Pavv

Ch.1

People are clueless. I sweep through the streets without a glance towards me when I grab a dollar from a women's jacket. Only the beep in my arm notices that I committed a crime. I've learned that people are so ignorant they let technology do everything for them. Teegan and I think that's bullshit, the two of us have seen more than the walls surrounding our circuit.

*****

The rules tell us it's dangerous outside the walls. Our founders created the walls to keep us safe. They wanted to keep the rule of parallelism, so everyone shares the same intelligence and abilities.

There are six circuits each a holder of one ability. The circuits are surrounded by a large wall they say no one can cross. The authors are the leaders, anything they say goes. Everyday our author comes to the town square and repeats the 8 rules, the same as the day before. Once a year Kurt Author comes to the town square to give all the newly grown Adults their fate. Every year twenty or more do not make the cut and are sent outside the walls to the unknown. That is where we plan to go.

*****

"Only three more days Bex," Teegan sighs "what if we get separated? What if I'm not considered a criminal?"

Teegan cries into my shoulder. I'm worried too... She doesn't like stealing or cheating, but I have to break the silence between us.

"T...just being friends with me makes you a criminal."

That cracks a smile out of her. I miss her smile, she hasn't smiled since our fourteenth year when her parents disappeared, Now she's worried about losing me too. In three days every fifteen year old will become an adult and is separated into their ability, that will be us.

Teegan and I sit on the side of her house looking at the stars, the stars beyond the walls we are trapped behind. Teegan looks me in the eye and yawns, I nod giving her the approval to fall asleep. When I hear her heavy breathing indicating she has fallen asleep, I let one tear slide down my cheek, I don't want to lose her either.

I slowly let my head fall down, wanting to sleep. My head flies up realizing, we can't. If the night guards catch us we could be separated. Teagan would be taken away to the unknown, without me.

Offspring aren't supposed to live on their own. But no one wanted Teegan, and no one will have Teegan. I drag her inside laying her on the floor of her room. She does not like laying on her bed anymore. It reminds her of the memories that she had with her mom.

When she was rested on her blankets, I covered Teegan's frail body with a blanket, and left a note next to her hand just like Mrs. Callahan did before she went missing:

Teegan Callahn,

Good Morning! Drink all your milk. Make your bed. And meet me at the walkway at 11.

~Bexley Bauer*

After my name I leave a star reminding Teegan her mother is still here.

No one knows what happened to Mr. and Mrs. Callahan, but Teegan believes they flew up to the stars to watch her grow from a new angle. Now a star is the only thing Teegan has of her mother.

Before I leave her for the night, I lean down to Teegan and whisper "I love you" into her ear, she smiles. The entire walk home i keep a smile spread across my face, thinking of her. As I get closer, I follow the stars tracing out objects with my eyes.

The back door of our torn down home is always unlocked and leads straight to our stairs. I walk in, quickly turning to go up the stairs, but notice my mom shivering on the couch. My father must have kicked her out of the bedroom again, Before I go upstairs I cover her frail body with a blanket, whispering "I love you" in her ear. I quickly and quietly make my way to my room. Careful not to wake my father.

When I slip into my covers I hear the screech of my door opening, I look up to see my father with a bat in his hand. My heart beats faster as he walks over to me loudly whispering,

" where were you tonight"

" did you think you could sneak past me"

" you were with that bitch Teegan, weren't you!"

He starts to hit me in the thigh, then my back, I hide my face in my blanket.

"Don't hide from me you little bitch!"

It shocks me that my father would call me a bitch, he doesn't even call my mother that name. I never fight him back and he has only hurt me enough to be healed once, but tonight he wouldn't stop, I cried for help

"MOM!" "SOMEONE!"

My father was a cruel, drunk, man. Mother walked in

"Ross, get away from him"

He continued hitting me with the bat, throwing me, pushing me into the walls. I opened my eyes when the hitting stopped, I watched him get closer to my crying mother. Instinctively I jump on top of him getting him away from her.

When he gets back up he corners me slapping my face. When he backs up to swing I close my eyes and feel the blow straight through my forehead. Feeling the pain spread through my face was a relief the ringing in my ears was music, it meant he was finished for the day.

When I woke up, I was alone in my fathers bed. The tingle through my arms was a sign that my body was healed. I reach for the healers board on the sheets. The numbing tingle in my fingers could barely grab it and bring it forward. When the light shown from the screen I read: Reason of Injury- Hit with baseball while playing catch with Father.

This was common. Father lied to cover his tracks, to others he is the lovely Ross Bauer, from the head tables of the Wellspring Committee. To mother and I he is a monster.

When I look up to reality I see mother standing next to me. Mothers beautiful face makes all fear flush away. Teegan and my mother are the same person to me. They are my light.

Father and the Healer walk into my room. I hand the Healer his board. I look at my father with my smart-ass grin and say

"That Damn baseball..."

He looks at the healer with a cheesy smile that makes it seem like a joke, me and mother know is all fake.

" Well because of his injury to the head and neck, he will need to stay sitting for the whole day."

The Healer looks at my mother and father showing them what the blow did to my head.

When she turns my head I stare right at the clock. 11:32 am.... Teegan!