The Lives and Lies of the Unnamed

Daisy

The time has come again. The Ceremony of Twelves, where jobs are assigned by the Committee of Elders, who don't even think about the fact that maybe, just maybe, people should get to choose their own jobs. It isn't their fault. They don't know the world any other way. They did for a time, but not anymore. Now, all that knowledge has been taken. So the tradition goes on. Every year, the Committee of Elders assigns a job to each rising twelve.

As always, the Chief Elder stands up to give her speech. She talks for a while about honoring the differences of each rising twelve, giving examples of the different aptitudes of the students, but never mentioning any by name. To someone like me, who doesn't really know any of the kids, it's all rather meaningless, but I listen respectfully anyway. When the Chief Elder concludes her speech by thanking her committee, the room breaks out into applause. Then, the Chief Elder begins calling up the children.

For each student, the Chief Elder gives a lengthy and personal speech, before giving them their assignment and thanking them for their childhood. She begins to call them up one by one. I try my hardest to listen to throughout the whole ceremony, but my mind starts to wander after the fifth assignment. The next thing I know, number 17 is being called up. A few minutes later, number 18, a girl with flaming red hair, is called. I start to tune out again, but immediately snap back to reality when the next number is called. "20," The Chief Elder says. "Pierre." My eyes widen, and I can feel my body lock into place. I can't move, I can't think. Someone was skipped, but that isn't even the worst part. The one who was skipped is a boy named Jonas. I took notice of him a while ago because of his eyes. They're just like hers. But even though it seems to me as if the world has stopped, the Chief Elder continues to speak. She continues to assign job after job, but none of it matters to me. I know exactly what is going to happen, because it happened to her. To my best friend. To Rosemary.

My mind is spiraling, going round and round as bitter memories come bursting back to the surface. I'm sitting right in front of the stage with my fellow elevens. We are about to become twelves and get our assignments. I wait restlessly until finally, the Chief Elder says, "Seven, Daisy." I turn to my right where Rosemary is sitting four seats away, and we exchange excited looks. Then I stand and walk up to the stage, where the Chief Elder gives a speech and gives me my assignment as a pilot. I am delighted with this, but try to keep my calm facade as I head back to my seat.

I try to pay attention as my classmates are assigned. Lina, number eight, is given the job of nurturer, Maria, number nine, is assigned the job of caretaker of the old, and Jeremy, number ten, is assigned to the fish hatchery. I can feel a smile forming on my face. Rosemary, number eleven is going next. My apprehension builds as the Chief Elder opens her mouth to speak. "Twelve," She says. "Alex." My jaw drops. The room falls silent. The same thoughts are floating through each person's head. 'Did she make a mistake?' 'Did number eleven do something wrong?' 'What is happening?' 

As I jerk myself back to reality, I can sense the energy in the room, and I can tell that those same questions are going through everyone's brain. The only difference is that some people are asking themselves something else as well. 'Is this happening again?' Luckily, they don't have to wait long for an answer. After the assignments are over, the Chief Elder apologizes to the community and calls Jonas up to the stage. I know that nearly everyone in the room is giving their full attention at this point, but I don't need to. I already know how this goes.

***

Today is declared an unscheduled holiday. I turn in surprise to the dark green wall speaker where the voice came from. I was just about to leave for work, but now that that is canceled, I decide to take a walk instead. I pass the lush green playing field and stop in my tracks. The twelves are playing a game. A game of war. I try to hide my revulsion, as I'm not supposed to know what war is, and I am not supposed to feel this feeling of disgust. However, I am not the only one disgusted by what is happening. In the center of the game, standing there, trying to tell his peers something, is Jonas. The faces of the rest of the twelves indicate that they don't get it. They are just frustrated because Jonas stopped their game for a seemingly stupid reason. I understand. I felt the same way. I didn't get it. I was frustrated with Rosemary, so I was dismissive, and for that, I will never forgive myself.