They said, by Anon

Prologue

We don’t celebrate birthdays here. It’s just one step closer to …the day. The choosing day. They come for you that day. They take you to the box. You’re not allowed to utter those words here. You can’t speak about the box. Everyone wants to forget about it. It decides your future. The Mysters make it so. You must obey the Mysters or they kill you. Leave you in the cavern so you can never be found. The Master rules over the Mysters. He rules over us all. He saved us from the shock…he says. But he has control so we have to obey. We have to be numbers. We have to be slaves. We have to do our jobs. The Master says he must have order or we would crumble… he says. But we daren’t speak out. We would die. He would let our blood run through the cracks in the red soil. Let the dry wind whip us apart. He does care about us… they say. But we don’t believe it. We can’t believe it. We would be lying. We will never be free until the Box decides it. One must receive the prophecy. On their sixteenth birthday.

Chapter 1

Counting Down

Counting down the days. Seven days. Until the Mysters come for me. I will be sixteen. My mother says it will be alright but she never had to do it. After the shock-wave she survived but she had to sign the contract to agree to the choosing. To make sure our futures are monitored. They killed my father when he didn’t sign. He lies hidden in the desert. My little sister says it will be fine. She says, in the designated hour we have alone from the Mysters, “It will be: totally, absolutely, fabulously fine Carla!” But is what she says really true? Oh how I wish Arthur was here. He would know what to do but he’s gone. The Box said he must. The prophecy he held in his hand said he must leave to find a land of green. The land of growth and life… I live in the land of death; the land of blood. Will I have to leave? Is it possible to not draw out a prophecy?

Six days left. What am I going to do? I look at myself in the tiny mirror we are allowed to have. I can see myself shaking and my chocolate coloured skin is flushed. My dark eyes twitch. I need to calm down but I can’t. I feel ill and scared and worried. Sleep cannot come and I lie awake staring at the stars projected on the ceiling. Thinking about the choosing day.

The next day is no better and the sick feeling in my stomach grows. My head is spinning and I can’t see straight. FIVE DAYS LEFT! FIVE DAYS LEFT! A voice shouts in my brain.

My mother made me a dress to wear on the choosing day. A beautiful long, flowing one of blue silk. But it just reminds me that the day is so near. I am left alone as my mother and sister leave to work on the crops in the boiling heat.

Three days to go and my fear always grows. It has taken over me like a monster. I am weak. I should stay strong like my father but I cannot.

Two days left and I can not eat or drink or sleep. I can only worry and cry in terror. I am not my father’s daughter.

One. Last. Day. I can’t move and lie like a statue in bed until Night sweeps its cloak over the sky.

Chapter 2

The Choosing Day

It’s the day. I seem to have resigned myself to my fate. Doing everything efficiently and briskly so as not to think about what will after the knock on our door. I dress in the blue silk dress and begin to pace in front of the door. No sound reaches my ears and… BAM. BAM. They're here…

My heart skips a beat as my mother goes to open the door. The Mysters stand clad in black and helmets covering their faces. They don’t speak but just motion for me to come forward. I am trembling as they push me forward. I look back at my sister and mother as they wave and smile and I take a deep breath. I can do this… Can’t I?

I take a seat on the tarasmobile as it swoops into the sky. I am afraid of heights and I cling on tightly to the side as it flies towards the Crantagaris Palace.

It is even greater than I imagined and I hold my breath as I am marched along the sleek and shiny corridors. Then we reached the centre of the palace. Where the box is kept. In the vault of black marble. A voice booms from around the room. “Take a piece of paper from the box. Do not try to hide it or run or we will kill you. You must complete your destiny from the prophecy or you will die.” My heart is pounding and then the Myster to my left speaks one 

word… “Begin.”

I step up the marble steps to the black box and lift the lid. A sea of papers folded up awaits me and I plunge my hand in and pull one out. My teeth chatter as I slowly unfold it… from the paper itself a soft voice speaks,

“You 4-1263 shall be the one to destroy the order.

You shall be the one to take revenge and lead the rebels to the freedom they deserve.

Your actions will decide whether we live or die.

Choose wisely.”

Then it crumbles in my hand. I turn round as the room shouts, “Kill her!”

I run…