{A/N: the person I imagine as Brynnleigh: the main character is india eisley, pictured above. also this is my first published story, I started writing during my junior year of high school, please enjoy!}
~ Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient. ~
"This world is our home. After the war and the plague combined, it wiped out almost everyone. We are the lucky ones." Stifling a laugh, I looked down at my notebook where a map laid unmarked.
I began to sketch what should be on the map, circling certain places as I tuned out Mrs. Gally to focus. I glanced at my notebook, writing down certain notes as I made the map. I was too caught up in my thoughts that I didn't realized my teacher was standing over my desk.
"Ms. Avery," She tsked, her eyes glaring down on the map that lie open on my desk, "This must be the fourth piece of trash I've confiscated from you in the last month!"
I opened my mouth to protest, but it shut quickly. This was almost an everyday thing after all, so there was no way I could hide it. There was also no way I was telling them the truth on what I was trying to do. Mrs. Gally just huffed, walking over to the port screen on the wall, pressing just one button.
"Brynnleigh Avery to Security 714 please." The message popped up on everyone in the schools' handheld port screens, as well as their laptops. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my things and started to walk to Security 714. I knew I had to be in trouble now, considering the school had never sent me to 714. Considering I'd never even heard of Security 714.
All I've ever heard about in my life was about how lucky WE were as a society to still be alive. There was a war that hit around the same time as a man-made plague was being spread. Some scientists thought a certain medication would eliminate this disease called "Plague 618" that had apparently killed millions of people around the world. In Orien, our leaders were the only ones who could find the technology to protect us from whatever lurked in the Outer parts of the world.
I hate it in Orien. I've never heard of anything besides a world after the war and the plague, I've never even seen a real sky. When I was younger, my father would always tell me of a place where there were real trees and a real sky.
"Brynnleigh," He said, "I want you to know that somewhere beyond these walls, somewhere beyond Orien, there is a real world. Where they grow real food and they see real skies."
"Why can't we go there papa?" I'd ask, "Can't we just go for a trip there?"
The answer was always no. He would tell me that I could never ever tell anyone about the Real World that I'd always dreamt of. He told me it was unsafe. I should've listened to him. I always got in trouble when I was younger for these maps that I continued to carry with me, seeing as they weren't printed out from one of the printing companies in Orien.
I just wanted to find the place my father always told me about. I want to find him. When my father disappeared, I was at school. Everyone I'd spoken to in Orien would just say he passed away, or decided to leave, but I knew that wasn't the case. No one just left Orien. There were no search parties when I reported it. No news coverage, not even a blob on any blogs online.
When I got there, I was scanned to make sure I wasn't bringing anymore illegal things into the room. Once I got inside, I looked around the room. White. It was brighter than any room I've ever seen, which was saying a lot for this school.
"Brynnleigh Avery, daughter of Thomas Avery is that correct?" A man sitting at a desk in the center of the room said. He didn't look much older than me, maybe a year or two at most.
I nodded, crossing to lean against the wall by the same desk. Sitting would mean I was giving in to being in trouble.
"Security device 01358 and 01352 command off," He said bodly, making it clear that whatever the two devices were that had been recording, needed to be shut down.
"Now, I just want to let you know something," He spoke, his voice raspier than before, "I know what you're trying to do. I know better than anyone in this building."
"And what is it that I'm trying to do?" I asked, looking around at this guys' uniform for any sign of a name tag or identification, "What's your name again?"
He chuckled, an amused look on his face as if I'm supposed to know who he was. He shook his head, raising an eyebrow as he tried to put the tough look back on his softened features.
"Just call me X," He let out in a rush as if someone could possibly still be listening, "And you, Ms. Brynnleigh Avery, are trying to make a map of ways to escape to the Real World."
He smirked as I shook my head. How could he possibly know that was beyond me. The only thing anyone in this school knew was the map I had was illegal.
"Don't deny it Brynn, I could tell from the picture that came through the comm. Thats why I intercepted it and sent a comm for you to come here."
Now I was beyond confused. I felt sick, dizzy even. This guy, X, intercepted a comm that was sent to who knows where in the school, and brought me here for what reason? I pushed myself up off the wall, shaking my head as I began to head for the door.
"Where are you going?" X asked, frowning as he began to rise from his seat.
"No offense X, but I don't know who you are or why you've pulled me here. I don't know how you got here, but I'd rather not end up dead for trusting some stranger." I laughed half-heartedly and started to head out of the room.
"I can help you find a way to the Real World," I heard X breath out as I grabbed for the handle on the door, "I've been trying to find it too."
"Yeah, sure you have," I rolled my eyes opening the door, "I'm not trusting some person I don't even know."
After walking out of the room, I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding in. I shook my head, looking either way down the hallway as I began rushing out of the school, making sure there was no one around me when I did. I started towards my bike, grabbing it as I rushed to go to the one place I felt like no one could find me.
It took me 20 minutes before I got to the abandoned building that I always went to when I needed to think. Once I was inside, I pulled out my notebook that was full of notes. Notes that my father had started and I continued. I placed a new map down on the floor, grabbing my pencil and beginning to mark possible ways out. Every once in a while, writing something new down in the notebook.
All of a sudden I heard a crash from somewhere outside the building. Hurrying, I scrambled to grab the map, crumbling it up to throw in my bag to hide it. Just as I went to grab my notebook, I looked up to see a figure with dark black hair standing over me.
"You realize how expecting it is for a criminal to be hiding here right?" X teased, chuckling as he grabbed the notebook.
"I'm not a criminal," I glared, "I come here for privacy, not for strangers to come here and invade it."
"You're trying to escape Orien," He told me, "Which makes you a criminal without knowing it."
As if on cue, sirens began to sound outside as a scanner started to shine through one of the broken windows.
"We need to go now!" X pulled me away from the scanner ray, pulling me around as he tried to find an exit, "How the hell do you get out of here?!"
I rolled my eyes, running to the only door around and threw it open.
"Brynnleigh Avery and Xion Braxton, come with us or face consequences."
{A/N: so that's chapter one! please let me know any feedback you might have or if you enjoy it so far!}
