Incandescent

Chapter 1

Peppermint.

It's the first thing I smell and think almost everyday when I wake up.

Mother makes peppermint tea every morning for her and I before she goes to work in the fields. 

The cool breeze feels so nice in the usually humid climate of Region Purple. Rubbing my sore neck, must've slept wrong. I slip into my plain white gown with the purple belt every Purple is require to wear.

"Failure to comply will result in immediate conclusion of rebellion and must be put to death" I recite in my head. 

Washing my face and mouth, I look in the mirror. One more day. And then I have to become Year Seventeen. I'm nervous. 

Mother says there's only two outcomes to Year Seventeen in Region Purple. Either I become a slave to the Blues, or I become a harvester for my community. 

Picking, planting, and harvesting is hard work from what I've observed. Some die from the heat and exhaustion. But if you're already over Year Seventeen, you must work.

"Failure to comply will result in immediate conclusion of rebellion am must be put to death" I recite to myself once more.

But becoming a slave, can be equally as terrible as working the fields or sometimes even worse. It depends on the master you receive. 

On one hand, if I become a slave and my master is kind, I can lead a much better life than I have here in Purple. 

But on the other, becoming a harvester means I get to stay her with my family and the place I love. 

I cannot decide what I would prefer.

And I guess it really doesn't matter because it isn't up to me. It's up to the Green they put in charge as Sorter. The Sorter is assigned to each region and surveys the new Year Seventeens to see if they are better serving the community, or serving the Blues as a slave. 

I shake my head as if that'll shake out the stressing thoughts of what is to come. Mother receives me with an embrace and my cup of tea. She also pats the forlorn looking chair so I sit. 

It's weird that she hugged me. She only does that sometimes.

Father walks through the doorway. He must have been picking tomatoes from our community garden because he has two armfuls.

I rise to help him but Thyme pushes me aside with a goofy smirk and helps him before I can.

"Lavender the truck will almost be here you should go get your gloves and hat." Father says to Mother.

She nods but gives Father a pointed look and he leads Thyme outside.

Mother sighs and smiles a bit. The tired lines and freckles on her face seem more prominent today.

"Year Seventeen tomorrow right?" She says with a wary smile.

I trace the cup with my finger and look down. "Yes."

"How do you feel?" She asks and ducks her head low to try to meet my eyes. 

I look up. "I'm not sure how to feel Mother. I cannot decide what I do so I do not know whether it's worth stressing over or not." 

I look up and she frowns. I stare at her, waiting until she explains the concerned look on her face. 

"Tea, are you feeling alright?" She asks a bit worried.

"Yes...why?" I am so confused.

"You're eyes, they, seem unnaturally bright." She says worriedly and thoughtfully. I can see a fear in her eyes.

I chuckle. "Too much peppermint in your tea Mother? At any rate, we were talking about my concern for tomorrow."

She smiles and takes my hand.

"Everyone knows you've got such a talent for growing. I'm sure the Sorter will even know it. You will definitely be labeled Planter. It's what you want right?" She asks with such hopefulness in her voice.

I want to tell her that maybe I want to request for a Deportation. Which is the worst thing you could ever do. 

A Deportation send you off into the unknown dangers outside of Novus. Not even Yellows are stupid enough to do that.

Before I can answer, Father sticks his head in the door with a sheepish expression on his face and a faint honk is heard from the truck that takes them to the fields. "Lavender," my father says warily. She jumps up and kisses my forehead. 

"We will talk of this in the evening! Tell Maca he had better make it in time for Education today or he will not get mandarins for dessert tonight!" She rushed out the door.

Ah! She forgot her sunhat and gloves! I grab them quickly and rush out to give them to her. She puts it on and gives me a grateful look. They speed away.

I run back into the house and spread some strawberry jam on pieces of bread for Thyme and Maca. Thyme has probably run to the Well for drinking water. The bread is a bit hard and stale but that's all we get in Purple. The fresh bread baked by the Reds is delivered to the Blues first and then the remaining fresh bread is delivered to the Greens. Then the stale and remnant pieces are distributed to us. The Reds receive crusts an such. Browns are not granted the privilege of bread. Let us not even speak about what the Yellows eat.

Maca steps out from the room rubbing his eyes with his little hands.

"I don't feel good." He says quietly.

I kneel down to his level. "Are you trying to skip Education again?" 

He can't help a small smile on his face. I laugh.

"Sit. Eat." He eats and hums a small song. 

Thyme comes through the door with a giant gash across his chest and his white shirt is stained and ripped with blood.

"What happened?" I exclaim while I shove Maca and his bread with jam outside to join the other children who eat breakfast together outside.

Thyme sets the water bucket down and I immediately pour some hot water on a rag and hand it to him to clean himself.

"An official claimed I stepped into the water line in front of someone else."

He said, wincing while dabbing his chest with the cloth.

"That is not fair!" I said stomping my foot sort of childish I know. "We are peaceful people and we do not fight like the Reds do!" 

He rolls his purple eyes. "Alright girl, take Maca to school. And don't get in the eyesight of the Officials. Please." 

I push the plate of bread and jam towards him and rush to the mirror.

My purple eyes stare back at me. My pale skin will not tan no matter how many hours i spent in my garden. My black hair long and loose around my shoulders. I must put it up before stepping outside my residential area. 

"Failure to comply will result in immediate conclusion of rebellion and must be put to death" I recite as I braid my hair.