Zodiac

Chapter 1

I woke up with the sun shining through my window, I walked to the mirror, there I saw a girl with hazel eyes and straight dark brown hair. Today is the annual festival, the time where you find out what zodiac sign you were born to, that’s how we were ‘grouped’, divided. If you were born to a different zodiac sign to your parents, you would have to leave them and go to your sign. I was born into Gemini, in Gemini you were expected to be flexible, being able to adapt to any situation, and love to talk. People often say that I don’t belong in Gemini which is probably true, but what can I do? Our nation is controlled by the Gods, and if you don’t obey to the rules, then, well, deal with them.

I got dressed and walked down to the kitchen, my mom was cooking pancakes. I grabbed one and headed out the door to meet Sammy, he was also born into Gemini, and hopefully we end up in the same Zodiac.

“Hey,” he turned and smiled at me, the sunlight reflecting off his sandy blonde hair, “Ready for the festival?” I tried to smile, “C’mon, we could end up in the same one, if not, I’ll sneak in,” I laughed, I saw mischief in his sky blue eyes, like the rules set by the Gods don’t actually really matter to him, I took his hand and we walked to the festival.

People we already filing in when we arrived, Sammy and I sat next to each other in the room. It was decorated a roman style, pillars were positioned around the room and the pictures of the Gods were above each Zodiac. Our god was Mercury, god of roadways and travellers, messenger of the gods. Simply, your name would appear on ‘The Board’, a magical gift from the Gods, at least most people called it a ‘gift’ anyway. My name, alphabetically is before Sammy’s, so I’ll be called before him. I looked at the picture of Mercury on the wall, please, please let Sammy and I being in the same Zodiac, please, I said silently in my head. The first name appeared on The Board, it’s beginning.

I sat there, rigid, it wasn’t fair that we didn’t get to choose, it just wasn’t, I mean where has humanity right gone? My name appeared ‘Theresa Palmia’ in big letters. I wait for a sign to appear to, to decide my fate. The Board shimmered, two wavy line appeared, one under another. I’m Aquarius. I looked at Sammy, squeezed his hand and walked over to the Aquarius, with my head down. It wasn’t fair, it just wasn’t.

I stared down at my hand, saying over and over again please Sammy be Aquarius, please, I prayed to Uranus and Mercury, they had better be listening, it’s their fault that my life has to be structured this way, no right of humanity. Finally Sammy’s name appeared on The Board, ‘Sammy West’, it shimmered. My heart turned to stone when I saw it, it looked liked a ‘v’ with curved edges, a ram’s horn. Sammy is Aries.

“Sammy!” I screamed, a few people stared at me, but I didn’t care, “Sammy!” he turned and looked at me, and came over,

“Tess, listen to me,” he looked deep into my eyes, “Meet me at the park tonight, I want to-” a force pulled him away from me, the Gods were angry. I started toward him, but a force also pulled me back. I tugged harder, but only to find searing pain shooting through me, I doubled over, coughing hard. I tried to get up but something is pushing me to the ground, the edges of my vision turned black, the force pushed harder, I screamed in pain. Distantly I heard Sammy call for my name, but I fell into darkness.