Pavv

Ch. 4

"Sir Bexley Bauer." His voice repeats in my head. My mother looks at me shocked. My father slopes down in his chair. I find it hard to stand up. What does this mean...I am the exception.

I walk down our row into the passing walkway. I feel the heat of everyone's eyes on me. The stairs I right I front of me now, my heart is pounding.

I see Kurt Author standing before me, my legs shake as I try to climb the stairs to the stage. The lights are blinding out anything beyond the stage.

He gestures his hands towards me , up and down showing me off to the crowd. His Lips move. His expressionless eyes glare at me. Oh shit. I felt like an idiot when I had to ask him to repeat what he said.

"You are the exception, you will change this city of Pavv. How does it feel?"

I stare at him with a blank face.
Me.
Mr. Author starts to repeat the question, I rudely interrupt him  and instantly regret opening my mouth when the crowd gasps.

Kurt Author is silently watching me. A deep red color flushes to my face. "Well...." He asks.

"I'm speechless........why?" I ask.

"You stood out" he said turning towards the audience. "the rest is classified" he whispers sternly so no one else can hear. " you are the exception." He raises my arm with a deathly grin.

The crowd goes crazy. Normally in these situations I find it hard to keep a smile off my face. Now I can't put one on. I have a strange feeling this is not real.

When Kurt Author moves to the opposite side of the stage I see a flicker and for a moment it feels like I can see through him. It's more clear when I'm closer. No one has ever been this close to an Author before, it's not allowed.

He walks to the middle, making sure to get everyone's attention. He flickers again. This time I know it is not a hallucination.

The Authors are holograms.

I understand that this could be used for their safety, but no one has ever come after the Authors, they would put it in our mentor chip when we were babies.

*****
Everything we know is put in us as a baby, through a chip. This is the One out of Two times we exit our circuit during our offspring life span.

I remember when our neighbors baby was sent away for three days for the chip implantation, it was the quietest three days we had experienced from our neighbors.

The history of our land, the health and wellness of your body, and anything you would learn from a mentor.

The only thing not put in the chip is what is outside the walls. It's as if no one knows. Like we have been brainwashed of those events.
******

I realize I had been staring at Mr. Author and look up meeting a very large, broad shouldered, inhuman monster man picking me up onto a lift that starts rising toward the mirrored ceiling. I hear a nice woman's voice.

"Please stand silently and wave, make sure you smile, we want the people to believe you are going to be a good leader of their town. You are the Savior of Pavv.

I do as I'm told hoping to not get any extra punishment.

I watch as Kurt Author repeats the same small talk to our parents they do every year. " When you arrive home, you have one hour to your selves. After an hour you are required to create a new member to our city of Pavv. Good luck and happy creation.

It's gross thinking about what my parents will do when they get home. I'm just glad I will never have to do that.

*****
My parents have had one child before me. They are not allowed to speak of any details about him. But I hear them talking on the phone with him once a year. My dad has had two children but was paired with my mother when his pairing suddenly died at the age of 33, my mothers age now. My father is 50.

*****

When the lift reaches the top floor above the entire stadium, full of massive pairs of people. Everyone is starting to get up and leave. I spot my mom and dad through the one way mirror. I never knew there was a room up here.

" lots of people to run, lots of people to conceal, lots of people to..."

"WHAT?!" I yell whipping around "Tear away from their families and ruin their future plans" I suddenly feel a weight lifted off my shoulder as I yell at the women whose voice I heard on the way up. I can't tell who through my blurry eyes, trying to hold back tears. I have found I can be a sensitive guy, it is probably the effect of spending every dying second with Teegan.

Teegan.
She will get to live out our plan.

The women steps back a little "I...I was going to say, Protect, protect the people from the outside world." By now I can tell by the soothing voice it is a Healer. Whenever one is around you always feel a tingle when they speak, as if they can heal your emotions.

"Can I see Teegan?" I ask quietly not wanting them answer, because I know the answer.

I hear her whispering with someone, I hear the slight weight shift as she moves closer to me. "...Yes."