Linked

Chapter One

Miara's Journal December 31st, 2170

Today is the day, the day I leave everything I have ever known and begin my journey to my new life. But why? Why leave. I am happy, I love my life. It may not all be sunshine and rainbows, I don't have brand new clothes or the nicest home but I have love, I have my family. Can I just act like I don't know what today is, can I just curl up in my bed. Can I get up at 5:00 am like normal and go collect the eggs for breakfast, can I help mother prepare breakfast for father before they head off to the factories. Can I go to school and see my bestfriends Clara and Javen. But that is over. I finished school two weeks ago. I haven't seen or spoken to Clara and Javen since that last day, but I will see them today at the bus station. Today will be unlike everyday. Mother and Father do not work on debarking day, no one works on debarking day only those working for the testing center. I would say they are used to this but they are not, I am their last and final child to leave the house. The last piece of their family to lose. As I write I am taking everything in trying to remember every single detail that I can. My small pale blue room with one small picture window. Three beds but only one that is used. The old rickety little brown desk and my desk chair that is taped and screwed together. My cat Fluffy laying on the bed by my packed duffle bag. My duffle bag. I can only take one bag with me. It contains my blanket my mother made me. The few pictures of my family I have, A few outfits and this my journal."

"Miara, it is time for breakfast sweetie!" Mother yells up the hallway. I take a deep breath, place my journal and pens in my bag and zip it up. Carrying my bag down the hall, I sit it by the front door. In the kitchen Mother is putting plates on the table and Father is reading the paper and drinking his morning coffee. In front of me there is more food on the table than I have seen in the last year. Fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, oats, and bread.

"Mother, you did not need to do all of this for just us." She looked at me for the first time arriving in the kitchen, and she just nodded with a half smile. Her eyes were swollen and face streaked red. She had been crying all morning. I am her last child to leave. Being the youngest of five my mother has been dreading this day for years. Christopher Jr. is twenty-six and tested as a laborer, he is linked to Giavanna and they have a six year old named Kristiana. Jonathan is twenty-three and tested as a merchant and linked to Charity and they have five year old twins named Milo and Cleo. Shiloh is nineteen and is now a teacher and linked with David, they have a one year old son they named David Jr. Then my best friend in the entire world, Shayla, she is seventeen, she tested last year as an essential and is becoming a doctor along with her mate Jenson, we haven't seen them for a year and the letters slowly stopped coming a couple months ago. All of my other siblings have come back to Liobar since exiting their training and schooling facilities. Shiloh should be making her decision on where to go in the coming weeks, unfortunately I will not be here to find out.

"Miara you really need to eat something instead of pushing it around with your fork." My father says, patting my hand that is resting on the table. I look up into his sad blue eyes, trying to take in every little detail of him. His sandy blond hair, his worry lines above his heavy eyebrows, the way his smile is a little crooked on the side, and his small half circle scar on his chin where he had been hit with flying metal from an explosion at the factory. How he always is wearing his worn out holey blue jeans with the holes mother patched with clothes too worn out to fix, and his heavy fleece flannels to help keep him warm in the freezing temperatures of Jipsum.

"Dad, I am too nervous to eat. I am leaving all I know. I'm leaving you two, and I don't know when I will get to see you again. Hopefully I get to be a laborer or merchant, there are plenty of openings here in Jipsum. I could be right here in town." I say in between sobs. Mom comes over and wraps her arms tightly and dad grabs my hands.