*KNOCK KNOCK*
"Open up!"
All I hear is the pounding on the steel doors and the screaming of mothers who are too attached to their children to give them up. Luckily for me my parents aren't here.
My parents both work for the Council. My mom works as the Council Teacher of 201, "teaching the leaders of tomorrow". My dad works as Council Advisor. He works on Satellite 5 with all the head council members. They are never around, and I don't care.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
"Open up!"
They are now two steel doors down from mine. I am not scared. Most of these eighteen year olds are freaking out. I don't know why.
I put on my black lace tank top, my dark jeans,and my black leather jacket. I wear my favorite combat boots. I put on my makeup and French braid my long blonde hair.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
"Open up!"
They are now next door. I grab my suitcase and I head to the front door. I am outside the door waiting for the Council to come get me.
"Ma'am I will need you to move aside. We have some business to take care of."
"Sir, with all do respect I can't move until you do," I say. These Council members are really dumb.
"What are you talking about child?"
I can tell that this Council member was completely lost.
"Well sir, you are collecting the sixteen year olds, right? Well I'm 18 and I am ready for you guys to take me."
"Ma'am what is your name and were are your parents?"
"I am Celenia James. My mother and father work for the Council so they are never around. You should know that."
I hate the Council. Everyone who works for them is never heard of. They robbed me of a childhood with my family. I wonder what it was like down in earth before the global evacuation. I see pictures in my history book of families smiling.
I wish I had that.
"Ok, come with us."
"Yes sir."
We keep walking down the corridor. Pounding on steel doors to kidnap more children. Behind me are 15 eightteen year olds. They are all silent, no one is talking.
Four more doors and we have kidnapped two more kids. The Council member makes a turn down the corridor to this large metal door. He types in a code on the screen pad next to it and the door opens with a loud squeak.
We go inside and now there are 18 eighteen year olds. In front of us is the pod transporter. The transporter contains 3 pods and each pod can carry 5 people. The Council calls all of our names in order of birthday. The first five get to go in pod 1. The second five go in pod 2. I was the last to be called before he announced the three extra people.
The Council cannot take disorder. They call the extras to the center of the room.
"As you can see we have a dilemma here. We have fifteen seats total but eighteen kids. I will give you three a choice. You may choose to be a slave to the Council or be eliminated," said the head Council member, "Patrick Mackenzie, what is your choice?"
"I choose to be a slave to the Council"
"I choose to be a slave to the Council." How can he do that? I have never seen someone get eliminated, but can that really be worse than becoming a slave?
"Good choice, Patrick. Please step over here."
I watch as Patrick makes his way toward the Council member. They hand him a piece of paper and suddenly Patrick's face goes pale.
What is on that paper?
I will never know.
"Christy Shannon, what is your choice?"
"I choose to be a slave to the Council."
"Good choice, Christy. Please step over here."
I follow Christy's steps as she makes the same as Patrick did. She looks brave. They give her a piece of paper like Patrick's, but her face is still rosy red.
What is on that paper?
I will never know.
"Marcus Macintosh, what is your choice?"
I look over at Marcus. I have never met him before. He scares me. He is tall, probably six foot. I think I saw him on our basketball team. This black man is crying.
"Marcus, what is your choice?"
At this point the Council member is practically yelling in Marcus's ear. I feel bad for Marcus.
"I can't choose. Please I am begging you take me on the pod," cried Marcus, "Take one of the twins instead. You guys can't have confusion, right? Well they are identical twins."
The Council member makes his way over to the twins. They are now hugging each other. I don't feel bad for Marcus anymore. He is a coward.
"Which one of you is James?"
"I am."
"James, you will sit in pod 3 with Marcus, Alex, Celenia, and Zane," said the Council member, "Nathan, what is your choice?"
"I choose elimination."
"No! Nate choose the Council. You have to live," pleaded James.
A second Council member came and whipped James five times. He's a coward.
"It is too late. Nathan has made his decision already. I will give you 1 minute to say goodbye, everybody else get in your pods."
Nathan makes his way to James. They give each other a hug and now James is the one crying. As we make our way to the pods I notice that everyone is glaring at Marcus. I feel bad for him, even though he is a coward.
"Time's up. James get in your pod."
"No not without my brother."
"I am sorry, but we can't do anything. Blame Marcus."
It seems like forever before James is pushed into the pod. The only seat open is between, a girl named Alex and a boy named Zane. I am sitting next to Marcus. How did I get stuck sitting next to him?
We watch as Nathan is being strapped to a table. They duct tape his mouth and put some rag on his nose. The Council member takes a knife and cuts Nate's hand. The blood drips down and Nate's eyes are not moving. Is he dead?
They take Nate's limp body to a door and I realize that they are throwing him into the outside. In my history book I see people on the moon dressed in special white suits. Nate doesn't have that.
They throw his body out the door and he explodes. I heard that there is no oxygen in space... So that's how they get eliminated.
"I am going to kill you!" screamed James.
James came over to me and Marcus and started punching him in the face. I just sat there watching. Zane came over and broke the fight up. He's pretty brave for a eightteen year old.
"Sit down, he's had enough."
"Zane, I will say when he's had enough."
"Alright just take a break and you can get him at Satellite 1."
"Okay fine."
How can Zane be so calm?
They finally open the hatch and the pods start shooting to Satellite 1.
I finally start to miss my home. I don't miss my parents, I don't miss anybody.
