In 2160 Kanatah, the grid you're born into determines everything, from your clothes to your haircut, education, and job. Avah's only way out is by becoming a doctor, but with her poor schooling, that's almost impossible.
Her life takes a turn for th...
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The labyrinth wasn't as terrifying as I thought it would be. After a few years trapped within its depths, I learned who I could and couldn't trust and what areas were better to avoid. As I walked through familiar territory, people sat with their backs against the corridor's hoary walls, wearing the same grey uniform. A little boy walked behind me. His mother was off washing their clothes in the bathroom, so I was left to watch him. I heard him chuckle, thinking I didn't know I was being followed.
Men and women lived in this maze without any barriers to keep them apart, so naturally, a few of them got together and had kids that would never see the outside world. Never feel the sun warming their skin or stand on the edge of the beach, feeling the sea lap their toes, or drawing sand across their feet as it retreated. They would never feel the light touch of snow on their skin. Though... sometimes... I looked up at the holes decorating the ceiling, it rained.
A few years ago, I had followed the map Bella had left for me and found neither a knife nor Avah after walking for thirty-six hours. Some people might think they were betrayed or tricked, but I knew Bella had her reasons for everything. And if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have found the community that treated me so well.
The faction I had chosen to immerse myself in was peaceful; they got along with everyone and served as a neutral zone between two hostile territories. Our leader, Dan, was a lean old man with a long greyish-white face that reminded me of a grasshopper. Tiny black eyes were lost beneath a broad forehead. Despite his age, Dan was dependable and was always open to giving advice to those who needed it.
The young boy, Davi, hummed, and when I looked behind me, he pretended to examine the wall.
After living here for three years, my hair reached my breasts, and I was once again the image of my grandmother, or since she was dead and no one here knew about her, maybe I was just me.
A guy with shaggy red hair had been talking to one of our guards, a young boy named James. The stranger pointed to me and said, "Her. I-I need to see her."
Looking over his shoulder, James asked, "You know this guy?"
There was a scared look on the stranger's face as he adjusted his grey jumper that was ridden with holes in some places. The scent of piss wafted off him. Someone had drawn a skull on his neck, which marked him as someone weak. A slave. He was the type of man that would get stuck cleaning the bathroom for the rest of his life. He walked with a slight hunch, head bent forward, eyes focusing on the ground. "Are you Bella?" he asked, unable to move forward as James had placed a hand on his chest to hold him back.
I nodded. Most people here thought of me as Olivia's lookalike, especially after Bella had stolen my place. They didn't think someone as great as her could be trapped down here with them. They didn't realize the person they saw on TV was a fake.
The stranger rubbed his hands together, still avoiding my gaze. "I-I have something to tell you."
