Zodiac

Chapter One

I sat on the porch and looked beyond my state of mind. I traveled in my brain to new areas. I've never seen water, I've never felt air, I don't know if the earth is round or square, I only know of fire.

As weird as it may seem, people in this world are only allowed to know of things based on their elements. People in this world are only to know of their zodiac in general. I am a Sagittarius, I only know other Sagittarius's. My mother is a Sagittarius, my brother is a Sagittarius, my neighbor is a Sagittarius, everyone I know is a Sagittarius.

In our schools we learn about how imagination is bad, how beauty is bad, how thinking is bad, how being different is bad, and that seeing a different star sign is terrifying. We learn about how our star sign should and will be superior to others because we can burn things. I know we are not to think, but can't air blow away our flames? Can't water wash away the evidence there even ever was a fire? I would be in a lot of trouble if anyone found out I was thinking far beyond my reach.

I don't know how the elements work exactly, but before my great grandmother died she told me that her great, great grandparents were alive before the day the zodiacs were separated. Her great, great grandparents described water as something you can drink, swim in, look at, and it's cold in the rivers, lakes, and oceans, and warm when you wash your hands or clean yourself in general. Next to water is that of air which was described as a breeze that can be felt, it is so powerful it can move your hair, ruffle your clothing, and keep you cool on a hot day.

I would love to feel this element called "air". It is very hot where I am. We are given rags in the summer as a pair of destroyed khakis shorts and a raggedy tank top. We are given a full black, tight body suit that is for the winter to keep us warm. I would also love to feel "water". Because we are the element of fire, we are constantly dirty, our hair is matted to our foreheads, and our faces, feet, and hands are usually covered in dirt and soot from the day we are born to the day we die.

I never understood how Earth worked though. My grandmothers great, great grandparents just said "we all live on it until the day we die." Does this mean I live on this so called "Earth"? And will I leave it when I die? How would Sagittarius overpower it? Are we supposed to burn it?

Based on your zodiac, you are positioned in a specific place. Those of the element fire are placed to live in the hottest places. Those of the element "water", are those who live near water, those of "air", are to live in the airiest places, and to those of "earth", they can live where ever they want.

"Where you live, is where you work." That is a major code—they tell us to never leave our places.

"Your element is what you work with." This is another code. I am fire, so I work with fire. We here are all fire, we work with fire. Those of water, work with water. Those of air, work with air. Those of earth, work with earth.

According to certain rules, we are to ship things to different star signs once in a great while. We ship flammable equipment to different zodiacs that need it. They ship things we need, to us. My mom has said I've drank water a few times because we cannot live without it. If it true that I have drank water, I wish I had a memory of it.

I don't understand how people are happy in a world this dysfunctional. It makes me sad and angry to think that there are seven billion people in the world, and we only know those of the same zodiac.

The thought of all this makes my imagination flow. I've always wanted to meet a different star sign. My grandma has seen one from a distance. They were of the same element as us, but no matter what she couldn't even say "hello", or else she would have been executed. She has told me, "if they are of the same element, it is okay to look at them. But if they are not of the same star sign, never and I mean never, say a word to them. If the government were to find out, and they would, you would be executed. You are not to speak, make friends or marry, let alone fall in love." I've hung on to those words since.