Safe Haven Committee

Katie Elliott

2.9.14

*This is my idea. Vocab words included.. :P*

Safe Haven Committee

  A short thunk echoed out into the air as an arrow struck the side of a tree, scaring away a frightened buck. Loor cursed silently to herself. Another bad day; barely any kill at all. She pulled off her knapsack and wrapped up the prey she managed to catch – a rabbit, dove, and a few minnows that she would use for bait later – and packed them neatly in her sack. Brushing dirt off herself, she stood up and looked towards the sun. It was nearly six o’clock, I should head back now, thought Loor.

  Loor whistled a short tune, and in a flash of black and brown fur a giant bear stood in front of her. She patted his neck and clambered over his large side, and in another flash they both disappeared from the little clearing in the woods. Wind flew through her dark hair at the fast pace, and in a matter of minutes, they arrived at a half collapsed shack of a building, with dirt covered bricks and an old bike covered with rust. A vine crawled up the side of the brick wall, along with other types of random foliage crowding one corner of the remains of a once well suitable for living house.

  On the inside it was just as run down except for a sleek, black television, the Safe Haven Committee’s seal stamped on it. The screen read “4 hrs and 31 min until air”. Loor wondered which skill would be next to be considered to get into the Safe Haven. The Save Haven was claimed to be, well, a Safe Haven. You did not have to struggle for survival here, and there were no TEALs – Toxically Enhanced Artificial Life. TEALs were made as weapons for the war. The war that took place over fifteen years ago – destroying everything and everyone, including both of Loor’s parents, both of her grandparents, and uncle, who all fought in the war. Ever since then, Loor always gave silent kudos to all who fought in the war. And their families, she understood the toll that deaths took.

  Every month the Safe Haven’s Committee – a committee of people nobody ever saw – would pick a skill that would be considered to get into the Safe Haven. Those who exhibited the skill the best would move to the Safe Haven. The victor was picked a week before the end of the month. This gave a full week of grace. A week with no stress – as every month went on with bloodbath as people fought to show their skills, no matter what skill it was, to the connoisseurs known as the Committee. During this time everyone was forced out of their homes and thrown into a declivity of hostile want. There was now only four hours until the chosen skill would be announced. Loor peered out the window to glance at the city lights. Things were already getting uproarious. She shivered. It was mainly those from the city who had the bloodthirsty intention of killing.

  Loor had managed to stay out of the Committee’s radar for eight solid years and only officially participated in three events. All she did was hide with Moosh, her bear, and wait until it was all over. This was when she lived by the city’s boarder – she quickly moved to an abandoned house to escape. Black Orchids where people who’s job was to literally drag you out of your home and force you to participate. They would monitor you as well; stabbing a bug into the back of your neck. Loor had been ‘chipped’, as they called it, a total of five times in her life. She got her first when she was twelve. Two months later she figured out how to take it how without much pain, rending it so that it could not be used. Once her local Black Orchid found out, though, it would promptly be replaced. After this happened a few times, the Black Orchids stopped coming to chip her, so she was finally left alone from the rest. Her legerdemain got her out of something, at least.

  Loor glanced out of the window again. The sun was setting, lurid hues danced across the sky as the temperature dropped along with it. She called upon Moosh, he was probably causing trouble somewhere anyways. As Moosh lumbered in, Loor took a seat on the old, worn couch that sleepily slouched in front of the television. Moosh jumped up with here as they both settled in to watch the broadcast – as the countdown now read “1O min until air”. Loor thought about the days when there was unrestricted television, when people could broadcast anything. The Committee took this away as well. They tried to beguile everyone that taking away all of the diatribe would be good for the general public’s mental health, and would disencumber people from unwanted advertisement. Loor did not have to muse over this. The Committee tried to get people to think only the way they wanted to a little bit more every day. When in reality, all of the debauchery happened from their little tests.

  The airing started. It said the usual – praise of the Committee, how wonderful the Safe Haven is..Many people thought that the mere sight of the Committee’s seal was a bad augury. Most of these people where locked up somewhere, though, hoping for a chance to have a sense of gratis from the prison to warn the world. But of course, the Committee wouldn’t allow that. Other people plastered ebullient expressions on their faces. These people where left alone. They said yes to everything, agreed with anyone with a suit and tie on, but where nothing more than fly-by-nights.

  Finally the skill was announced – smarts, tactics. Loor laughed aloud, “Who from the city will win this? Nothing but barbarism. Fools. But smart? Tactics? Anything but. I am sure there is a large unhappy crowd in the city right now, a huge sense of impromptu.” Loor did not feel one bit of lachrymose for those distasteful Philistines. There was only a divided schism of ideas – the few with smarts, all of these people locked away or forced into hiding; and the many savages who only think of ways to kill, who are quick to kill no matter the skill, and in everyday life. But sadly this would only grow with the help of the Committee, kindling the fire of the corrupted. Loor would think this always with frank rectitude. Moosh, who had dozed off during the presentation awoke with a start from the yells and sounds of breaking glass of angry city people that could be heard all the way from their little shack. It seemed a war had already started.

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Should I continue? Please vote and/or comment if you want to see more. Planning on writing more anyways

dont steal. pretty self explanitory.