[Discontinued] Not Equal

seven//flowers, trees, and sins

I stare into the mirror. Mother has pulled my dirt-colored brown hair into a braided bun. I'm wearing a pale yellow dress with curls at the edge, an ombre of yellow to white. It makes me look like a flower.

"I've dressed up again," I say, more like a statement than a question, yet so much more like a question than what it means.

"Yes." Mother says. She stares into my eyes in the mirror.

"You knew," I say softly. "You knew they would be like that."

For a moment, Mother's blank gaze wavers, and I hold my breath, hoping she will finally become the mother I've always dreamed she would be, but it doesn't last.

"That is correct." Mother applies hair gel to my hair. The sleeve of her tattered grey coat slides up, revealing her wrists and exposing the skin from her elbow to her fingertips. I stare in the mirror; my eyes fixed on her skin, horror evident on my face. There are red welt marks from a belt, fingerprint marks all over her arms, a long white scar running from her midarm to her purlicue, and three puncture wounds. Mother sees my look and hastily shoves the sleeve back, but then I see it. Fingerprints, belt marks, punctures, and scars all over her body. They were obscure at first, but now that I noticed them, they were all I could see. I turn around to face Mother, and she gazes back at me.

"What did they do to you?" I breathed. "Will they do that to me as well?"

Mother closes her eyes. "No." She says softly. Her voice is so quiet that I have to strain my ears to hear her. "It is just me." She turns her head away from me.

"Why are they doing this to you?" I demand. "What happened?"

Mother gazes out the window. "A punishment."

I grab her wrist. "What punishment? What for-"

Mother stands suddenly. The pupils of her eyes glow a strange yellow color, and her posture straightens. "Maddie! No questions." She says sharply. Her voice is different than before like someone else is speaking through her.

"What-" My hand reaches to my face.

Mother smiles coldly. "No questions."

I avoid her gaze. "I apologize for my actions," I say slowly.

Mother's eyes glitter. "You are forgiven. Now, we will go to the Central Square, and I will hear none more of your questions." The order rings in my ears, and I have no choice but to obey. Mother pins a red rose to my dress, and I stare down at it.

Ellie is outside with the other Elevens, as usual. Some of the Elevens aren't there, but Ellie doesn't seem to care or notice.

"Ellie," Mother says. "We will head down to the Central Square." Her voice is commanding and superior. Ellie looks up at Mother without the slightest hint of emotion in her eyes. "Very well." She answers. "I assume we need to dress appropriately." She looks down at her casual clothes.

"You are correct." Mother says. She hands Ellie a bag carrying the clothes that Females had to wear to every event that the Females had to participate in. It's a revealing thing, made so that any Male who decided they wanted the Female for himself could whenever they wanted. It didn't even matter if they had a Pair or not, Females were just...tools.

Ellie changes into the clothes without an ounce of hesitation. She looks at Mother and says in a lifeless voice, "I am ready."

Mother smiles. She spins on her heel and leads the way to the Central Square.

. . .

The Central Square is the large courtyard in the very heart of the City Pointe, where important announcements are held. To the left is the pathway to the Pairing Building, to the right is the pathway to the Pre Pairing Building, and just in front of it is a balcony connected to the main building. The courtyard has potted trees and red roses decorating the concrete, stone, and gold walls and floors. The Males stand on the right, and us Females stand on the left. We stand there, waiting, staring up at the balcony.