still have so many questions for you,” I say, not wanting to leave.
Bree shakes her head and continues to pull on me. “There isn’t time for that now. You’ll have to wait.”
* * *
By the time school has finished for the day, I have learned my place. I keep my head down, and don’t approach any of the Futures. I also think I may have figured out how to run my tablet.
Bree brings me to the shuttle station where we wait for our ride. She lives in a home not far from the orphanage with her little sister and parents. As we walk side-by-side, I wonder what her house looks like. Does her family own things I wouldn’t know the name for? Does she have a real bed in a home with real floors and ceilings? I can’t help but feel a little jealous that she is going home to her family and not to some orphanage.
We walk down a long flight of stairs until we are underground and come upon a long, silver box made of smooth metal. Hundreds of students stand around waiting, all looking like Shymers by their plain appearances.
Bree looks over to me with a crooked grin. “I’m guessing this is your first shuttle ride?”
I nod, watching as the steel doors open to the compartment when we become near. Others board ahead of us and already sit on metal benches, silently waiting for the departure. As we near them, I notice their faces are all so sullen—it’s as if they are just going through the motion of life, waiting for their days on earth to be finished.
Bree walks down the aisles, but I stand frozen in the doorway, temporarily unable to move. “It’s okay,” she says, detecting my hesitation. “Only Shymers ride on here.”
But it’s not the fear of possible Futures being among us that keeps me from following. It’s the boy from earlier—the one with the beautiful blue eyes, the one who was cross with me. Harrison sits on a bench next to a smaller boy with greasy, jet black hair and wild eyes. They both watch me closely, their eyes narrowed, making their hatred apparent.
I look away and chase after Bree to the front of the shuttle. We pass two of the girls from morning break and one lifts her middle finger at us. Bree does the same and a couple Shymers snicker at this. I watch Bree, puzzled. Instead of explaining the gesture, however, she settles in an open bench a few rows ahead of the two boys.
I blow out a slow breath of relief once seated. I am glad my first day of school here is finished. It has been an emotional day, filled with shocking discoveries and heart-breaking realities. I am reminded of the wishes I made on my sixteenth birthday, and wish I could take them back. Nothing in Society is how I imagined it to be.
The Shymers next to us sit quietly with their hands in their laps, watching out the windows with seemingly no other thoughts on their minds. Even though I don’t turn around to see if I’m right, I swear I can feel Harrison’s gaze burning into the back of my head.
“Everything here feel s wron g ,” I whisper to Bree. “Backwards.”
She shrugs. “You did okay today, Olive. You should be able to fit in here if you remember who you are.”
Remember who I am. That could prove to be difficult, considering I’m a Future.
Throughout the lessons today, I fell in and out of attention to what the instructors were saying. Instead I was busy sneaking glances at those they cal l Future s . Every one of them seemed full of arrogance. I fear what will happen if I am forced to become one of them—to alter my looks and color my hair a whiter shade of blond. Even if I looke d like one of them, I don’t imagine in a million years I would ever behave like they do.
Bree and the other Shymers I met—with the exception of Harrison—had been welcoming to me outside of the classrooms. Yet I know we would not be friends if they knew the truth—if they knew that I am actually a Future and guaranteed a life beyond the age of eighteen.
“Why does the government even make Shymers go to
Bree shakes her head and continues to pull on me. “There isn’t time for that now. You’ll have to wait.”
* * *
By the time school has finished for the day, I have learned my place. I keep my head down, and don’t approach any of the Futures. I also think I may have figured out how to run my tablet.
Bree brings me to the shuttle station where we wait for our ride. She lives in a home not far from the orphanage with her little sister and parents. As we walk side-by-side, I wonder what her house looks like. Does her family own things I wouldn’t know the name for? Does she have a real bed in a home with real floors and ceilings? I can’t help but feel a little jealous that she is going home to her family and not to some orphanage.
We walk down a long flight of stairs until we are underground and come upon a long, silver box made of smooth metal. Hundreds of students stand around waiting, all looking like Shymers by their plain appearances.
Bree looks over to me with a crooked grin. “I’m guessing this is your first shuttle ride?”
I nod, watching as the steel doors open to the compartment when we become near. Others board ahead of us and already sit on metal benches, silently waiting for the departure. As we near them, I notice their faces are all so sullen—it’s as if they are just going through the motion of life, waiting for their days on earth to be finished.
Bree walks down the aisles, but I stand frozen in the doorway, temporarily unable to move. “It’s okay,” she says, detecting my hesitation. “Only Shymers ride on here.”
But it’s not the fear of possible Futures being among us that keeps me from following. It’s the boy from earlier—the one with the beautiful blue eyes, the one who was cross with me. Harrison sits on a bench next to a smaller boy with greasy, jet black hair and wild eyes. They both watch me closely, their eyes narrowed, making their hatred apparent.
I look away and chase after Bree to the front of the shuttle. We pass two of the girls from morning break and one lifts her middle finger at us. Bree does the same and a couple Shymers snicker at this. I watch Bree, puzzled. Instead of explaining the gesture, however, she settles in an open bench a few rows ahead of the two boys.
I blow out a slow breath of relief once seated. I am glad my first day of school here is finished. It has been an emotional day, filled with shocking discoveries and heart-breaking realities. I am reminded of the wishes I made on my sixteenth birthday, and wish I could take them back. Nothing in Society is how I imagined it to be.
The Shymers next to us sit quietly with their hands in their laps, watching out the windows with seemingly no other thoughts on their minds. Even though I don’t turn around to see if I’m right, I swear I can feel Harrison’s gaze burning into the back of my head.
“Everything here feel s wron g ,” I whisper to Bree. “Backwards.”
She shrugs. “You did okay today, Olive. You should be able to fit in here if you remember who you are.”
Remember who I am. That could prove to be difficult, considering I’m a Future.
Throughout the lessons today, I fell in and out of attention to what the instructors were saying. Instead I was busy sneaking glances at those they cal l Future s . Every one of them seemed full of arrogance. I fear what will happen if I am forced to become one of them—to alter my looks and color my hair a whiter shade of blond. Even if I looke d like one of them, I don’t imagine in a million years I would ever behave like they do.
Bree and the other Shymers I met—with the exception of Harrison—had been welcoming to me outside of the classrooms. Yet I know we would not be friends if they knew the truth—if they knew that I am actually a Future and guaranteed a life beyond the age of eighteen.
“Why does the government even make Shymers go to
Similar Books
