Long ago, a sanctuary of sorts was built- in case of armageddon. The world got close. After a nuclear war, very few survivors remain- and strangely, all of them are under the age of 17. However, a larger group of children led by Jasmine and Seth has managed to rebuild what little civilization they could, but they face many adversaries. Mutant animals, unidentified illnesses, and shortages of food plague them, and their only hope is a rumor- the eerie city on the horizon is said to be a storage of all the provisions they'll ever need. The catch? The city is a labyrinth, and a key is needed to get through it. Only one person knows where- and what- the key is and that's Danielle, but she's been missing for three days. To top it off, some kids have suddenly developed "talents", a mysterious second group of survivors has been discovered, and an emotional side begins to make its precense known. Are they up to rebuilding their lives and adapting to a strange new world?
Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option.
*****
Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her...
Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault.
[[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]