Solemn Hour

Upon entering the large chamber a feeling of uneasiness swept over me. The draft was cold and the sickening white walls reflected brightly into my eyes. The shuffling of our feet echoed as we followed The Elders further inside. They brought us through a long corridor. There were other's walking down the hall, dressed similarly as the Elders. They were monotone, numb and almost faceless with their lack of emotion.

They didn't give us a glance as they shuffled past us. We reached a small room at the end of the hall. The door simply had the number 503 on it.

The elder paused and turned to face us, "Ladies," The bearded elder motioned towards the door. Karen quickly stepped forward and reached for the door, one by one each of the girls stepped in, until only I remained. I looked over at The Elders, their smiles urged me to press forward.

Slowly I placed a shaking hand on the door and turned it. The room as empty, except for a woman in a white coat standing in the center. I stepped closer "Where are the other girls?"

She smiled softly, "They've already began." She reached her hand out. I eyed it carefully before extending out my own. Roughly she grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. She held my arm up and inserted a syringe I hadn't noticed into my arm. I winced. "What was that?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Just a sedative to relax you." She spoke so calmly, she was used to frantic people coming through for their Reckoning.

"Who are those people in the halls?" My head started to feel heavy.

"Those people are here to help you on your way." The woman took my hand and led me through a door in the right corner of the room . It was the same white walls and same white linoleum floors. I could bleach, and some other chemicals In the air. The pungent aroma burned the hairs in my nostrils but brought me slightly out of my stupor and I could focus more.

There was a large white chair in the center, two men stupid on either side, both in white button down shirts and white pants. What is this?

The woman led me over and ushered me into the chair. I landed with a huff and my head spun. I reached to hold my head, but I couldn't manage to get my hand up. I tried again. Nothing. There was a pressure on my wrist, something was holding me down. I looked to my hands and saw i was strapped down.

My heart slammed into my chest, and adrenaline pumped. "Shh, it's okay. just a precaution." The woman pet my hair as she spoke.

"I precaution for what?" I managed to say breathlessly.

She smiled. "In case you react poorly to the treatment."

I was confused. A treatment for what. My breath became more labored. It was becoming harder to breath. I looked around, hoping to find a way to get out of this room. My light skin began to flush with my growing frustration and anxiety.

The door I had entered through swung open, standing there was one of the women Elders, the one who reminded me of the sweet woman who would sit in the square, the only one I ever found to be genuine in their smile.

She slowly entered the room, age clearly taking away her stride. "Lilah." She smiled.

She nodded to the others in the room. Understanding her silent words, they left the room. She stepped closer to me, her white hair and pale skin looking lighter in the white light. "Lilah," She began, "Do you understand how we help you?"

I swallowed. Honestly, I didn't. How is designing another's life helping. The strictness of our Elders was questionable and unnerving, to me at least. In our homes before sun down. Awake and ready to meet our Head of Quarters by dawn. Listen to them speak the words of our Elders, and the Elders before them. Their words telling stories of a time when all man kind was lost. Lost to themselves and lost to the world.

Of times when violence reigned, and the world lay separated by lines of the imagination. A great leader, our Highest Elder, led a group of visionaries, who saw what others were blind to. They saw that united man would reach the pillars of enlightenment. They brought down the blind and began anew. They sparked hope and light back into the hearts of those who shared their vision.

With rebellions still occurring, they placed us in our sanctuary, so that traitors to the cause could not harm our way of life. They began separating children from their families, to "prepare for their reckoning", the time when the Elders decided our fate. Parents were forbidden to see the children after they were taken. Children were groomed into ideal adults for our cause. With a dedication to the Elders and the selflessness to give up all attachments and loves for their belief. Marriages and jobs were paired based on observations during our time in the Quarters. They decided which women would give birth. Couples could not touch. They could not be selfish and give into their needs, in fear we would overpopulate and live in poverty, as in another lifetime occurred.

I heard the Elder sigh, '' I see you are your mother's daughter."

My eyes widened, "I'm sorry?"

Her smile widened, "She thought the same way you did."

I thought about my words carefully, "And how is that."

"She didn't believe in this world either. But you know as well as I do that she couldn't afford not to play along. She had no other choice, lest she called a rebel and a traitor. She'd be hung in the street." Her sweet voice turned grim.

"How do you know my mother?" I asked softly. I hadn't seen her in years. Her face was a blur and voice had almost completely escaped my memory.

"Well.. She was my daughter of course. No one knew that I knew she was of course."

"You're my grandmother?" I breathed.

"Yes."

My mind raced. My grandmother? My mother.. her ideas.. her traitorous thoughts. Passed down to me? My grandmother. Right in front of me. I'd never been physically close to my family since I was taken. At least not to my knowledge. My grandmother is one of the Elders! I screamed in my head over and over.

She reached over and touched a black curl on my shoulder, "Like your father."

"I.." I searched for the words but found nothing.

"It's okay. You can ask me anything."

I pondered for a moment, there was so much I wanted to know. She knew everything the Elders had planned. She could answer it all for me. But how could I trust her? Maybe she did know my mother and somehow learned about her misguided thoughts. Maybe she thought I'd be the same as her. Maybe my mother wasn't alive, and was accused a traitor, and now it was my turn to have the same fate.

"I know you are afraid. But I promise no harm will come to you. You will not have your reckoning ."

"What do they do to us?"

A firm line stretched her lips. She paused for a moment before continuing. "They.. essentially they brain wash you dear. They strip you of wants and emotion. They make you obedient and loyal to the Elders."

I said nothing, so she continued, "This wasn't the way it was meant to be, The Highest Elder was true to his word, but when he took on others to help him spread his cause, they over ruled him. In truth the Highest Elder was ostracized and slowly removed from public eye, so the people would not question his disappearance. The Elders spoke in place of the Highest Elder, claiming their radical ideas to be his word. Of course no one questioned and all followed. Curfews were placed. Families torn. And no one fought and no one hurt because they believed it was the way,"

Many minutes passed before I could find my voice again. "I can't believe it."

"You have a choice to make now, the same I gave your mother years ago. We can pretend, and live peacefully in this society. You will be aware, but have to live a life of secrecy, never speaking to anyone of what was said today. Or I can get you out of the Sanctuary, and you can meet the rebels on the outskirts and leave with them."

A gasp escaped my lips, "The rebels?"

She nodded, "They will wait on the edge of the field before the Outside until dusk."

The door opened and hit the wall with a hard thud. The Elder I saw this morning, the man with the emotionless face. "What is taking so long?"