Letters

She was flying in the air. No wait, it wasn't even a she. It was a bird, and not just a bird, but a falcon. Black, and sleek; gracefully flying downward. This falcon was a mile away and growing near. Moving at speeds like the cars on the highway. Not a second later did she land right in front of me peacefully, without a flaw, as if this exact move had been done a million times before, preparing for this instance. She was female, I didn't know why I knew that, but yet I knew it was true. This creature stood before me about nine feet tall and 3 feet wide (not accounting for the wingspan, which may have been about 15-20 feet in length). She spoke not once to me. She just gazed into my eyes, occasionally switching her head to see me with the other eye. Then did I notice her left wing. It was melting. It was melting into green goo. This acted like a parasite and slowly ate her up and devoured her until she was nothing but a small puddle on the floor. She never flinched but rather kept a close eye on me even until her end. I took a moment and stood there, not moving. I didn't understand. My head started spinning. Voices spoke in the distance chanting my name, growing louder. Kayne!, stop. Kayne!, stop again. Kayne Kayne Kayne!!

"Kayne!!"

Mrs. Astor was not pleased. She was boiling with anger and her face matched the color of a very very ripe tomato. She was standing above me, like a tower. A tower of the worst kind. The ones that smell. The ones where you walk in and you could see how the building is barely keeping together. The tower that has vines growing on it from the outside and mold growing from the inside. This tower was 43 years old, raving mad, and just had a spectator come into her class because her students kept on failing everything.

"Mr. Kayne Hope, if you don't pick up your head this minute, so help me God, I will going to take you to the principal myself. You never pay attention in this class. When are you going to wake up from this part of your life?..."

She was screaming her lungs off, and I could have sworn that anyone could have heard her, even from a mile radius. There was nobody left in class. The other kids had just left.

"...your surviving, not living! Wasting your time. What are you doing with your life Mr. Hope? Are you going to waste it like the rest of them? The amount of thing you see by the time you reach my age son and your sleeping. You're sleeping for sure. Time is short and you're wasting .I care for my students Mr. Hope. I care. I try! I try to teach something valuable. I told you to stop ruining yourself. Your wasting it. And so you're wasting my time. Now please get up and get out of my classroom, and never fall asleep in here again son, or I will have you expelled!!!"

Mrs. Astor was almost crying with that last sentence. I figured that it probably had to deal with the fact that her husband came up missing a few days ago. In any way, I was just too tired to really take it in. I got up, picked up my stuff, and left the room. Before I closed the door behind me, I reminded myself to never fall asleep in a sad teacher's class again.

I found Damian, Andrea, and my cousins, outside of the school. Apparently, when the bell rang to leave school, he came to my class and tried to wake me up but Mrs. Astor stopped him and just told him to leave, and that she would wake me herself. Damian stayed with the kids until I arrived.

"Thank you so much man, I mean, I was just too tired from…"

I didn't want to mention the past night to the younger kids.

"...a lack of sleep," I finished.

He looked at me understandingly, "Yeah man, I got you."

That's all he said.

On the way home everything seemed a little darker, as if the world showed it emotions through me. When I was sad, the earth was dark, yet when I was happy, it was bright. It is funny how life is like that sometimes. Changing with you. The park we passed by held a very good soccer match this particular afternoon. A few of the best players had decided to come and play. We watched it for a few minutes while passing it by and within another few minutes we were home.

After taking care of some homework, I called Damian and we headed to the park to play some soccer, He happily agreed.

"But Kayne, Why can't I go?" said Andrea once she found out.

"Because you're way too young."

"But those kids bring their siblings and they play on the swings with each other."

"I said No."

"I'm going to ask mom!"

I didn't want her to go not because I was ashamed of her, but because I loved her. My Mother understood this. Those kids at the park taught their younger siblings to be rough edge, hardcore, and mean. Of course they could control it at school, but when they were not at school, they were just plain bad. They didn't like Andrea. She was apparently not "like them, " which I thought was perfectly fine. I didn't want Andrea associating with them. They acted inhumane. They played games where one has to beat up someone else to win. Barbaric games those were. They said words that were extremely offensive. They would curse Andrea sometimes. I stood up for her once when they were making fun of her and merely got laughed at. I beat up that kid, but later I realized that it wasn't worth it. They wouldn't stop. Andrea had no friends in them.

She came back in the room revolting mad. She never got to go to the park with those kids. So I gave up.

"I won't go," I answered.

She responded exactly how I expected it, "What?!"

"Yup I won't go then"

She just looked at me. She didn't necessarily look happy or mad, just confused.

Just then, Mom came back inside, from getting the mail, completely surprised.

"Kayne!" she called.

"Yes?"

"Come over here!"

I saw what she was holding, a letter. A letter from school. Nobody used letters anymore, especially the school. Our school always sent out emails and text messages, but never physical mail. I quickly grabbed the piece of paper and tore it open. Inside was a letter and a little metallic pin to put on a shirt. The metallic pin had the following inscripted: B-24. It was in brand new condition and it felt very smooth. It couldn't have come from the school, they didn't have this much money. It felt like that of skin, but a little more ivory. I moved on and read the letter:

Dear Mr. Hope,

Congratulations! You have been invited to a seminar to take a series of tests among some of the brightest and most outstanding people in the country. This will take place in Carson City, Nevada. We do understand that you may not have the funds to come to this seminar, so the Republic came together and created fundraisers and have decided to give you a free ride! All travel expenses, food, accessories, and other items have been given to you for free. Please do not waste the opportunity to have one of the most memorable experiences you ever will have. A denial of this offer will result in a in school suspension next year, so please be careful about your choice. We understand the you may not believe that you have the capabilities to go against the brightest of this country, but we assure you that these tests, are specially designed for you. President Carder herself will be present during these tests and will congratulate a few winners at the end. Please understand that this is a long process where we decide who, in the entire Republic of Calimet is the most intelligent! When your second mailing arrives, in a day's time, please make sure that you keep the clothes inside it for the seminar. It will also contain some extra details of the free ride to the seminar. The badge in this one, will give you the access to the flight, meals, and activities during the seminar, so please keep good track of it.

And parents, do not worry. Your children may not come back if they are fit to be put in a leadership position in our country. We are using these children for something great! Something to be sought for! The technological advancements this country has made and will make will depend on your children. Your children will be able to write letters to you even if they have to stay! We are taking children to help make our government better, and not just any children, your children. President Carder, after her years of service, would love to grow a child into an eventual president, and your's might be the one.

Once again, thank you so much for your reading of this document, and we can't wait to see you there!

NEC

(National Education Committee)

I was dumbstruck. First of all, I never heard of a National Education Committee, and second, I would have at least heard of it from some people at school if it was a thing. Mom however, was just so proud of me,and she didn't fail to mention it.

"Honey I'm so proud of you! All the work that you have been putting in, and they are finally realizing it."

"Mom?"

"Yes Kayne?"

"I don't know if I really want to go…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, isn't it suspicious that out of nowhere, some random people want me to go to them? And for free? Who's the NEC anyways? That is money that our government doesn't have from fundraisers mom!"

"Honey, I know. But I do not want you living the life I am. I want you to live a life that is filled with joy and happiness. I want you to have the time of your life."

"Mom..." I was tearing up.

My mom was a fighter. Her and my dad fought in the freedom wars. It's where they met she told me. He saved her life on the battlefield. It was the war that made the Republic Of Calimet free from the old ways of the United States. Mom was walking through a field filled with mines. But the mines did not end up being the problem. One of their own troops began to fire on the rest. They were a group of only 10. Mom said that he probably infiltrated their ranks. Which was weird because they were one of the most elite squads. Mom's friend collapsed and fell on her as she got shot. Mom fell over and tried to grab a hold of her gun. The guy came up to her, and looked her in the eye. He took his time for her. Enough time for my dad to shoot him. He was my dad's best friend. Always made for an awesome story when she finally told me at the age of nine. They ran away from the war together as the sole survivors of that attack. They ran away to Texas. Away from politics. Then the floods came. My dad saved us when the floods came too, in fact he saved most of the town with his quick thinking. But waves roll back and forth, and one got to him before he could use the small boat he made for himself. I remember him looking into my eyes. He told me to keep my mother safe. He told me, for the first time and last time, that he was proud of me. The tear walking down his cheeks revealed his seemingly gone emotion. His coarse yet soothing hand caressed mine and held them together. He pushed the boat and we were on our way away. I saw him fastening everyone else behind us. Once we were about a hundred or so feet out from the top of that building we saw it. A huge wave, probably 50 feet high hurling toward my dad. I hated that wave. I hate that wave. He stood up, stopped fastening his boat, and looked right at it. He looked behind him at us, at me. He smiled and turned around. Time moved slower than I can imagine. Was it 10 seconds or 10 minutes that the wave took to reach him? The aftershock of the wave crashing down and me and my mom barely escaping the waters. Andrea met us at the shore in the arms of a family friend who had extra room in their boat. She was so small, and so curious. The tears on my eyes were masked well by the water I was soaked in. We move on. The past us what it is. I know that I was lucky but I didn't want ot be. I wanted to just stop. Why is it so hard to in this world? I just want to stop.

So I told my mom, "I don't wanna leave. I want to stay. I want to see you again. I don't want to lose you like dad, please, I'll take a suspension."

She just held me in her arms. She and I both knew that if the president wanted someone or something, she would get it. It was everything but law.

Her life was hard, and she fought to give us a better one. Her father and mother died at the age of twelve, and she promised herself she would make sure that she was there for me, especially after my dad left us. I understood her.

"Sweetheart," she began, "The world is changing, my life will only hold you from what you can be. This will give you a chance to be something great."

She was also in tears, but she was strong.

"Just promise me that you will write me."

"Okay." I said.

She looked at me proudly, and gave me a hug. The hug felt like a million fresh towels, straight from the drying machine, had encircled me.

"Just promise me one more thing Kayne," she said in her formal, work voice.

"What's that mom?

"Never let someone change your views, they are precious. Don't let them change who you are, okay?"

"Mom, of course I won't."

"I know you won't, and you know why?"

"No."

"Because you are your father, and that's exactly way he would have said. Be strong for me."

It was May 14.

▲ ▲ ▲

14 people from my school got the letter. Me, Damian, and Adira among them. Damian cried for three days straight with his parents. Adira acted like it was no big deal and told everyone how she always went to the beach with her dad in the summer while he worked on the coast, and how this would be no different. She was beyond annoying being popular and all, but yet, she was still beautiful. Nothing could really take that away from her. I secretly wished that maybe something would happen to make her less so.

We received multiple letters from the NEC containing information of the place we were to go. Every other day we would also receive information regarding the recent accomplishments of this organization. Inventing a magnetic powered generator, creating human tissue from deceased animal tissue, and so forth. Damian sadness turned to drooling with excitement. He had always wanted to be part of a group of people that actually did something. He hated being a normal citizen. Occasionally we would play a game where we both were spies. Each trying to out-trick one another, we slowly walked around my house, making traps and writing clues.

Anyway, they brought us to a meeting, all 14 of us, where they encouraged us to go and so on and so forth. I slept through most of it but Damian was taking notes. He later told me that they would call on us by our little metallic pins, never our names. Apparently, they didn't want to be biased because of a name, so they tried to make everyone equal. Damian's pin was L-67. I almost lost mine, but I later found it. B-24. Such a random number. Everyone had random numbers and letters. Someone had Z-36, another R-01, and so on. The people with the last few letters in the alphabet were mainly the popular, annoying kids. Adira had U-17.

The next few days went by in a blur. School. Homework. School. Homework. Stare at my pin. School. Homework.

The 22nd was the day we had to leave. A few days before school ended. My mom woke me up early, at about 4:30am to get to the airport. There was very little conversation between us. Andrea was silently crying the whole time. She would start sobbing and look down at her skirt, then look back up, only to see me again and start crying. She loved me, and hated to see me ever go anywhere without her. It was the longest car trip I ever took. Both me and my mom had mixed emotions about the situation, but we understood that we didn't want me having in-school suspension, as it would have a bad look on my record, and Andrea would have never let it go if my mom had not taken her with us. We got to the airport after what seemed to be an eternity. It was only 5:00 am.

We walked into an almost empty airport. It was a Monday morning, so I expected as much. It looked like one of those airports in an abandoned-zombie movies. We walked slowly, very much like zombies to the security gate. There was a small line, and we made it through in only 15 minutes. While walking to the Gate 1-A, where our plane was located, we saw a numerous amounts of shops filled with anything a kid would ever dream of. Mini helicopters, brand new dolls and puppets. But none of this cheered or attracted the attention of poor, little, Andrea. She made the best zombie impression of the three of us. Her sobbing made her makeup, left on from the previous night, run down on her, messing with her appearance. Her hair, roughly getting a brush that morning, ran over one of her eyes. And her skirt, tattered and visibly used, had been washed through so many times that its pattern had been morphed into one dark blue color.

She struggled to walk it seemed. We reached a Gate that was packed with teenagers from around the area. They, very much like myself, were tired and seemed to be falling asleep. It was Gate 1-A. There was a huge, white sign in the front, next to the tunnel on the plane that stated:

Before you enter

Please put on your pin

And your clothes you received

In your second mailing.

Thank you!

Most kids had already changed into their clothes, and so I decided to do the same. We wore ugly gray jumpsuits.

It was 6:00 am.

A lady came from inside the tunnel with a few boxes of what seemed to be phones. She had a manly figure that I remembered. It was the same person who had recently asked me questions in Biology.

Dr. Berryman was just as intimidating as before.

She walked around, not paying attention to any parents, and handed out the phone-looking devices to each individual person based on their pin number, which were inscribed on the back of the devices, right next to the name of it:

IR

Information Register

Damian instantly started messing with it when he got it. He always wanted to know everything. He was afraid of change after all, and knowing more could help him ease his transition. His mom was talking to him trying to calm him down while he fidgeted away at the device.

After finishing passing the devices around, Dr. Berryman went to the tunnel. Her voice sounded much more coarse than the last time I had seen her.

"Welcome students and parents, I want to congratulate you yet once again for being a part of this unforgettable experience. Our flight will take off in about twenty minutes, and I wanted you to have some time to say your goodbyes. These months, for a few, will change your lives, forever. Remember you will not come back because you will be assigned a role in the government. This is all clearly spoken in the handbook that your parents will have to sign. This handbook just allows your child to make their own decisions without it coming back on us if something goes wrong in a sprint race or something. Oh, and yes, there will also be athletic competitions. Don't worry though, they aren't that big of a deal, we do them to keep our students lightened up. Once your children turn eighteen, if not yet, they will no longer be subject to the rules stated in The Handbook. The Handbook allows us to give medications to your child as needed, but they will have control of whether they want it… Go ahead and say your goodbyes, and when you're ready, board the plane. Thank you once again."

She left back inside the tunnel that leads into the plane. The Handbook was passed out and my mother signed it without question. She looked at me the whole time.

"Kayne, just remember," she said, "I love you no matter what, and don't let anyone change that okay?"

"Okay," I hesitantly responded.

"Remember me, don't forget. Come back to us okay?"

She was teary eyed.

After an eternity's long hug from Andrea, and one from my mother, I started toward the tunnel. I turned around right before I entered and waved goodbye. My mom had one last thing to say:

"Don't you dare change, Kayne! I love you."

I turned around and boarded the plane.

On the plane we were allowed to choose our own seats. I instantly sat down and saved a seat for Damian, who found me and sat down. As students were taking their seats, about 150 of us were present it seemed, the loudspeaker blared. It was Dr. Berryman.

"Students, please look over your device which will come online in a few moments time, and look at the people in your sections, whom you will be spending the most amount of time with. They are the people with the same letter on your pin. Thank you."

Instantly all of the devices flashed to life. My device held all of the B's. There was pictures of each person from B-01 to B-99. Next to each name was their number bolded. And right underneath every number was their names, printed small. Sure enough, next to B-24, there lied a picture of me. School pictures. I was wearing what I always normally wore. What had happened so far this year? It ran by me like a cheetah. I kept my eyes on the devices. Damian wasn't in it, which made me very mad, but as I started looking through I recognized someone.

She had blond hair, blue eyes, and seemed too happy for her own good. She had been there for my childhood and Damian's. She had been the center of Damians life. She was labeled as B-26, but she was known by me as Becca Miess.