The One Prudish

Chapter 1: The Families

It's been 254 years since World War 4, in 2967 ended, but the world hasn't changed...everything is still the same it was 200 years ago. There are still the six families even though we aren't really families we are more of groups of people being forced to be something whether they like it or not. The people who only believe in intelligence are the knowledgeable, the people who believe in happiness are the contented, the people who believe in bravery are the gallants, the people who believe in loyalty are the devoted, the people who believe in kindness are the considerate and the people who believe in appearance are the prudish. That's my family, I'm a prudish. Every year the heads of the families choose three people from their family to die, every year eighteen people are killed and everyone in all of the families have to watch. It's not for any reason than fun. We tell the kids to not be scared because the people that are dying are criminals but that's not true none of the people dying have done anything against their family. The Gallants kill someone from their family monthly...again just for fun, only their real family sees the person getting killed in person and the rest of the family is forced to watch in the middle of their city.

We have to stay in the family that we're born in. The heads made that rule 58 years ago. I hate that rule I want to leave being proper, unique and having to care about my appearance everyday of my life is not for me but if I had to choose what family I would want to join I come to a blank. I'm none of them, I'm more of a combination of all of them.

There is a knock on my door so I quickly finish putting my hair in a braided bun with a flower in it and open the door. My mother stands on the other side. "Hello Annika."

"Hello Mother, how are you today?"

"I am quite well thank you. Finish getting ready quickly there is an unplanned meeting in two hours with all of the families. I want you to take a shower, wear nicer clothes, put on socks that go up to your knees and redo your hair it's so messy Annika! I can't believe you actually thought you could be in the house like this. You look like a mess!"

I didn't think I looked that bad. But I did skip some of her rules this morning while getting ready she must have noticed.

"Okay Mother I'll get ready and then help Edith and Mary. If they need my help of course."

"Yes they most likely will. I'll see you in a little bit Annika."

"Yes, goodbye Mother and thank you for telling me." And with that she leaves. My mother always tells me that I look horrid and I should take more pride in my appearance. She doesn't know this but at night I just lay down and do what a kid would if they didn't live in Prudish. Be myself.

I start getting ready with undoing my hair and all of my clothes. Right now I'm wearing a tight light blue strapless dress that goes to my mid thigh, a gray cardigan, gray low cut socks and black flats. I get into the shower and shave my legs three times since I already shaved two times and Mother tells us to shave at least five times. Why? I have no idea. Soon I finish and dry off then pick out my clothes. I choose red knee high socks, black high heels, black tights that go under my socks and a short sleeved dark pink almost red V neck dress that is also mid thigh. The top is tight fitting and has a floral pattern and the skirt is flowy but not too flowy, just right for my liking.

I love this dress. My older sister, Jullietiss, picked it out for me. She died two years ago from her abusive boyfriend. In Prudish we have arranged marriages that start at the age of fifteen. I'm fifteen now and my boyfriend, Stevenson, is also abusive not just to me but also to my twin sisters that I sometimes have to bring with me when I see Stevenson. We've been dating for three months and I've hated it since the beginning. I asked my brother what they taught the boys in school and he said that they were taught to be abusive. Just another reason to hate living in Prudish.

I should probably tell you more about Prudish and my family, actual family. I have seven siblings well had seven now I have five. My oldest sibling is Jullietiss, she's dead but she would be eighteen, my older brother Nelson is seventeen, then their is me, Annika, I'm fifteen, my little sister Camelia is thirteen, my little twin sisters are Edith and Mary they're ten and my little brother Elliot was a miscarriage he would be eight. My parents gave up with trying for another child after Elliot died. I miss Elliot and Jullietiss very much and I think about them almost every day. We weren't allowed to have a funeral for them because Mother and Father said that it was too basic so we just have a place in the garden for them. Most people in Prudish don't care about their appearance or being proper when they are in their own home but my family does. I feel so bad for my little sisters they are still learning and that must put them under a lot of unneeded stress. All of them even my brother doesn't keep up the proper act when they're alone especially when we go somewhere just as siblings. I love seeing them being themselves they look so happy and free.

Prudish has many rules, 472 rules just for the family and then there are also twenty-three rules made by the heads for all of the families. In history class at school I learned about how things used to be and how the families were made in the year 2197. I wish they never made the families, people used to be themselves, happy, smart, kind, loyal, brave, proper, unique and whatever else they chose to be.

I look at the clock in my room and it's been an hour so I have to finish getting ready so I can help my sisters. I decide to do a simple yet elegant hairstyle. I do a french braid with a red and black ribbon mixed in. I also put flowers into my braid. If you haven't noticed I love using flowers in my hair I think it makes it look so much prettier.

I leave my room and head to my sisters room. I knock and Mary answers, they haven't started getting ready so I have a lot of work to do.

"Why hello Mary!"

"Hello Annika. Has Mother sent you to help Edith and I get ready?" Mary asks me while I walk into their room.

"Yes she has. Would you two like to match or be completely different?" They look at each other and Edith says.

"We would like to be different please Annika."

"Sounds great!"

"Is mother near us?" Mary whispers to me.

"No, I'm not sure why I was being proper. I guess it's just a habit. Sorry darlings."

"It's quite alright Annika." Edith says. I go to look in their closest and see something perfect for them. I lay out a yellow a short sleeved yellow dress with butterflies around the hip that goes to their knees. I also lay out white leggings and flats that have a white background with a butterfly pattern on it for Edith. For Mary I lay out a long short sleeved teal dress with an open back. I find a belt with a flower on it. I also have her wear black flats and short flower socks.

"Go get changed then I'll do your hair."

"Okay, thank you for helping us get ready Annika." Edith says.

"You know I love helping you it's like playing dress up but on you two not me!"
I say and the girls and I laugh. While they are changing I think of what I want to do for their hair I'm going to incorporate butterflies for Ediths and flowers for Mary. For Ediths hair I decide to curl her hair and buy butterfly clips through it and for Mary's hair I decide to curl her hair, make two braids put them into space buns with two curly pieces hanging out and I put a flower into each of the buns.

"Nelson, Annika, Camelia, Edith and Mary it's almost time to go come down for breakfast!" Mother yells. We all go down and there are blueberry muffins on the table. We thank Mother, eat and then leave. I hope this won't take long, I want to go on a walk with either the twins or Nelson and Camelia.