Isolation

Chapter 1

It's been a long hard day at school. I drop my backpack and change out of my uniform into more comfy clothes.  I'm exhausted, I feel like I could sleep for 20 years, and that's exactly what I did. I yawn and stretch my arms above my head. The birds are chirping and the sun is glistening through my window blinds. My vision is blurry but slowly starts to clear up as I rub my eyes. For a moment I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling, feeling so relaxed. Then it hits me, I have to go to school! I bolt right up, throw off the covers and spring to feet, sprinting to my closet. I can't seem to find my uniform. I sit on the bed exasperated and positively clueless as to what just happened. That's when I hear the beeping. I suddenly start to take in my room, and realize this is not my room. Well it is, but something is off. It's larger and there is medical equipment in my room. There is a machine to monitor my heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse. There's an IV drip, but it seems like it hasn't been used in a while. I walk to open the blinds and peer out my window. I don't see my backyard and patio, I just see a wall. The wall glows a soft yellow giving the illusion of sunlight. There are speakers that have bird sounds coming out of it. I can't stand being in this room any longer. I barge out of my room still in my Panic! at the Disco shirt, yoga pants and Pokémon socks. I expect to find the hallway to the rest of my house, but find something completely different. It's white tile hallway and has sharp fluorescent lights. There is a large window about ten feet down the hallway. I walk over to it hoping I don't see just another wall, but I don't. I see the earth and the sun peaking out from beyond it. The earth must have become uninhabitable since the entire population was forced into space. There are countless hallways with doors and people's names on them. I look at mine and it says Nikki M. Crueger Next to my door it says Sharon and Kevin Crueger. My mom and dad must be in there. When I try and open the door there is no handle, but two thumbprint scanners. I knock but nobody answers so they must be out. There are people all around me walking and talking and they seem to be perfectly fine. Nobody seems to notice me. As I start to walk past people I pick up bits and pieces from everybody's conversation, and I start to notice some personal changes in myself. I have much better sight and hearing than before. I don't seem to have changed my age but my senses are much sharper than before. I can just tell I can run faster and I have better agility. I hear bits and pieces from so many different conversations but don't seemed confused. As I reach the end of the hallway there are two glass doors. I slide them open and I seem to be about five floors up. There is a catwalk like sideline, with a railing. As I lean over the railing to look at what everybody else seems to be looking at the person I see giving a speech. She and four other people behind her seem to be some kind of leaders in this community. I heard people talking about the coven leaders I'm assuming these are them. It seems to be a hierarchical system between those five. Each person was to represent a different portion of society, each having their own legislative, executive, and judicial branch. There are no more local laws or governments everybody lives under the same laws so everyone is treated equally. So much has changed, the world lives in space, there is no more local government, and in the 20 years I have changed. There were only a few words I could muster to get me through this drastic life change, " Well Nik, welcome to the future."