The Nevers

Chap. Two - Life

  The Great Freeze was terrifying.

  Or at least, that's what I've heard. 

  The last few documented it in videos, history books, papers, everything leading up to 3000 years later, to us.

   No one knew the cause. Pollution? Global freeze? Others suggested that the sun had burned out even when scientists from the 2000s said that the sun had much more time. 

   And they were right because we still get it. Spring, Summer, Fall.

  But the mystery still lurks under the trees, behind the bushes: why did the world freeze over?

  "Alice!"

  I heard the name like it was coming from a tunnel, far away. Who is Alice? a voice in my head asked.

   You, stupid. Another voice in my mind said.

    "Alice!" 

   Through my haze I could only hear a small, pitchy voice calling my name. 

    "Alice, wake up!"

   I jolted awake, covered in my white bedsheets and white sleeping gown. My hair was a mess, I could tell, and there was suliva tugging at the corner of my mouth.

  What a start. My sarcastic self got the best of me.

  Shut up. My normal self retorted.

  I looked to my left to see Elly standing there in her school uniform, staring at me with huge blue eyes. Her blonde hair was held into a tight ponytail. (School rules.) And she had her white lunchbox in her hand.

  "Oh hey, Elly," I mumbled, embarrassed due to my "morning glow". She saw me wake up like this every day, but still, it was embarrassing. I still played it (un)cool. "'Sup?" 

   'Sup? My sarcastic self chastised. Really? That is so 2000--

    Shut up or I'll wash my--our--mouth with soap, I threatened, feeling insane as hell. I wasn't actually gonna do it.

   But it shut her up.

  Elly finally spoke. "I'm gonna be late for school!" she practically yelled in my ear.

  Crap.

   I groaned out loud, falling back into the bed. That would be the third time I made Elly late for Miss Quarterman's class. She felt bad for the lady because she was actually very nice.

   "Oh Elly, I'm so sorry! Go downstairs and uh..." I paused. "...finish reading The Hunger Games." It was a very old book, from the 2000s, and yet, somehow, my sister had the last copy. Go figure.

   Elly nodded and she scurried downstairs, her long boots thumping down the stairs. I didn't move until she was gone.

  Part of me, the selfish part of me, wanted to pull the covers over my head and regain five more minutes of sleep. But I didn't. All for Elly's sake. I distantly sat in bed for several moments before my sarcastic subconscious reappeared.

   Get your lazy ass up, she said.

   I cursed myself, knowing that Sarcastic Alice was right. So I got up and took a shower with the water hot as hell.

   I dropped Elly off at 7:40. Only ten minutes late. That was much better than I thought considering the lenght of the shower I took. (Our rules say that the showers should be at a 19-minute maximum.)

   I stayed for several moments in Miss Quarterman's classroom because she said that she needed to speak with me. Automatically, I thought, Oh crap, she's gonna be pissed at me for Elly being late. So I did what anyone naturally would have done: I apologized.

   "I am so sorry Elly's late...again," I said. "I woke up late and I had to walk 'cause our hovercar needs fixing and--"

     Miss Quarterman stared at me, confusion in her eyes. She looked really young. If I were to guess her age I'd say between twenty and twenty-eight, nothing older. Her hair was cut really short into a nice pixie cut and she seemed to smile a lot.

    Like how she was smiling now. "Oh, this isn't about this morning," Miss Quarterman said. I breathed a sigh of relief. 

       "It's not?" I asked.

       "No, I really needed to ask a favor of you."

      "Of course." I said it too quickly.

     "Well, the class is going to do a presentation for the Admissions this year." She paused and eyed me up and down. "And I think you're part of this year's graduating class?" I nodded.

      The Admissions was a ceremony held every year. You see, our society is organized differently. From the time they are born to the age of eighteen, every citizen of the Safeland (which we now call Forever) is part of the General Public. No job, no categorization, just a plain simple life. (Think it's fun, well news flash, it's not. Not for me.)

    Onec we come of age, we have to take a test which gathers data of our personality and seperates us into groups. Once categorized, we recieve our jobs, home, community--basically our entire life. And we have to live it. 

    Of course, there were people in the past who didn't accept their path so I heard they were thrown into the Outdoors, which really, was the rest of the world who was still under the effect of the Great Freeze. For all that I know, they were dead.

    A lump rose into my throat at the mention of the Admissions. It was nerve-racking.

    "Okay," Miss Quarterman continued. "Then Ima just ask you to help out, y'know: help get the kids together, set up lights." She took a long look at me. "You up for it?"

     I nodded. "Sure." I wasn't really a big fan of preparation and I also had plans with Jack, but Miss Quarterman has always been nice to me and I owed her. "It's the least I could do."

     She beamed with delight. "Awesomesauce!" I blinked, surprised that was still a thing. "Now I'm gonna have to kick you out 'cause these kids are getting impatient." She was still smiling. 

     I laughed. "Okay. Bye, Miss Quarterman!" She waved goodbye as I gave Elly a small smile. 

     Then I left.

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Okay, thank you so much for reading this chapter! I had some fun writing it.

Have you checked out my cast for this book? Please check it out and tell me what you think! And lastly, please don't forget to vote and stay active for a dedication.

By the way, I think you guys will really like this next chapter! 

Next Chapter- Jack + Alice in a classroom= chemistry!

So stay tuned, guys! 

       Peace, KMHolmes100902