Spaced Out

Chapter Three

✦Memory✦
"Ready or not, here I come!" A giggle escapes from me as my warm hands leave my face. I look down at my feet in the red sandals my father had given me for my twelfth birthday, which surprisingly still fit. I take a few steps, carefully scanning my surroundings. The Oak tree's branches hung low, sunlight painting them. I knew where he was. I climbed one branch that stood just above my head. I stood up and made the effort to climb another, and another until I reached the top of the massive tree, well almost at the top. A few branches above me, I heard a rustle of leaves. A grin took place on my face, as I shouted, "Matt I know you're up there!" I heard nothing but silence. I looked up, expecting to see dangling feet from the branches but I saw nothing. "Matt?" My smile faded. "Matthew?" I called out.
"This isn't funny." I grabbed the branch above me, and tried to pull myself up with all of the strength I had. As soon as my feet were on the branch, I carefully stood up and peered around the trunk. Sure enough, Matt was there pressing his back against the trunk, hoping to disappear in the tree. I chuckled, "Nice try." He carefully took small balanced steps to sit beside me in the branch. "Did you find Adam and Ava?"? "Nope," I said with casually.
"Shouldn't you be looking for them? You are the seeker after all." I saw flames of happiness dance in his eyes. Was he happy to see me? I smiled and looked down at my dangling feet. The knot in my stomach tightened, as my heart rate slightly picked up. This is the moment. I can tell him right now.
"Look Matthew, I have something I need to-" I was sharply cut off by his loud and startling shush. I hear a deafening rumbling coming from an engine that sounds like it's in the sky. "...tell you." "Are those the Collectors?" I asked, a quiver in my voice. I see Matthew nod a yes out of the corner of my eye.
"They won't take us. We're only thirteen," Matt reassured me. I nodded my head but something still pulled at the back of my mind, I couldn't quite tell what it was. Every year, the collectors traveled around the world on July twelfth taking groups of children different age groups each year. They are taken to a ship The Seventh Factor where they are injected and put to sleep for quite a while. When they wake up they are in space, and have no memory of what had happened in their lives before the event. The reason is that the world is slowly crumbling, and withering like a flower. It's reached it's end, and we have no choice but to let it go. But humanity refuses to die with it. We think we can stay strong like this, so we put up the metal beams to hold it up as long as we can. An escape. In a few years, everybody would finally board and part from the world. But the worst thing was, July twelfth was the day I was born.

☪

I walked down the cold and empty halls, looking for any life form. It amazed me how such a little amount of people were living in this strange place. I wore a black tank top, with black leggings, and a pair of running shoes. I silently went down a flight of stairs, my steps' sounds bouncing off the walls. I stopped sharply before reaching the last step. I heard the loud buzz of people talking all at once. I saw strange metal rods line the walls. I wondered what their purpose was. I slowly walked to the doorway where the stairs ended, and looked around the corner.
I cautiously creeped around, closer towards the noise, when I heard footsteps that don't belong to me. Without even contemplating it, I frantically searched for a weapon within reach. I grabbed one of the metal rods off of the wall, latching my fingers around it tightly, and turned around towards the direction I heard the suspicious footsteps. I saw a blonde woman, who seemed to be close to my age. I couldn't help but notice a long red scar running down her left bare arm. She was at least three feet away from me. Without even flinching, she continued her loud steps towards me.
"My my. Aren't you a little cynical." I watched her get closer as I lowered the weapon. "Excuse me for being defensive. I have no idea how to get around this massive ship, and it would be helpful if you didn't sneak up on me like that." She looked at me carefully, before she held out her hand. I lowered the sharp weapon.
"The name's Sasha." I reached out to shake her hand. "Cheryl," I replied. Out of the fog of lost thoughts and memories in my mind that was the only thing I remembered.
"So how old are you?"
"Nineteen. But let's start the fact that you remembered your name within the first hour of your awakening." I narrowed my eyes. What is she insinuating?
"What do you mean?"
Without explaining, Sasha grabbed hold of my shoulders and turned me towards where the incessant chattering came from. We started walking as she started to inform me about the procedures of the ship.
"Well, we should start by letting me show you the main room," Sasha stopped in front of the doorway of the room that the talking came from. My mouth hung open, as my eyes wandered across the room. Tables were spread across the huge space, where people ate, there were bookshelves that lined the walls, with giant windows installed with window seats where people stood. I was wrong, there were many people on this ship. I left Sasha and ran to the window like a child. I looked at the stars with my face pressed to the thick glass. While the stars fulfilled some satisfaction, I still felt like there was a missing piece to the puzzle of my mind.