Down Under

Chapter one

I'm sitting through the last five minutes of class- geography. I don't understand why we need to learn about what happened on earth in the past. It was all lost when we went underground into what the council stupidly named Under.

The bell rings and I walk over to my best friend, Junie.

"Hey. You nervous for tomorrow?"

Tomorrow. Assigning day. When they tell us what were workin as. There are many jobs under here. Teachers, cleaners, cooks, gardeners, all sorts of stuff. There's not much, but most people believe we will win the war and get it all back, but I think that there was so much lost, we have no chance.

"No. " I say simply.

Without another word, We walk down the long, skinny hall down to the dining hall for dinner, chatting the whole way there. The large brown walls were poorly made, and specks of dirt were falling through the solid material. I examined the patterns the soil made on the wall while Junie absentmindedly chattered as always. Junie seemed to always have something to say, and I never had the heart to tell her to shut up, despite my bold and sassy personality.

"Have you seen Erik?! OMG. Looking hotter than ever today!! Look, there he is!"

I look down the hall to see Junies crush. Erik- possibly the hottest guy in school. Dark brown hair falling over his face, nipping at his ears. His dark brown eyes sparkle crazily. His perfectly stubby nose fits perfectly on top Of his full lips. Even I have to admit he is one of the best looking guys I've ever seen. But despite the fact teens are able to kiss and date whomever they want, since we have that freedom until the Matching ceremony, I never found an interest in him. His muscles always seemed too flashy, and he seemed like he deserved to be in a book.

"Don't think about it, cuz next week-" I start.

"I know, I know."

Tomorrow: Assigning day. Next week: Matching day. Where they assign us our partners in life. Will I be chosen a good partner? A bad one? Or chosen as single? That was what I was worried about. If I do have a partner and have children, will they survive Til they're old and gray? Or will the human race have been demolished permanently? As of right now, I could care less. Plus, the council will take care of us.

We eat, talking about which Assigned jobs we most likely will have- Junie thinks I'll be a gatherer because of my intelligence on plants. Gatherers go above ground and risk their life getting plants for our Inspectors, who find out ways that might possibly kill the Lumens. I think Junie might be a teacher. She is an Honor student and loves children. Although, she'll most likely be teaching history, because she was so curious about earth back then. The earth which my great-great grandparents lived in happily.

I excuse myself and walk into the bathroom during the discussion on our assigned partners, in which the 'choosers' assign us everything. Choosers are based on their social intelligence and are given all of our information and they assign our jobs and partners.

I walk to the mirror and splash my face with cold water. What if I'm chosen as someone dangerous? What if I become someone that risks their life's for a cause that won't affect anything? I calm myself down. If any of that happens, it's for a reason. I'm not known for sitting in a class quietly. I'm not known for perfect grades- A's and B's. I am known for my spunky attitude, my sass.

I look up into the cracked mirror. I see the beautiful girl my mother was lucky enough to have. The girl with long, golden blond hair, bright green eyes and a straight nose on top of full lips. I look nothing like my father with his black hair, brown eyes and stubby nose above fat lips.

I give a small smile. The choosers won't be stupid enough to get rid of someone so beautiful. I've heard them talking- saying things such as "we need more good looking people, something to look at and remind us if what the world was." And yes, that may seem conceited of me, but it I the only hope I have. The only thing that keeps me from giving up.

I look down at my necklace. Everyone is allowed one artifact from the world back then. My great great grandmother kept the necklace.

I walk back into the dining room and look up at the screen. It's reminding us that we will be assigned out jobs tomorrow- at lunch.

I meet back up with Junie and we walk back to the dorms, chatting up. We spend the hour break with our families to talk one last time. After tomorrow, we will be assigned our own dorms and will see our family rarely. Me and my mother talk about the mischief I gotten into as a child. My father tells me how, as a child, I had been caught with an entire bag of apples in my small room and my mother had to turn it in. Then, the president herself scolded me. My mother laughed and laughed as my father told me how I put my finger in her face and called her a name.

After the beautiful, mourning hour was up, I was sent into my almost-empty room. I barely fell asleep. I tossed and turned and my eyes stayed open. Finally, I turned on my back and stared at the ceiling. I almost guarantee that Junie would become the teacher I so know she is. She had proved it in the classroom, walking around and helping the teacher explain subjects to wildly idiotic kids. During lunch, she had proved it further by playing games with younger children. She had always proved to be kind and caring.

But what about me? There's no place Down Under for sass. No place for ignorant rule breakers. Where will they place the girl who had no disregard for the rules. The only thing I have going for me is beauty and willingness to do anything for others. But, of course, whats the point in that?