The Dome

Chapter 4, Belville

I wake up in what seems to be the back of a truck. Jonah Kang is slumped on a stack of hay, blankly looking at me. I stare back. "It's been  hours," he says in an I-Don't-Care voice. I don't respond. We are wearing the same gray clothes, with the Federation symbol printed on the pocket of the shirt. I knock on the glass that separates us from the guard driving the truck. I want my mint green dress back. Not that it matters, but right here, right now, it feels like the only things I will be able to cling to.  My hair is neatly tied in two braids. I pull on the tie at the ends, and release my curls.  " I thought they would execute us by now". The truck hits a bump. Instead they made us look pretty. I pick at a piece of hay. Knotting them, and un-tying, over and over.  A fidget trick Jonah used to show me in school.  Not that that matters anymore. After a while, the truck doors open, and we are provided with cold cheese sandwiches. I snap at Jonah for chewing too loud and rolls his eyes, which just annoys me even more. The glass in front of me slowly becomes less transparent, turning into a television screen,  and standing there is Laurette Hancock, the president of Alldoria, founder of the Federation. As the federation anthem quiets down, she begins to speak.  " Hello, and welcome to Bellville, the capital of Alldoria." Laurette is wearing an orange blazer, and long black earrings. Her dark skin glows in the sunlight. "We have chosen to  use you two, to test the first flight of the new non-human controlled private airplane." Jonah looks just as confused as I am. She continues. " Before the flight, we'll need to prepare you. A camera will be implanted in each of your heads, so we can always know what is going on. Then you will each be provided new clothing and stylized by our best designers here at Alldoria. Finally, the whole process will be broadcasted live across Bellville." She then takes a very long sip of her drink, and lets the television change to glass again. Jonah gnaws on his finger, to the point where I think he is going to reach the bone. After a few minutes, the truck doors slide open, and a guard takes my hand. I slip out of the truck, and we wait for Jonah. " Well come on now". He steps out of the truck, scraping his bare feet on the pavement. The guard leads us into a tall building, with glass sculptures in the front. One of which has mirrors on the top. Staring at my reflection, I look tired and worn, not my usual self. We walk into an elevator, after waiting for it to drop down. The elevator is tight, and smells of lemon cleaner. The guard presses the button marked 58. The summer heat, and the tightness, does not make for a pleasant ride. When we finally reach the top, we walk into a room titled "Lab". Where two tables are stretched out, waiting  for me and Jonah's presence.

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A woman with a lime green buzz cut approaches us, in an awkward way, as if she thinks we are aliens of some sort. She shakes my hand, rapidly. "Hi I'm June, I'll be implanting the devices." We are taken to a small room with blue walls, and  a table in the center. On top of the table, sits a head model with red dots below the ear, and above the eyebrow. June explains that this is where the communication devices will be implanted.  She then leads us to a room with two cots, and white panels, from the floor, to the ceiling. "This is where you will be staying," She explains. Out of all people, I would not pick Jonah Kang, to spend the last of my life with. Never mind share a bedroom with. June tells us that she needs to get everything set up, and leaves us in our room. Jonah slides onto  his cot, and presses his hands behind his head. I curl up my body , facing the wall. My eyes are so heavy, that closing them sends me to sleep almost immediately.