Official

Part 1

I've always been able to feel the sunlight. The warmth that soaks into my skin, bathing me in pure blissful light. I'm running through tall grass that tickles my face as I float by. Beautiful tall flowers spread an aroma of sweetness in the air. The image burns in my mind.
   ...

The feeling of light is all I remember. My mother tells me I just hit my head when I was little and my memories have just jumbled together. I believe her. Mother is a bit of an odd woman. She works for the government, just like father, but she isn't as high up. The wall control division is her primary station in the hall, only because of fathers influence on the officials. Since her job isn't allowed to be too demanding, according to the law, she is allowed much time for taking care of her childunits. I've never liked that law. I feel that women should have to work just like men, but the government history book says that's how it used to be and only brought chaos.

"Kennedy, it's time for meal 2," my room says, making me jump out of my thoughts. I seem to frequently space out when I'm alone. I push the button on the wall to turn of the alarm. Meal 2 has always been my favorite. When my parents are off in the inner city, brother and sister off on learning sessions, I am all alone. It's my time to think.

Downstairs the steaming plate of oats greets me, and I sit at the clear table in the kitchen with a sigh. The most eventful food we are allowed is spiced meat number 3 on 5th day. I happed to love oats though which makes daily meal two even more enjoyable. The warm creamy goup brings up my body temperature causing my arm device to signal a warning. A pitcher of liquid is poured for me and I happily sip it down. The arm devices issued to everyone under the year of 18 can be a nuisance. The constant reminders to preform simple tasks are supposed to create healthy habits for childunits, but after age 12 it becomes a joke. Anyone who has one will tell you as much.

An alarm signaling my free time sounds so I stand, watching the meal be removed from the table in seconds. Today is 3rd day and I'm off from learning, which means I will be meeting with a learning mate for a study session during the second part of the day. I hope I'm scheduled with someone interesting. Last 3rd day I had Robert who is extremely lethargic, leaving me sitting around while he dozed off. As I walk up to the screen by the front door to our house unit it lights up, scanning my face and proceeding to load my learning mate for the day.

"Ben Jackson is your partner today Kennedy Lee Morgan," said the wall.

With a calculated sigh I respond, "Thank you, I accept."

The door opens out to the street with similar house units around me. Ours is considerably bigger because of fathers position. This never made sense to me because we have the standard family unit size, so the extra space is unneeded. As I exit the unit I stop by the street to wait for a white oval passenger. When one arrives, hovering over the magnet laced road, I jump in and wait to be taken to the town center as butterflies erupt in my stomach. I haven't seen Ben Jackson in months. I wonder why he was selected to be my learning mate today? The town center is one of the few places in Atlanta where we are allowed to meet with others. This rule was set in place by father before I was born because unsolicited activities were taking place that the government did not know about.

"Ding. Ding. Ding. Kennedy Lee Morgan, the town center is approaching."

Once again I am pulled from my thoughts as the passenger slows to a stop opening and depositing me on the walk way. I take in the busy city around me breathing in the different air compared to where our unit is. The town center entrance is very grand. I stand looking up at the architecture that dates back to the early 2000s. A few years ago the government had slowly started to update the ancient looking building into a more up to date 2219 style.

As soon as I enter I look for Ben in the faces of people passing. I can't seem to find him and continue deeper into the town center. I get a ping on my arm piece signaling that he has entered and will meet me in the 26th floor book room. What an odd place to want to meet. Books are scarcely read anymore. They have been converted into memory chips that will download instantly onto your arm piece and signal the story to you. No effort is required which helps the city to educate child units.

I walk to the levelatior and signal the 26th floor on my arm. When I exit I see Ben standing by the entrance with a book in his hand sending my mind racing. I suck in a deep breath trying to calm my nerves.

"Ben, how are you 3rd day?"

"Ken-Lee you don't need to use government phrases around me. You know that." He seemed upset

"They are always listening to me Ben. Even more now that I'm almost year 18," I respond with a panicked look. I cannot afford to get in trouble with him again. He just turns to me and puts the book tablet back into its slot, only replying with a sad look in his eye. "Ben, listen to me! My father is keeping me under his thumb now that I am close to the end of learning. He wants me to be a government official and any mistakes will end my chances."

"You seem to forget that I know Kennedy."

I flinch at the sound of my whole name coming from his mouth. It sounds so foreign spoken in a human voice and not a signal.

"You don't even want to be an official. Why do you even put up with Governor Morgan's plans? I want to help you but you won't let me," he said with a poorly hidden touch of anger.  

"I'm not in control of what my life's purpose is Ben," I whisper yelled. "They could be listening in right now and we'll be given punishment. If we're not going to be productive learning mates I think it's best I leave." As soon as the words left my mouth a picture of hurt danced across his features and disappeared before I could really get a good look.
He stood there, unspeaking, as I gave him one last lingering stare and turned on my heel. Maneuvering my way out of book room 26, I take the levelator back to the ground, being deposited at the front entrance. A feeling of suffocation overcomes me. Ben had never been afraid to stand up to the government, or tell me his honest opinion. That's what got him suspended from the city for a few months, almost dragging me down with him. Of course Father pulled some strings to get me out of public punishment but he didn't even try to help Ben. When we were children Ben was only harmless, but as he went through the years at learning, he became even more uncertain of government policies. I assumed Father banned us from being paired for learning but maybe he never got around to it.

Taking a deep breath as I finally exit, I see fathers building across from me. He would be enthralled to see me so unexpected! With more than an hour left from my learning mate period, I'll have enough time to see him and be back to the unit before meal 3. This building is modern architecture in its most grand form. In the center of Atlanta lies the government building where all the officials work everyday. To be an official you have to be related to a previous one. This rule ensures that the officials of Atlanta stay in "royal" American bloodlines. Mother is a Kennedy but when she married father she took his last name. They named me Kennedy to show our relation back to our ancestors from hundreds of years ago.

I walk up to the front desk and ask the attendant to see father. She scans my face, asks for my arm band, and tells me to have a seat. As I wait I admire the high glass panes that seem to be floating in the air. This building is almost magical.

"Kennedy Lee Morgan to the levelator. Thomas R. Morgan will see you now."

Taking the short trip to the 179th floor, I enter fathers office. However, he is nowhere to be seen when I push open the solid wood doors. I decide to sit and wait for him since the monitor downstairs said he would see me now.

After waiting for 40 minutes in his office I get bored. I stand and begin to look around at all of his papers and documents spread over his office desk. I plop down into his desk chair spinning a few times until something catches my eye. I see a drawer with a red label on it reading "Kennedy Lee Morgan." Surprise overcomes me as there are no similar drawers for my older brother and younger sister. Why does father have one for me? I try to push it open but there is a lock. It's strange he used a traditional lock and not a scanner. I have to jog my memory to figure out how to unlock one, until I remember: a key. Rummaging through other drawers, I find a small finger sized key stuck between two papers. Trying my luck, I place it in the hole and the drawer reluctantly pops open.

The first thing I see before the alarm goes off, flashing red lights and blaring signals, is a picture of a woman with long auburn hair by the name of Josephine L. Kennedy holding a young child with similar red locks, that looks familiar.

I realize why right before the gas starts spreading. It's me.