The Meeting

The leaves fell slowly to the ground as Lillian walked through the trees. Her mind was in deep thought as she wondered about the upcoming Meeting. The Meeting was a ritual the whole community had once a year. During this time, all the students that were graduating from high school and going to college would receive a picture.

Lillian was seventeen this year, quite young for someone to receive a picture from the Meeting. However, she knew that despite her age, she wouldn’t be able to stop what would happen to her. Unlike other communities, the community Lillian was in decided the future of everyone physically. That meant, the chiefs of the community will determine what each person will look like in the future.

I’m scared. Lillian thought. She stopped in front of the river and then turned back around to go home. Perhaps I should talk to my parents for comfort.

Each picture a person received was unique from the others of the same grade. However, each picture matched one from the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that, and so on. To whom the pictures were to be given to was thought over carefully by the chiefs ever since the students reached twelfth grade. For a year, the chiefs would occasionally appear in a classroom and stand in the front like a statue, just watching the students. At the beginning, the students would shift in their seats from uneasiness before learning to ignore the chiefs.

Then, after the year of close examinations, the students would go the Meeting. Everyone in the community would go. The newborns, the adults, the families of the graduating students, the chiefs, and so on. There, the students would be called up, one by one, to receive their pictures. Then, the students would wave to the audience, before disappearing behind a door on the stage. Where the students went, the younger kids never knew. The adults did, but were sworn to never tell. This is what unnerved Lillian the most.

Arriving at her home at last, Lillian slipped off her shoes, then went inside her house. Her mother and father sat on a couch, in front of the TV, watching the latest news.

“Remember everyone, tomorrow is the day of the Meeting. Please make sure all graduating students are ready. There will be food and drinks supplied.” The newsman said. Just then, Lillian’s parents turned off the TV and got up, noticing Lillian standing at the doorway, still looking at the TV.

“Nervous, Lillian?” Lillian’s father asked.

“Sort of. I’m scared of what they’ll do after I go past the door.” Lillian replied casually. She saw her mother grimace as her father tried to smile calmly.

“Nothing really to be afraid of. You just get ready for college….and meet the people in your future school….” Mother said, her voice getting quieter by each word.
Lillian nodded, knowing that her parents couldn’t say any more. She slowly walked upstairs to her room.

As she got ready to go to sleep, a sound from her window interrupted her thoughts. Walking over, she realized that her neighbor, Matthew, was throwing rocks at her window. Pulling up the large piece of glass, then bending over, Lillian was about to shout at him, before realizing he had graduated last year and may be able to tell her the truth. After all, he was known for breaking community rules.

“How ‘ya doing, Lillian?” Matthew grinned widely.

“Matthew, can you tell me about what happens at the Meeting?” Lillian asked. Mathew’s smiled immediately disappeared and became quiet. Lillian was shocked by this because usually, Matthew wouldn’t hesitate to talk, no matter what the topic was about.

“It’s bad, Lillian. It’s horrible.” Matthew said. He then looked up at her, “I would’ve run away if I knew what they would do.” The wind whipped at his hair, showing his covered right eye to her. Matthew wasn’t the ugliest person in the community, he was quite handsome. But then again, everyone in the community, eighteen and above were handsome or pretty.

“If anything bad is going to happen to you tomorrow, Lillian, just come find me and I’ll help you escape. I don’t want you to feel the same amount of pain that I did.” Matthew shouted. Lillian blushed at his words, then thanked him, before closing her window and climbing into her bed. She was too tired by now, so was unable to think carefully about the words Matthew had just said.

~~**~~

“Lillian, wake up! It’s the day of the Meeting! And you’re part of it this year!” Lillian’s younger brother shouted. He jumped all over her bed, before accidentally jumping onto one of Lillian’s legs. She immediately shot up and slapped Jack. Jack giggled before climbing down, knowing his job was done- waking up Lillian.

Lillian’s mother came through the door, giving Lillian a blue graduation robe. It was nothing fancy, everyone wore the same kind. Lillian slipped into it and joined her family, walking towards the auditorium where the Meeting would be held. There was no need for a bus to ride to the auditorium. Actually, there were no buses available. All the bus drivers were also walking towards the auditorium.

More leaves began to fall down. Jack ran ahead, trying to catch the green and yellow leaves, stepping on the red and orange ones. Lillian laughed before running to join him. Soon, they had arrived at the place of the Meeting.

After saying a quick goodbye to her family, Lillian went over to the front seats, where all the graduating students were sitting. She picked a seat near her friends. On her left was her best friend, Stally. Stally had red, curly hair. She also had small freckles across her face and reddish-brown eyes. On her right was a boy who she didn’t know. He had on a baseball cap that covered his eyes.

A few minutes later, the chief of the chiefs, also known in the community as the CC, came onto the stage and began to call kids up. The first graduating student was the one sitting in the chair labeled with the number “1”. He received a picture of a boy that looked a bit like him- blue eyes, blond hair. The second person was a girl. She smiled when she received her picture. It hardly looked like her. In the picture was a girl with red hair. The girl herself had black hair. This went on for a few moments, the students receiving their pictures, then disappearing behind the door.

Before long, it was Lillian’s turn. She walked up calmly to the stage. Although she saw the whole audience clapping, her ears did not take in any sound. At last, she received her picture and gasped loudly. She slowly turned the picture over to show the audience. That was when the audience all became silent- at least, all the adults. For the first time ever, someone received a picture of a person of the opposite gender- and it was a new picture. No one had ever received that picture before.

Trying to keep herself calm though, Lillian waved to the audience before holding her breath and walking through the door.

“Welcome Lillian. Now, we’re the ones in charge of changing you to how you would look like in the future- forever.” The two doctors pointed at the picture Lillian held. She then realized what Matthew had meant. She panicked as she looked quickly around. She found the door labeled exit and sprinted towards it, turning the handle just in time. She pumped her legs at full speed, dodging anything in her way. She could hear the doctors behind her, yelling for her to stop. But, she never did. She ran between trees and into alleys, trying to use objects to stop her pursuers.

She ran towards the river, not caring whether or not she can swim across. At that point, she saw a small boat, with a boy in it. Not caring who it was, she jumped into the boat, shouting, “Quick! Quick! Go! Go!” while looking back at the doctors behind her. It was not until the boat had completely left the dock that she calmed down and turned back around to see the boy beside her.

It was Matthew.

There was silence as the two looked at each other. The smile on Matthew’s face calmed her down slowly. Then, all memories of the times Matthew had saved her from trouble came to her. "I don't want you to feel the same pain." said Matthew. Smiling shyly, she leaned forward, their lips slowly touching as the wind whipped around them. Red and orange leaves fell from the sky and a flock of birds flew over their heads.

Perhaps, Lillian thought, autumn isn’t always the time of fright and sadness.