Labor Day

Chapter One

16 years later...

"Dad, why does everyone have to share the same birthday?" Nicolette asks. Prodótis hasn't told her, even though she's sixteen.

"Well, since it is your birthday. You'll have to wait till your birth hour Nicki. You know that," he replies. Nicolette lets out a groan of frustration and blows a piece of her blonde curls out of her face. She's been trying to look it up on her tablet for years, but each page is restricted until you become of age. In the U.S., that age happens to be seventeen.

Nicki picks up a piece of glass off of a dark mahogany coffee table and taps it three times. The glass comes to life, displaying a home screen and more. She types in a few commands to pull up her Google Gold. Quickly, she types in Labor Day. Dozens of website links pop up, their blue print gleaming against her ivory hand.

She taps on one of the government sites provided and quickly the screen goes black with dark red print. You must be seventeen years of age. Please enter your ID in the space provided. Nicolette closes the website with a huff. If only she knew her dad's ID.

Slowly, she creeps down the padded carpet to her father's bedroom. Nicki pushes open the deep brown door without a sound. It gives way to a dark red room. In the center rests a four-poster bed with fur comforter. Carefully, she enters the room and shuts the door behind her. She walks over to a mahogany desk sitting in the corner of the room. Nicolette begins rifling through the heap of papers on the desk before she picks up a small yellowing card.

Name: Prodótis Didymo
Age: 36 years
ID#: 56203

Grinning to herself, Nicki finds a legal pad and a pen. In sloppy scrawl, she writes down the five-digit number. She begins to hear footsteps padding down the hall. Instantly, Nicki darts under the large bed and waits patiently, holding both the card and the paper. The door opens and her father walks in on the phone; the speaker on.

Are you coming for the meeting Prodótis?

"Of course Diana, I'll be there. Midnight, right?"

Yes, after Labor Day is over.

"Good, I'll have time to spend with Nicolette."

How old is she turning?

"Sixteen. Not yet old enough to find out about the meaning."

Good, we don't want her to know. She could be the spark and we're not ready. Plus, the death penalty is standard protocol for minors.

"I forgot about the penalty Diana. She must be protected from it at all costs."

Agreed. Until tonight then?

"Yes, tonight."

Bye.

"Bye."

The line ends and Prodotis sets his phone down on the fur comforter. He walks over to the desk and begins rifling through the papers, just as Nicolette had done. "Where did I put my ID card? I can't let her find it."
Prodotis checks all over the room, with the exception of the bed and heads out hurriedly. He loud footsteps pound down the hall as he runs, to what Nicki assumes is the study. Slowly, Nicki crawls out from under the bed and exits the room. She pockets the card and shuts the door to the bedroom behind her quietly. Nicolette sets off down the hall to retrieve her tabet from the family room.

"Nicki!" Prodotis yells from his study.

"Yes, dad?" Nicki answers.

"Have you seen my ID card anywhere?" His voice is laced with desperation.