This story is by Aurelie Trine and was part of our 2018 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
I looked like a princess, but felt like a prisoner.-
The sparkling white gown hugged my body, six feet of fabric trailing behind me like a shimmering river. The sleeves looked like wings if I lifted my arms out to the side. My dark hair was plaited in braids cascading down my back, flowers framing my heart shaped face.-
“You look beautiful!” The seamstress beamed, their grey-blue eyes sparkling. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t disagree.-
“How are you feeling?” they continued. “We hear Nola is as exquisite as you.” I struggled to keep a smile on my face; Nola had the golden eyes and hair that every citizen envied. I wondered whose features would be most apparent after we Married.-
“I’m very happy, Nola is my best friend.” Neither of us wanted this, but to partner with other people would take away any chances of freedom. At twenty years old, the law required us to Marry by the year’s end; better to choose someone we trusted.-
“That’s so sweet. Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” Pinning one last flower to my lapel, the seamstress left, their voices echoing as she walked down the hall. I remained on the dais, gazing into the face reflected back at me. This might be the last time I would ever be alone. But Nola would be safe … Wouldn’t she?—-
The streets were crowded with Children, teenagers loitering on the sidewalks to get a glimpse of the brides. My face flushed when one of them stared straight at me, his green eyed gaze steady and intense. I pulled the curtain shut on the carriage door. I didn’t want to be scrutinized.-
If I were rich enough to become an Individual, things would be better. No. I scolded myself for that thought; all people should have the right to be Individuals, not only the wealthy.-
“Do it now!” The air erupted in screams and heavy footsteps. I felt the unmistakable vibrations of a Stationary Bomb detonating. Anyone standing on the same surface as the bomb would be immobile for thirty seconds. How could this be happening? The government made Stationary Bombs illegal after their use in the recent White House attack.-
I might be the only one mobile besides those who launched the bomb.-
I tore the curtain back to find Green Eyes on the other side, tampering with the door’s lock mechanism. The door’s light faded, signaling his success, and he yanked it open. I noticed the unconscious guards on the ground and the grey Children’s jumpsuit Green Eyes held out to me.-
“We have to leave, Ryka.”-
“What?! Who the hell are you?!” He glared at my questions, throwing the jumpsuit into my arms.-
“Do you want Nola to live or not?!”—-
My eyes watered as we moved through smoke and avoided rubble from damaged buildings. Explosives had also detonated throughout the city, sending panicked citizens clamoring towards safety.-
“So Nola’s safe?” They would Marry her without me, and that partner would have no problem making her subservient. I couldn’t let that happen.-
“We got her out first; you were a bit trickier.”-
I became well-known for my vocalness about the unjust laws in our country the last few years. Every time my group fought back, the food rations shrank, the rent prices increased, and recreation time shortened. Because of this, angry Children had assaulted Nola and I several times. Her trainers began giving her more difficult (and sometimes dangerous) tasks. If I continued protesting, she might be hurt, or killed. I thought if I Married her, it would show I’d given up, even it meant an end to our individualism.-
Did his people really save her? I wanted to believe him.-
“Thank you…?”-
“Max. But save your thanks, it wasn’t my doing.”-
I studied him as we moved. “Who are you working with?” I questioned. “Are you against Marriage?”-
“Yes, there are better ways to increase food and resources. Too many people have died during the ceremony, and many more risk going insane.” He ignored my question on personal information.-
“I thought the insanity cases were rare … And deaths? I’ve never been told about that!”-
We hid behind a compost bin as he checked our surroundings. The screams and explosions continued, so we went unnoticed.-
“It’s all true, and common. That’s why they stopped televising the actual ceremony.” Marriage had been going on for more than a century. How many people had actually died?-
Max motioned to the emergency ladder beside us. I climbed, wondering if things were worse than I originally believed. If Max spoke the truth, was protecting Nola really my first priority? I should have kept protesting, kept encouraging others.-
I didn’t notice that we’d reached the top of the building until I bumped my head into the bottom of Max’s shoe.-
“Ow!” Huh?–
“This is an unauthorized area, Child. You are under arrest.” Max ignored the soldiers on the rooftop and glanced down at me; I hadn’t been noticed.-
“Ryka, press the button on the side of your backpack,” he whispered. “It’ll land you on the South Wall where help is waiting.”-
“What?!”-
“We will shoot if necessary.”-
“Ryka, NOW!”-
I punched the button on my pack. The jolt of upward movement knocked the air from my lungs, and just before my eyes shut, Max threw a Stationary Bomb onto the roof. Three soldiers were caught, but the fourth managed to grab him from the ladder. They both fell to the concrete, frozen.—-
I floated above the buildings, and true to Max’s words, I landed directly on the South Wall, one hundred fifty feet above ground. Inspecting the backpack, I saw another button that read “Parachute Release”. I could use this to get down. But where to go? His “help” wasn’t waiting anywhere I could see.-
“Ryka Enomoto.” I turned to see Lila Nguyen, our city’s governor, standing on the Wall. Her brown eyes bored into me, a frown marring her otherwise pleasant features. My suspicion made me wary. Did she know about the ceremony deaths? Did she hide it from the citizens? … How did she even get up here?-
Her election into office allowed new legislation to be placed on the ballots: earlier Marriages, a single Marriage between three or more partners, harsher punishments for protesters. She thrived on dividing the citizens by status.-
“Lila, what’s going on?” She gave me a comfortless smile. I took a step back, tensing when hands wrapped around my arms. Looking up, a pair of two-toned eyes filled my vision: half brown on top, half blue on the bottom. A Married man.-
“We are taking you to the ceremony.” I panicked, wondering if Max told the truth about Nola’s situation.-
“The city is under attack, and I’m still getting Married today!? Where’s Nola!?”-
“She’s already Married,” Lila answered. My body stiffened in horror. Max lied so I would follow him … Or was Lila bluffing?-
… No matter if Nola is safe or not … You must fight to end Marriage. I couldn’t choose Nola’s life over the freedom of the world. Not anymore.-
I brought my heel down hard on the Married man’s foot. They grunted in response, and I wrenched my arms free from their grasp. I sprinted from the three of them, ready to jump off the wall. I could use the parachute to get away and regroup.-
“No!” A Stationary Bomb’s vibration stopped me a foot from the edge. Something pressed into the side of my neck and my consciousness darkened.—-
I awoke, but found my eyes already open. I sat on a hospital bed, staring into unfamiliar faces wearing surgical masks.-
“Is she awake, Lila?” One of them asked, looking into my eyes.-
What are you talking about? I tried to ask, but my voice remained silent. My arms refused to move. My body ignored me.-
“Yes she is, doctor. She is fully aware.” My mouth moved on its own, and my hand grabbed for a mirror on the bedside table. I saw my face, but the shape seemed wrong, too square, and the eyes … my eyes, were now two-toned. Half brown, half blue.-
They had Married me to Lila Nguyen.-
“Hello Ryka, “ my body said, a sneer ripping across its lips. “We’re Married now! Since you were unconscious, I have full control.” As if to prove her point, she reached up to caress my face. “I’m so happy to be young again.”-
No! This is illegal! Both partners have to be awake!
My laugh filled the room, my hand waving a dismissal at the doctors. I wanted to chase after them to make them Divorce us, but I could only yell inside my own head.-
I’ll scream forever, you’ll never rest
“I don’t think so, Ryka.” I sensed an internal snip, and then my ability to speak disappeared. I couldn’t throw words at her. I was trapped.
I felt Lila smile.
“Isn’t Marriage wonderful?”
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