The Dome

The Job

It was 1:40 the next day. As she prepared to head over to the Job Distribution Center, Silasque wondered what job she would be given. She just couldn't imagine herself working any of the jobs available for the rest of her life. She hoped she wouldn't get the job of deliverer. She knew it was wrong of her to have such a thought, but deliverer was one of the least respected jobs and Silasque would die of boredom going from door to door every Sunday delivering food. And the worst part? You couldn't make conversation with anybody you delivered to or anybody on the way.

"Good luck honey," Silasque's mother wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her with tears in her eyes, "I'm so proud of you."

Silasque smiled, hoping her mother wouldn't see how much she wasn't looking forward to getting her job.

"I hope you get your first choice," Daphne said, hugging her sister after her mother. She then whispered in Silasque's ear so their mother couldn't hear her, "I know you don't have one, but I hope you don't get a job you hate."

Silasque chuckled, "Me too, Daph."

Silasque spotted her name on the reports board outside the distribution center. She was to go to room 201. She watched the clock as she silently waited. Ten seconds to 1:47, she walked in and ascended the stairs, finding herself before a wooden door with a brass handle. She glanced at the clock from the window and knocked on the door. It was a couple of seconds after 1:47 and she hoped she wouldn't get punished for it.

"Come in," a voice from inside the room invited her in.

"Silasque Rose Sallow," Silasque stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The walls of the room were decorated with framed pictures of past Guardians, which to Silasque, gave the room an eerie effect. An intricately woven carpet adorned the floor and a wooden desk and two chairs served as the only furniture in the room besides an old bookshelf in the corner. Silasque silently waited for the Job Giver to invite her to sit.

However, it wasn't a Job Giver. It was a Guardian. Shocked, Silasque took a deep breath and held her head high.

"You're three seconds late, Silasque," the Guardian observed. But to Silasque's relief, she didn't say much more, "Have a seat."

She gestured to the seat in front of her desk and Silasque took a seat, careful not to wrinkle the carpet by moving the chair.

"I am Guardian Sarah."

"Silasque, we have been observing you," Guardian Sarah said, setting her hands down on her desk and looking Silasque in the eye, "And you have been chosen to be the successor of Guardian Noah."

Silasque's head swam. She didn't want to be a Guardian, she couldn't. There was no way she could pretend to be okay running the society she disliked, the society where she had to constantly watch what she said and did.

Guardian Sarah continued, "Guardian Noah was one of our best. He has been diagnosed with an illness that is not curable. He will forever be remembered for the great man he is."

"But why?" Silasque blurted out before she could stop herself, "Why me?"

To her surprise, Guardian Sarah answered calmly and completely dismissed Silasque's outburst, "That I do not know. You will get to speak with the Chooser right before your training starts. Don't worry, Guardian Noah's illness is not contagious."

But Silasque wasn't concerned about whether or not she would catch Guardian Noah's illness when she trained with him. In fact, she hadn't even thought of that until Guardian Sarah had mentioned it.

"Your training will start in one month. You will have that month to get your life in order before you leave your old life behind."

Silasque didn't know what to think anymore. The situation just couldn't get any worse. Silasque would've laughed if it weren't for the fact that she didn't want to get in trouble. She found it ironic how Guardian Sarah talked about her life as if Silasque had already left it behind. Because she wasn't leaving her current life behind if she could help it.

"...She's going to pass, she's going to pass, she's going to pass, she's going to-" Silasque mumbled to herself as she paced around the room, remembering Daphne walking stiffly out the door to take the test.

And as Silasque watched her, she realized it wasn't the fun, loving, carefree girl that she once knew. This girl was scared and walked stiffly; if she survived the test, Silasque was sure it would take some time before the fire in her sister's eyes came back to life. Daphne had always noticed how Silasque walked a little stiffly all the time, but then again, her sister was more observant than most people, since no one but her had even noticed, not even Silasque herself.

"She's going to be fine," her mother cut her off, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Silasque bit her lip to keep herself from driving her mother crazy. She knew she was not only making herself more nervous but also making her mother more nervous. So she plopped down on the couch next to her mother and pulled her mother into a hug.

"She's going to be alright," her mother whispered.

Silasque imagined a Test Administrator sliding a cup of water in front of her sister and asking her the same questions they had asked Silasque when she had taken the test. Asking the questions, Silasque realized, was all just part of the show, to make it seem like you could pass when everyone knew you could spit in the Guardian's faces and still live. It was all chance. Well okay, thought Silasque, maybe if you actually punched them they would end your life on the spot, but like I said, it didn't matter if you were the best kid ever, you could still die, and the kid who failed school could still live. Silasque imagined her sister drinking the cup of water and then suddenly starting to spasm and gasp for air. She imagined her sister falling to the- No! Silasque mentally scolded herself for even going there. None of that was going to happen. Daphne was going to come home alive. Period.

"She is," Silasque whispered back, although even she herself didn't completely believe her own words.

A few hours later, there was still no sign of Daphne. The Test should've been over by now and someone should've shown up at their door awhile ago to inform them Daphne had passed. But had she? No, Silasque couldn't afford to think that way right now.

Suddenly, a knock at the door brought Silasque out of her thoughts. She opened the door and there stood the old lady from next door.