Chosen

Chapter One - A Walk in the Woods

|| Capella ||

As the rays of the rising sun cascade across my face, my hazel eyes flutter open. I get up and head to the bathroom, where I brush my teeth and put my golden-brown locks up in a messy bun. I stare into the mirror. I am not like other girls. I examine my eyes, which change colour according to my mood. This time, they are fuchsia. I like fuchsia.

I check the time on my calendar. It is the 15th of August, 2119. The first day of my senior year of high school. School starts in just under two hours, so I have time to go to my secret spot in the woods.

My town in Mockingjayville, Chicago sits on the edge of a thick forest. Four years ago, I discovered a secret hideout in the midst of some trees, and I've been hanging out here ver since. It is an abandoned library, containing ancient texts from before the war. Before everything changed.

Nobody knows about that spot, not even my best and only friend Casper Tan. During the summer break, he went to Thailand to visit his family, and left me all alone. I spent the break by myself, browsing through novels from the great authors Rupi Kaur and E.L. James.

I sit inside the abandoned library right now, currently flipping through a classic called 50 Shades of Grey, when I hear a rustling sound. I flip around quickly, and catch a glimpse of a pair of bright green eyes staring right at me. I gasp and turn away. I look back, but they're gone. I slowly approach the spot where I saw the green orbs, and see a patch of torn black fabric clinging to a splintered bookshelf. I reach out and sniff it. Mmm, Axe body spray. Other than that, there is no sign of anything or anyone. I shrug, thinking, It was only the wind.

I look up at the sky and analyse the sun's position. It is definitely somewhere in the sky. That means I should probably get to school. I make my way out of the woods and start walking to Mockingjayville High. This is going to be a long year.