SHIFT

CHAPTER 3 #ADJOURNMENT#

      The Auditorium is Giant. It has round concrete walls that are 100 feet high, and 50 feet wide. We're just outside the Auditorium waiting in line for one of the four wide entrances. Wardens are on either side of the entrances checking people in and injecting tracers into their arms. Wardens are dressed in all black and wear helmets that cover their eyes with dark glass.
      I spot Aubree two lines away from us with her parents. She's part of the Adjournment too, and is going to be chosen as a wife for one of the boys or "men". She doesn't look very happy about it.
      Most kids my age can't contain their excitement, not us. But then again Aubree, Aaron, and I aren't normal kids. I wave to her. She spots me and waves back. I gesture, where's Aaron she mouths what? I do it again and she nods, then shrugs.
      We're only three people behind the front of the line, so I can't step out to talk to her. My dad rubs my shoulders and I cringe under the touch. He stops. Thank god.
      Soon were at the front of the line and I watch my dad give his information then get jabbed with a needle holding a tracer. Then I watch my mom go through it, and now it's my turn. I step up.
      "Name?" the Warden asks, his or her voice altered and muffled.
      "Kaleb 244," He writes on his tablet
      "Living unit?"
      "Unit 874503," I say. And they write it down.
      "Participation?"
      "Adjounmentee" He writes again. Then pulls out the needle and pricks me with it. I can see the Tracer's blue light under my skin.
      I'm in.
      Mom kisses me on the forehead then finds her seat in the many rows. She knows it by heart.
      I'm supposed to transport down to the floor level immediately, but I wait for aubree to come in. When she finally does, we walk together to the teleporter.
      "Are you nervous?" I ask.
      "No shit sherlock. I have to leave behind my fucking childhood to get married to a random, probably disgusting, man, and then reproduce with him to 'contribute to our population' ya I'm pretty much dreading this." She says.
      "Well at least you don't have to leave your boyfriend."
      "No, but I'm pretty sure my problems are worse than yours" She says grinning.
      "Well bye, see you in hell"
      "We're already here." she says it so seriously it makes me laugh. But we are actually in hell, this is the worst.
      "Hopefully Senator doesn't match you with me"
      "I pray everyday Kaleb" she's mimicking a praying position and grinning ear to ear.
      "Anyway see you down there."
      "Yeah" and then we walk opposite ways to different teleporters.
       I still haven't seen Aaron. I thinks he's late. If he is he'll get yelled at by Senator in front of the entire stadium, and I won't be able to contain my laughter.
       I teleport down under the rows of seats in the Auditorium. In the middle of the Auditorium there's a large dirt arena, like the one's aubree told me the greeks used to duel in. I think it was the greeks? Anyway, the Auditorium is a huge stadium, and under all the seats, it's a hollow room that looks like a dungeon. Boy's wait there on one side and girls on the other. There are two doors opening up to the Arena, one on either side, for the girls and boys. I teleport down there.
      I finally spot Aaron in the crowd of boys. His eyes are red and puffy. I wave my arms at him so he can see me, he does and starts to walk over. When he reaches me he grabs my hand and drags me behind the white brick wall that separates the two sides of the arena. He presses his lips to mine.
      "Aaron--"
      "shh" he silences me. He kisses me harder. I don't hate hate, but this isn't the time.
      We could be seen.
      "Aaron--" I try again. I push him away. A tear is streaming down his cheek. He runs his hands through my hair.
      "Do you know what the word 'Constrained' means?"
      "Aaron the don't kno-" I start.
      "Do you know what it means?"
      "Yes, but-"
      "I didn't know what it meant, but I heard Aubree say it, and she told me, what it means" his voice cracks, more tears are streaming, "purview won't even teach us fucking words Kaleb. They won't let you and I be together. And they 'protect' us from living our lives!"
      "Aaron..." I try to say it in a loving voice but it comes out snappy and mean. He looks into my eyes. I would run a mile to be with him, But right now I want to run away from Aaron. Or I want to run away with him I'm not sure. All I know is this could be my last time with him.
      "I feel constrained"
      "Me too" I pull him into a hug. My head is on his chest and I can hear his heartbeat. That's all we do. We don't kiss, we don't do anything but stand there in an embrace and I listen to his heart. It feels like seconds, but I'm pretty sure an hour passes because a Warden comes over and tells us it's starting.
      I sob into Aaron's chest.
      I'm losing everything. I'm losing my family, I'm losing my childhood, and I'm losing Aaron. That's all I've ever had. My whole life, that's all I've ever had. Now I'm losing it.
      Maybe we could run away. Aarons rights. Purview prevents us from living. Sure we're alive, but we not living.
       It was easier to deal with the Adjournment a week ago, but now that it's here, all I want to do is run away.
I pull back from Aaron and we walk together to the huge dark gate leading to the Arena. The air is thick.
      Two Wardens are on either side of the gate. The crowd of boys in front of us looks nervous but excited like it's a game of "truth or dare." That's a game Aubree told me about. We played it once Aubree, Aaron, and I. In the next Community Meeting after that, Senator addressed it. Then banned it.
      The Wardens by the huge doors grab the handle.
      We hear muffled clapping from above. Then the Senator talking.
      "Thank you," She says, "Thank you!"
      The audiences clapping stops.
      "As you know, we are here to address and announce new laws and regulations to make Purview stay safe for you and your children." Senator's voice rings out. Clapping begins again, "we are also here to celebrate the Adjournment ceremony for the new men and women of Purview. Give a big hand for this year Adjournmentees!"
      The Wardens open the doors, and the air becomes thicker than before. I feel like I'm going to throw up. My throat is clogged with The memories of cuddling with Aaron. They're ripped out of my chest, out of my soul. The sound of Aaron's heartbeat echoes in my head. I reach to grab his hand, but he's already walking onto the Arena with all the other boys. He looks back at me to tell me to walk, but my legs won't move.
      The Wardens grab me by the arms, one on each side, and drag me onto the Arena. Dust flies as they set me down. I walk the rest of the way.
      Everything's silent.
We're standing in a line. Boys in a line behind the girls. My head is drifting and I feel dizzy. I might pass out. I look for Aaron or Aubree but I can't see anything my vision is blurry. People are mouthing words, but I can't hear them. The Audience is clapping but I can't hear that either. All I hear is the beating of Aaron's heart. I'm walking toward one of the barrier walls of the Arena for support. I'm going to fall. Then I realize Aaron's helping me. He was helping me the whole time.
      I'm going to throw up. Everyone is looking at us. Aaron says something to me but I can't hear him. Aaron's yelling now but I don't hear anything. Where am I?
      My eyes are wet but I don't know why. I can't hear anything, my vision goes in and out of blurry and clear. I finally heard Aaron say, "I love you," and he kisses me. I've never been kissed like that before. Everyone is looking at us. Glaring. I can see a warden grab Aaron and drag him away from me. A warden grabs me too. The Arena is huge. Then it's black, and I can't see anything.