Welcome to: 7 Iris

1.

Today started as any day does in 7 Iris. 

The thick darkness lay heavy as amber beams flick on in some houses. The wind that blows through 7 Iris is whirling gently outside as clean bots sweep the floor of any rubbish, food or skin cells.

My alarm sounded at 07:00 as the sound of the radio presenter echoed throughout my room. "..hot weather continues in the outer rings so stay hydrated guys! As usual the orange and red rings have started to get congested. For everyone else; it looks like it will be another ordinary day in 7 Iris.."

"Nothing ever changes here" I mutter to myself as I climb out of bed. Its true. The brown ring, our outer ring, is always being scorched by heat. They say its because they are closest to the walls of 7 Iris, so they're closest to the earths dangerous pollution. 

The red ring is where all workplaces and jobs are situated, people travel from the outer ring all the way into the red for work. Unless they are farmers like my mother. 

The farmers inhabit the green rings and although we call them farms; they're actually laboratories and factories all working on how to make synthetic foods replicate the fruit and vegetables that used to grow naturally on earth. Becoming a farmer is difficult, you have to be fairly chummy with the capital.

The capital oversea everything that happens in 7 Iris. Our leader is a guy called Amos, he protects 7 Iris and has its best intentions at heart. My dad works in the capital with Amos as one of his close advisors. I am told its too dangerous for me to know anything else about his work. Which makes sense now..

"I will be home by the time you finish school tonight Vala" Dad tells me as I come down the stairs, uniform on with shoes in my hand. My Dad stands in front of the door. He is in his dark blazer, holding his brief case in his hand, "be good Kiddo!".

"Always" I role my eyes in his direction and he smiles before leaving the house.

"Was that your father?" Mum appeared in her work uniform at the top of the stairs, putting an earring in her ear as she approaches me. Her hair bounces as she skips off each step before she examines her makeup in the mirror.

"yeah, you just missed him" I reply whilst taking a seat on the bottom step and starting to put on my shoes. 

Mum perches next to me, also putting her shoes on. "ahh I needed to give him something! oh well I can do it later". She brushes her crazy auburn hair from her face, "did Dad tell you that he's been given a half day today? So we will both be here for dinner tonight, don't hang around in orange for too long missy!". She nudges my shoulder and wiggles her eyebrows at me, she knows I love the orange rings.  

"I am not making any promises" I say, whilst standing and grabbing my bag off the step behind me, "we should probably get going, otherwise we will both be late".

"right, right" Mum mutters to herself whilst rounding up the last few bits of her stuff. Her rings and bracelets clashing as she flaps her arms about, checking her bag for the 7000th time before joining me on the pavement outside.

The blue walls glow in the dim light, only minutes until the bulb is turned on and 7 Iris is plunged into colour and life. 

"Have a good day!" Mum waves at me as she starts walking out towards green and I towards Orange. 

Orange is my favourite ring. The vibrant walls house food stalls, markets, shops, clubs, bars, games rooms, gyms and people from all over. People looking worse for wear after a long night in orange make their way home, or maybe to work. Stall owners shout and wave their products attempting to get anyone's attention in such a busy space. People freely moving about in the crowds, no system, just walking where you want to walk. Even now in the shade of the early morning, orange is home to big personalities. I bump into the person next to me, "sorry" I squeak, he probably doesn't even hear me over the sounds of people around us. A barefooted woman dances to a street musicians guitar, laughing and cheering as he gets faster in rhythm. 

Then it happens.

8am is here and with a bright flash the bulb flickers on. The crowd slows briefly, allowing our eyes to adjust before continuing our journey together into red. Due to 7 Iris' structure, we no longer get any sunlight, instead we receive all of our light from a thing called the bulb. I am not sure where the name came from or how it actually works. But all I know is the bulb is turned on between 08:00-20:00 each day and it illuminates the all of the rings. 

Entering Red is always a massive shock. Almost instantly the free flowing wave of a crowd swirls into a single file line of people against the left of the roads. Heads down, no one talks, no one smiles. Just get to where you are going. Thankfully I approach my school and soon the talking resumes and my average day can continue.

But now it's 16:08 and I stand staring at my front door. 

My front door that I watched my mum lock, the front door that I know dad would lock behind him. 

The door that is wide open...