The Leaving

Julia's sobs

~We belong to the Council.

They are the ones who tell us what to do, how to dress... when to leave. No one knows who  or what the Council is made up of, but there are stories. Some say that the Council is really a group of those who are over thirty. Those who are already gone. Others say that the it's simply a bunch of Delirious Ones pushing buttons at random; unlikely story. Though, I've wondered what happens to the Deon once they leave our sector.

The Deon are those who go crazy with emotion. They experience fear and love and hatred and sorrrow at dangerous levels, often putting those around them, aswell as themselves, in harm's way. Once a Deon is detected, they must leave immediately without a Leaving Ceremony or even a goodbye.

Once, when I was a nine, we found out that there was a Deon just three spaces down. Her name was Julia and she was a fourteen. She was a very nice person, always smiling and laughing, telling stories and jokes. She made everyone happy, even Jessica. But one day, she snapped. Her usual soft, blue eyes turned dark and menacing. Her moods changed rapidly; one second lashing out at people, the next soaking her shirt with her tears. At one point she was begging people to hug her. A transport arrived within ten ticks, but she had already hurt a few people. Jessica still has a long straight mark on the inside of her arm.

When the the S.A.M.s found Julia, they had to restrian her because she had started to get angry again.

S.A.M. stands for sector assistance machine, but most just call them the robots. The robots deliver our meals, clean our living space, and bring in the transports for those leaving and those arriving. They are meant to have the same movement and shape as us, but always wear long, black clothing and a black globe that fits around their heads. They always seem to creep me out how real they look.

When the robots had Julia under control, they removed something from her arm. They sound that came from Julia was one of pure excruciating pain. They put the object in a small container, and Julia was stuffed into the transport. The only sounds that could be heard were the whistling of wind between the trees and Julia's sobs. The sky seemed to fade away and Alpha sector had lost one more light.