(ONE)
Eleven citizens arrested and executed for the possession of illegal articles.
The recent magazines which has been publishing every month comprising of articles against the ways of the Council has started to become popular. More citizens are found to be in possession of these magazines everyday. The Council has declared it to be illegal and anyone found with a copy of such magazines named Ravens will be arrested and executed without trial.
The underground group of rebels are doing a good job of turning the rest of the city against the Council. If any citizen is found to be following or participating in any such acts of felony, they will also be arrested and executed.
"It's only a group of delusional citizens who have gone rogue. The Council is doing everything we can to bring this so-called group of rebels--called Ravens--down and bring to the court of justice. Meanwhile if anyone is found to have anything to do with starting an uprising against the Council within or without the Ravens will be interrogated and executed. If anyone wishes to see a shining future for our city then all our citizens must stay loyal towards the Council" Says the head-councillor, Dimitri Quincy.
The newspapers have been printing stuff like this ever since the first Ravens magazine got published, consisting a very nasty article about how our society is working. Almost everybody read that article because it wasn't illegal then to buy or sell these magazines.
I can understand why the Council feels infuriated by this because I do too. Ravens is a group of ungrateful and disloyal people and I have severe trouble understanding their point of view. I mean what good can bringing down the Council do for anyone?
I bluntly put the newspaper down on the breakfast table and look across it at Vladimir reading, what I think is the same article on his copy of the newspaper.
I put a spoonful of cereal my mouth and wait for him to finish. When he finally does, he sighs and puts the newspaper on the table beside mine.
"Can you believe it?" I ask, slightly exasperated.
"Believe what?" He asks me.
"That anyone can be planning an uprising against the Council? I thought by this time the Council would have taken care of it and it would all blow over." I say.
"Well, it's tricky for them to figure out the location of these people.They could be anywhere. They could be anyone." He explains to me. Vladimir is connected to the Council though not a part of it. He has a position in the Circle who are mere advisers of the Council and helps them with legitimate issues. Someday soon, I will be taking Vladimir's position in the Circle and he will retire.
"Do these people have nothing to be grateful for? Don't they understand the importance of the Council?" I voice my thoughts to Vladimir looking for some solace. Training for the job which Vladimir now occupies means thay I have to be loyal towards the Council. But I'm not loyal because I have to be, but rather want to be.
"Not everyone is as sensible as you, my dear, Thea." He says with a tone which can only be taken as humorous. He still perceives me as a child and I don't usually mind it until his comments are only made to wave mine off.
But I respect him too much to say anything. So instead I tell him that we're going to be late.
"Oh, yes! We should get going." We leave the apartment we share together but when we exit the building we part. I go one way--towards my school--and he goes another, to the train station where he can catch the train to City Hall.
I have only been to City Hall once and that was when Vladimir took me there as a part of the training.
My training ends tomorrow and I don't know whether I should feel relief for being officially accepted into the community or feel upset that my contacts with Vladimir will decrease. But honestly, I have worthier things to worry about like the interview which will decide my future.
The halls of the school is mainly filled with seniors and a last-day-of-school aura. It truly is the last day for us.
I walk into the horticulture lab because I know Iris will be there preparing herself for the interview. And surely enough, she is there in her emerald gown which is identical to mine except for the color and her brown hair bunned to her head also identical to mine except for the color. My gown is a navy shade of blue and my hair is slightly red, but the bun makes it look like a very light shade or brown.
"Hey." I call out as I walk in, visibly startling her. She turns away from the microscope through which she was observing and smiles.
"Last day of school!" She chirps and I respond with the same enthusiasm because hers is contagious.
"Yes, It is!" I say. "Nervous or glad?"
"Kind of both." She admits. "And I suppose you're not nervous but glad."
She turns back to the microscope. She is right, I am not nervous. I know the extent of my abilities and my future career is what I am most suitable for. Even though Vladimir didn't choose me as his apprentice because he thought me able, I know that I was born to have a seat in the circle. "No. I'm not. I know what my future holds."
I'm sure she thinks me cocky, like so may others but she doesn't comment on it.
"Will you be done soon, or should leave you behind?" I ask because we have to be in the school auditorium in ten minutes.
"You go on without me." She mutters without turning to look at me.
And with a polite bid, I leave the room, making my way to the auditorium.
+ + +
It's dim from the light coming from the edges of the stage. Seniors start to pile in as soon as the bell goes off. I sit in the fifth row--fairly close to the stage--and await for the dean and the entire senior classes to show up.
When they finally do, dean Darius clears his throat in the microphone to get our attention.
"Good morning." He says. "As you all know, today will be the last day of classes and your training."The room is utterly quite as he continues. "Tomorrow onward, you will be granted a job according to your respective training sessions. The rules are that if you do not score more than a seven in your interview, you will not be granted a job in your field and will thus have to take up a position of a laborer and serve the City."
I can almost hear everyone hoping that they wouldn't have to. Laborer is most undignified occupation there is.
"I wish you all good luck for the interviews and hope that you all prosper." And with that he exits the stage. What a waste of time, I think. He hasn't said anything that we don't already know. More so, he has increased our fear of not prospering. I get out of my seat, irritated, and try to head towards the exit but see Iris sitting on one of the red velvet chairs in the last row of the auditorium. I am about to call out to her when I see who she is sitting beside. There is no one else on that row except them. I watch and wonder what business they must be discussing together. Iris nods at him and I once again wonder if the boy is really who I think he is. But then he turns his head towards the stage and then slowly towards me and I see the glint of his green eyes and yes, I know exactly who he is. He turns again and mutters something to Iris and her eyes catch mine. I breathe out slowly, turn and walk out of the auditorium.
