Chapter 1
I hear children playing outside. It’s unusual for this time of year, especially in my state. Normally children would be saying goodbye to loved ones that they will never see again.
I get out of bed and walk into the bathroom. I get a toothbrush and toothpaste and clean my teeth. Whilst doing that I notice my hair, it’s all tattered from where I have been sleeping. When I finish brushing I pour a glass of mouth wash and rinse my mouth. I braid my hair and go downstairs into the kitchen where I find my mother making breakfast. My mother wears a grey dress, she must. Today is Tuesday. No-one is allowed to wear bright clothes on Tuesday as it is a sign of disrespect towards our countries government.
I walk into the living room to watch the news. What else am I supposed to watch, no TV on Tuesdays except the news. ‘Three more deaths have been reported in the South of Tennessee.’
‘That’s just great’ I thought to myself. Even though I didn’t live in Tennessee I couldn’t help worrying about them.
A few decades ago, there was a war obliterating most American states, leaving only five; Florida, Colorado, Alaska State 1, Alaska State 2 and Tennessee. My family and I come from Alaska State 1 which is the smallest of all five states and it’s the least violent. Colorado grew in size after the war becoming the largest and most violent state. Because of its size, Colorado became head state. They control the 4 other states and appointed each one with an individual job. Florida design weapons, Tennessee, they farm, Alaska State 2 lumber wood and Alaska State 1 mine for coal.
Our village is the most graceful out of all the others in Alaska State 1, with its beautiful mountains and luscious green trees. At dawn our state looks more wonderful with the stunning pink sky that completely lights up the mountains. I try to run away sometimes, but the though of my family living alone without me makes me turn back.
It was approaching 12 o’clock. I had just over an hour until the ceremony begins; I started to worry about not being ready. I wasn’t worried for myself; I had to get my sister ready and dressed. I walk back into the house and find my sister painting in the living room. My sister is quiet talented with the brush and captures every single detail, she gets it from our mother.
I pull my sister up off the floor and walked her to her room where my mother had left out a dress for her to wear. I pull the clothing over her head; she looks so gorgeous in it. Well, she looks allot better than I do.
Every year, all the states have to surrender one person up to the head state. They broadcast the murder live on TV; it’s horrifying. Watch their limp bodies being skinned. My sister isn’t allowed to watch it though, she is too young. Only citizens from the age of 14 or above can watch, some people even enjoy watching it. Others are scared to because they know -even though the bodies have shaven heads and battered faces- that it’s their brother or sister or daughter or mother or father or wife or husband that is being brutally butchered.
I walk into the kitchen, where I see my mother looking at old pictures of our father. I see a tear tumble across her cheek, down her chin and fall fast to the floor. I don’t ask her what the matter is or if she wants to talk about it because I already know. My mother is a very strong person when it comes to this. Any reference to my father and she begins crying; she tries not to cry in front of my sister.
My sister doesn’t in fact know what happened to our father, we tell her that he has gone away and won’t be coming back for a long time. She is unaware of his death because of the rule that children under 14 can’t watch the slaughter ceremony.
