The Shading

Chapter One

Love.

What ties two people together. It defeats darkness and allows the sun to shine. It lights up the world. Puts a smile on your face. Hearts beat fast, butterflies flutter. Happiness takes over sadness. No more tears. Only when you're apart. When you wish you were together. When you need each other. But you never give up. Because you are always together, even when you're miles apart. Love bring two hearts together and make them one.

But what does it take to tear them apart? Is it the constant screaming and crying? The fear of losing each other? Do your hearts eventually get so torn up that they won't mend anymore? What tears that one shared heart into two broken ones? For Daniel and Alison, nothing could tear them apart. Not even the hell they lived in.

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Chapter One

I watched in disgust as two guards took a young man, each by one arm, and locked him into the trap. There was no getting out now. Each guard reached behind them and pulled a sword out of their belts. I turned my head away from the horror I was about to witness. The other boys and girls that were chosen to live danced in excitement and hugged each other. They were celebrating their life, yet they did not pity the ones who were getting killed. They didn't even care that the people they've grown up with for eighteen years were being robbed of their lives, when they didn't even deserve it. Many times since I turned twelve I've been forced to watch the ceremony. For twelve years I have witnessed many people lose their lives for no reason. But I still couldn't get used to it like everyone else did. It absolutely disgusted me.

I looked up at the sky, a light blue with with the sun shining through fluffy white clouds. The weather looked odd, with the sun shining down on the stage, reflecting off of the swords that were now dragging across the mans arms, carving a bloody symbol. The bright red blood ran down his arms, and dripped off of his fingertips, staining the wooden stage. The guards finished, and removed their swords, revealing the trotin symbol, an upside down cross, with an extra line crossing over it. The guards picked up two containers, and poured the liquid on the man. They both lit a match, and held them close to him. The gasoline glistened as the matches came an inch from his body. Then the guards touched his skin with the matches, and his body ignited in flames. He screamed as his flesh was burned, turning darker each second. The guards picked up their swords again, and shoved them both in the middle of his chest. They took a gun out of their belts, and stood back. After the count of three, they both fired, and the mans body was engulfed in even more flames, and then his body went limp. He was now dead. After a minute, they put out the fire and took the black, burned body to the train. When they came back, they continued the ceremony.

I prayed that there would be no more innocent people who had to go through the shading, but I was wrong. Another young man would lose his life. I just couldn't watch it anymore. I slipped away from the crowd without anyone noticing, and ran into the woods. I found the clearing, and laid down on the grass, listening to the soft breeze blow, the waterfall stream down the cliff, and into the river. I heard footsteps, and I sat up. Daniel had followed me.

"Are you ok?" Daniel asked as he sat down next to me. He took my hand and held it, fingers intertwined with mine. Daniel and I have been together for a year and a half now. We have been happy with each other the whole time. Honestly, he's the only one who keeps me sane in this hell.

"I'm fine," I answered. I looked down and started playing with the freshly cut grass. "I'm just sick of this place."

"I know," Daniel said, as he laid down. "So am I."

" I just wish I could change things." I laid down next to him. "Stop the ceremonies. The shading. Make this world a better place."

"Me too," Daniel sighed. "Me too."

We laid there on the soft grass in silence. The only sounds were the waterfall, the trees blowing, and the odd bird chirping in the distance. Daniel was breathing slowly, like he was relaxed. He was playing with my hands, tracing circles on the palm, drawing lines up each finger. I loved moments like this. I could just get away from the world around me. Just relax. When Daniel and I were together, it felt like nothing else existed. I forgot about the rest of the world, and only focused on the moment. Just him and I

"Daniel?" I looked over at Daniel.

"Mmm?" He answered, as he was looking up at the sky. It was full of fluffy white clouds, in all different shapes and sizes, and all resembled freshly made cotton candy.

I stayed silent. I just couldn't get the words out of my mouth. I sat up, as Daniel looked over at me.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He grabbed my hand and held it in his.

I sighed and looked up at a bird flying above us. When it flew into the distance, out of my sight, I looked down at my lap. "Can you promise me something?" I asked, looking Daniel in his light green eyes. His dark brown hair blew slightly, in the warm summer breeze.

"Yeah, sure," Daniel said, looking concerned. "What is it?" He reached up and softly brushed a strand of curly blond hair out of my eyes.

I grabbed Daniels hand and started playing with the bracelet I had made him for his birthday. I looked him in the eyes and said, "Can you promise me that we will be together forever?"

"Alison." Daniel held my hand in his. He leaned over and softly kissed me on the lips. He pulled away, still looking me in the eyes. "Of course we will sweetheart." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny black box. He slowly opened it, and said, "And this is my proof."

The box held a silver ring, with a tiny crystal clear diamond on it. A rainbow was formed on it, as the sun shined down. The light danced on the diamond, creating many different colours. I stared at the ring, as my heart melted. I was speechless. I looked at Daniel in amazement. I knew exactly what he was about to say.And I was happy about it. But I couldn't help thinking about my future. Our future. We were almost eighteen, and in trotin it's a scary age. Your eighteenth birthday is supposed to be one of the best birthdays. It's supposed to be an amazing day. You are finally officially an adult. You are no longer treated like a kid. But in trotin, everyone is scared for their eighteenth birthday. They don't know whether they're going to become an adult and live a happy life, or not have a future at all. Everyone spends their whole life trying to be the perfect person, trying to avoid the shading. They spend their whole life trying to make it to the future. Everyone is so terrified, because on the day they turn eighteen, they are forced to attend a ceremony. During the ceremony, they get chosen, based on their past, and also a test the are put through the day before they turn eighteen, either to live, and have a future, or to be killed. I knew that neither Daniel or I would have any reason to get chosen for the shading, but I've been wrong many times before. And what if I was wrong this time? What if Daniel and I were split up? What if I had to watch the one I love get murdered?

"Alison, I love you so much." Daniel's words startled me, as I was deep in thought. "I want to be with you forever. There's no one I'd rather be with but you. You are everything to me." He looked me in the eyes, hoping I would say yes. I just didn't know what to say, I wanted to say yes, but a part of me wanted to say no. I just wouldn't be able to marry him, knowing that there's a chance of us being split up.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I quickly closed it. I swallowed, forcing down the tears that I felt gathered in my throat. One tear escaped, and Daniel reached up to wipe it away. I took a deep breath, and finally responded. "Daniel, I-I love you so much." I swallowed my tears again. "But-" my tears cut me off from finishing the sentence. Daniel wrapped his arms around me, and embraced me in a tight hug.

"I know what you're thinking." He held me tighter, and said, "but you're mine, sweetheart. No one can take you away from me. We will not be split up."

I pulled away from our long hug, and looked him in the eyes. "Can you promise me?"

"I promise."

"Then it's a yes," I said smiling. A part of me still wanted to say no, but I wouldn't let my mind worry me anymore. I was going to live in the moment, and not think about the future.

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I hope you liked the first chapter! Please comment and let me know if I should continue the story. Thanks :)