Audacious

Chapter 7: Sector 1

We continue walking for hours, not knowing where we were in the slightest bit.
For a long time, all we see is tumbleweeds and large sand dunes. Gargantuan turkey vultures fly over our heads with their prey clasped firmly between their teeth, taunting us with their meals. People gasp for air and water as the sun beats down on us, beads of sweat dripping down everyones foreheads.
Lacey and I trail behind everyone else, quietly conversing with each other about our surroundings. "How hot do you think it is?" I ask Lacey.
"Umm, you know it's hard to say, probably around 95 degrees? I can usually only tolerate up to about 85, but this is strangely comforting. It feels like I'm laying in a lounge chair, soaking in the sun beside a private pool, as a waiter brings me a Coca Cola on a tray, complimented with a lemon on the side." I drop my jaw in disbelief.
"Lacey, it's at least 100! I'm literally melting." I can't believe her, it feels like a sauna out here! Lacey laughs and turns her head back towards our never ending trail. I never noticed how beautiful her hair actually was. What I thought was pink was actually a soft amaranth. The little hairs reach down to her waist, thinning as they grow longer. I feel different emotions that start to aim toward her. Delighted. Joyous. Jealous.
"Kiera!" shouts Lance at the front of the group. I peer my head above the crowd, seeing a faint skyline of large monuments, gently skimming the angelic clouds above them. My head seems to be filled with a bright light and ladies singing songs of happiness. All that can seem to cross my mind is the fact that we're here. We have finally reached humanity, after hours, and hours of walking with nothing but our own two hands and a safety kit. You can clearly see relief in everyones faces as they sigh with reassurance. Many people start to run, too excited to reach shelter and food to wait another minute. I decide that I can't take much more of this either and I start to jog. Lance starts to completely break out in laughter and I shoot him a vile look.
"You run like a sloth," he says somewhere between breaths, trying to catch himself after all of the laughter.
I playfully smirk and ready myself for a sprint to our destination. My legs begin to move like I never thought they could. Dirt flies up all around me, like a shield. My lungs burst, working harder every second to keep Lance in awe. I smile, impressed with my body's new, strong function. One by one, people zip behind me, getting lost in the dust that slides off of Arianna's combat boots. I feel my legs progressively grow stronger, my muscles tightening. The vast buildings become more distinct as I lunge toward them. Slowly, they become yards, meters, feet closer. As I am about 50 feet away, I notice a sign just before the path that leads into the city. I slow myself as I near it. I lift my fingers to the heading on the rugged wooden board that reads "Welcome to Sector 1". My eyes widen. I turn to a group of kids heading toward me, walking.
"Guys! Come here!" I scream. They jog the rest of the distance to me. I point to the sign and they all drop their jaws to their feet. Sector 1 and 5 have been allies since the war of 1969. Everyone jumps and hug each other, screaming with joy.
Lance stands in the back with his arms folded across his chest. His forehead is creased and he is finally smirking from a good cause. I walk to him and he looks me in the eyes and says, "We're safe, Kiera, aren't we?" I nod and the group moves forward into the city of intelligence.
Everyone looks around, not believing what they're seeing. The buildings seriously do reach to the sky. Just walking by them makes me feel like a stromatolite.
The people that surround us are much different than from any of the places we came from. I soon realize that no one in our group comes from Sector 1. A tall boy with pastel purple hair walks by us wearing colorful clothes that reflect off all of the glass buildings. Everyone around has some sort of colorful hair, none of them dull or ordinary like the rest of us. Sector 1 has always had a strong custom in colors. They love to live life with purpose and they believe that without color, life is a pointless blob of meaningless grey. I stop a boy with a red mohawk and blue blazer, topped off with green bowling shoes.
"Excuse me sir, we were lost and we were wondering where we could find some assistance? Could you direct us to the closest guide?"
"Oh yes of course," he replies with a deep, rough voice. He turns facing the direction he came from and points to a large red glass building, shaped in an odd triangular prism shape, that towers over all others. "That building is our town hall. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your stay." He says with a warming smile.
"Thank you, I'm sure we will. You have lovely community." We all head towards the monster building excited for our new exciting adventure. I push open the substantial glass doors and enter an elegant room, filled with lights and a light blue chandelier, glittering icicles drooping down from it.
I approach a slender lady in a lime green cocktail dress. "Hello, ma'am. My name is Kiera and my groups plane crashed miles away from your Sector. We were wondering if you had a small space for us to stay in while we come up with an ideal plan for our next walk."
"Why, of course!" She takes a long look at all of our different wardrobes and asks, "Where exactly are you coming from, may I ask?" I tell her that we are the novices from Sector 5 and she leads us up a set of graceful spiral golden stairs. She directs everyone into their own corridor and leaves me to the last room. "Now, I saved this room for you cause I can obviously tell that you are the leader of this well-brought-up group. It is the largest and if you ask me, most suitable room that we have available. I open my mouth to explain that Lance is actually our leader but he is too wimpy to talk to a soul that I had to say everything, until she opens my mahogany door to a room of pure excellence. I walk in and explore a room filled with happiness and just about everything anyone could ever want.
Instead of totally breaking out in a girly shriek, I remember that she is to see me as a Fortitude so I simply reply, "Thank you. This will do." She calmly smiles and exits the room. I open all six doors in my room, each of them leading into another beautifully, mysterious room that is completely filled with jewel encrusted chairs, tables and picture frames that are filled with extraordinarily painted fruits.
I enter the Master Bedroom and jump into the air, falling back into the softest material I've ever felt, that coats my bed. "Ahhhh," I sigh. "What better Sector to get lost in."
A soft, feminine voice fills the room over the intercom. "All guests may report to the dining hall for supper at this time." I joyfully dance down the steps, running my hand along the smooth gold as I walk down.
As I walk into the dining hall, my nose is filled with various delightful scents. Blueberry pie, roast beef, calamari, chocolate covered strawberries. I look around the room, searching for someone to dine with. I spot a messy bun that has way too much hair in it, that happens to be pink. I stride over to Lacey and tap on her shoulder. She spins around, her smile welcoming and soothing, just like always.
"Ready to get some divine cuisines? Or êtes-vous prêt à obtenir des cuisines divines, as the French say." On the long, dreadful walk over here, Lacey told me that her parents were very fluent in French so she studied it for many years.
"Why wouldn't I?" I reply.
Lacey and I grab a plate, covered with a silver finish. I grab everything that looks appetizing and before I know it, I have six different plates, each of them filled to their maximum.
When Lacey and I sit at yet another jewel encrusted table, I see something familiar catch my eye. A rather tall, muscular figure, darker than any other in the room, strides by the door, just like the one I saw in the Choosing Day room. I must have not realized how long I stared into the doorway, because Lacey whispers in my ear.
"If you need something, go," she winks at me and I stand, beginning to follow the dark, mysterious man.