WE STILL EXIST

Chapter One- School

Noah Blake

I walk through the halls of the one-level schoolyard. The building has twelve rooms, one for each grade. There is a separate building for the younger kids, once they reach a certain age, they can come to the school.

I am a senior this year. I and Maddie are at the top of the food chain and, she is. I am still a working-class member of the group.

My locker is smaller than most of the other ones. I only keep the stuff I don't need for the day there until I go home. Putting the two textbooks and notebook in the locker, I shut it and walk to the classroom.

Maddie is already here, she sits with her legs crossed at the ankles talking to Oscar. He is also a senior and has a reputation for sleazing around.

"Oscar, you know asking me for the fourth time to go out without is not very gentleman-like." Maddie reminds him, "my father wouldn't appreciate that."

He scoffs, "if your father knew how much you go out, he wouldn't think you are very ladylike."

Before I can step in, the teacher comes in and tells us to sit down. We take our seats and open out notes for a lecture on agriculture... Boring.

I sit here listening to Mr.Hall talk about farming and the importance of soil. Don't really need to know all of this since I work in engineering. My father does most of the land jobs and is in charge of that, but with him being sick it is more difficult for him to work.

The lecture ends and we move on to math. Not my favorite, but I am good at it. I have to be if I want to become an engineer. I need at least a 4.0 if I want to get into the engineering program they have at the off-group college.

There are four of them stationed around the country. It is separated into three parts. North is commuted by the old country, Canada. East is occupied by the original thirteen colonies. South is the old land where most conservatives used to live. Then we have the west which is where I live.

In each of these parts, we have groups. In those groups are sectors. My goal is to go North, I heard from travelers that the North is the most diverse culturally and systematically.

My parents are not opposed to moving up North, but the group is against it. We have the weakest and the least amount of population in all of the parts. The more people we have, the more likely we will survive in society.

The four colleges are the key to getting out of this terrible sector and group. It will be a lot of work to get there, I need another .8 to get accepted. That should be easier said than done. This year, we have a more rigorous testing system for seniors.

"Hey, are you listening?" Maddie swats my arm and when I look up, I see her standing.

Class is over and it is time for the first break. She calls me up and leads me to the bathroom.

She pulls lipstick and mascara out of her backpack and applies them to her already perfect face. Her short blonde hair is pulled back in a short ponytail.