The Marked

Chapter 2

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It's now 5 at night and I'm dreading for the moment the lights go off and I have to shut my eyes. Just one more night I tell myself. 'I promise.' My name is Lane, well it's really Scarlett-Lane, but I go by Lane usually. I have blonde hair and light purple eyes. Everyone loves my eyes, but I hate them. They look transparent, and it makes me stand out, something I don't like to do. You hear stories about people wanting to be someone, but not me. I don't like the idea of being known, or drawing attention to myself. I'm 17 and kinda short for it. I'm 5'3" and still growing hopefully. I live with my mom, but I used to have two sisters. One is actually a teller, she left about 4 years ago. My other sister died a couple years back from cancer, a problem our society hasn't worked out yet. I didn't do anything all day but sit and worry. I just want to know what my life will be like. In less than 12 hours I will know. I head to bed with the intention of getting more than 4 hours of sleep. My mental alarm clock is always set for 3:15, no later, no sooner. Each day it's that time, and I wonder if it's clue in my dream.

~~~The arms come from behind but can't turn me around. They cry out my name with pain edging their voice. I start crying but I can't wipe the tears from my face. They claw at my skin, and scream out, but I can't help. I can't do anything to help them! I try to turn, but I'm met with a burning feeling edging my ribs and crackling my bones. They try to pry me around and I will not budge. I'm screaming too. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I am crying so hard that I can't see anything, and I blink the tears out to come face to face with a boy.~~~

I am pushed back into my life, out of my world in my head. Exactly 3:15 on the dot again.

"Hey, you were screaming."

"Mom, just make it stop."

I cry into her shoulder as she wraps her arms around me. I'm shaking from the pain she can't fix. But it will be gone today. In a couple hours actually. The evaluation is at 8, and we get to dress up. I sit up in my bed. My mom leaves the room after I tell her to go back to sleep. I pick up my phone and text my friend Lucy.

HEY. COME OVER AS SOON AS YOU CAN. I NEED

SOMEONE TO TALK TO.

Right after, I see her typing. Of course she is awake at 3:15. Either that or she sleeps really close to her phone.

ON MY WAY! I'LL BE RIGHT THERE. HOLD ON!

I run downstairs to wait for her, and come back up with her a half hour later.

"They are getting worse! I don't even see the people this time. I just hear their crys," I whisper with tears streaming down my face.

"To me it sounds like they are getting better. Isn't it better not to see them?"

"I just want to see if they are the same people. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't."

Lucy pulls me into a hug. "It will soon, just wait, and then we will both be working as teachers together. Or something like that's remember what we decided in 4th grade? I'll marry Bobby Stevens and you will marry Liam Colt. Remember? Gosh I haven't seen either of them in forever. I mean probably, because there is over 25,000 kids in our school."

I smile with snot dripping down my face. I'm the worlds ugliest cryer. "Eww. Wipe off your face Lane, that's so gross," Lucy says laughing. I throw a blanket to the ground with a pillow. She falls asleep, but I pretend to. Whenever I feel the darkness of a dream grasp my arm to try to pull me under the line of sleep, I fight it off. I can't go now. I have to stay awake.

Somehow I do. It now 6:15 and Lucy just left. The first thing I do is hop in the shower. Then I have to get ready. I dry my hair and walk back to my room as the cool morning air from my open window hits my body. It shares almost the same feeling as the people grabbing my arm in the dream. I go frigid until my mom walks in to close the window. I walk to my closet and find the dress my mom bought me a few months ago for this special day. I first put on a tank top and shorts to go under it. Then comes the dress. It's beautiful and black, which makes my hair pop. It's black lace, short sleeves but turtle neck collar. There is an under material of black where my chest is and go down to the ground under the rest of the dress. My light skin fills in the pattern of the lace around my neck. The dress has a tool skirt so it goes out. It's probably the most beautiful dress I own, but the color isn't as comforting anymore. Black reminds me of darkness, something I can't stand. I put on black eyeliner and bright red lip stick. I look in the mirror. I am definitely not the same girl I was a year ago. It makes me feel warm inside, like I know I'm growing up, but it makes me go cold a second later when I realize that I'm not a child anymore. I walk with my mom down our front steps to the car. I sit in the passenger side seat and watch as I leave behind my home, only able to see it one more time before my assigned sector and job.

When I have to pack up and leave.