Shattered Control

chapter four/five

SURPRISE! i thought that i should put two chapters this time because mine chapters are really short and these two are kind of boring, so i just wanted to get them out of the way. that way you read the boring stuff, and go staright on to the better parts. instead of waiting for one short chapter then for another :/

then again this story doesnt rlly have fans (i think like, 2)

but w.e even if it's just for those two, then i'll do it : )

so here you go!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

four

 

Aging Day was set up just as it was every year, so it was easy finding our way around. Within seconds I saw Zari coming up from where her house was, I would’ve ran up to her but we were ordered to stay put until after the ceremony. The town square was literally a square in the center of town with buildings surrounding it. On Aging Day, the government set up a stage in the middle of the Square and hung up many signs and posters that read “Happy Aging Day”. Since the town hall building was big enough to fit everyone from town, everyone would meet in there for a feast and then proceed outside for the ceremonial part of the celebration. The ceremonial part of the event is where the Announcer would give out awards, marry couples who have been betrothed by the government in the last year, and match each individual with whatever life the government has set up for them for the following year and future. After the ceremonies, we were permitted to talk to whomever we wanted, dance however we wanted, and just basically enjoy ourselves before having to go back to our living buildings for the night.

“Jem?” I called silently. He raised his eyebrows questionably in return.

“This feels weird without mums and papa,” I told him.

“I know,” he said taking my hand in his.

Our parents were a touchy subject, but this was the first year we ever celebrated Aging Day without them, so this was a new experience for us. The night of Aging Day of the year before, our parents Susan and Maurice were told to stay a little while after the celebration to talk to the Leader while Jem and I headed home. While recycling our days schedule after arriving at our Living Building, we got a message from the government saying that our parents were killed in an accident as they were coming home. Because of our loss, the government granted us a Day of Freedom to mourn over the death of our parents, that was when Jem and I vowed to discuss our parents the least possible, because we felt that it would be the easiest way for us to deal with our grief. We later found out that it was a shooting that took place and when the government found the killer they invited us to watch his execution. The man was short, dark skinned and had curly hair, his name was apparently Eustace, and the shooting was a rebellious act towards the government on his part. I thought that I would get some pleasure watching the man who killed the ones I love die, but instead it made me feel worse.

After the execution the government decided to have a hearing on whether Jem and I should be sent to a family, or if we were old enough to take care of ourselves. Jem had just turned eighteen and I myself was officially fifteen, so the government decided that we should be fine on our own. Though the government usually produces everything for the citizens of Zenith, they still have the adults get jobs, and since Jem was eighteen, the Leader personally offered him a job in the government, Jem of course accepted the offer and immediately started working and ever since then, we’ve been on our own.

“Good evening fellow Zenithians!” the announcer called out to the silenced crowd. “Welcome to Zenith’s 105th annual Aging Day!” there was a mandatory cheer before he continued, “now if you would all be so kind as to make your way into the Town Hall for our Annual Aging Feast!” everyone ordered themselves in alphabetical order by their last names as they made their way into the building. When inside, we all sat in our according seats and waited to be permitted to eat.