Outside the walls

Chapter 1 : Out of it

Scratches against the pipes in Emma's small room awoke her. It had a slight sound of nails on a chock bored.

Darn rats, I actually had a good dream for once.

Emma moaned as she tore her covers of her bed and got up. Her mouth felt dry as she walked into the kitchen. She dint get a chance to catch the running water times so she had nothing to drink last night. She also stunk because she didn't get a shower. She walked into the small kitchen and took a seat at one of the two stools at the small table.

"Hey mom when are we going to eat something besides fish?" She asked with a smart tone.

She turned around waiting for a response. When her mom finished cooking she set down a plate with fish in front of Emma.

Then she spoke "until you find a better job"

Emma worked at a fish store outside the central city she got about 40 customers on the morning rounds into there jobs. She made a decent amount for a family of two like hers. But it was such a pain to walk to the inner city every morning. Sometimes she would bring 5 dollars to get on a cramped bus to not walk the 2 miles.

Her mom when back into the small kitchen and started to wash the dishes.

"Eat up quick there's only a 20 more minutes of running water!" Emma's mom yelled over the water.

Emma gulped down her fish and ran down the small cramped hall way and into the small bathroom. She threw off her clothes and stepped in the shower.

When she was done she ran out of the shower into her room. She put some tight leggings on and a T-shirt. She ran back down the hall into the small living room. Her mom was sitting there watching the tv.

"They found another tower," she said rolling her eyes.

"Yep, this time they want to send younger kids to go look," Emma's mom responded. "You should go try out!"

In oder to be in a out of city Patrol or Adventurer you had to try out. Adventurers had to know how to shoot a gun, something that is taught in school. They also had to know how to climb, swim, basic self defense. Emma new how to do both. Most other kids did to so Emma never thought about trying out.

"Yeah no..." Emma responded. "Any way, I'm gonna go to work see you soon!"

Emma waved to her mom as she walked out the door. She walked out side to see the kid across the street  throwing darts at a board. It made her think of the tryouts.

I wonder if he is training She thought.

She started to near the inner city. The buildings got taller and taller as she got closer. Small business owners walked into there stores. Lighting up the We Are Open signs. Some of the bigger company's where open already. If you where lucky and rich enough to afford electricity then you would go to "The Shock" a huge building one of the tallest building in the city. Emma and her mom where lucky enough to have electricity but only during the night. Some people could not even afford one lights worth.

Emma walks into the small fish store right before the electricity store. There was an old woman in front of the counter and her boss was making a fish.

"Hi miss Linda," Emma says as she walked in.

"Hi sweets," Miss Linda said, "Can you get some fish ready?"

Emma nodded and headed into the back. The smell of fish took over her senses. She smelled it every day so she was used to it. But as she was cutting the fish Emma thought about the outside. What was it like? Was there food or did they supply it? The tryouts could not get out of her head! She kept cutting. And cutting. And then:

"EMMA!" Miss Linda's yell snapped Emma out of her thoughts.

She looked down and saw the cutter extremely close to her thumb. She jumped back and went to get a bag to put the peaces of fish in. She put all the peaces of fish in her bag and walked out to the counter. She saw a boy standing in front of her about a year older than her. He was wearing pants and a hood that covered his dark brown hair.

"Are you going to the tryouts?" Emma almost jumped. His question was startling. She didn't know if she was going to tryout. Would she? Is she?

"Uh possibly?"

He then walked away.

"You have been out of it all day what's up?" Miss Linda asked her.

"Well I want to try out for Adventure... but I don't know if I can," Emma said sadly.

"I think you should... but get your head out of the clouds first ok?"