Seven

Chapter 1

I was walking through the corridor and I saw a girl and a boy playing. I remember. I remember a girl that was 6 and a boy that was 7. I have flashbacks from time to time. It's like that girl was me, but I don't remember any boy. They were in the woods. But that couldn't be me since I was born here. 

The Earth is gone for 15 years now. I mean, the accident happened 50 years ago but apparently all people died 15 years ago. There was still a few down there. I was born on the spacecraft, like I said and we were learning about the Earth here. My spacecraft is called "TEN" and there's a lot different spaceships with lots of people on them. 

My name is Kali, but I'm known as 'Forty'. When we're born they give us numbers. Each number for each human and they mean something. Important people are from 'Zero' to 'Two hundred'. They're basically soldiers and the people behind the console. My father is one of the main soldiers and my mother is behind the console. I'm 23 years old and I'm a soldier.

I never was on the Earth. But you can get elected for a mission and you go to the Earth. 

"Kali...I mean...Forty, finally!" My friend Angelica or Angel yelled. Her formal name is 'Two hundred and five', meaning that she's a normal worker. "What's up?" I asked. "Nothing...have you heard about the soldiers who went on Earth 3 years ago?" She asked. Of course I remember. About 30 soldiers went and almost everyone died. "Yeah. Why?"

She looked at me all sad and said "Apparently my brother was on that mission..." "How? I thought he was moved to the spaceship TWO?" She shook her head "No...my brother...he...he died on Earth! They are going to announce it today." The tears that were welling up her eyes started falling. I stood up, went to her and hugged her. 

After about 20 minutes of our chit chatting we both went to the auditorium. We took a seat near an old couple. We both greeted. My father and some of his colleagues went up the stage. They all put their right hand each on their own chest, right on top of the heart. The sad music started playing. After approximately 10 minutes of sad music and our anthem, one of the many founders of our spaceships came up the stage and began with his speech. "3 years ago, on this day, we sent our troops to the Earth! Only 5 out of 30 soldiers came back. Please, a minute of silence for all the dead soldiers I'm going to name. Three. Six. Seven." This is where Angel broke down. I hugged her again.

Me and her brother knew eachother only formally nothing more. When we talked, we talked about work. He was always looking at me sadly, like he wanted me to remember something and he would call me Snowflake or K from time to time. When that happened he would always say sorry immediately. 

I really felt bad because of her brother and for her. There's about 500 people on this ship and everyone were standing. It was beautiful. Soon it ended.

"Forty wait!" My comader said. "You can go Angel. I'll come soon." I told my friend. She nodded and left. "Are you ready for a mission?" He asked. "I'm sorry, what?" He smiled and said "Come with me." And so I went.

We came to his office and he handed me some papers. "What is this?" I asked. "It's your mission. We're going to put you through some tests first." I still have no idea what mission. "What is this mission about?" He looked at me seriously and said "Forty. You're going to the Earth."