you. Promise you won't change too much."

"I won't change," I say too quickly.

"I love you and I'll write to you every week."

Kol did not say he loved me often. Most of the time, his actions spoke louder than words.

"I love you too," I mutter. My legs turn into wet noodles. My heart feels like it is breaking all over again, more than it had in the last few hours. It was painful, but there was no way to avoid this.

He pulls out of the hug and places his hands on my shoulders. "I tried to protect you, but I learned in the last few hours that you don't need protecting. You are not a child playing with dolls anymore. It's hard for me to realize that. This is your choice. Just know that I will be counting down the days until you come back to where you belong." He wipes tears from my cheeks.

My vision is blurry as much as I try to clear it. I want to memorize every feature of Kol's face. I don't want to forget the details like I have with Mom's. "I love you."

He kisses my cheek. "Now, go, show the Motherwealth who the best figure skater out there is."

I force a smile, then look back at Yuri, who looks bored. I can't hold him up any longer, although I wish for more time. There will never be enough time.

He grabs my hands and gives a squeeze. "And remember, two years is just a blink of an eye. I'll be right here when you come back."

The lump in my throat chokes my voice. This is our goodbye. I should say more, but nothing comes out. He should know that I never wanted to leave him behind and that I don't want to be the best figure skater. I just want us to be ok. To survive. Thrive. That is my only goal. But none of that comes out.

"Cheer up. You are going to be an amazing figure skater and when you get back, you can show everyone what true figure skating looks like." Kol hugs me one more time.

I grab onto him, breathing him in. He smells like firewood and river water. I shouldn't forget this.

For a moment, he holds my trembling body together.

"Alright. You should go," he says as he pulls out of the hug.

And just like that I feel like my body cracking apart. Part of my soul will be left here. I would not be whole again until I return. I trust that Kol would keep my broken soul safe.

"I guess," I whisper, it sounds squeaky. "I'll write to you."

He nods with a smile. "I expected as much. I'll be waiting to hear all the things about the Motherwealth. And if it's terrible, just use the codeword 'snow' and I'll know. If it is terrible, I'll do all I can to get you back early. There has to be a loophole."

I hold onto his hands as I force a nod. That is probably why Kol was likeable. Always seeing the positives.

With that, I get into the car.

It takes Yuri, no more than a few seconds to speed off, leaving Kol in the slushy, muddy snow alone. Kol grows smaller until he is out of sight. I can't breathe. This was it. This is goodbye.

Minutes pass and the buildings are replaced by snowy trees. My body only trembles more. Everything I ever knew vanished, just like that. I couldn't forget this place. I won't.

"We are here," Yuri says, stopping the car in front of a hover plane on the edge of town.

My head snaps towards the large black hovercraft. I have only seen photos of these kinds of planes in textbooks. I never thought they were real.

I let out a shaky breath. Internally, I am on the ground, kicking and screaming. My chest hurts, my eyes are puffy and red. This was never what I wanted. I never wanted to leave Hell. I never wanted to be the best figure skater.

Yuri grins, then drives into the back of the hover plane. He looks more excited than the day before.

"You know, Telvi, you are the first person in 40 years to be collected from Hell. You're a sort of novelty. Already the talk of the Motherwealth," he says proudly as he turns off the car.

That doesn't set me at ease. Instead, it makes my heart race only faster. Already the talk means there is room for disappointment. What if I'm not good enough for the training program?

"My superiors were shocked about you. But I think we are all extremely eager to have you join the team. It's very rare that we get a person gifted at figure skating. So not only are you the first from Hell, but you have a very unique skill. I think the last time we had a figure skater of your natural skill level, it had to be at least a decade ago," Yuri explained as he got out of the car and stretched.

I follow his lead, wiping my eyes again. I don't care about these facts. Two years. That is all they get. Then I would be back home.

He places his hand on my shoulder and smiled lightly. He clearly does not care about my state. He just wants my talent. "I know this feels life shattering right now, but it will get better. You will like the Motherwealth, you'll see."

But the thing is, I don't think I would ever grow to like it. Mr. Green told me it was very different than Hell. If he didn't like it, then I surely wouldn't. How could I like a place that takes everything from everyone?

"Alright. So, the flight should take no more than a few hours, so feel free to walk around. Make yourself comfortable," he says kindly.

I know where the Motherwealth is on the map, but on the map, it looks so much farther than just a few hours. I don't know how fast this hover plane would go, but I have a feeling it would fly faster than I had ever skated.

"Do you want any snacks? Something sweet for the road?" Yuri asks as he starts walking up a set of stairs.

Cakes, cookies, crackers, these are for the wealthy. Not for people like me. As temping as it is to fill my empty stomach, I stop myself. Don't rock any boat. Don't look too needy. Stay calm.

"No thank you," I reply.

He shrugs. "Suit yourself. But you are missing out." He walks into a room, away from sight.

I look around the belly of the hovercraft as it hums as loud horsefly. I run to the nearest window and watch as we lift into the air and shoot forward.

In a matter of seconds, the small buildings within Hell vanish.

I had experienced loss before. But this feels worse. This time, I have nothing to rely on. I don't have Hell, and I don't have my brother. I have nothing.

Two years. That's it. Two years and I will be back.