Encased

1. The Abode

I wander around, trying to find more life form outside of the Abode. But most of the windows reveal fields. The other ones just look down to water.

My name is Alexis, I am fifteen and live on the 723rd floor of the Abode. I have a mom, dad, and a brother. My brother is nine, his name is Sammy. He looks just like me and everyone else in this place. Blue eyes, raven black hair, pale skin, and no freckles in sight.

Height is the only thing that really differs, I'm surprisingly tall but Sammy is short like our parents. Because I have long legs I'm one of my grades runners. We hold a sport day each year for each grade and each sport. The citizens gather in the recreational levels to cheer us on and just take a break.

Each year, I run and come first. After grade five, we're split up into girl and boy classes but below that it's all co-ed. So until grade six I was up against guys but still managed to get first place.

The rec level is my favorite. It has the most windows and is usually warmer then my family's living quarters and the other levels. Mainly because the gardens are off limits unless you are volunteering or are scheduled for work there.

Sammy is as mundane as anyone could be. Completely oblivious of the outside. He does his school work, completes his daily volunteer hours, helps our mom make supper, and every other thing that is expected here in the Abode. The only thing about him is that he is really smart, he barely ever needs my help.

You go to school for ten years, and after that you are appointed to a job. I'm in my final year, tenth grade. Every day it is mandatory to complete at least one hour of volunteering, you try all the jobs so you and the board knows where you are your strongest.

Sammy will almost definitely be a grower. As he is still in grade four, I've had to join him in all his volunteering. I've seen his strengths and he is amazing in the gardens... for his age. Me? I'm not too sure, but my parents are thinking that I'll be appointed as the school coach for sports. Probably not though, there are so many other people going for that position...

For one or two years after you graduate from school you become an apprentice or keep volunteering until the board decides the two jobs where you would be most useful. I'm just hoping not to be chosen as a doctor or nurse. When volunteering at the hospital I have seem some really gory things.

Once a man had an Axe in his leg because his apprentice on the gardening level accidentally swung it into his leg. I almost fainted.

Today though, they didn't have anything for me so they sent me to the unused floors to organize and clean. Those are levels 1 to 15. No one has ever been allowed down there, until today. Me.