Chapter One

In a society where everything has been perfectly engineered, a young man's belief system is challenged when he meets a young girl, and he must decide if he can stand the risk of thinking for himself.

Chapter One

Everybody has a place in the World. Everybody has a job to do, a job that benefits our society as a whole. In order to take, you must give.

That is the creed that we live our life by.

Peace, Respect, Dignity.

That is the mindset we must preserve.

Symbiotic, always.

That is our way of life.

Passivity is our responsibility.

That is our belief.

And yet, as Tyler Gage rolled out of bed on the day of the Choosing Ceremony, all he could think of was how unfair it was that he was to be assigned a job based on some tests and be put to work from now until forever. The Guiding Principles echoed in his head, as they had since they’d been shoved down his throat at the tender age of five. And yet, all he wanted was to go back to bed and skip the stupid Ceremony.

Sure, it was a selfish thought and one he would be reprimanded for, should anybody read his mind. But it was there, just the same.

So he repeated the mantra until it rang through his head like church bells.

“Are you up, Ty?” Veronica Gage, his Mother, asked through the bedroom door.

“Yes.” He replied. He reached for the dark blue dress shirt and black slacks his Mother had ironed and set out the night before for this particular event. The nauseating feeling in his stomach congealed like cold gravy as he pulled the clothes on and opened his wardrobe to get the tie sorted.

This was wrong.

But he combed his light hair away from his face, stared hard at his green eyes and tried to convince his reflection that he could get through the day without vomiting.

The 6’1 guy staring back at him with troubled eyes, and broad shoulders didn’t look convinced.

His parents were sitting in the kitchen of the modest four bedroom house they owned when he walked downstairs, eating porridge and chatting away like it was any other day.

To them, it was. To the world, it was just any other Tuesday.

But to Ty, it was an important day �" even though it had been drilled into him that this day wasn’t any more special than any other, it was.

It was his 20^th birthday.

How horrible that the Choosing Ceremony was to take place on the same day.

It was like a cruel joke.

Maybe, if people still gave and received birthday gift, his could be that he didn’t have to go to the Ceremony.

“Good morning, son.” Andrew Gage said, nodding to Tyler as he sat across from him at the modest wooden table. One of the neighbors had made it for them �" and in exchange, Veronica had made them a quilt.

In order to take, you must give.

“Good morning,” Tyler answered politely. He sipped at the juice his mother had set at each setting, thinking fondly of bacon as he slowly ate his porridge. The setting to his left was unmade. “Where is Adam?”

Adam, six years younger than Tyler, was usually the first one awake �" he had a habit of making as much noise as possible (accidentally, of course) right outside Tyler’s bedroom. This morning it had been curiously silent.

Tyler watched as his parents shared a quiet look and then pursed their lips.

“He’s already gone ahead.” Veronica said with a tight smile. “Eat up.”

And that was the end of that.

Children had no place in questioning their parents. Even though Tyler wasn’t a child anymore. Until he got a job and built his own home, he was dependent on his parents and that, according to the System’s rules, made him a child.

 

The summer breeze is warm as Tyler walks between his parents towards the Church, a nondescript log building with no significant religious relics adorning it �" inside changes depending on the religion it is being used by. The breeze flutters the trees, carrying with it the unmistakable smell of burning wood. Tyler looked North, towards the Mountains and saw a cloud of smoke. He doesn’t ask his parents about it �" he already knows, without their conformation that it’s the Rebellion.

The Rebellion, in accordance with its namesake, is a group of people who don’t agree with the System or its rules. They were anarchists; lovers of chaos and married to sin �" according to the System elders. There are no leaders in the System. The very thought of a leader went against everything the System stands for �" democracy, symbiosis. So the elders, the ones who’d been around longest, advised on decisions and major changes. Everybody would be an elder eventually, so the System allowed they’re sway.

Tyler stared at the billowing columns of smoke. The Rebellion has leaders. There’s a whole bunch of them, but the main two, a married couple, pull most of the strings. Matthew and Victoria Hale. From what Tyler has been told, they have a daughter of unknown age, and they rule the Rebellion like a well-oiled machine. The rest of the Rebellion looks to them for guidance, for commands, for their next move. The Rebellion doesn’t attack �" mostly they just make a lot of noise and stage little grievances against the System. They take without giving, they are fierce in nature and they never follow any rules.

Tyler has never spoken it aloud, but he admires them. Even now, looking at the smoke, he felt a twinge of jealousy at their outright bravery. Being in the Rebellion is dangerous. The System can’t do anything to them, any act against them breaks the rule of passivity, but they do not welcome them. They are banned from the cities and villages.

Everyone in the Rebellion is disowned by their families after they join. They are alone �" except for each other. It’s a terrifying prospect. One that Tyler has wished he was brave enough to take on.

“Tyler.” Veronica took her sons hand in her own and tugged him towards the Church. “It’s time to Choose.”

 

It was a lie, Tyler thought as he was ushered into a neat row with the others. They weren’t going to choose anything. They were going to sit in wooden chairs and listen while the elders read out their job. It was based on a number of tests they’d taken throughout their life. Each mark is kept in the Records and then pulled out to compare. In the end, it’s what you scored highest on. 

Tyler sighed at the neat shoes on his feet. They aren’t mine, he thought. They belong to a neighbor. Probably gotten exchanged for a jacket or something.

He was brooding at the loafers when a rock hit him in the head. Rubbing the stinging spot, he turned to meet the amused eyes of his closest friend, Clyde Markson over the head of the small twins who stood behind him. Clyde isn’t what you would call an attention grabber. Chocolate brown eyes set into an average face, a head topped with tidy brown hair, on top of slender shoulders and a tall, lanky body. Mostly, he’s just annoying.

“Sulking is against the rules.” He whispered to Tyler, a smirk turning up the corners of thin lips.

“So is violence against others,” Tyler said back, rubbing his head for emphasis.

They both chuckled as one of the Teachers wandered back down the line towards them.

“All ready?” She asked, her sharp green eyes lingering on Tyler and Clyde.

They all nodded.

“Let’s go.”

The line began to move, and Tyler swallowed back a scream as he stepped into the view of mostly everyone in the village. They all smiled and nodded approvingly at them as they stood in front of the chairs all lined up facing the crowd. Once the last person was in position, they sat as one.

Tyler avoided his mothers’ eye, afraid that she might see the hesitation in his eyes.

Sure, he could have not come today. He could have stayed home. But then he would have been a burden to his family. And that, according to the System, was a shame to the entire family name.

Tyler resisted the urge to tug at the stiff collar of his dress shirt as one of the elders stood up and made her way to the podium.

Her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her neck, the light brown dress she wore was patched in places. Her voice was raspy when she spoke, “Welcome, friends and family to the Choosing Ceremony.” The wrinkles etched into her face deepened when she smiled over her shoulder. “This has been a long time in the making, and we are very pleased to be sharing this day with all of you.”

She made her way back to her seat, and another elder took her place. A man this time.

He used a cane for balance, and he walked very slowly.

Tyler stifled a yawn, watching the man move towards the front of the room.

“As always, we will start the Ceremony with the pledge.” He took a breath, and for a second Tyler thought the intake of air might make the old man keel over. But then he opened his thin mouth and began to speak the words that had been passed down for centuries, “In order to take, you must give. That is the creed that we lived our life by.  Peace, Respect, Dignity. That is the mindset we must preserve. Symbiotic, always. That is our way of life. Passivity is our responsibility. That is our belief.”

In unison, everybody in the Church repeated the words back to the man. He smiled briefly. Tyler had a vague notion that his weathered face might crack.

As the man made his way back to his seat, a holo-projector was set up and a perky young woman with straight as rain blonde hair and caramel skin smiled brightly at everybody, her impossibly large eyes beamed bright at stars with her excitement. Her simple blouse and pants were a modest shade of pink.

“Let’s get started!” She said cheerfully, “I’ll read the name, and then we’ll find the Job!” She pressed a slim finger to the wireless pad she held and an image appeared within the hologram. A girl with rosy cheeks and brown hair. “Angie Bradford!” There was a pause as Angie Bradford’s image blurred and then beside her name black letters formed a word. “Teacher!” The perky young woman read out uselessly.

There was a polite applause and then the woman pressed her finger to the pad and another face appeared. A boy with a shaved head and blue eyes. “Angus Gunther!”

Tyler looked at Angus down in the front row, next to Angie. He looked at the holo-screen like it was his salvation. Why can’t I be like that? Tyler asked himself. Why can’t I believe in this, too?

The question was thumping around in his head when he noticed the door at the back of the room open and a girl slipped inside. From the distance, and all the people that separated them, he couldn’t make out who it was. She had dark hair and pale skin. Again, the distance barred him from noting any distinguishable features.

She watched the ceremony while leaning against the wall beside the door, her arms folded across her chest, and one pant clad leg bent so that a boot rested against the wall.

Tyler was so busy staring at the girl that he almost didn’t recognize his name when it was called. But the ice slid through his veins, and his heart began to thump wildly and he jerked back into his body. A picture of him danced in the shimmering light of the holo-screen, and when it blurred Tyler gritted his teeth to keep from throwing something at it before his fate was decided.

How could this be it, he wondered.

How could his life be decided by tests? How was that even fair? What if he didn’t want to be a carpenter or a doctor or a vet? What if he wanted to be something else? Something that didn’t contribute to the System, or the village.

What if he just wanted to be left alone?

That smacked of Rebellion. And the idea of being disowned shot that horse in the face before it could take root and pull him out of his chair.

The letters started to form next to his name. Tyler squeezed his hands together in his lap until his thought he’d break something. Surely bones weren’t meant to be bent like that?

And then the letters formed a word, and all the breath left his body.

He heard the clapping as if from through a tunnel. He listened to the last remaining people to be Chosen with half a brain, and then stood while the entire Church applauded. He allowed himself to be led out of sight, and into the room where they had all lined up before their fate had been decided. He felt someone clap a hand on his back, and he nodded his thanks and congratulations.

Parents and friends filled into the room. Hugs were given, cheeks were kissed. Somebody made a reminder about the potluck at the Andersons and everybody rushed off for the food and drink and celebration.

Tyler stood, alone, in the back room of the Church and looked around almost helplessly. His gaze ended up on his shoes.

They aren’t even mine. And what was to say the feet were his, and the legs and everything else attached to them. At that moment, if didn’t feel like his life was his. Maybe he’d borrowed it; like the shoes.