Infinity

Chapter Seventeen

The next day comes. This is the day that I will become the Luminary. 

Excitement fills me, and also fear. What would happen if the Extras attack while the ceremony is going on? What if I can't warn anyone?

The other side of the bed is cold when I wake up. Andrew is gone, again. Every day he's gone before I wake up. Part of me wishes he would wait for me to wake up, or wake me up, before he left.

I sit up, and glance at the clock. 10:19. I run a hand through my hair, and stand, stretching my arms behind my head. I head to the bathroom to shower.

***

After I get out of the shower, I see that, once again, the bed is made. Andrew is still home.

I walk out of the room and downstairs. "Thanks," Andrew calls through the door as he closes it. He turns, and I see him holding something black. In his other hand, he holds something black and net-like.

"Who was that?" I ask, even though I know.

"The deliverer. He brought your robe and veil."

I nod, and smile a bit. "I guess I should go get changed, then."

He grins. "See you when you're Luminary. I'll be guarding you, by the way." He opens the door and walks out. Of course, he's my guard, so he will be waiting just outside the door.

In the middle of the room, I strip off my shirt and pants, and pulling on the black robe. It covers all of my skin, except my hands and feet. On the counter, next to the veil that will cover my face, I see a pair of black gloves. The only part of my skin that will be visible will be my feet.

I pull on the veil, hardly able to see through it. I open the door, and walk out. There are two guards standing there. Andrew is one, and Willa Berry is the other. "Hello, Luminary," Willa says.

"Don't be so formal, Willa," I say. "I'm still Infinity. I'm just--"

"Shhh!" Andrew hushes me. "No one can know who you are until you take off the veil, Infinity! You know that!"

I roll my eyes, but say, "Yeah, yeah, I know."

We begin to walk, Willa on my right, Andrew on my left, making sure not to touch me. No one knows who I am. They only know that they are getting a new Luminary today. My identity will not be revealed until the end of the ceremony. And then, only my face and name will be revealed. No one knows where the Luminary lives except the guards and whomever the Luminary is saved to.

The streets are full of people required to come to the ceremony in the sweltering heat. They all wear nice clothes in bright colors. Not only are they celebrating the coming of a new Luminary, but they are also celebrating the life of the old one. Once the old Luminary dies, a book will be released, telling about her life.

Andrew and Willa walk me to the river where Andrew and I got saved. I can't help by grin at him, only to find that he's grinning at me already. I feel a tingle in my stomach, and can't stop smiling for some reason. I suddenly feel like dancing, or running. I don't. Instead, I make myself become perfectly still.

We're standing there about 5 minutes before everyone is there, all wearing pretty things except myself. Even Willa is in a beautiful red dress. The Luminary before me is the last to show up, her eyes as bright a yellow as my own, even though no one can see them.

She's wearing her dark brown hair in an elaborate bun, and she's wearing a bright yellow flowered dress. It's straps form an X on her back, and she wears the smile of someone who is about to take all the weight of the world off her shoulders.

"Hello, Infinity," she mouths so that only Andrew and I can see. Andrew scowls, but I smile.

"Hello, Luminary," I say cheerfully.

"Elder," she reminds me quickly with a large smile.

She found out yesterday that she would not, in fact, die in a few days. Instead, she will become an elder, raising the number to 10.

An elder finally comes to us. "Hello, Luminary," he says to me. "Katirina," he says, addressing the soon to be elder. I hadn't even realized she'd had a name. No one ever talked about her or to her without using the word Luminary. Once you become a Luminary, your name is usually lost.

The crowd is silent, and the only thing you can hear is the chirping of birds. "Hello. Welcome. I would say why we are here, but I get the feeling we already know," the Elder says, grinning. No one laughs. In the distance, a baby starts to cry. The Elder clears his throat. "Well..."

He turns to face the soon to be Elder. "Katirina," he says. "You have served faithfully, making sure that our world does not topple. Now, you must leave, and I feel we all know that something is about to change." He turns to me. "I do not know who you are. No one here does save your guards are Katrina. Let us prey that you are worthy of the Luminary position."

He turns back toward the crowd. "It is time for the oath. Bring my book." A small child rushes forward, holding a large black book that I'm surprised he can hold. He flips oven the book to a part in the middle that has a black piece of ribbon marking the place. He turns back to me.

"You are charged with protecting this land. Will you?"

"I will."

"You are charged with protecting the people of the land. Should any harm seem to come to them, will you give up your life?"

"I will."

"And lastly, you are charged with protecting yourself. Will you do all in your power that does not violate your past vows?"

"I will," I say, and I can feel the energy around me change. An intense pain goes through me. It feels as though all the air has been sucked out of my lungs. I can't breath. The air around me is cold.

My legs give out, I hear Andrew call my name, breaking his oath to keep my identity secret, even though the ceremony is already over. My head hit the ground, and the last thing I hear is screams of terror.

We were unlucky. The Extras are here. I know now that Londyn can see everything I see. In my head, as everything goes black, I hear a small whisper. I would be a fool to reveal everything to you. And you would be a fool to think that I would. 

It is Londyn's voice.