Marrow Consumer (Introduction)

Chapter one: The Collectors.

I woke up, startled, and breathing hard. I looked outside my windows, and the lights that illuminated the streets were on. I can't seem to remember my dream, but it was probably just a nightmare. My name is Freda Backer. I'm a a year fourteen Marrow Consumer, and I've been training to be in the queens army for about four years now, and today I will be upgraded to an official member. Life becomes repetitive, with all the rules that must be followed, so this may give me a new, "View" or "Meaning." in my life. I hurried downstairs, and saw my mom by the table, she seemed to be reading a daily "Information board". Those things are given to everyone, every day, to give them news on laws, events, mostly written and overlooked by the queen. I didn't pay much mind to it. My mother, Sabine, is a beautiful, and hard worker. She works at the local factory which packages the food transported by the Collectors. She had a day off, which is surprising, since there is a food shortage. A collector has died, which was rare, since it took immense power to kill a Collector Marrow Consumers. The ten year mark was up, and four new collectors were being chosen to roam the surface and collect food. I had other interests today, I needed to be at the training camp, for my graduation into a full soldier. My mother walked over, her deep blue eyes looking in concern, and her playing with her hair that reached her chin. She hugged me tightly.

"I can't believe my little girl is going to be in the army." My mother was the emotional type, you couldn't blame her, but I still didn't like it.

"Mom, I'm fourteen now, I'll be fine. I've been training to my ultimate strengths, to serve and protect you all." I said, trying to sound reassuring. My mother sighed and sat down again. I was anxious to leave, so I jolted for the door, before my father walked in. His name was Kennith, and he was a hard worker at another factory, a storage one. I grunted before he pushed me back a little.

"Don't be in such a rush, you still have to get dressed to make yourself look presentable for the queen, and the army officials." I didn't care much for my appearance, but he made a point. I decided not to argue with him, and went into my room to change. Here's the problem; I didn't know what to wear on such an honorable ceremony. I looked into my mirror, and sighed. I had long pitch black hair that reached my stomach, and pitch black eyes. I know there is one thing different about the appearance of humans and Marrow Consumers. The human eyes have pupils, iris's, and sclera. Our eyes, are just one color, and a scelra. No pupil or iris's. I know this because of the human diagram given to us in school. Marrow Consumers are also known to have much whiter and paler skin then humans. I stare at the mirror, looking at my pitch black iris's, that take up most of my eye, with a small surrounding of scelra. I shake my head and decide to throw on my normal uniform I use for training. I run out, and my mother sighs.

"Do you want to eat first?" My mother asked me, but I shook my head. I ran out and heard my moms voice in the distance.

"We will be there soon!" They didn't need to reassure me of it, of course they would be there, it was required of everyone to go. I finally arrived on the transportation carriage waiting station. A giant carriage pulls up, and I board it.

"Army Cadet Base, please." I say as the man nods. He begins the carriages engine, which runs on Energy Power. Energy Power is something that dwells inside of a Marrow Consumer, which can unlock powers, and hold potential. But, some businesses, use their own, or their workers Energy Power to run machines, by putting a needle in their arm, and giving blood to the machine. I have my own Energy Power, though I can only lift objects into the air right now, I have no idea what the future holds. Though, it's okay. I'm on the same rank as all the other cadets, so I don't stand out. I eventually arrived and waved at the man good-bye. I then walked into the Army Cadet Base. I sat down among my other fellow cadets, until it was time.

A good hour passed before it was time to go out and get our promotion up to a full Army Member, but I liked to be earlier than be late. We all stood on a huge outdoor stage, in a line. The queen was in front of us, giving her yearly speech. The queens name was "Queen Amelia Roshack". The bloodline has been in rule since the beginning, since they are the ones that lead all the Marrow Consumers against the humans, and though we lost in the battles, they kept the soldiers safe, and was able to stabilize the portal that allowed four entities out of the Netherworld at a time. She also had a son, but he was only around five years. Her husband was dead as well. We all remained quiet as she walked to us.

"Now is the time for the hard working cadets to be promoted to full army workers. You, who have made it here today, and did not fail in the trials and tasks, will be upgraded to class three, army soldiers." There was basically four rankings of soldiers, each army with different and difficult tasks. After you're done with cadet training, you become a rank three soldier. If you improve yourself, get better with your Energy power, you go up a rank. The highest someone can normally get, is a rank one. Queen Amelia though, has a small, personal army called "Rank A". Only the most powerful of Marrow Consumers get to that rank, and the training, work, tasks, to do so, is almost like torture.

"Now, I will announce who I pick as the collectors for the next ten years." Queen Amelia said.

I waited anxiously, even though I shouldn't be worried, she'd only pick the best. This job meant you had to provide food constantly, it seemed like a challenge.

"Serenity Nimur, year seventeen, rank two. You will be a collector for the next ten years."

I looked into the rows of army soldiers on the sides, and a girl with blonde hair and dark green eyes looked petrified. The queen gestured for her to come up, and of course, obeying the queen was the number one law. She walked up, even though she looked mortified. The queen did a short cough before calling up the next soldier.

"Naomi Ganati, year twenty, rank two. You will be a collector for the next ten years."

The girl with short red hair looked confident as she walked up besides the queen, her grey eyes flashing with pride. Amelia seemed pleased with this as she straightened her posture. 

"Abel Amdei, year nineteen, rank one. You will be a collector for the next ten years."

This boy looked timid to say the least, but he didn't show much emotion as he walked up, but it was clear from how much his eyes wandered around, he was confused. He had light brown eyes, and the same shade of hair as his blank eyes.

"Now this year, I have a special announcement. We were able to get the portal to the surface, to allow five entities instead of four. It took a lot of work, Energy Power, but we've done it. Food services should go smoothly, and one day in the future, we believe we will make a break through and be able to allow you all to leave this place. " Said Amelia.

It's always been a dream to leave this place. The surface was rumored to have fresh oxygen, natural brightness, other creatures, different cultures, all of these confirmed by past collectors. I really do hope we can leave this place, even if I'm an old Marrow Consumer by then. This place is dull, and can only be illuminated by lights, the colors are dark, everyone has their own job to do, own purpose, same routines, same rules. 

"Lupe Malico, year twenty six, rank A. You will be a collector for the next ten years, again."

She was a well known name, and she was a trainer for collectors, and just got back today. She stayed with them to teach them the basics, then would make many trips back into the Netherworld and the surface. She had all of these jobs because of her rank, but she was very powerful. She walked up, confident as well.  Lupe had light brown hair, and her eyes were a fierce, and intimidating yellow. Freda wanted to leave the ceremony honestly, and get started with her new job. The queen was about to announce the final person, so I decided just to calm myself and wait.

"Freda Backer, year fourteen, rank three. You will be a collector for the next ten years."