

LUSH

### by

### S.L. Baum

Book Description

Bluebell has spent the last twelve years of her life at Training Tech, the government-run boarding school all children are required to attend. Now that she's seventeen she is fully prepared for Incorporation; a time when females and males are allowed to mingle again, for the first time since they were toddlers. It is also the day she must endure Citizen Branding - the mandatory searing of a mark into the flesh of the left wrist of all new Citizens. O for fertile, X for infertile. The fate of every Citizen, male or female, is determined by the results.

Bluebell knows that a Citizen's duty is to live for the glory of Concord, just as she was taught. But the frantic dreams and hazy memories that haunt her make her different, and the questions she cannot deny threaten to turn her world upside down.

Disclaimer: LUSH is not just a Series - it's more like a Serialized Television Show. As the beginning novel, it sets you up in the LUSH world and asks a lot of questions; many that are not immediately answered. Think of it like LOST or The Vampire Diaries or Heroes... and not so much like E.R. or Fringe or House. The follow-up novel is due October 2013... where the story continues.

***

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright 2013 by S. Baum

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

***

I share a house with these four people, so...

* Thank you, David, for all that you do... I love you... Around the World and Back Again.

* Thank you, kiddo #1, for loving to read so very much and encouraging me in my writing.

* Thank you, kiddo #2, for being proud of me and telling your friends that your mom is an author.

* Thank you, kiddo #3, for giving me love and reminding me when I'm working on my books too much.

***

### Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

*****

#  Chapter One

Get Up, Bluebell

The room alarm was beeping its "wake-up" pattern – two short squeals and one long, high pitched one. The pattern would repeat for exactly three minutes, increasing in volume until the entire dorm was awakened. The alarm would start out so quietly though; it had a way of invading my dreams. That morning my brain had turned the noise into a woman's voice. She was standing on a bridge, whispering, Get up, Bluebell... Get up, Bluebell... Get up, Bluebell... By the time the beeping had reached its loudest setting, the woman in my dreams was screaming at the top of her lungs, her eyes bulging with fear. GET UP, BLUEBELL!

My eyes flew open.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of my head; it hit my temple and I felt the icky wetness as it slid all the way down the side of my face. I wiped it away with the back of my hand. My heart was racing, and I could still hear her voice in my head. I took a deep breath as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, trying to calm myself and erase the desperate need to get up and move somewhere, anywhere, as fast as I could. I felt like I was supposed to run. I shook my head to clear it.

The little lights near our headboards flickered to life at the exact moment the alarm shut itself off. I knew what time it was, without having to look at the clock in the wall above the door. Six-thirty. Time to get up, Bluebell, I told myself.

Lily groaned and I heard her shifting her body. She had an uncanny way of ignoring the alarm.

Lily slept in the bunk beneath mine, and had ever since the day we were assigned to the same dorm room. My friend knew that there were exactly five minutes between the time when the headboard lights came to life and when the bright overhead light would automatically turn on, illuminating the entire room. That meant that her head would be under her pillow, desperately trying to cling to the last precious moments of sleep, until our Guardian opened the door to make sure we were getting ready for our daily classes.

"Lily," I called down to her, "get your lazy butt out of bed."

"Five minutes," she mumbled, still half asleep.

It was the first thing we said to each other each and every day. Well, every day since we were put together, in the Transition Hall.

Instead of letting her slip back into her semi-aware, semi-comatose, semi-asleep state, I leaned over the side of the bed, my long, brown hair hanging down, almost touching her bunk. "Lil-lee," I said, in a quiet sing-songy voice.

"Blue, let me be! Go away!"

"Lil-lee," I repeated a little louder.

"For goodness sake, Blue. Alright, I'm awake." Lily pulled the pillow from her face and sat up. "What is with you this morning?" she asked and rubbed her hands up and down her arms; she has the most perfect, creamy, milk chocolate skin and I am ridiculously jealous of it. "Is it cold in here?"

"Nothing," I said. "Weird dream. And the temperature is the same as it always is. Regulation standard."

"Of course it is," she yawned.

"Hey," I whispered. "It's Incorporation Day."

Her big brown eyes lit up. "Oooohh, I almost forgot about that."

"You did not!" I laughed at her. "It is all you've been talking about for the past week."

"Shhh," Lily whispered, pulling my hair. "I don't want to be put on hold – like Ivy was."

A few months prior, when Ivy turned seventeen, she bragged to her roommate that she was going to kiss the first boy she saw. Her roommate told their Guardian, their Guardian told the head Guardian, the head Guardian told Alpha, and Alpha informed The Council. It was against regulation. Ivy was put on hold and deemed ill equipped to handle Incorporation.

Lily and I had recently turned seventeen; our birthdays are exactly one week apart... on October 19th and 26th. At some point during everyone's seventeenth year, it is time for Incorporation. There are only two Incorporation days per year. One is in the first week of June and the other is in the first week of December. You qualified for the Incorporation that fell directly after your seventeenth birthday, unless you were put on hold. The girls and the boys had been kept apart from each other since the age of five – upon entering Training Tech. According to The Council's Mandate of the Great Restructuring: males and females should be educated separately and should not even socialize until they are Incorporated; because that is when they are old enough to understand the complexities of a male-female relationship.

Whatever that meant.

Other than the fathers that came to Training Tech on Social Visit days, I hadn't been near a boy in twelve years. I'd never understood what the big deal was. We are girls and they are boys. We needed to learn to work together in harmony and find a match that suited us, so we could eventually procreate. I'd read the Incorporation Guide, it all seemed logical to me. People like Ivy made a big deal out of it, acting like they were going to find some instant and true love. I'd seen my parents interact... I'd seen almost all of our parents interact... love didn't seem to be a big factor when finding a match. Love was just a word that people said, an empty emotionless word. I love you didn't seem to mean a thing. In fact, I had never heard either of my parents utter it once to each other.

The bright lights turned on.

I jumped down from the top bunk just as soon as our Guardian popped her head in the door. "Morning girls," she trilled. "Incorporation Day!" And then she was gone – off to the next room to say the exact same thing. She worked her way through the entire hall, every day, within just a few minutes. I had no idea how she could sound so lively, so early in the morning.

After our Guardian left the room, I sighed to myself with relief. It was a blessing to have a wealthy and prominent father, I would not have to worry; I would not be destined to the life of a Guardian, no matter what the tests showed.

I ran out the door toward the bathroom and Lily yelled out after me, "Want me to curl your hair today?"

"Sure," I yelled back. I would never understand why she didn't need the bathroom, first thing in the morning, like I did. I really wished we had more than just a sink in our room.

As I sprinted to the end of the hall, I looked at the calendar that digitally scrolled across the wall: Today is Saturday: Incorporation Day... Today is Saturday: Incorporation Day... Then I ducked into the bathroom.

Saturdays were usually a school day. Our weeks were regimented, with six days assigned to schooling and organized activities. Sunday had always been our day of rest. When we were Year Six students, Trainer Alpha taught us that in the past, Sunday was the most common day of religious observance. But with the numerous acts of terror and killings carried out in the name of one god or another, the practicing of religion was finally outlawed just over a century ago. All religious texts, symbols, and places of worship were destroyed. For several years after, the few groups that openly rebelled were exposed and all government benefits were withdrawn. Eventually, the die-hards were forced to flee the cities and perished in the wilds without protection, food, or shelter. I guess Sunday was kept as a day of rest out of habit.

Incorporation Day was traditionally held on a Saturday. My guess was that The Council decided we young creatures needed a day of rest after being around the opposite sex for the first time in so many years.

I actually remembered playing with boys, back home I think, somewhere where it was green and wild; not like the manicured gardens in Training Tech. I remembered running through lush, tall grass by a stream. There were a group of us, consisting of both boys and girls. But it was all fuzzy. The memory was from before I turned five, from before my parents drove me to Training Tech and dropped me off with the head Guardian.

After I exited the stall, I walked to the sink and stared at myself as I washed my hands. I looked tired; my eyes were ringed with grey shadows. I hadn't been sleeping well. I'd toss and turn in bed most nights, trying to get back to sleep after blasting awake from one strange dream or another. The tall trees, the dark shadowed places where things hide, the woman with the dark hair screaming at me, the strange need to run... to flee... to hide... all those things made it hard to fall back asleep. I wished the dreams would stop. I wished I didn't look so tired for Incorporation Day. I wished...

"Bluebell is totally zonkered," giggled Holly.

"I'm just a little tired." I shook my head and looked over to where she and Willow were standing, openly laughing at me. "Oh, you're right, Holly," I admitted, looking back at my reflection in the mirror. "I look completely and totally zonkered. I am a mess."

"You're not a total mess, you look fine." Willow smiled at me in the mirror as the two passed behind. "Well, we'll see you in the cafeteria."

"Yeah," I mumbled, drying my hands, and then I followed them out the door.

I trailed my hands along the walls of the dormitory as I walked back to my room. I had wandered these identical halls for so long, I could hardly remember anything else. I only had a few fuzzy, unreliable, flashes of life before Training Tech. How many people could clearly remember something that happened when they were four?

My great-great (some kind of great) grandfather, on my mother's side, established Training Tech soon after The Council was formed and the government was reconstructed. One of The Council's main objectives was to raise responsible human beings. It was determined that the poor were over breeding, childhood obesity was at an all time high, education standards were inconsistent, and because not all people were immunized, certain diseases (long thought conquered) had begun to return. The Council seized control and implemented birth control, education, fitness, nutrition, and general health standards. A few years later, when Training Tech opened its doors, the raising of children was taken over as well. My mother said that the people were reluctant to comply with the changes, so my great-great grandfather persuaded The Council to see the truth... that the new government knew what was best for the survival of our society.

When I got back into our room, Lily practically bounced off the walls. She was already dressed in our standard uniform that consisted of a brown skirt and a white shirt, with a pink and brown striped tie at the neck; I hated pink. Her hair had been wet down, and her natural spiral curls rearranged. Poor Lily repeatedly told our Guardian that it would be easier on her hair if she could shower in the morning. But the rules stated that we shower exactly one hour before lights out, and the rules would not be bent for a hairstyle. Lily couldn't wait until the day we left Training Tech for The Career Education Center. Our lives would be less mandated then, our classes varied, our days less scheduled.

I dressed quickly as Lily chattered on about the future.

"Six months of Incorporation, and then we get to move back to our homes," Lily said.

"It'll be weird," I worried.

"I can't wait. I hardly remember what the house looks like."

"My parents have moved. Nothing will be familiar for me anyway," I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah! I always forget... when did he get his Council Seat?"

"When we were Year One. Aspen goads him with that, like he should have been on The Council earlier. She likes to remind him that her family has held a seat on The Council since it was formed."

"That's right. You're lucky he's Council. There are lots of perks that come with being a Councilman's daughter and granddaughter... and great-great grand or however far back you go. You will never have to worry about being a Guardian or being stuck with some other low level job."

"Neither will you. Your father may not be Council, but he is in charge of Armory Development."

"True," Lily sighed. "When did you stop calling her Mother?"

"Aspen? When I was ten. She insisted I stop and told me to call her by her first name, instead. Are you going to curl my hair or not?" I said and plopped myself on the chair in front of our self designated glamour station. I hated talking about my family. My mother, Aspen, was always cold and detached whenever she chose to show up on a Social Visit Day. On the rare occasions that she would attend, she'd sit near my father, with a possessive hand on his back, uninterested in our conversation, staring with distaste at everything that caught her eye. She always had a fake smile for the other mothers, well, the ones she deemed important enough to grant eye contact.

I wished my parents were more like Lily's parents. They have always shown genuine affection for Lily, as well as each other.

At 7:15 another alarm sounded, it was our signal that it was time to quickly make our way to the cafeteria. Breakfast - a mundane experience. Multigrain oat bread, a protein and vitamin shake, and a piece of fruit were prepared on identical trays that had to be picked up from the service area, while we kept ourselves in an orderly line. Then we all sat down to eat. The Guardians watched over us and reported any student that didn't consume at least seventy-five percent of their meal. Sharing was forbidden, but talking was not. Mealtime was our time. The gossip always flowed, and Lily and I started to get an earful the moment we sat down at our table.

"I get to see my brother, Ash, today," Holly squealed with excitement. "My mother always brings a picture of him when she visits, but I can hardly remember anything about him. He definitely grew into his good looks, like I did. You girls are in for a treat!" she laughed.

"That's right! I forgot you have a twin." I said, and gulped down my drink as fast as I could.

"We both had blonde hair and blue eyes the last time I saw him, but his hair is much darker now, in the last picture I saw. Mother said he's excelling in his classes. She keeps saying he'll be quite a catch. They go over to the boy's ward every Sunday after they visit me. He used to snatch my toys and run from me all the time when we were little. I think he hated that I was the older twin. I am seven minutes older than him, you know," Holly smiled.

It had always seemed silly to me that siblings weren't permitted to socialize or at least visit... unless they are of the same gender, siblings will go years without seeing one another.

"I'm three minutes older than Petunia," Petals winked, nudging her twin sister.

"Petals thinks that means something. But we all know that youth wins," Petunia smiled.

Petunia and Petals or "Pet 1" and "Pet 2" - as we liked to call them - were the only identical twins at our Training Tech. Although Lily and I had heard our Guardian say something about there being another set of identical twins... males... in Three (we lived in One - where the founding government resided).

I looked at Willow. She wasn't talking to anyone. She was just staring down into her lap.

As the rest of the table continued on with their giggles and stories, I began to rub at my left wrist. I repeated the back and forth motion, not fully aware that I was doing it. My skin grew warm from the friction. Lily grabbed onto my hand, stopping me. She gave me a reassuring smile.

The table grew suddenly quiet. All talking had stopped. My friends glanced nervously at me, looked at each other, and then stared down at their own wrists. Willow stared into my eyes and nodded, letting me know that she was just as uneasy as I was. I nodded back. I wasn't quite sure how I'd get through the next part of my day.

We all finished our breakfast in silence.

There are two things that happened every Incorporation day. The second one... was being in the same room as the male students for the first time in our lives. The first one... was Citizen Branding. Every Citizen must have a mark imprinted into the flesh of his or her left wrist. A single circle. At the end of Incorporation when each Citizen's medical tests were finalized and the results revealed, an X would be added through the center of the circle – if a Citizen was barren and would not be able to produce offspring... or an O would be added in the center – if a Citizen was more than likely to be fertile... The fate of our future rested on those test results.

The first bell of the day rang.

It was time to be branded as Citizens.

*****

#  Chapter Two

A New Brand Day

I was fifth in a line of twenty seventeen-year-old girls. We walked swiftly, as we always did, but quietly, which was rarely the norm, toward the Medical Services Wing of Training Tech.

Medical Services was in the exact center of Training Tech; a rounded hub inserted in the center of an otherwise mostly rectangular compound. It was a stark white place consisting of white walls, white tables, white cabinets, and white-coated medical personnel with bland white toothed smiles. It even smelled white, of bleach and disinfectant. Students were required to have twice-yearly physicals, ensuring that we were all in prime physical condition. Vials of our blood were always taken, after we had been put through an extensive fitness regimen. When the results of the tests came back, an altered diet was prescribed for those who had need of it, extra physical activity was demanded of those who registered an unacceptable body fat percentage, high calorie shakes were added to the breakfast trays of those who weighed too little, and medicines were administered to those who required it.

Medical Services was also where Citizen Branding took place. We were told that it wouldn't initially hurt, but there would be a few days of a dull ache after the numbing medicines had worn off. I'm not sure if I believed the Guardians. They told us exactly what they were told to tell us.

I looked ahead, at the wide double doors, and my stomach did a flip; then it went through a full calisthenics routine. I had to take in a deep breath of air and close my eyes for a minute, just to settle my nerves. I circled my right hand around my left wrist and squeezed. My grip was so tight it began to hurt. You are being silly, I told myself. Every adult Citizen wore his or her Brand. And since I had been deemed ready for Incorporation, I was considered an adult.

I watched as Holly, first in line, pushed the doors wide open. She walked forward with confidence. Willow, her best friend, was not right behind her, as she always was. I looked over my shoulder and saw her lagging in the back, her face scrunched up in, anxious and uncomfortable. I glanced at Lily, who stood directly behind me, and frowned. She put her hands on my shoulders and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

I smiled at her and whispered, "Thanks."

"It'll be okay," she whispered back.

I nodded my head and mouthed, I know, before I turned back around.

But I didn't know, how could I? How could any of us? We just knew what the Guardians and our trainers told us. And we were taught to accept what they said without question. So I put on my obedient face and held my head up a little higher, trying to convince myself that it was all okay, and then I walked through the open doors.

Dr. Odessa was waiting for us inside. She was a robust woman, muscled and tall. I'd often thought she could pass for a man, especially with how short she kept her hair. She was the chief female medical officer at Training Tech, and ordered her assistants around with a gruff tone and a stern look. I was a Year Six when Dr. Odessa became a new addition to the medical team. She hadn't changed much. Maybe her muscles had gotten bigger, but she certainly hadn't gotten any nicer.

We were led over to an assembly line of machines, which had been brought into the medical center for precisely this procedure. The Citizen Branding Pamphlet explained the process but reading though it didn't have much of an impact. Standing in front of the machines, with your own flesh about to be marked, did.

"You will move in an orderly fashion and follow the directions of my medical assistants. You will work your way from the left side of the room to the right side. After you have received your final mark for today, please take the medicine cup from the table at the door, swallow all of the liquid in the cup, and then exit to the Main Hall for Incorporation," Dr. Odessa boomed. Her voice carried all the way down the hall, to the back of the line, with ease. "Congratulations, you are about to complete your first step towards becoming Citizens of Concord One."

When I reached the first machine, the medical assistant took hold of my arm. She wiped the inside of my forearm with cold, wet gauze and then inserted it, elbow deep, into the round, open slot in the white enameled machine. "This is step one: Sanitizing and Numbing. It will feel a little warm, and then cold, and then it will feel warm again. Stand still, count to ten, and when the machine beeps, you may remove your arm. Then move on to step two," she explained through the white mask that covered her mouth and nose. She had a white, elasticized cap on her head that covered any trace of her hair. She was unrecognizable. A non-descript face doing a non-descript job... one step up from a Guardian but far from being a lady of society, like Aspen.

I nodded my head at her and then started the mental count down. The machine hissed and steam escaped from the hole my arm was resting in. It drifted up toward the ceiling, and as I watched it rise, a blast of icy cold washed over my skin. There was the stick of a needle, and then a warmth crept up my arm, starting at my wrist and traveling to just above my elbow. The machine blipped. I moved on.

At the next stop the medical assistant squinted her eyes at me, the only part of her face I could see, before she began her explanation. "This is step two: Initial Searing. As you've been numbed, there will be no pain. You must try to hold perfectly still. The vice will keep your arm in place, so it shouldn't be too hard."

I stared blankly at her.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Also... I'd hold my breath if I were you," she whispered. "Don't inhale through your nose."

I nodded my head in understanding.

She took my arm, placed it into the machine, and I immediately felt pressure on my skin as vices were tightened around my wrist and elbow. I heard two clicks and they were secured. "Now!" she whispered as a spark of light was seen coming from inside the machine. I felt more pressure at my wrist. "Count to ten again," the medical assistant instructed in a strong, clear voice.

I counted again and when I reached ten the pressure on my wrist and elbow subsided. The internal vice was released. I withdrew my left arm from the machine and inspected it. A bright red circle had just been seared into my flesh. The assistant sprayed my arm with something. The liquid bubbled around the edges of the freshly seared skin. I continued to hold my breath not wanting to smell the burnt odor, but it invaded my nostrils anyway, along with the medicinal spice of the spray. I dropped my arm, trying to keep it out of sight. Medical Assistant Number Two pointed toward the last machine and I continued on.

"You're almost done," the assistant standing in front of the last machine said. I could hear the smile in her voice. "It's really not that bad at all, now is it?"

"I guess not," I shrugged.

"This is step three: Black Imprint. I will insert your arm, another vice will hold it secure, and then you should..."

"...count to ten," I finished for her.

"Precisely," she nodded as she placed my arm inside.

I didn't bother to count. I just waited for the vice to release me and then I removed my arm. A black circle was surrounding the red one; so close that the black seemed to be bleeding into the red just a little, there was a slightly hazy smudge where the two circles met.

"Please step forward to Bandaging," another assistant said, touching my elbow and pointing to the last station.

My wrist was slathered with some sort of clear salve, wrapped in a white gauzy band, and taped securely. I started to walk toward the door, but was stopped by a tap on my shoulder. I glanced to my left and met the stern gaze of a Guardian. She looked familiar. I remembered her red curly hair and pale white skin dotted with freckles. Freckles... Dotty... well, that wasn't really her name. It was just what we called our Guardian when we were Year Two students.

Dotty handed me the cup of liquid Dr. Odessa had told us to consume and shook her head at me. "Bluebell, you always had a hard time following through with all of the directions. You can't cut steps and still reach the end!" she warned. "A good Citizen follows all the rules."

"I forgot," I grimaced. "Sorry."

I swallowed the bitter, amber colored liquid; it was thick and cloying on my tongue. I scraped my tongue across my top teeth trying to remove some of the residue. Dotty gave me a push forward and I stepped out of the medical center. I continued walking forward toward the connecting building, which housed the Main Hall.

Step one, Citizen Branding, had been initialized. In six months, it would be finalized. Now it was time for Incorporation.

Our Guardian was standing at the entrance to the Main Hall, and next to her stood a man. The sight of a male face that was younger than one of our parents was more startling than I thought it would be. He was probably in his mid twenties, like our Guardian, but that was still a dozen or more years younger than any of the fathers that attended Visitation days. He smiled widely as we were ushered into the hall.

"Girls on the left and boys on the right," he boomed, making sure he was heard over the nervous chatter in the room.

"Swiftly," our Guardian trilled.

I glanced around the room as we all scooted down the rows to find an empty seat. The boys were entering the room from the other door. Another pair of Guardians were guiding them to their seats. Every person in attendance, male and female, was adorned with a new white bandage... and almost everyone was grasping their left wrist with their right hand. I looked down at my own arm and then at Lily's. We were doing the same.

I released my wrist and pointed toward the stage, to where Trainer Alpha stood behind the large wooden podium. She was a tall, reed thin woman, with white hair that was twisted into a tight bun at the very top of her head. Her wire-rimmed glasses were perched on the end of her nose. I don't think she'd ever had a corrective surgery or a beauty treatment in her life. She wore her age proudly, something Aspen, or any of the other mothers or grandmothers I'd seen on Social Visit Days, would never do. Aspen had so many beauty treatments that she'd pass as my older sister. Except for the sheen on her face, she barely looked older than me. Trainer Alpha was the oldest looking person I'd ever seen. But then, I'd been living at Training Tech for the past twelve years. Who knew what other kinds of people existed beyond the walls of my school?

"Young men and women of Concord, please find a seat and quiet down," Trainer Alpha snapped into the microphone, her face contorted with impatience.

Lily plopped down, grabbed my hand, and pulled me down with her. A hush spread throughout the room as everyone else sat down immediately, exactly where they were.

"You have almost reached the end of your stay at Training Tech," Trainer Alpha began. "As Year Twelve students, it is time for you to complete your initial schooling and find out where your aptitudes lie. Some of you may go on to become medical officers, trainers, Guardians, tailors, or chefs. You young men can add armory, law, and mechanics, along with many other useful careers... and if you are fortunate enough, you might even become a member of The Council. Our special young women will do their social duty and have children, keeping Concord's numbers strong, and adding new students to Training Tech.

"Once you have successfully maneuvered through Incorporation and continue on to the Career Education Center, you will find out what the future has in store for you. Many of you will eventually have Marriage Contracts arranged. Some are destined for other things. Whatever is in store for you, it is your duty to be the best Citizens of Concord that you can possibly be.

"As the head trainer, all of the young men and women here have had the pleasure of my tutelage. But our young women have never met my first officer, Trainer Beta. He is in charge of the male wing of Training Tech and will be assisting in all aspects of Incorporation. Please welcome Trainer Beta." Trainer Alpha stepped away from the microphone and gestured toward the man who was sitting quietly in the chair behind her.

Trainer Beta had probably taken full advantage of every youth serum and medical procedure available. The serums were developed well over fifty years ago to slow the aging process of the skin to a mere crawl. Men and women who could afford it looked much younger than their true age. The Trainer's skin was perfectly smooth and had that artificial, porcelain sheen that Aspen's did. My father didn't start until several years after Aspen, when she finally pushed him into it, so his skin didn't look quite as perfect as hers. Aspen liked to gloat that it took her cunning and persuasive nature to convince him that a Council member should look the part. She said he was too "influential and important" to let his age show like a common man.

As the second most important trainer at Training Tech, Trainer Beta must have decided that he was anything but common. Beta had shiny black hair, almost waxy in appearance, and a muscular build. He definitely looked older than my father, but it was almost impossible for anyone to judge age anymore, unless you were a medical officer. He strode forward and grabbed the microphone with his left hand.

He spoke in a quiet voice, full of authority. "Straighten up, men."

I turned my head to look at the right side of the hall. Every male head snapped to attention and sat up a little taller; their shoulders squared and their spines straight.

"It is lovely to finally see all these charming young women in person," he continued. "I have spent the last few months studying your files, so I feel as if I am already acquainted with you. And Alpha has told me so much about each of you as well.

"I want you to know that I think very highly of Alpha. She is such a competent and faithful woman. She has been the perfect example of a Citizen of Concord since I first met her, during our own Incorporation. That was quite a few years ago, wasn't it Alpha?" he smiled and glanced toward her. "We formed a close bond during our time at the CEC, the Career Education Center, when we both discovered we were destined to be Trainers. Throughout the years, we have molded the minds of many, many Citizens. Your parents have all had the benefit of our Training, unless of course they transferred from another section.

"I want you to understand that we are here to support you, to guide you, to help you embrace your destiny as Citizens. Wherever your aptitudes lie, whatever your medical tests show, however you may feel about it... you must do what is expected of you. There is no other option. Accept your calling. Blossom in it, like a worthy Citizen of Concord should," he finished and smiled a toothy smile.

Beta had shockingly large, perfectly straight, brilliantly white teeth. Like everything else about him, they looked manufactured. If I had to compare, he wasn't so different from all the visiting fathers I'd seen... well, maybe a little more plastic looking. But if he was as old as Alpha, then he'd had more time to indulge in the youth treatments, which brought about that desired look.

I wondered how many other people looked this way. After Incorporation was over, I'd be able to see for myself; because up until graduation we would only be allowed to leave campus for approved outings, which were closely supervised by the Guardians and during which we were always highly guarded. I was finally going to be able to discover everything that was beyond the walls of Training Tech... and not just the parts we were allowed to see.

Alpha grazed her hand along Beta's back, trailing her fingers from shoulder to shoulder. As she stepped in front of the microphone again, she gave him a small stiff smile. "Thank you, Beta. Young men and women, prepare yourselves for an intense six months of Incorporation. There will be aptitude tests, medical tests, personal wellness tests, adaptation activities, classes in proper grooming, and advanced history lessons. When you leave Training Tech for the comfort of your homes, and are ready for the Career Education Center, you will be fully prepared to start walking the path toward your appointed role in society. Stay seated while a brief film is displayed, and then you will receive your Month One Schedule before moving on to your shared meal. Concur with Concord." Alpha smiled.

"Concur with Concord," we all repeated, our standard response when parting ways.

The lights faded as Alpha and Beta exited the stage and the wall screen in the back of the room flickered to life. The patriotic theme of Concord played in the background as images of young men and women going through the stages of Incorporation were displayed on the screen. The messages that flashed between images were nothing new. We had begun learning about the Incorporation process when we were Year Eleven students. I tuned them out, leaned my head on Lily's shoulder, and closed my eyes.

"Psssst, Blue. Wake up, sleepy girl, the film is over," Lily whispered.

I blinked in confusion and lifted my head. My eyes tried to focus on the screen. I expected to find Incorporation images, but instead found Film Creation Credits, their scrolling white words on a black background. "I can't believe I slept through the whole thing. How long was I out?" I asked, stretching my legs out in front of me.

"Forty-five, mind-numbing minutes. Um, I mean forty-five, educational and enlightening minutes. Forget that first thing... just remember the last part. Oh and tell people that you can't wait to glow with the spirit of cooperation," Lily giggled.

The lights slowly came back up, brightening the room.

"Thanks, Lily. Spirit of cooperation. Got it," I nodded my head.

"Everybody please rise and follow me," the male Guardian at the back of the room instructed.

"Let's go," the female Guardian loudly clapped her hands twice.

Lily and I exited the row we'd sat in and merged into a line of people that consisted of both boys and girls. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. It was actually just a single "Ha" and not a peal of laughter, a nervous response to being six inches away from the opposite sex - something that hadn't happened in twelve years. They smelled different, salty, musty, and earthy, not fragranced and floral like us... and definitely not like my father. They had obviously been given different standard issue personal grooming products. I guess boys weren't supposed to smell like lilacs or gardenias. Somebody had decided they should smell like trees and the sea. I wondered who on The Council was in charge of standard issue scents.

I felt a push from behind and looked back to see Lily trying to gain her balance. "Quit it, Coral." Lily hissed.

Coral looked around her, with an innocent "who me?" expression on her face. But we all knew better. I was surprised that she hadn't been put on hold with Ivy. Coral was a little troublemaker. Her size is the only thing that saved her. She barely made it to five feet tall. Her big wide eyes and baby face were a false front.

Coral pushed Lily again. The second push succeeded in knocking Lily to the side, right into the arms of a boy.

"Careful there," he smiled, seizing Lily by her arms. He steadied my friend and then took a careful step backward.

"S-s-sorry," Lily stuttered. "Somebody bumped into me and I completely just fell... right into your arms."

"Yes you did," he agreed. "I'm Fisher, by the way."

"Lily. And... this is my friend Bluebell," Lily said, grabbing my hand.

Fisher had sandy blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and a warm smile. He was tall, standing a full head taller than me. His facial features were sharp and angular, but somehow he had a softness to his appearance. I decided that it was his smile that reassured you he actually cared. I mean, in those first few seconds, I knew that Fisher was a genuinely friendly guy. I liked him immediately.

"Hello, Bluebell," Fisher nodded.

"And I'm Coral," Coral shoved her way between Lily and I, pushing us apart and planting herself directly in front of Fisher.

The boy next to Fisher scrunched his face with a puzzled expression, "You sure you're not some Year Eight stowaway?" he asked Coral.

"Definitely ready to In-cor-por-ate," Coral smacked her lips together and winked at the boys. She continued walking toward the door. "Are you ready, boys?" she asked over her shoulder, before leaving the room.

Fisher laughed and grabbed his classmate by the shoulders. "Are you ready, Stone?"

The other boy, Stone, shook his head. "Not ready for that little thing."

Lily gave Coral's departing form a dismissive wave. "Don't worry about her. Coral's just trying to prove something."

"We have no idea what, though." I raised my eyebrows.

"Lily and Bluebell," Fisher repeated our names.

"Fisher and Stone," Lily countered.

Fisher smiled. "Let's go check out our new schedules."

"Let's," Lily beamed.

Stone shook his messy black hair, "This whole Incorporation thing is messing with my brain. You girls smell really good, by the way." He smiled widely, unashamed by his comment. I decided it was the widest smile I had ever seen.

I smiled back. "Thanks."

We staggered ourselves, boy-girl-boy-girl, walking next to each other. The four of us exited the Main Hall by a door that we had never used before. The large, cherry red door in the back of the hall had always been off limits. We had only recently learned that it led to the classrooms that would combine our two groups. It felt strange enough to walk next to someone from the opposite sex; it was hard to imagine that I would be spending my days with them from now on.

We paused in our tracks. A line had formed in front of a table; where names were given, records were checked, and schedules were being passed out. I glanced at Fisher and then Stone. Stone was puffing up his cheeks, filling them with air, and shifting the bubble of air from one cheek to the other.

I laughed.

He smiled.

"How many are in your Incorporation group?" I asked.

"Eighteen. No. Seventeen, because Stream was put on hold. Which was for the best. We already had a River when Stream moved here from Concord Two a few years ago. One body of moving water was enough, Stream had to go," Stone winked.

"Oh, and we don't have enough flora names to go around?" I laughed.

Stone shook his head. "The Council will probably switch up the preferred name list in a few years anyway. I think the Natural Name Guide has been overused."

Fisher nodded his head. "Yeah. I wonder what they have planned next."

"Ah, who cares? We'll find out when the time comes. So, what was that guy put on hold for?" Lily asked.

Fisher brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Well, he actually tried to sneak over to your side. I heard he made it to the medical center before getting caught."

Lily gasped. "Was it in the middle of the night, about a month ago?"

Fisher nodded his head and Lily stopped in her tracks. "Blue, remember when that alarm sounded and our Guardian came around to lock the door?"

We all paused as the line we were in came to a stop.

"I do. Oh, I do. She said it was an emergency drill, but we'd never had one at that hour before. I thought it seemed a little strange." I looked to my left and then to my right, glancing up at the new male faces that had been walking next to me. "Was that all because of your Stream guy?"

Stone released the new bubble of air that he had been using to blow up his right cheek. "Yeah, it was. It happened exactly five weeks ago, actually."

We stepped forward as the line started to move again.

"I knew it wasn't a drill," Lily smiled, and a sense of validation shined from her face. "Five weeks. The silly guy couldn't wait five lousy weeks."

"It wasn't about seeing a girl," Fisher scoffed. "It was about denying authority. Stream was always doing whatever he was told not to do."

I smiled. "That's our Coral. Except, so far she's been smart enough to not get caught doing anything more than being an unpleasant person. Too bad you can't get put on hold for that!"

We reached the table.

"Names?" the woman sitting behind the table asked.

"Lily 3.29." Lily spoke first.

"Fisher 4.01."

"Stone 2.78.

"Bluebell 1.15," I answered last.

She leafed through a pile of papers in front of her and pulled four out of the stack. "Here we are. Lily... daughter of Denver and Cheyenne, family 3.29. Fisher... son of Phoenix and Sedona, family 4.01. Stone... son of Orlando and Madison, family 2.78. And Bluebell... daughter of Jackson and Aspen, family number 1.15. Please take your schedules and may the spirit of cooperation be with you. Concur with Concord."

"Thank you, um, you too." I took my schedule and walked away from the table.

Fisher whistled beside me. "1.15 huh. Your father descends from one of the original twenty Council members. That's got to come with some clout."

"It's time for lunch isn't it?" I mumbled and quickened my pace.

"Did I say something wrong?" I heard him ask.

"It's actually not her father. It's her mother. And Blue just doesn't like talking about her family very much," I heard Lily explain.

Fisher ran up beside me. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve."

"It's no big deal. It's just that, well, I've seen Aspen rub it in his face sometimes on Visitation. She thinks that number is everything. I mean, it's just a number, right?"

"Sure. But if I could lay descendent claim to the founding Council, I would. Out of those twenty men there are less than ten with living heirs in Training Tech."

"Eight," I responded, rounding the corner toward what we were told would be the common eating area. "Two in our Year, two in Year Seven, three in Year Four, and one in Year One. There are a few in their twenties - some fertile, some not. The rest are older and can no longer produce any direct descendants. Aspen keeps track of them all."

"Aspen?" Fisher asked.

"Her mother," Lily answered for me.

Fisher nodded. "Oh yeah, right."

"You are a fountain of information. Two in our Year..." Stone repeated.

"Coral," I answered the unasked question.

"Oh yes, my friends," Coral appeared beside us. "Coral 1.01. My Great-whatever was the first Council Member to sign the Mandate."

"Give it up, Coral," Lily laughed at her. "We all know that it doesn't matter who had the first signature or the twentieth signature. They all held equal rank."

Stone blew out a bubble of air. "I believe that was repeated in Council History class every single year. Wasn't it?"

"Yes. I believe it was," Fisher remarked.

"Believe what you want," Coral hissed.

"And your family hasn't held a Council seat in, what, decades?" Stone smirked. "I don't remember hearing of a 1.01 on The Council in quite a long time."

"Oh. Just. Be. Quiet!" Coral snapped and then spun on her heels, heading toward the group walking behind us. Rosemary was with them; she always agreed with anything Coral had to say.

"Thanks, guys," I whispered. "She's been trying to get someone other than her friend Rosemary to side with her on the family number thing since she discovered mine, years ago."

"Lunch, right? We are going to lunch." Fisher pointed forward toward the building ahead of us, dismissing the subject. I'd just met him, minutes before, and he was already putting an effort into making me feel at ease. It just reaffirmed my first impression of him; Fisher 4.01 was a genuinely nice guy.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and when I blew it out I tried to expel all thoughts of Coral. I didn't want to let her sour Incorporation day for me. We continued on to our lunch and then to our afternoon lectures. We all introduced our new friends to each other. Boys met girls, girls met boys, and before I knew it, the day was over.

I fell into an exhausted sleep.

*****

#  Chapter Three

Expectations

When the room alarm sounded on Sunday morning, my eyes popped open with anticipation. It had been a few weeks since I'd last seen my father, and he had promised to be at Visitation on the day after Incorporation.

When breakfast was finished, we were sent to the medical center to have our arm bandages changed, after which we were directed to the gardens for a mandatory walk, and finally we were shuffled back to our rooms to wait. Lily and I were faced with two long hours of busying ourselves before Training Tech would allow any visitors to walk through the door.

Lily flopped down onto her bed and proclaimed that she would be sleeping. "Wake me when it's time to go," she said as she pulled the covers over her head, blocking out the light.

"Sure thing," I said and patted her head, which was just a lump under a fuzzy blanket.

"It's still weird, eating around the boys," Lily said through a yawn.

"It's only day two. I'm sure we'll be used to it in no time," I reassured her.

"I guess so," she mumbled.

"Go to sleep."

"I'm just about there. Stop talking to me."

I laughed. "You stop talking to me."

I grabbed my tablet to scroll through its contents. It contained a variety of educational games, dramas and comedies acted out on video, and written stories... all of which had been approved by Trainer Alpha. I wasn't in the mood to play a brain game so I scrolled through the video selections that appeared on the screen. Nothing looked appealing. I always knew the outcome; every character did exactly what was expected of them. I could tell you what would happen at the end, within the first fifteen minutes of every video. Whenever we watched one together, Lily would shush me every time I opened my mouth; for fear that I'd spoil the story for her. I found it hard to connect with the characters. The actors spoke so politely to each other, even when the words coming out of their mouths were filled with anxiety.

At least when I read a story, I could imagine the characters acting with great feeling. Crying so much that their whole body ached... or laughing so hard that their face hurt and they couldn't breathe... or caring so much that they would do anything just to make a companion happy. Sometimes, I didn't even read the last chapter. I didn't allow the heroine to do her civic duty... I didn't allow the hero to act according to plan... I wouldn't let the characters sum up their lives and tie everything up in a pretty little bow. I imagined my own ending. Maybe the heroine was truly confused... maybe the hero didn't want to follow each and every order... maybe they went off in search of their own answers. The story carried on that way. The bow didn't have to be tied up. I left the ribbon just hanging there, all limp, loose, and unsure. The story didn't have to end.

I selected a story and decided to read until the visiting bell sounded.

Lily and I rushed down the hall and were the first students to burst through the door into the Visitation Room. I couldn't wait to see my father.

"Mother! Father!" Lily exclaimed upon seeing her parents. She rushed ahead of me and was immediately pulled into a family embrace. Three big smiles, six arms grasped together, and I could feel the genuine emotion from where I stood.

A pang of jealousy and longing rushed through me.

I saw a head peeking around Lily's father. My father was leaning to the side, standing behind Lily's family. He smiled. I waved and smiled back as I started toward him, my steps faltered when I noticed that she was standing beside him, but I continued toward them.

"Father, Aspen, so nice to see you again." The smile that was on my face became stiff and strained at seeing my mother. I'd been hoping she would skip Visitation. We had been told to expect a full house because the day after Incorporation was historically a day for celebration, but I had secretly hoped that just my father would attend.

"So nice to see you, Bluebell," Aspen smoothed, her voice unusually sweet. "Jackson, what a grown-up girl we have."

My father let out a small nervous laugh. "Yes, dear. I'm so glad you agree. I've been telling you that for months."

"I know, Jackson darling, and I have tried to make it. I have just been so busy with the house, and my meetings, and planning her homecoming." Aspen moved her hands as she spoke. The jingle of the rows of bracelets she wore on her left arm punctuated her words.

"My homecoming?"

"Yes, child, your homecoming. There must be a Grand Gala to celebrate your graduation from Training Tech. Every family member of 1.15 has had a Grand Gala. Mine was lovely. Have I ever told you about it?"

I shook my head. "Um, no, Aspen, I don't think you have." She hadn't told me much of anything about herself... EVER. Well that wasn't exactly true. As far as our family history went, she'd told me story after story. I knew, without a doubt, how important and influential the past members of 1.15 had been. Aspen had made sure of that.

"The décor, the fashion, I remember every glittering detail. All the best families attended my Gala. I met your father that night. He looked so dashing in his formal attire. But Jackson wasn't even invited, originally. It was just fate that brought you to me that night, wasn't it, dear?" Aspen smiled.

"I guess it was," my father answered. "Monty never stood a chance with you."

"Not after I laid eyes on his older cousin," Aspen sighed, stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed my father on the cheek.

That was a display of affection! I just stood there with my mouth open.

"Are you feeling all right, Bluebell?" My father asked as he reached out to smooth my hair.

"I'm fine," I said, wondering who these two people were... surely not my parents. Aspen wasn't nostalgic and sweet. She was bored, possessive, and well... absent most of the time. "I was just wondering who Monty was," I stammered, not wanting to admit what I was actually thinking about.

"Monty is my cousin. His father and my father were cousins. My parents died when I was Year Eleven and I went to live with Monty's parents when it was time for me to start at the Career Education Center," my father explained.

Aspen patted his arm, interrupting him. "Montgomery and I went through Incorporation together. Well, I guess it was a few weeks after we left Training Tech... yes, just a few days before my Gala, that I got a video message from him, asking if he could bring his poor, orphaned, older cousin with him. I don't know why I said yes. Montgomery looked so hopeful and I was just so excited about the celebration that I couldn't refuse him. Plus, I knew the boy was sweet on me, and he was so cute back then. But when Jackson walked up with Montgomery, and introduced himself to me, all thoughts of cute little Monty were washed away. Your father is a very striking man, don't you think so?"

I nodded my head. My father wasn't just striking; I thought he was an amazing looking man. I'd inherited my dark hair and dark eyes from him. There was a quiet strength in his appearance. He stood tall, he walked with a confident stride, and he looked you in the eyes when he spoke to you. You just knew he was being sincere.

"He's lucky I let Montgomery bring him along."

Actually, I thought, you're the lucky one, Aspen.

"Oh, I'm a lucky man alright. Lovely wife, lovely daughter, life is good," he smiled. "So, how did it go yesterday?" he asked, looking down at my bandaged wrist.

"It was fine. No big deal."

"That's my girl. And it will heal up in no time flat. Then it will be time for another," he said, referring to the second mark I would receive at the end of Training Tech.

"Can I see yours?" I asked. My father was always in a long sleeved shirt and tie when he came to visit. The sleeves covered any trace of his Citizen Brand.

"Of course," he answered, pulling up his sleeve.

I traced the black circle on his skin with my finger. The brand had faded. It wasn't an angry red burn anymore, not like mine was under the white bandage, not after so many years. But the black would always remain.

"Do you remember what it felt like?" I asked as I traced the smaller black circle that had been placed in the center of his Brand, marking him as fertile.

"Not really, my dear girl. Memories fade, you know. I do remember the medical center, all white and sterile. But I don't remember much more about that day, other than Trainer Alpha and some film that I slept through," he smiled sheepishly.

"I fell asleep too," I whispered.

"No more talk of things gone by," Aspen hushed us. She pulled at the sleeves of her embroidered jacket and adjusted the row of bracelets that adorned her arm, a nervous habit that I'd witnessed whenever she came to visit. She liked her bracelets to be just so and completely covering her Citizen Brand. A glance around the room revealed that she wasn't alone in her choice of adornment. Stacks of big metal, ribbon, lace, and gemstone bracelets lined the arms of most of the women who had come to visit. But not Lily's mother; she wore a simple, but beautiful, yellow dress. The sleeves stopped just below her elbows and a single slim gold watch was wrapped around her wrist. The double circles of her Brand were clearly displayed.

Aspen cleared her throat, pulling my attention back to her. "Bluebell, my father is looking forward to seeing you again. You are a fortunate girl to be the grandchild of such an important man. He's probably the most influential man on The Council, as your father will be someday," she said, playing with the tips of her multi colored hair.

Her hair was light blonde at the root, but had been dyed a dark blonde a few inches down, then a few inches below that it was light brown, which then became dark brown, then black at the tips. One color faded into the other with seamlessness. The great mass of it was curled and styled to perfection. It must have been the latest trend. Aspen was always altering herself in some way.

"I'm not sure about that," my father shook his head.

Aspen ran her hands down the front of his jacket, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. She always wanted him to look perfect. "Of course you will be, Jackson. What other option is there?"

He nodded his head, conceding to her words. "Your faith in me is all I need, Aspen. Blue, what new friends did you make yesterday?"

"Let's see... there was a boy named Fisher and his friend Stone. Lily and I met them right before lunch. And then they introduced us to a few of their friends... River, Ash, Clay and... oh, what was that other one's name?" I paused trying to pull the name from my memory. "Ridge. Yes, that's it."

"That's six of the seventeen on the first day," Aspen noted. "I understand that one was put on hold from each group." Her statement didn't surprise me; she was always primed with facts.

"Yes, that's right. Ivy from the girls and someone named Stream from the boys," I supplied the missing information.

Aspen shook her head in disapproval. "That boy's father works for our butcher. It's no surprise that he wasn't able to produce a respectful child. But Ivy's mother is my dear friend Georgia. If that girl doesn't start making better choices then Georgia will lose some standing with society. Poor, dear Georgia. But Jackson and I don't have to worry about any such nonsense from you, do we, Bluebell?"

"Of course not, Aspen. I know exactly what is expected of me. I would never want to shame you or Father," I answered.

"You are aware that I exchange messages with Trainer Alpha on a regular basis. She has assured me that your Training is coming along quite nicely."

"I was not aware, Aspen. But you have never had cause to worry."

My father put his hands on my shoulders. "Aspen, we have a very capable, caring, and confident child here."

"And I concur with Concord," I added, providing more words that began with C to his description.

My father smiled at my silly joke. "Correctly so."

"We all concur with Concord. Concord Reigns," Aspen smiled dutifully, vacantly, and without seeing the humor of our words at all. "Bluebell, please remember, as you begin to interact with the young men, that several of them are from influential families. Some of them could be someone with whom we could potentially secure a Marriage Contract for you. Although you are at least a year away from any such decision, and the results of your final test will have some bearing on the choice, you must always present yourself in a manner befitting a family of our, well, our standing in society. You do understand, don't you?"

"Aspen and I want you to have the best of everything. She, I mean, we want you to conduct yourself accordingly. You've always received such good reports. I have no doubts that you'll breeze through this section of your schooling as well," my father added.

"The Gala will introduce you to society as my daughter..."

I interrupted Aspen. "I told you, I know what is expected of me. I do, really. There is no cause for worry," I assured her.

***

Monday's classes started off the first full day of Incorporation Instruction. I was just happy that there would be no more long lectures to lull me to sleep. I was looking forward to the day, even if our first class was Personal Grooming for a Pleasing Presentation.

Thirty-seven students sat in the room and Trainer Beta stood in front of us. His grey suit with darker vertical pinstripes had a slight metallic sheen to it and his tailor had cut it perfectly to his trim, muscular build. His lapels were wide, his tie was thin, and his shoes were shiny (without a hint of a scuff on them). A small white flower adorned his suit. So, I thought, this must be a Pleasing Presentation.

Trainer Beta's waxy hair was perfectly combed, not a hint of a stray. What had looked like a porcelain sheen, from my seat in the Main Hall, actually had the appearance of a fine porcelain glaze, from my seat in the middle of the room. Up close, his skin looked even more artificial: perfectly smooth, perfectly colored, perfectly perfect.

"Young men and young women, we are here to discuss the importance of proper grooming and presenting yourself in the style that is befitting your station. Since we do not yet know what occupation or social standing you will be in by the time you have completed your training at the Career Education Center, we will be looking at all facets of society. From Guardians to trainers to tailors to Council members; everyone must look their part and do it well. There is no excuse for slovenly attire or a disheveled appearance. Pride in oneself means pride in the tasks you have been destined to perform for Concord.

"A few months from now, you will no longer be expected to wear your hair a certain way or dress in the same uniform every day. You will suddenly be able to make your own choices and I expect them to be good ones. A first impression, once made, is hard to be undone. You'd do best to make sure you come across in the right manner the first time," Trainer Beta explained.

"How do we become a fine specimen, such as yourself?" Stone asked.

Trainer Beta smiled and walked around the podium in a slow circle, showing every angle of himself to every student in the room. "It takes diligence, young men and women. You must develop an eye for style, figure out the trends and stay ahead of them, and find the top people in the industry to keep you looking your finest. No, looking THE finest."

Holly raised her hand. "How do you look so, well, so young?"

Holly had the kind of parents that looked like they'd barely dabbled in the whole beauty treatment thing. Her mom had flawless skin, but she'd allowed the wrinkles to start to gather around her eyes. Holly's father was aging gracefully as well. But they were aging. It still seemed like such a silly question. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen the other parents on Visitation days.

"The same way everybody else does," Beta replied. His tone implied that he agreed with my assessment. It was a silly question. "The youth serums can work wonders, if you make sure you are obtaining the right ones. Quality, not price; that is the key. If you are looking for a bargain, your face will look like a bargain. But, young ones, they are not for the youth. They are to obtain youth."

My eyebrows squished together as I tried to decipher his words. "I don't understand."

Beta stood in front of the podium and scanned the room. "To quote from the Mandate on Reproductive Health... 'Though the effects of these treatments are highly desired and envied by those who have yet to achieve them, they should not begin until the fertile have produced their offspring.' You see, when the serums get into the blood stream, they adversely affect the reproductive system for both men and women. And if a skin serum is taken by a woman while she is pregnant, the unborn child has no chance. He or she will be infertile, forever marked as such. That practice is highly against The Council Mandates.

"If you have been marked infertile then it matters not. You will be able to indulge in all forms of beauty treatments whenever you wish. But no reputable physician will administer the serums without checking your Citizen Brand first. However, there is a black market for everything and the desire to appear youthful wins out over the desire for a child in some cases. Do not let yourselves fall into that trap. If you are discovered, you will be reprimanded, fined, shamed, and maybe even cast out."

Cast out of what? I wondered. Cast out to where?

We had barely been given a glimpse of the world outside of Training Tech. We exited the grounds so few times each year. Our twice yearly vacations to the beach cottages were the only times that we were able to freely observe people about their daily routines. Of course they were fleeting moments, achieved in a blur of movement from a bus window as we travelled to and from Training Tech. Our Guardians were at our sides, trying to engage us in conversation, to keep us from longing for the world outside.

I had always managed to tune them out though. I tried to absorb and internalize every single snapshot that my eyes could take. Those moments that I observed through the bus window, those were real moments. I imagined that the personal exchanges were quite different from all the approved videos we had access to. I imagined that life outside Training Tech wasn't as picture perfect as we were led to believe. But then, maybe it was my job to create my own perfection, take my place in society, and fill in the slot that had been made for me... and do it in a proper and pleasing way.

I know that is what Aspen expected of me... my father as well.

Holly's brother Ash, who was also good friends with Fisher and Stone, raised his hand up high. He waved it back and forth until Beta pointed at him.

"What does it mean to be cast out?" Ash asked the question I had been thinking.

"Being a Citizen of Concord is a privilege," Beta explained. "If you do not concur with Concord, then you do not belong in Concord. The Council will cast you out and leave you to fend for yourself, far away from the structure and comfort of our society, never to return again. You would lose all contact with family, friends, and proper society. Only the worst possible offenders are cast out. That consequence is far worse than the termination of one's life."

"How awful," Lily breathed.

Beta nodded his head in agreement. "But we digress." He clapped his hands together. "Our topic is one of Personal Grooming. Let me steer us back onto the correct path of discussion." He switched on the wall screen and began a slide show of proper and improper fashion and grooming.

***

We sat at the long rectangular table during our lunch hour, again in boy-girl, boy-girl staggered fashion. It was apparent that we were all still wrapped up in the newness of Incorporation. Fisher sat on my right, Stone on my left. Lily was on the other side of Fisher, and Holly on the other side of Stone. Holly's twin brother Ash sat next to her. Across from us were Petunia, River, Petals, Ridge, Willow, and Clay. Our table was the only one in the room that was filled to capacity with twelve students – six boys and six girls.

"All right... Ready. Set. Go," Lily said.

We all placed our left hand on the table, palm up, exposing our Citizen Brand.

A full minute of silence followed as each of us looked to our right, to our left, and across the table; craning our necks to look at the circle that had been permanently etched into the flesh of each and every one of us.

Petunia and Petals leaned in toward each other, making their arms touch, crowding River. He leaned back to give them more room.

"They look exactly the same," they said in unison and sighed in relief.

"What did you expect?" River laughed. "You two are exactly the same."

"But look," Petals said, moving her arm closer to River's. "Yours is slightly larger."

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm a male. Male brands are larger than female brands."

"Really?" Willow asked.

"Yes. Really," Clay answered. "The circumference of mine will measure exactly one-half inch more than yours. Does no one pay attention? They mentioned it in the film on Incorporation day!"

"Bluebell slept through that," Lily teased.

I raised my right hand. "Guilty!"

"His black doesn't look as dark as ours either," Petunia observed.

Clay sighed. "That is because his skin tone is much darker than yours."

"You'll have to forgive our friend Clay," Stone said after he blew out the bubble of air he'd been moving back and forth between his cheeks. "He has a brain built for small details and information, that he keeps neatly filed and organized up there... ready to supply an answer or an explanation at a moment's notice. He doesn't quite understand why we don't all function in the same way."

Fisher gave a slight nod of his head in agreement. "We still let him hang out with us though."

"Oh thanks, guys," Clay smirked. "You wouldn't have passed a class without me."

Ridge laughed. "Yeah, that might be the actual reason. He saved me from almost having to repeat Mathematical Practices in Year Ten."

"Me too," Ash admitted.

"Might be mutually beneficial, our friendship," Fisher smiled.

Clay laughed. "Might be."

"Everyone lean forward and scootch in," Holly commanded. "I want to see them all close together."

The four people on the ends of the table (Lily, Ash, Petunia, and Clay) had to stand up and lean in, but we got all twelve of our arms lined up, skin touching, with all of our brands in a neat row across the table.

"That's exceedingly, awe inspiringly wow!" Holly exclaimed at the sight.

"They are arms." Clay shook his head.

"Hush up!" Willow commanded. "Just let her have her moment."

"In a few months these will all look different," Ridge remarked.

"An O or an X?" Lily wondered aloud.

"Statistically speaking, at this table, there will be 1.2 males with an X and 2.4 females with an X," Clay supplied an answer.

"I'll have an O," Ash stated.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked.

"All the men in my family do. We're very virile." He puffed his chest.

"You can't know that. It just happens sometimes. Childhood illness, a genetic mutation, or even... I don't know... what if your mother took a serum while she was pregnant?" I countered, remembering what Beta had said that morning.

"Have you seen our mother?" Holly asked. "There's not a chance. We are safe. She just started them a couple of years ago."

"If anyone has to worry about that it's you, Blue," Willow blurted out.

I hung my head. "Oh my goodness. You are right," I breathed as the realization hit me.

Aspen used them. That was obvious to anyone. She probably didn't even care. She probably thought that the family number and the history of our Council standing would secure a Marriage Contract for me, even without fertility. She knew that no 1.15 would ever be a Guardian. The realization that my future Citizen Brand probably didn't stand a chance against Aspen's vanity eighteen years ago, hit me in the chest; hard. I slumped in my seat.

Everyone withdrew their arms and returned to their original position; spreading out again.

"Sorry, Blue. It just kind of came out before I even knew I was saying it," Willow apologized.

"No, it's fine." I attempted a small smile. "You're right, and we both know it. It's going to be 2.4 of us, so why shouldn't I be one of the 2.4?"

"Even an O doesn't guarantee anything," Clay said. "There could still be issues that hinder the successful production of offspring." But he was just trying to make me feel better. I could see it in his eyes.

It was better if I didn't try to defy the expectations. I was expected to be a good student. I was expected to never bring shame to the family of 1.15. I was expected to Concur with Concord. And I was expected to bear the brand of the infertile.

I'm sure my mother and father would secure a respectable Marriage Contract for me with someone I liked. And I could adopt a child or use a surrogate mother if I had to.

I lifted my head high and smiled. "I want a cookie. I'm going back to the line to see if they have any carrot spice ones left. Does anybody else want one?" I asked, because I was expected to.

*****

#  Chapter Four

Tests

"It's been three months of testing, Lily. I can't take it anymore," I whined. "I don't want to see another classroom or another medical center again, as long as I live!"

"Blue, get up and get over it!" Lily commanded.

I had just slumped down onto the floor in the hallway between classes. We'd been in Incorporation for a little over three months and I was losing all my energy. The daily classes, and personality tests, and medical tests, and future occupation tests, and... it all made me want to pull my hair out; one single strand at a time. Actually, no, that would have taken too long and I just wanted the next couple of months to pass by as quickly as possible.

"I am over it! That is the problem. And I am so tired." I yawned for emphasis.

It was the dreams again. That lady was screaming at me so often now. Get up, Bluebell! Run! I woke up in the middle of the night, every night, and spent at least an hour trying to coax my body back to sleep. It seemed like it took forever just to slow my heartbeat after I woke from one of those dreams.

"That's exactly the problem. You are over tired. You should tell Dr. Odessa about how you wake up every night. Maybe she can give you something to help you sleep," Lily suggested.

I shook my head and put my hands out to her. I needed help standing back up. "Goodness no. She'd put me through even more tests."

Lily grabbed my hands and pulled me up. "You cry out sometimes, you know? How bad are the dreams?"

"I don't really remember them. I just feel like I need to run away from something when I wake up. They're not exactly scary or anything. They make me feel frantic. That sounds crazy. Please don't tell anyone. Promise me."

"What's the big news there? Oooh, Blue has dreams," she teased. "We all do. I woke up this morning just as I landed on a pile of purple satin, feather pillows that were at the bottom of a deep dark hole that I'd tripped into. Who wants to hear about that dream? Don't worry about it, Blue." She took a step behind me and pushed my shoulders, propelling me forward. "C'mon we're late for Family Planning. This late pass expires in two minutes and I do not want Trainer Alpha docking us points. My father is giving me bonus money for every perfect score I graduate with, "

I smoothed out my skirt. "Okay, okay, I'm up. Let's go."

We scanned our pass at the door as we entered and slipped into the empty chairs at the back of the room. Trainer Alpha looked up as the green light flashed on the door scanner and gave us a nod to let us know she'd seen it. We looked up at the wall screen to see the words Marriage Contracts.

"Marriage Contracts," Alpha began, "are not to be entered into lightly. Once the details have been decided upon and agreed upon by both parties, contracts are signed and cohabitation begins. If the contract is not contested within twelve months, then the Marriage Contract is considered secured. A secured contract is unbreakable under Concord Mandates. The two parties may choose not to cohabitate, but they may never enter another contract for the rest of their lives."

Rosebud, the tallest girl in our year, raised her hand. She had the brightest red hair and the pinkest cheeks. Which was probably why her parents decided to name her Rosebud. We started calling her Rosy when we were quite little. She always used to laugh so hard that her cheeks would almost glow. But that was a long time ago. She'd become quiet and kept to herself. She just withdrew herself from everyone and everything sometime during Year Eight, the same year her father stopped coming to Visitation Days. After that, her mother rarely came at all.

Trainer Alpha pointed at her. "Yes, Rosebud?"

"What about when a death occurs? Can a second Marriage Contract be secured at that time?" Rosebud asked.

"Excellent question. Yes, that is the one and only exception."

"Are there ways to help someone find a second husband?"

"Of course there are. But even though The Council prefers it, not all people wish to enter into a Contract for a second time," Alpha explained.

"But she might smile again. She might be happy again and stop looking at me with regret," Rosebud whispered. "If she could love someone else, maybe she could look at me lovingly again."

Rosebud had inherited her father's red hair and fair complexion. Her mother rarely visited because every time she looked at Rosebud she saw her dead husband and was filled with despair. It took Rosy a year to admit to us that her father had stopped coming to Visitation because he had died. I had tried to comfort her then, but she never let any of us close enough to do it.

"Maybe that is something you could help her with when you move back home," Willow suggested and reached over to rub Rosebud's shoulder.

"Yes, maybe," Rosebud smiled. She looked almost hopeful.

"But you young men and women do not need to worry yourselves with Second Contracts," Alpha raised her voice, bringing everyone's attention back to her. "Upon graduation you will know what track you are on. When you enter the Career Education Center you will know if a Marriage Contract is something that should be secured quickly, or if you must wait until you are allowed to enter into one. Not everyone will choose to marry. I did not. I chose a strictly career driven path when I was eighteen, once I was told that I wouldn't be able to secure a contract for many years."

"So, what are the determining factors?" Clay asked.

Alpha clicked a button, the wall screen flashed, and a list appeared. "Financial portfolio, social clout, career choice, and, of course, the results of your Citizen Brand." Each line was highlighted as she read from the list. "They are listed in no particular order. Each has its own way of influencing your life and determining your path."

I knew that her statement wasn't completely true. "Money is a great determining factor," I blurted out. Aspen had mentioned that to me often enough. Money and Council influence – Aspen said that life was bound to be a dredge of mundane tasks without those two things on your side.

"This is true, Bluebell. If you are infertile and lack the financial or social clout to secure an early Marriage Contract, then you must choose a job-training track. Depending upon what your skills are, you could become a Trainer, like me, a Doctor, like Dr. Odessa, a Guardian, or any other profession that requires so much of your time. Fertile women with money are expected to marry early and have a child right away while they have a higher chance of successfully producing offspring. Then they can begin to work in their field if they so choose.

"Conversely, fertile women without financial means must find a wealthy partner. If that doesn't happen, they must first produce one child as a surrogate and then they are allowed to marry a man with a similar financial background. Men in the same situation must make donations to the fertility clinics before they can marry. But even then, after a single child is born to an underprivileged couple, subsequent children are usually placed up for a compensated "adoption" unless the couple can afford the Training Tech fees that are deducted from their wages for multiple children."

Fisher raised his hand but impatience caused him to speak out before Alpha had a chance to call on him. "Why does our ability to, or not to, have a child weigh so heavily on our futures?"

"Fisher, please wait until you are called upon," Alpha lightly scolded.

"I apologize."

"With declining fertility rates, the advancement of our society is vital. We cannot have a future for Concord without a future generation. Controlled population growth and an orderly society are the keys to a successful and peaceful existence. The Council has mandated what is best for us individually and also collectively. We must trust their judgment."

"Like outlawing the Second Wife Policy?" Holly said. "My mother told me that her father had two wives but nobody does it anymore."

"It seems that waiting to be called upon is a virtue you young people are sorely lacking," Alpha laughed softly. "Actually, Holly, the practice is a rarity now but still in practice by some. In the past, occasionally, a fertile woman of meager means would choose to enter a marriage as a second wife. Second wives could only be taken if the first wife was barren. The situation provided a stable and secure home for wife number two and a child for the family. For a little while they became quite popular, but about ten years ago the practice of taking a second wife became severely frowned upon."

I raised my hand and waited for Alpha to glance my way and give me a nod before I spoke.

"I know about this. Aspen, my mother, well, she was on the committee to end the practice. She said that it was never officially outlawed but the committee managed to attach a social stigma to the practice. Hardly anyone wanted to be known as a second wife after that," I said. "I don't think I would like to be in a marriage with more than one person. Sharing one's husband or wife would be quite hard."

Ending the practice of second wives was probably the one and only thing that I completely agreed with Aspen about.

Alpha sat down in the stool that was beside her. "I think it was, and still is, very hard for some people. It created tension in quite a few homes. Trainer Beta is a child from a home with a second wife. He has told me that although it worked well for his parents, it is not always an ideal situation for others."

***

That day at lunch, Lily, Fisher, Stone, and I sat at a table by ourselves. The four of us were usually seen in one another's company. In fact, we had begun to be labeled The Fearsome Foursome, although I didn't think of myself as very fearsome.

"We are seventeen years old. I can't believe that we are expected to start thinking about procreating already," Fisher scoffed.

"You are supposed to think about it, not actually do it," Lily laughed at him.

"I know, but..."

I interrupted him. "But nothing, Fish, we're simply expected to know how to properly plan our future family."

"Blue, I have entirely too much on my mind to possibly think about who I am going to be able to secure a Marriage Contract with and how many offspring I might be able to successfully create."

"Like what?" I challenged him. "What could possibly be rolling around in that busy little brain of yours?"

In the past few months I had discovered that Fisher did indeed fiercely contemplate a plethora of subjects. Just talking to him was enough to tire me out sometimes.

"Like architecture. Have you downloaded the study of architectural drawings onto your tablet? I find it immensely fascinating."

"Immensely fascinating," Lily mimicked his tone exactly.

Stone released his cheek full of air. "Fish has had a thing for buildings since we were asked to draw a house in Year Two. You should see some of his drawings."

"By the way, we are not all permitted to download the same studies. I haven't tested for an aptitude in architecture and neither has Lily," I pointed out.

"And neither have I," Stone added.

"So, Mr. Fisher, none of us," I pointed from myself, to Lily, to Stone, "are contemplating the intricacies of architecture."

"You should," Fisher shook his head. "You really should."

Lily tapped his hand as he was scrolling through his tablet, looking at architectural photographs. "Have you been approved to download the study of defensive vs. offensive armory? Because I have," she smiled.

"Lily!" I exclaimed. "Have you really?"

"Yes. I got a message this morning that the download was pending."

"Your father will be so excited!" I smiled.

Lily beamed. "I know. I am an only child, you know, and my father always hoped that one day we could work together."

"Not if you're branded Fertile," Fisher smirked. "It'd be your duty to produce a child for Concord first."

"So I start my Career training, then have a child, and later I enter the Armory development field. Women do work, you know," Lily scoffed. "Stone, have you found out what the future has in store for you?"

"Inconclusive. Further tests are needed," Stone replied. "What about you, Blue?"

"The same." I felt lighter after hearing Stone say that. I hated knowing that I wasn't showing an aptitude for anything yet. "More tests," I grumbled.

"Blue, you'll be fine," Lily squeezed my hand. She looked at Stone. "She's been having a hard time with all this testing and she's not sleeping well." Lily whispered the last part.

"Lily!" I glared at her.

"What? I just said you are not sleeping well. I didn't say anything else."

"Anything else? What else is there to say?" Fisher asked. His eyes glittered with interest.

Stone blew out his air bubble. "Yes. Do tell."

"Nothing." Lily averted her eyes, afraid to look at either of the boys or at me.

Fisher stared at me. "Oh, no. Something is going on here. "

I just stared back at him, letting a few moments pass, hoping that my silence would be taken as a refusal and they would just give up and start talking about something else. But within a few moments I had Stone looking at me with hopeful eyes. Then Lily finally turned to face me with a guilty look on her face.

"Ugh! It's not that big of a deal. I just asked Lily, my BEST friend, not to tell anyone about some bad dreams I've been having."

"And I didn't say anything about the dreams," Lily countered.

"True statement," Stone said.

"Your reaction is the only thing that made us take interest," Fisher informed me.

Stone tapped his finger on his cheek. "Bad dreams that are interrupting your sleep and making you uncharacteristically irritable..."

"Have I been that irritable?" I asked.

"A little. But then we've only known you for a few months; maybe you get this way quite often. It could be your norm," Fisher said.

Lily shook her head. "Oh no, it is not her norm."

"What's so bad about the dream? C'mon you can tell your good friend Stone."

"Now we're blowing this up into something more interesting than it really is. Doesn't anybody else have recurring dreams?" I asked.

"Sure. I've dreamt that Beta's face cracks down the left side and little Betas come hopping out. I'm on six times now, I think," Stone said.

"Okay that's just bizarre. Little Betas?" I laughed, louder than I expected, drawing a few glances our way.

"It was after I watched some video about a little boy that dropped his sister's doll the day before he left for Training Tech, and the face cracked. The doll's face was so smooth. It reminded me of Beta. I don't think anything came out of the doll's face though. That's purely my doing, I'm sure." Stone shrugged.

"I've dreamt of myself building a house shaped like an H, a few times a year for awhile now. It's like two rectangular houses connected by a central meeting area. It gets more detailed with each dream. I swear I'm going to build that house one day," Fisher said.

I looked at Lily.

"Sorry. I hardly ever remember my dreams. Except for those falling ones where you wake up before you hit the ground. But, nope, nothing recurring. Sorry, Blue."

Stone pointed at me. "Okay, Bluebell. Your turn."

"I'm in a really green area outside, lush with flowers, tall grass, and trees. A woman is holding my hand, gripping it really tight. We are running. Fast. I'm not sure if I can keep up. I yank my arm free, but keep running. I start to lag behind. We are running toward a bridge. It's made of planks of wood and ropes, all strung together. We have to cross it. I'm not sure I want to. I stumble and fall, but she doesn't see that I've fallen and she steps onto the bridge without me. Then she turns around and sees me on the ground.

"She calls out, 'Get up, Bluebell.' But I can't get up. My ankle hurts. The woman looks behind me. She focuses on something, and her eyes grow big with fear. 'Get up, Bluebell!" She screams. I shake my head. 'Get up, Bluebell!' She screams again. It is so loud. I am frozen. I can't move. Something grabs me from behind. And I wake up. There. That's the whole thing. I don't always dream it all from start to finish; sometimes it's just her yelling at me. And it used to be only a few times a year. But lately, and I mean for about the last five or six months, it's been almost every night," I confessed the whole thing. More than I'd ever even told Lily. It felt really good to say it out loud, to admit to the entire dream.

"Wow, Blue," Lily breathed.

"When did it start?" Fisher asked

I tugged at my lower lip, trying to remember. "I'm not sure. Year Eight maybe."

"You probably read a weird story or watched a video that had somebody falling in it, and you identified with some part of it," Stone suggested. "That's how mine started. Dumb cracked doll's face."

Lily picked up a chunk of pineapple from her plate. "That could absolutely be the case," she said then popped the fruit into her mouth.

"I don't know..." I frowned.

"No, really, Blue," she said through a mouthful.

"Swallow your food, Lily, you'll choke."

She swallowed. "Happy, Blue? Look, you are always reading and you've told me before that sometimes you make up a new ending to the stories. So, maybe this is just your mind working overtime. Ooooh, maybe that is the field that you are going to test into... Creative Storytelling. I can absolutely see you doing that!"

"Sure, why not." I shrugged in agreement. "It makes sense, except for the fact that in my head I don't make up entire stories, I just change the ending of approved stories."

"You make up new endings?" Fisher asked. "You are the first person I have ever come across that does that. Interesting."

Stone pointed a finger at me. "You, rebel, you."

I shook my head. "No. Not at all. I am not rebellious in any way. It's just that... well, by the end of Incorporation our lives will be completely mapped out for us. Which is good, The Council has created a structured and surefire way to guarantee that society will be successful and carry on in the best way possible. We will be expected to do our duty and exclaim Concur with Concord and Concord Reigns and all of that... which I will. So I guess it's just my one way to do something completely unexpected, in my head, where it does no harm." I tried to explain.

Stone laughed. "I'm kidding, Bluebell. Make your own stories. I believe in being creative."

"Maybe you'll do something creative too?" Lily suggested.

"One can only hope," Stone shrugged. "I don't think I could survive in one of those desk jobs, staring at a tablet all day, analyzing facts. Nope. Mr. Stone would go crazy." He punctuated his sentence by blowing up both cheeks with air. His eyes bulged, wild and wide.

"I think Mr. Stone might already be crazy," I laughed.

The bell rang, signaling the end of our lunch. It was time to go to the medical center. Another vial of blood was needed... another test had to be taken, another duty to perform.

*****

#  Chapter Five

Answers and Questions

The time had come for the conclusion of Incorporation. All things came to an end at some point, didn't they? Year One had somehow morphed into Year Twelve... twelve years of Training Tech; it was hard to believe it was over. Incorporation seemed to pass by so fast. It was like one of Stone's bubbles – blow up one cheek, move the air to the other, and then blow out the breath. The six months had simply blown by. But it wasn't really that long of a time frame. It amounted to a twenty-fourth of my time at school. Such a tiny fraction, but it held so many new experiences, new memories, and new friends that I would cherish forever.

Get up, Bluebell... Get up, Bluebell... Get up, Bluebell! The room alarm beeped at me.

Lily groaned in the bunk below mine.

"It's the last day," I whispered.

"I almost can't believe it," Lily responded, sounding surprisingly awake.

"I can't believe you aren't hiding under the covers trying to squeeze in those last five minutes of sleep."

"I wasn't able to get much sleep. I think I got maybe three hours the whole night."

"I heard you tossing around all over that bunk."

Lily sighed. "It's over. I mean, tomorrow we'll be waking up in a bed, in a room, in our parents' house."

I absorbed her statement. It was almost too much to think about. Living with my father and Aspen... it was hard to imagine. I leaned over the edge of my bed and stared at her. She was wide-awake, no covers pulled over her head. "Lily, what am I going to do without you?"

She pulled my hair and smiled. "I'm going to miss you too, Blue. We're going to be friends forever, silly. I'm still going to be there. Maybe not in your bedroom, but I'll always be just a video chat away. And our parents don't live that far from each other. Mother told me at the last Visitation Day that I could walk to your house in under ten minutes. That's not too far at all."

I rolled back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. "But Aspen..."

"It'll be fine, Blue. It'll be fun. It'll be an adventure. Now get up, get ready, and let's get going. I can't wait to see if I ended up in Armory."

"You are entirely too enthusiastic. It's freaking me out a little bit," I grumbled, sat up, and then climbed down the ladder from the top bunk. I grabbed her shoulders once I was standing next to her. "I think you've forgotten about the whole branding thing."

"No. I haven't. But we know what to expect now, don't we? It'll be fine."

"It'll be fine," I mimicked her voice.

Lily shook her head at me. "I'm not sure if I like grumpy Blue."

"I'm not sure if I like... Ugh, I'm going to the bathroom." I turned and opened the door to our room.

Our Guardian was two doors down; performing her morning duties. "Time to wake up, girls," she trilled into the other room. "It's the last day of Incorporation."

I hurried down the hall, avoiding her gaze.

End of Incorporation: Final Brand: Day of Departure – scrolled along the wall calendar. The words were too brilliant in the dimly lit hall.

As soon as I reached the bathroom, the lights came up to their full brightness. I put my hands up over my eyes, trying to block out the glow. I knew what was ahead of me, breakfast and then branding. I wasn't ready.

***

Instead of being fifth in a line of twenty girls, I was last in a line of thirty-seven Incorporated students. One by one, we had lined up at the medical center... the same machines were set up in the white room. The same medical assistants were standing at each machine. The same fear grew in the pit of my stomach.

I watched Holly, who was first in line again, go through the paces... put your arm in here - count to ten - take your arm out - go to the next machine. The only thing that differed from the first time was that when Holly removed her hand from the last machine it was neatly wrapped in a white bandage. Holly looked down at her arm in amazement. I saw her say something to the medical assistant, though I couldn't hear what words were exchanged. The assistant shook her head and pointed, motioning for Holly to vacate the room. Holly lowered her arm, her shoulders slumped, and she walked away from the last machine; disappointment was written all over her face.

It seemed that we were not allowed to see the results of our Citizen Brand just yet.

"Did you see that?" I asked Stone, who stood in front of me.

I heard him expel a breath. "We aren't allowed to know yet?"

"Apparently not," Lily whispered from in front of him.

Fisher swung his head around and grabbed Lily's hand. "It's not a big deal," he smiled at her. "We'll know by the end of the day."

"I guess you are right." She smiled back at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

I watched their exchange with my own little smile. I wondered if there was something brewing between my old friend and my new one. The looks on their faces seemed more intense than usual, more intimate than I'd seen before.

I pushed the thought away. I was probably just imagining something that wasn't there; letting my head create stories. Lily was right. I should be assigned a position in the Creative Storytelling field. Nothing definite had come my way. Everyone seemed to have at least been told that they showed an aptitude in this field or that... even Stone had been told that he showed an aptitude for the Creative Arts. I kept getting inconclusive results.

The line seemed to move more rapidly than I remembered. Maybe it was because we all knew what we were doing the second time around, and we weren't given even a moment to marvel at our new brand. We all pulsed forward with steady even steps. Within an hour, I was gripping the white bandage that encircled my left wrist, wondering what had been stamped into the flesh underneath it, and walking out of the medical center for the very last time.

"I'm dying to know what is under here." Lily poked at the edged of the white tape.

Rosemary waved her white-bandaged arm and declared that it didn't matter. "My grandfather left me enough money that the results will not affect my future at all. I can secure a good Marriage Contract and adopt a baby if I need to. This brand means nothing," she declared.

"You mean buy a husband and a baby," Coral smirked.

I gasped. I'd never heard Coral make a nasty remark to Rosemary, well not where Rosemary could hear it. She usually made her nasty remarks about everyone behind their backs. Rosemary had always stood by Coral's side. Coral, it seemed, didn't hold loyalty to anyone.

"You'd better hope there isn't an X under there," Rosemary hissed, "because you don't have enough money to buy them for yourself."

"You couldn't pay me enough," Stone quietly whispered.

I turned my head and put my hand over my mouth. I didn't like Coral, but I also didn't want to insert myself into a fight between her and Rosemary.

Coral scowled and then stomped toward the main hall, where we were expected to listen to yet another lecture about our responsibilities as Citizens of Concord.

During the months of Incorporation, I'd been amazed to learn how very many and different ways it was crucial to concur with Concord. We were expected to have pleasing hair, dress in an agreeable manner, keep savory company, secure a mutually beneficial Marital Contract, be a willing team member in our chosen profession, help our fellow Citizens coexist in harmony... the list seemed to be endless. But I'd heard it all before; they'd begun drilling it into our heads the very first day we entered Training Tech. It was what we'd been taught, how we'd been raised. It seemed silly that the Trainers felt the need to repeat it over and over and over again. It's not as if there were other options.

It was quite obvious that we must conduct ourselves in a way that would maintain harmony. Chaos was an unacceptable option – especially for me. I couldn't stand the thought of it.

"Stop poking at it, Lily," I said before I grabbed her right hand and swung it back and forth.

Fisher reached out for her left hand. "We'll find out in just a little while, won't we?" he said softly.

Stone reached for my other hand, and we made a human chain of four: the Fearsome Foursome. "Let's go, Citizens. On to the lecture, and then the big unveiling. All in good time," he smiled. "I personally can't wait to hear what career the big brains have decided I would excel at. As long as it isn't a tedious desk job. Say it with me, friends, no desk, no desk, no desk," he slowly chanted.

I laughed and joined in, "No desk, no desk..."

Fisher shook his head. Lily smiled. "No desk, no desk," they chorused.

"Onward!" Stone shouted, pointing toward the entrance to the hall.

We marched forward.

"I still want to know what is under this bandage," Lily sighed.

"We all do," Holly patted her on the shoulder, from behind.

Four hours, two films, one lecture, and a lunchtime later, we found ourselves sitting in the main hall once again. Alpha stood at the podium, demanding our undivided attention. Beta stood just behind her. Our parents were gathered there as well. They sat in the back, as anxious as we were to hear the results.

"Young Citizens, the time has come. And to be completely honest, I am in as much suspense as you all are. Dr. Odessa will remove your bandage then I will record your Citizen brand..."

Beta stepped forward. "The results of all of your tests, along with our personal recommendations, have been recorded. By a series of algorithms, a career path has been selected that would best fit each of you. Many years ago it was decided that the test results would be housed in our data systems until this very moment so we could all share in the experience together. But change is sometimes necessary. You are the first class of students who will not be receiving your career assignments today."

Stone whispered in my ear. "My father told me that when he was at the Career Education Center, years ago, there was a scandal over here. Somebody accused somebody of altering the results. They used to know a few weeks before, you see, and somebody supposedly paid somebody something to find out."

"Stone, that's crazy. You're talking in circles," I whispered back.

"Listen. It happened, but was kept very quiet. It's why now they don't know anything until we do. So somebody with money to spare doesn't try to get their precious offspring a better career, or a different Brand than they really deserve. Why else would neither Beta nor Alpha know already? And now they're delaying even more... maybe they are giving our families more time to come up with a bribe or two..."

A Guardian shushed us from the aisle. Stone snapped his head forward.

Why would someone want to change his or her results? I wondered. I turned my head to look at the Guardian who was standing there. She wore the standard non-descript uniform of a Guardian: a long navy skirt, a white button down shirt, and a lightweight navy cardigan sweater. Her hair was twisted into a braided knot at the back of her head. It was the same hairstyle that all of the female Guardians wore.

I glanced around the room and found the other female Guardian, standing watch over us. I stared at the knot at the back of her head. It was relatively similar in size and shape to the one of the Guardian standing close to me. I wondered if they were given classes on proper hair styling when they entered their Guardian training. The sparse amount of make-up that they both wore was identical. Their skin color wasn't exactly the same, so the make-up shades varied just a bit. But unless someone stared at them, like I was doing, then it would look completely uniform.

The shoes on their feet were sturdy and black. A one-inch, thick, sensible heal with a strap across the top; the only adornment was a simple gold button on the outer side of the strap. They wore no jewelry, save for the whistle and key, worn on a chain around their necks. They were allowed no sense of personal style. I hoped that they were able to express themselves in some way whenever they were given a day of rest.

I thought about what Stone said again, and suddenly I saw it. I didn't want to become a Guardian. If there was an X under the white bandage on my left wrist, and if I'd come from a family without financial means or social and political influence, then it might have been decided that Guardian was the career for me. What would Aspen resort to, to make sure that a member of her great and influential family would not be in danger of becoming a servant of Training Tech... or a housemaid... or a medical assistant... or any other career that wasn't glamorous enough for the descendant of a 1.15? Aspen would do just about anything to keep her status in society, even bribe a head Guardian or a medical officer to change test results.

"I'll call the names in no particular order. They have been randomly selected from the data banks," Alpha explained. "Come forward when you hear your name and we will all share in your providence. Concur with Concord."

"Concur with Concord," I repeated, along with the rest of the people in the room.

Holly was called first. I almost laughed out loud. Holly, first in line when she could make the choice... first in line when she had no control... She walked up to the podium with confident strides, the same way she attacked everything in life. Holly raised her arm, almost thrusting it into Dr. Odessa's face, and smiled back to where her brother Ash sat.

Dr. Odessa cut away the bandage and dropped the wrappings in a white glossy trash bucket, which sat waiting by the white sensible shoes on her feet.

Holly looked down at her wrist and her smile widened. She looked back at Ash and mouthed, "I knew it."

"Fertile," Alpha called out.

Willow was called up next.

"Fertile," Alpha smiled.

Then it was Clay... "Infertile," Beta announced.

River was next. "Infertile." Beta's voice rang out.

Petunia – Fertile

Ridge – Fertile

Stone – Fertile

Coral – Infertile

Rosemary – Fertile

Ash – Infertile

Fisher – Fertile

Rosebud – Fertile

Violet – Infertile

Palm - Infertile

Petals – Infertile

Thorn - Fertile

Lily – Infertile

The names continued to be called, but I had stopped listening. I just stared at Lily's face. She couldn't hide her disappointment. She covered her wrist with her right hand and walked away from the podium. Her posture slumped, she no longer walked with the confident air she usually did, and her face was a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

Fisher stood waiting, just a few steps away. He grabbed her, when she neared him, and pulled her into an embrace. Lily rested her head on his shoulder. As she held onto him, a single tear escaped her eye before she closed them tight.

I wanted to go to my friend. I wanted to hug her as well and tell her that everything would be okay.

Her head came up from Fisher's shoulder. She wiped the remains of the tear away. She straightened her form and stepped back. Fisher smiled at her. Lily smiled back. I saw her mouth move as she said the words, "It's fine."

Fisher nodded his head and reached up to squeeze her shoulder.

Lily looked over at me and gave me a small smile, but I could still see the sadness behind it.

I smiled back.

"And lastly... Bluebell," I heard Alpha call out.

"Go on," Lily mouthed and pushed her hands in the air like she was ushering me forward.

I left my seat and walked over to Dr. Odessa. I stood in front of her, not really wanting to know the outcome, not really wanting to know what mark had been branded into my arm earlier that day.

"Your arm, Bluebell," Dr. Odessa barked.

"Of course. Sorry," I mumbled and then I lifted it up for her.

Dr. Odessa held onto my arm with her left hand and pushed the tip of a pair of scissors under the white bandage with her right hand. I closed my eyes as the cold metal came into contact with my wrist. I heard the crunch of the scissors as they cut away the gauze and felt the cool air as it hit my exposed skin. Wait for it, I told myself, don't look.

The pause before Alpha spoke seemed to stretch out forever. I felt each beat of my heart. I could hear the other students in the room as they shifted their weight. I heard them whispering to each other. But I did not want to open my eyes. I heard Dr. Odessa suck in a breath. I heard Alpha make that clicking sound with her mouth that she did sometimes when she was thinking.

"Lush," Alpha called out. "Our Bluebell is LUSH!"

Lush? I repeated the word in my head.

I opened my eyes. Dr. Odessa simply turned from me to drop my bandage in the bin at her feet. Alpha was looking at me with pride. I glanced over at Beta, who raised his eyebrows and then gave me a nod. I looked over to Lily and she just stared at me; her mouth had fallen open.

Finally, I looked down at my wrist.

Instead of an X, to mark infertility, or an O, to mark possible fertility, a series of five overlapping circles had been marked into my flesh. The pattern made a flower of sorts, with a star in the middle. I'd never seen anything like it. We'd never been taught anything about it.

I traced the little flower with my right index finger. "What does it mean?" I asked, letting the point of my finger rest on the center of the star.

"That you will be lush with life," Alpha stated.

"But what does that mean?" I whispered, too full of questions to think straight.

*****

#  Chapter Six

LUSH

Of the twenty girls in my Incorporation class, ten were now marked with an X... and of the seventeen boys, there were seven also branded infertile. It was unusual for there to be such a large percentage of infertile new Citizens. But then, that wasn't the only unusual thing about my Incorporation class.

It had been determined that I was Lush.

LUSH... I couldn't wrap my head around it. Lush with life – that statement was a lot for a young girl to process. At the most basic level, it just meant that I would have no problem bearing multiple children. But to my limited knowledge, families usually consisted of two parents and then one or two children. Was I expected to give birth to eight or nine children? Who could afford the Training Tech fees for that many offspring? Not many. So then, was I expected to have babies and then just give them away to other people, be a surrogate? The thought of that brought with it the feeling of icy fingers dragging their way down my spine. My whole body shivered.

A small crowd had gathered around me. Rosemary grabbed for my arm. "Let me see it," she squealed. "Gracious, Blue, that's the strangest thing I've ever seen."

"I heard there was another one, around twenty years ago, I think." I heard an older male voice say.

I looked up to see Holly and Ash standing near me, their parents were at their side. It must have been their father who had spoken the words.

"I think you're right, dear," Holly's mother said. "I think she was from either Concord Three or Four."

"Well she wasn't from One, that's for certain. I do seem to remember hearing something about her when we were at the CEC," Holly's father replied. "I think you're right, dear."

"Yes, dear," Holly's mother nodded her head. "I know I am."

Clay moved to stand next to Rosemary. He stared at my arm with a quizzical expression. "I don't know the statistics for Lush. They've never been published. I think the instances are too few and far between to form any reliable data patterns."

"Well if the big brain doesn't know much about it, it must be rare," Rosemary gawked.

Clay tapped his temple with his index finger. "Statistically speaking this whole Incorporation has been rather unusual. Unusually high rates of infertility and a Lush specimen will make this Incorporation one to stand out," he concluded. "Unless, of course, this is the start of a trend. In which case, it will be the marker for the change. Either way, it has significance."

Someone's parent bumped Clay aside and grabbed for my arm. I yanked it back and spun around. Thankfully, Aspen and my father were right there. Aspen looked down and gasped at the sight of my new Citizen Brand. My father just smiled.

"Bit of a shock?" he asked.

I weakly smiled. "Just a bit."

My father put his coat around my shoulders. "Let's get you home. Aspen?" He turned toward her.

Aspen looked up at his face. She looked like I felt – dazed and confused. "What, dear?"

"Are we ready?" he asked.

She blinked her eyes, registering his question. "Yes, of course."

"Wait." I spun around. "I want to say goodbye to Lily." I looked around the room, trying to find her, but she was nowhere in sight.

I focused on the back doors and watched as Coral flung them open. She stomped her way out of the hall. Her parents followed, looking grim. Fisher and Stone were standing near the doors.

"Lily?" I shouted to them.

They pointed down the hall, to where Coral had just bolted. I nodded my head in understanding and waved goodbye.

My father planted his hand in the center of my back and ushered me forward.

I circled my right hand around my left wrist, covering the abnormal mark, shielding it from prying eyes, as we quickly made our way out the door and toward my new home. I wanted to get away from Training Tech as quickly as possible.

***

In the days that followed my release from Training Tech, I couldn't stop thinking about it... my new Citizen Brand. I'd spent countless minutes tracing the five circles with my finger. For some reason I was actually worried about somehow ruining the Brand. I barely touched the surface of my skin; I just let my finger skim across each of the circles. Why did I have to be different? What did it mean to be Lush?

We'd been given seven days time to adjust to our new home environment, after which we were expected to report to the Career Education Center each morning to complete our studies. I'd finally get to see Lily again... and Stone, and Fisher, and all of my other friends. We'd find out what our career paths would be. Our Brand, combined with our career path, determined our future. For once in my life, I had no idea what was expected of me. I didn't have a clue how this multiple circle, flowered, starred Brand thing would affect my future. And it scared me.

I wished my father hadn't been called away on Council business five hours after I'd arrived at this unfamiliar home. I wished that Aspen was easier to talk to. Actually, I wished that I had the desire to talk to Aspen at all. She flitted around the house; she never stayed in one room for very long. In fact, she never stayed in the house for very long. She hadn't spent more than five minutes by my side since my father had been called away. I really wanted to talk to somebody about this unfamiliar mark on my wrist, but Aspen wasn't the person I wanted anyway.

I wanted Lily.

I was beyond bored in an empty, unfamiliar house, and I wanted my best friend.

The chime at the door sounded. Aspen had left the house for another one of her important meetings, so I got up off of my bed and ran down the stairs. I cracked the door open, and saw a delivery car backing out of our driveway. I waved at the driver, confused as to why he was driving away. The sign on the car said DELIVERY, so why hadn't he delivered something? I shrugged at him. He pointed toward my feet. I looked down to find a package on the mat outside.

There was a notecard on the box with my father's small precise handwriting on the front of it – BLUEBELL. I grabbed the package and retreated back to the comfort of my new bedroom. I would open it there.

I pulled at the blue ribbon, untying the pretty bow, and lifted the lid off of the box. Under layers of blue and lavender flowered paper I found a shiny new tablet. My old one had been surrendered before vacating Training Tech. We'd all had to do it; the tablets were registered to the school. I couldn't read, listen to music, or watch a video in private without one, so I'd really been missing mine. Aspen liked to keep the wall-screens tuned to the Concord News and Events channel. There was only so much of that I could take.

I lifted the tablet from the box and smiled with glee, happy to have my own personal source of entertainment again. When I switched it on, I found an even better surprise. Lily's parents' contact information was right there on the home screen, waiting for me. My father had programed it.

I pushed the icon by their name.

"Do you want to send a message?" the tablet asked.

"No. I want to talk to my friend," I grumbled.

"Do you want to video chat?"

"Why, yes. I do want to video chat!" I answered.

"Calling Denver and Cheyenne 3.29."

The screen blipped and the tablet beeped, and I waited patiently to connect with my friend.

Lily's mother's face appeared on the screen. "Bluebell. How nice," she smiled. "I see you have a new tablet of your own... give me a second... there. I've saved your contact information. Have you enjoyed your first couple of days? Have you been busy with your parents?"

"It's been fine, I guess. Father was called away, and Aspen is very, ah, active. It's actually been really quiet over here."

"Oh? Well I'm sure it has been a peaceful change for you. Lily will be happy to see you. She's just changing into a new dress," Cheyenne winked at me. "We've been shopping."

"It fits perfectly, Mother." I heard Lily's voice say. "Did I just hear you talking to someone?"

Cheyenne's head turned away from the screen.

"You look lovely, sweet girl. Come here. It's Bluebell. Come say hello to your friend."

She moved to the side, making room for her daughter.

Lily's face filled the screen; smiling widely and looking as beautiful as ever, with newly styled hair and sparkly make-up adorning her eyes.

I waved at her image. "Oh, Lil, you look great!"

"Thanks. Mother and I have been to see her tailor and her beautician... and have you any idea how many different styles of shoes there are to choose from? My goodness! I have five new pairs," she beamed.

"Sounds fun," I smiled. Even though I didn't doubt Lily had been enjoying her time with her mother, my insides cringed at the thought of spending a full day out with Aspen. "Are you up for a walk? We could meet in the middle. There's a park my father told me about."

"Good idea," Lily smiled. "I know exactly where it is. My father took me there yesterday."

"I'll take my tablet," I said. "It'll guide me."

"Hold on." Lily put a finger up and turned her head to the side. "Mother, you don't mind if I walk to the park and meet Blue, do you?"

"I do not mind at all. That sounds like a wonderful idea." I heard her say.

"Thank you," she said to her mother, then turned her face back to me. "I'll leave here in five minutes. I need to change out of this dress. Sound good?

"Yes."

"Meet me at the benches in the middle."

"Great," I sighed.

"See you." Lily waved at me before the screen blipped and she disappeared.

I pressed the home button on the tablet and then pressed the maps icon. Once I found the park, and highlighted the route, I slipped on my shoes and left through the front door.

Outside, I was surrounded by perfectly groomed landscapes and clean, clear walkways. Everything was as pristine in my parents' neighborhood as it was at Training Tech, more so, even. As I walked down the pathway that corresponded to the one highlighted on my tablet, I saw a street sweeper ahead. The man pushed a long handled, thin, wide broom and whistled a tune as he worked his way down the walkway, clearing away any fallen leaves, dust, and debris.

He paused, mid-sweep, as I neared, and tipped his head. "Beautiful day, Miss."

"Yes, it is," I smiled at him.

He was older than my father, maybe even older than Alpha. His hair caught my attention. It was totally grey at the temples and a perfect sprinkled mixture of black and grey everywhere else on his head; something I'd never seen before. There were wrinkles around his eyes and by the corners of his mouth - that deepened as he smiled. "Just released, were you?"

"From Training Tech?" I asked. "Yes."

He looked down at my left wrist and blinked when he saw the mark that was there. "You been drawing on your Brand? They won't like that, Miss. They won't like it one bit. I'd wash that off quick, if I was you. Don't mess with The Council's plans. No good can come of that," He shook his head at me and then walked on. He resumed his whistled tune and continued pushing his broom across the walkway.

My right hand immediately gravitated toward my Brand, covering it tightly. I looked at his arm as he passed by me. The black X was there, as I knew it would be.

"I didn't draw it," I mumbled as I moved forward.

A cluster of trees told me that the park was just up ahead, so I quickened my pace. Lily had said the benches in the middle, so I kept walking toward what I figured would be the center of the park. When I came upon two sets of wooden benches, I sat down on one and waited.

Sprinkles of rain started to fall from the sky. I looked up and then considered darting under a tree for shelter but Lily was walking toward me. She popped open an umbrella, ran to my side, and held it over my head. I laughed and then flung my arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"The first time I leave the house and it rains," I frowned.

"Concord Reigns," Lily smirked.

"That it does," I laughed. "Now what should we do?"

Lily grabbed my hand and started walking, tugging me with her. "Back to my house. Mother was making some more carrot cookies, with a lemon glaze. This batch is probably finished by now."

"My favorite," I smiled, swinging her hand.

"I know," Lily winked.

The sprinkles never turned into a full rain, so our feet were barely damp when we arrived at Lily's house. She shook out the umbrella and opened the door.

"Open catchall," she said out loud.

A drawer popped open from the wall. We slipped out of our shoes and placed them inside, along with the wet umbrella. After the drawer retreated back into the wall, we followed the aroma of the freshly baked cookies. Lily's mother was busy glazing them as we entered the kitchen.

I inhaled deeply. "That smells divine."

Cheyenne looked up and smiled at me. "They're my favorite."

"They are Blue's favorite too," Lily chimed. "At least the school ones were. Once she tastes yours she'll realize that they were just mediocre. Yours are beyond amazing, Mother!"

"It's how finely I grate the carrots," Cheyenne stated. "And my sweet lemon glaze. Lily ate the first batch a little too quickly, Blue. I agreed to make another batch, but this is going to consume most of my sugar ration for the month," she winked at me. "It's a good thing I always have a bit left over."

"I can't believe you bake your own cookies. Aspen said that nobody cooks for themselves anymore and that everybody has a chef," I said.

Cheyenne laughed. "I guess many people do have a chef. I use one for dinner parties and special occasions. But I find that I enjoy cooking, and baking is very therapeutic for me at times. I used to help my mother when I was very little and then she taught me her recipes after I left Training Tech."

"Do you think you could teach me?" I asked. "I doubt I'll get the chance to learn at my house."

"I'm sure we could arrange a cooking day with you and Lily. That would be fun. Now here," she said, handing us each a cookie. "I'm sure you want to talk alone. So take these and go up to Lily's room."

"Thank you," I smiled.

"You're very welcome, dear girl."

I followed Lily up the stairs and into her bedroom. She shut the door behind us, plopped down on her bed, and leaned back into the pile of purple satin pillows.

"Weird, huh," Lily said, pointing to the pillows behind her head. "Purple satin."

"Not that weird. Didn't you tell her about the dream and ask for some?"

"Yes, but they are almost the exact shape, size, and shade from my dream."

"Okay, kind of weird," I agreed. "Not as weird as this." I looked down at my wrist.

"I'd rather be weird than doomed," Lily sighed, looking down at her own wrist.

"You are not doomed!" I said a little too loudly. "I bet you'll still be assigned to Armory, your father will help secure a good Marriage Contract, and everything will be roses."

"I guess. But my roses will have to come from someone else's garden."

"I know. I'm sorry Lil. It'll be fine. It'll be good. You'll see."

"That's what Mother and Father keep trying to tell me. Half of the girls in our class got the same mark, so I guess I'm not alone," she shrugged.

Alone. I stared at my Citizen Brand. That was exactly the word for me. I was the lone, single oddity, and I'd been alone with my questions for days. There had been no one to talk to about it. My father had been called away, and Aspen had almost blatantly avoided looking below my shoulders since the day I was marked as Lush.

I looked up at Lily to find her staring at my wrist. She patted the bed beside her. "Let's see it up close. Come here."

I sat down and scooted back, so I was leaning on the pillows with her. I draped my left arm across her lap, palm up, brand exposed, and turned my head. I shoved the carrot cookie I was still holding into my mouth, whole, and chewed.

"It's weird," I said.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth," Lily scolded. "You'll choke."

I whipped my head around and smirked at her, raising my eyebrows.

"It's pretty weird, Bluebell. But it's also pretty amazing. I wonder what it means."

"I've done nothing but ask myself that, since Dr. Odessa cut the bandage away."

"You'll get some answers at the CEC."

"Maybe my father will be able to tell me something about it when he gets back," I said.

Lily traced the circles, one by one. "He is Council. He has to know about this. They know about everything, right?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I guess."

"When's he getting back?"

"Tonight."

"See," Lily smiled. "You'll have some answers soon."

I sighed and leaned my head on her shoulder. "I hope so."

"You want to see my new clothes?" Lily asked.

"Absolutely. Dazzle me with your stylish new looks," I said. "You can make anything look good, you know?"

"Yay! You are in for a treat. My mother has excellent taste, and so do I, it seems. At least that is what her dressmaker told me."

"As long as there's not a pink and brown tie involved in the outfit," I grimaced at the thought. I never wanted to wear a pink and brown tie again, ever, for the rest of my life. "I cut mine to shreds the first night."

"Blue, you didn't."

I raised my eyebrows. "I did."

A few hours, and six outfits later, Lily walked with me back to the park. We parted ways, with a huge hug goodbye and a promise to video chat the next day. When I arrived back at the house, I found Aspen and my father in the dining room, waiting for me.

"Bluebell, there you are. We were just about to eat dinner. Come and have a seat," my father smiled. "Did you have a nice visit with Lily?" he asked.

"How'd you... Oh, yes," I said, looking down at the new tablet I was carrying.

My father nodded his head. "Of course. Make sure you always have it with you, Blue. That way we will always be in contact, and we will always know where you are."

"Mine is in my bag at all times," Aspen smiled.

"I carry a small one in my pocket," my father said. "Yours has been recorded in the Registrar's Office. Every tablet produced must be recorded."

"Sit down, Bluebell," Aspen repeated my father's request. "Dallas will be serving dinner in just a moment. I had him make your father's favorite."

"Yes. Sit down." My father motioned to the chair beside him. "We have much to discuss."

I placed my tablet on the table and sat down.

"Your father has just been telling me the exciting news."

I looked from Aspen to my father. "What exciting news?"

"You are to be an ambassador! After you've received some mandatory training at the Career Education Center of course," Aspen smiled with excitement. Her smooth face barely registered the emotion.

"Ambassador?" I asked, confused.

Dallas, our chef, walked into the dining room carrying a silver tray. He placed a plate of food, and then a glass of juice, in front of each of us. "Your meal this evening consists of roasted baby potatoes, grilled white fish, and steamed green beans; all with my special spice blend. There is fresh acidic grapefruit juice enhanced with vitamins and digestive supplements to refresh you. Your breakfast shakes and your lunches are in the cooler drawers ready for your consumption tomorrow. I'll be back at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon, as usual. Do you have any requests for your protein for tomorrow's evening meal?" he asked, looking at Aspen.

"Yes. Marinated soy tofu," Aspen answered. "The spicier marinade though, not the one you used last time. That one was too bland."

"I'll see to it," Dallas nodded. "Enjoy your meal."

Dallas walked out of the dining room. As soon as the door swung closed behind him I looked directly at Aspen. "Ambassador?" I repeated.

"Why, yes. Your good fortune is proof that when a family fully embraces the goodness of Concord, they will be rewarded. Your father and I always made sure you were promptly seen and immunized by your doctors as an infant. We carefully monitored your eating and exercise habits as a toddler. We stressed the importance of obedience. And in return, you are of exceptional health and have always shown the upmost in good behavior. You consistently received extraordinarily high marks while in Training Tech. You were never given a demerit against you for behavior, attitude, or even breaking a minor rule," Aspen explained. "Our daughter is unmarred in every way."

My father continued. "The Council feels that all of this compliance and attention to your proper upbringing must be a major factor in your distinctive Citizen Brand. Being Lush makes you special. Your attractive appearance and pleasant disposition would be quite appealing on a nationwide level. You will travel and make public appearances, perform in several informative videos, and give the people hope that they too could produce a child who is Lush."

"We've already been contacted by some very influential families that would like to talk about the possibility of a Marriage Contract," Aspen added. Pride rang out in her voice.

"Marriage! What?" I gasped.

My father reached out and placed his hand over mine. "There is no rush for that, my dear girl. No one expects you to choose a life mate before the age of eighteen. I wouldn't complain if you waited until you were nineteen or twenty even," he winked at me.

It was June. I would be eighteen in October. That was just four months away. I wondered how many people really expected me to choose the person that I would be willing to spend the rest of my life with sometime within the next four months.

"The later the better," I sighed.

"She's right," Aspen said.

I blinked. She was actually agreeing with me.

"We should take as much time as we can. That way we can weed out the unfortunate candidates and choose the very best one," she continued. "I think there is a 1.10 that is around twenty-four years old and a 1.08 that is only twenty-one. I'll have to look at my files to read up on all of their personal details. Although, either of those boys would expect Bluebell to join their family. Whose family would her offspring belong to? No, that wouldn't do. Maybe it is better to stay away from anyone with claims to the original twenty. 1.15 is such a prestigious family. A good quality boy from a lesser family could be a strong addition to our numbers, as you were, Jackson," Aspen rattled on.

Her mind was spinning away. I could see the wheels turning as she planned out the rest of my life for me. It seems that I would have my future all set up and I wouldn't have a say in it. I just sat there, dumbfounded.

I took my fork and flaked off a piece of the whitefish, placed it on a slice of baby potato, and then put the bite in my mouth. I chewed, not really tasting, just eating.

Was my life decided for me already? Did it really matter if it was Aspen planning it out, or my father, or The Council? I had expected to enter the CEC, receive my career placement, and then enter into my training. I knew that those things were chosen already, but I had thought that I'd be able to discover my destiny on my own. I had hoped to find a mate on my own as well. But it seemed that my father and Aspen were shoving me toward my destiny instead.

I shrugged my shoulders and took another bite of my meal. I guess it didn't really matter how I got on the path. There really was only one path for me to walk. It was my duty to Concur with Concord. And I knew I would do my duty. I always did. I always would.

Being singled out as Lush seemed to bring with it the weight of added responsibility.

*****

#  Chapter Seven

Education and Assignments

The plans for my Grand Gala were well under way. Weirdly, I didn't know much about it. Aspen rarely asked my opinion and had told me very little, other than to inform me that my father had decided, against her better judgment, that Lily and I would have a shared Gala. As the head of Armory Development, Lily's father, Denver, was gaining importance in society. His unmatched skills and his loyalty to Concord were to be rewarded; thus his political and social significance had increased. Our fathers were working together quite closely, so my father had decided that it would be a great show of common interests for the two of their daughters to have the grandest Gala of all.

If Lily's father was so important to Concord, it must mean the Armory Department was quite important to Concord. Yet we were never told of any threats. We were never informed of any conflict with outside sources, or inside sources, for that matter. So, it seemed like a pointless occupation to me. I guess that just knowing Armory existed helped the Citizens feel secure, because Concord would always be prepared and ready to keep us safe from any harm.

On Monday morning my father dropped me off at the Career Education Center on his way to the administrative offices where he worked. I'd been informed that I was expected to show up about thirty minutes before Lily, or anyone else, was required to. The building was eerily quiet when I entered. The clack of my heels on the tile floor echoed throughout the Common Room at the entrance to the CEC. Branching out from the room were three hallways that would soon be full of students; some beginning their education, some in the middle of it, and some who were soon to be sent off to apprentice in their given field.

Standing in the center of the Common Room was a woman. She was perfectly coiffed, perfectly dressed, perfectly perfect. Her short blonde hair was smooth and straight, the ends lightly brushing her chin. Her suit was dark metallic grey, trim and stylish, and the color somehow made her eyes shine. The black shoes on her feet were pointed, shiny, and tall. I immediately thought of Beta. In a way, the outward appearance of perfection and her confident stance reminded me of him. She stood tall and proud; hands behind her back, chin up, with a small smile on her lips. I assumed that she was there for me, so I walked up to her.

"Hello. I'm Bluebell."

"Yes. I've been given your file. You are much more appealing in person, which is a good thing. Your Tech photo doesn't do you justice. You will do quite nicely," she stated.

"Nicely?"

"Forgive me. I've ignored proper introductions. My name is Cimarron. I'll be your mentor and guide while you are instructed and groomed to be a respectable public figure for Concord."

"Cimarron. I've never heard that name before. I like it," I smiled.

"Thank you. My parents picked it just as the transition from Fallen Cities to Natural Names was taking place. It was still a city but it makes one think of the natural spice. I've never met another Cimarron."

"Neither have I," I agreed. "Why did you say I'd do nicely?" I asked

"You have a pleasant and friendly look about you, and you look healthy. You've obviously followed your nutrition and exercise guidelines. You are a perfect example of an outstanding Citizen of Concord. You'll be an easy sell. If you were unattractive or an improper weight or sickly looking then... well... it will simply make more sense to the general public that someone like you would be Lush. Can I see it?" she asked, pointing to my arm.

"Why not?" I said and held up my wrist for inspection.

"It's actually quite pretty. That will help too. You'll be the envy of all."

I pulled my arm back. "I don't want to be the envy of all. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to earn this. My friends didn't do something wrong to be marked infertile."

"Ah, but you don't know that." She shook her head in disagreement and held out her arm. "You see this X. This is a direct consequence of my mother's desire for youth over duty. She decided to take her first youth serum when she was seven months pregnant. She was a bit older when she conceived me, and she decided that she'd waited long enough. She ruined both our chances. She was never able to conceive again and I was marked infertile."

"I heard that could happen."

"I had a roommate at Tech who loved to run. Not just a little, to strengthen her heart, as we are advised. No, she ran to clear her mind, ran to relax, ran when she was angry, and also when she was happy. It made no sense. The Guardians advised her not to, the doctors warned her it could have adverse outcomes. She was even put on hold. But when she finally showed up at the CEC it was with an X as well. She ruined her own chance."

I shook my head. "How sad."

"Yes. Excessive exercise is detrimental. And recently we've had reports that some new mothers have actually exceeded the advised immunization dates for their child by seven to ten days. They are putting their children at risk of infertility by waiting so long for much needed medicines. That will simply not do. There is talk that the immunizations team may be forced to become a mobile one. With home visits, there will be no risk of noncompliance. You see, the Citizens need to know that when they live their lives within the guidelines set up to protect them, good things are possible," she smiled.

"What exactly do you do for Concord?" I asked.

"I am the lead Citizen's Information Specialist. I make sure the people of Concord know what is being done to make their very existence a positive, safe, and secure experience. And I make sure the people are aware of the adverse effects of trying to go against the wishes of The Council. The Council always knows best. Concur with Concord," she lilted.

"Concord Reigns," I smiled. It was the response that was expected of me, so I gave it willingly.

"See what I mean?" she smiled. In fact she had done nothing but smile since I'd walked up to her. "You're perfect. Follow me," she ordered and turned to walk down one of the halls.

I immediately followed.

We entered one of the rooms at the end of the hallway and Cimarron instructed me to sit on one side of the table that had been placed in the center of the small room. She rounded the table and sat on the other side. There was a tablet waiting there, between us.

"This is your official tablet. It is private. Keep it separate from your personal one, and keep it with you always. I will be contacting you after hours and sometimes on Sundays to discover the progress you have made on certain tasks that you will be given. It is important that a member of my team is able to reach you at any time."

"I understand," I replied.

"The information that you will be given is private. You are not to share it with friends or even family members. Your mother and father are aware of most aspects of your role as ambassador, so there is no need to seek permission from them or to ask for their blessing on anything I ask you to do. You have been given a certain level of clearance by The Council, which will increase as you show your loyalty and hard work. This is a great privilege!"

"Will I be able to see my friends?" I asked.

"Of course. The Council is quite adamant that you maintain a high profile. You must be seen in the best of company, enjoying yourself. You need to be the very picture of youth, health, and social grace."

"That's a lot to live up to," I worried. "I hope I do not disappoint."

"I will be here to guide you along the way. You'll do fine," Cimarron said and reached across the table to pat my hand. Then she pressed a button on the tablet, turning it on.

My name appeared on the screen. Bluebell. The Lush Ambassador of Concord.

Cimarron read the words aloud. "Your mother picked a lovely name for you."

"Aspen has a knack for that. She knows how to pick out lovely things," I smirked.

"Lesson Number One: Your parents are to be always referred to as Mother and Father when you are in public. It shows respect."

"Tell that to Aspen. She's the one that told me to stop calling her Mother."

Cimarron pulled out her own mini tablet and began to type away on it. She looked up at me after she was finished and had put the tablet back in her jacket pocket. "Done. Aspen, your mother, has been informed of the changes."

"She's not going to like it," I said under my breath.

"She will do what is expected. Her father has set this plan into motion. Your grandfather is a brilliant man. You and your parents will be the perfect picture of a Concord family. It is my understanding that she is quite looking forward to it. I have been told to keep her apprised," Cimarron informed me.

"I wonder if I will see my grandfather soon. Aspen, I mean Mother, told me that he was looking forward to seeing me again. But then I think he must have been the one to call my father away after I received my Citizen Brand."

"I think you are right," she winked at me. "They were planning your future. You are a lucky girl to have such caring people to look out for you. I wish my mother had been as diligent about my future. If it wasn't for my father, and the fact that we are proud members of family 1.20, I might have been destined for another life. But I married well. I have an adopted daughter in Year Six. It's a pity she can't take our family number, it would be of great benefit later in her life. But those are the ways of Concord." Cimarron looked wistful for a moment, almost like she was imagining another life for her daughter, but then the smile appeared on her face again. "So let's start with a brief overview," she said, opening a document in my new official Ambassador Tablet.

***

It was time to break for lunch, and Cimarron gave me a black bag and told me to keep my new tablet in it always. There were two pockets inside, one for each of my two tablets, and a space to keep other personal items. The new bag hung from my left shoulder, slung across my body, with the words Concord Reigns embroidered in shimmering gold. The gold against the black sparkled in the sun as I stepped outside, glinting and catching the eye of everyone that I passed.

Lily stared at it as I approached the table where she sat, waiting for me, with a group of our friends. Fisher and Stone were perched on either side of her. Holly, Willow, Ash, and Clay were across from them.

"Nice bag," Lily whistled as I neared. "Fancy bag for your fancy new position. My father told me about it this morning. Hope you don't mind, I kind of filled them in already," she said, gesturing to the group.

I rushed over to her and gave her a hug. "No. It's fine. Everyone will know soon enough." I sat down beside Stone. "Cimarron, my new mentor, gave the bag to me. I was also given a second tablet for my training as Lush Ambassador of Concord. Apparently I must carry two tablets with me at all times; one for me and one for Concord."

"I would hate that," Stone said through a breath of released air. "A small one in my pocket is more than enough for me. I think I could do without it, actually."

"How can you say that?" Willow balked at the thought. "We are much safer with them. How would anyone know where you are or if you are in trouble if you didn't have your tablet?"

"She's right," Holly agreed.

"Yes, I know. I've got it with me," Stone assured her. "See," he said, pulling it out of his pocket. He waved it in the air.

Fisher pulled out his full sized tablet and placed it on the table. "I wouldn't be able to look at all my Architectural studies with something that small. Blue, I got Architecture. That was a load off my mind."

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot," I said. "You guys all got your assignments today. So, what did everybody get? I want to know what was chosen for each of you."

"Architecture, as I just said," smiled Fisher.

"Armory, as expected," beamed Lily.

Stone raised his hands in the air, a show of triumph. "Entertainment Video Production. No desk, no desk!"

"Yay!" I laughed. "No desk."

Willow spoke next. "Well I am to become a Culinary Technician and Nutritional Consultant."

"I am bound for Peace Keeper Training." Ash's eyes shone with pride.

I gave an inward sigh of relief. His X hadn't rendered him with an undesirable position.

Holly gave a sheepish smile. "I have no idea why, but I've been told that I'd excel as an actress. Stone and I will be working on opposite ends of the video camera."

"This is pretty exciting!" I exclaimed. "We will all be working in such different areas. I love it. I can't wait to find out what everyone else was assigned to."

"Clay got something technical," Stone said. "That's all I know."

"As if we didn't expect that," Fisher added.

"It is not just something technical," Clay scoffed. "I will eventually be apprenticing with the Concord One Information Systems Department. I hope to eventually work my way into the Overseer Division and encompass Two, Three, and Four as well."

I tried to picture Clay in any profession that wasn't technical and I just couldn't do it. If he wasn't able to analyze something he'd be a miserable boy. "That sounds about right," I smiled.

Stone puffed his cheeks out huge and then expelled the breath. "Alright, Miss Blue, let's see it."

"Arm on the table, oh Lush one," Holly added.

I sighed, quite loudly.

"Bluebell, I have a feeling you'll be doing this quite often. So you better get used to it," Lily coaxed.

"Plus, we are your friends, so we get first dibs to gawk at you," Fisher smirked.

Willow nodded her head. "Who better to expose yourself to?"

"Willow!" Holly laughed.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Willow gasped.

"Alright, alright," I said and placed my arm on the table, palm up, Citizen Brand exposed. "Gawk away."

Clay moved in for a closer look, examining the circles quite intently. He was taking mental technical pictures to file away in that overworked brain of his. I just knew it. Holly and Willow put their fingers out at the same time and began touching it. But Fisher and Stone just observed from where they sat. I felt like an oddity... an interesting oddity.

Ash turned his head. He didn't want to look at it, and I didn't blame him. He had bragged about and expected an O, but had ended up with an X. I had been secure in the fact that I'd be fine with either mark and I'd been blessed with something entirely outside of the realm of my expectations. We had both been thrown. He'd be fine though, I knew he would. Ash had genuinely good looks and had been placed on a promising career path, even though neither of his parents were all that influential. There was a novelty in being a twin, and that novelty had saved him. He knew it, I knew it, we all knew it; but none of us needed to point it out. I'm sure we were all just glad that Ash would be able to secure a noble place in Concord Society.

"Anyone know about Coral?"

Rosemary walked by our table just as I asked the question. "She was given a choice between Custodial Management and being a Guardian. She has to decide by tomorrow morning," she laughed. "So much for the 1.01. Her family has been steadily falling from its rickety pedestal for years and that X on her arm just knocked them to the ground."

"Rosemary, that's a little harsh, isn't it?" Lily frowned.

"If you'd been secretly belittled the way I was for most of my time at Training Tech, you'd be harsh too. You get what you give, right? And that girl gave me smiles and then backstabs for many years. She got what she deserved," Rosemary countered. "I'm destined for Party Planning, if anyone wants to know. Galas, parties, balls, soirees... mine will be outstanding."

Rosemary clasped her hands together, tilted her head up, and closed her eyes, as if imagining one of her fabulous celebrations. When she opened her eyes, she looked at me.

"Congrats on the Brand, Blue. You lucked out with that one," Rosemary stated. "Although I think I'd excel in a position like that. It's kind of wasted on you, isn't it?" She spun around and walked away.

"Rosemary is the new Coral," Willow whispered.

"I think we will just have two of them now," Holly whispered back.

"No," I said, being the realist. "Neither of those positions will allow for Coral to act with her usual flippant behavior. She will have to learn her place or suffer the consequences."

A collective sigh went through the group.

I pulled my arm back and hid it under the table. "I'm really hungry," I declared. "Can we order some food now?"

There was no longer a Food Manager dispensing required sustenance at the CEC. We were finally able to order whatever it was that we wanted to eat, with few, if any, restrictions. The food was delivered to the table in precisely measured portion sizes. It was artfully arranged and visually appetizing.

"Willow, take note." I called her attention to my plate of food. "This is a beautiful thing."

"Mine will be better," she smiled.

"I have no doubt, my friend," I smiled in return before taking a bite.

*****

#  Chapter Eight

Shimmering Blue

When I arrived home that evening, Aspen was waiting in the sitting area. Her tablet was perched on her lap. I was ready to bypass her and head up the stairs to my room but she had other plans. "Bluebell, I'm afraid we really should discuss a few things for this Gala. Sharing the spotlight is going to be so hard for you."

"Actually I think it will be nice to share the night with Lily. She is my best friend."

"I know, but the night should be all about you. As mine was," she almost whined.

I sat down in the chair beside hers. "Aspen, I'm sure you will find a way to make it special for me."

A look of distaste crossed her face. "Aren't you supposed to be calling me Mother now?" she reminded me.

"Cimarron said that I should make sure to do it when we are in public. I assume Aspen will still do when we are at home," I stated. I didn't like the prospect any more than she did.

Her face brightened a little. "This is true. Good. That's settled. Back to the Gala. I really want to go with a floral theme. So I'll have bluebells brought in to decorate the space. I've spoken with Cheyenne and she said that she'd like stargazer lilies. That makes our color palate blue, pink, and white. I am not completely in love with that idea. So I've decided to throw in some shades of lavender as well." She looked at me for support.

"I think I can live with that," I stated, not sure which direction I was supposed to take with her.

"Good. We must find a way to concur. Jackson and my father assure me that it is for the best." She turned her tablet on and opened up a gallery that contained dozens of pictures of dresses. "Here are a few of the gowns that I thought would make you stand out and would flatter, um, well, you. The dressmaker will be here in about twenty minutes. She is bringing some samples. It would be best if you took a quick shower and put on some clothes that will allow her to easily observe your natural form. Something snug to your body will do just fine."

"Why wasn't I aware of this? I wish you had told me... I'm actually a bit tired. But of course I'll go get ready," I sighed.

"Yes. Quickly please. I don't want to keep her waiting," Aspen replied, not looking at me.

While she flipped through the photos on her tablet, I ran upstairs to shower. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun, and hurried through a rinse off. After I dried myself, I pulled on a simple tank top and some tight fitting fitness shorts, hoping that they would do. I was working with a limited supply of clothes. I'd yet to meet with a dressmaker or tailor, and Aspen had only given me a few basic pieces when I'd first arrived home. Those pieces comprised my entire wardrobe, along with the fitness wear and sleepwear I'd departed Training Tech with. After so many years with a strict dress code, I was eager to explore my fashion options.

Aspen never seemed to have the time to take me shopping. I wondered if Lily's mother would go with me. A laugh escaped my lips at the thought. Aspen would not be happy with that scenario and I knew it. It was silly to have even let the thought cross my mind.

I hurried down the stairs to find Aspen waiting in the sitting room with a very tall, very thin woman at her side. A metal rack had been wheeled into the room. Several dresses hung there, each of them a shade of blue or lavender, or somewhere in the middle. I decided immediately to try on each and every one of them.

"Bluebell, this is Raleigh. She is a wizard when it comes to perfectly fitting a dress to one's body. I'm sure you will appreciate her skills as much as I do," Aspen said, introducing the woman.

Raleigh looked from me to Aspen, tapping her cheek as if in thought. "Aspen, your daughter is gorgeous. She has your perfect nose and your lovely smile. But she's a bit curvier though," she frowned.

"Yes. She must have inherited that from Jackson's gene pool. I hope it will not be a problem. I know how you've always commented on how easy my straight lines were for you to fit."

Raleigh shook her head. "No. It won't be a problem. A rounder hip and a fuller bust will just require a different approach. Have no fear. I'll make it work."

I stared down at my body and wondered what they could be talking about. I was at the precise weight that Dr. Odessa had recommended for me. While at Training Tech, no one had ever suggested that finding a uniform to fit me would be a problem. I wasn't as thin and flat as Aspen; that was obvious. But was I too curvy? Did I need to eat less? Aspen hardly ate at all. Dinner seemed to be her only solid meal.

I pushed the thought from my mind. I enjoyed eating, and I really didn't want to walk around hungry. My size was fine. I knew it was. Dr. Odessa would have altered my diet at Tech if it hadn't been acceptable.

Raleigh pulled a dress off the rack and motioned for me. "Bluebell, we'll try this one first. Be very careful as you step into it. The fabric is quite delicate."

I approached the dress with hesitation. It was, in all honesty, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The pale blue material was so light and shimmery. As Raleigh pulled the gown up it seemed to billow and puff around me, catching the light in the most amazing way. I turned to look in the mirror as she pinned the fabric in the back.

"It's so pretty," I whispered.

"The fabric is of the finest quality. Hours of craftsmanship went into the pleats and the draping," Raleigh explained.

Aspen clicked her tongue in approval. "Raleigh is the best. I wouldn't accept anything less... not for me and not for any member of my family."

"Do I have to try on any of the others? I really like this one," I smiled, taking back my original thought. I just couldn't imagine anything that could possibly surpass the first dress.

"Of course you do. You'll like all of them. I wouldn't have brought a gown for your consideration if it wasn't stunning," Raleigh balked. "I must be absolutely sure that this is the right one. There could be something better on that rack. This is my reputation, everyone will know that the dress came from me! There will be one that will take our breath away. There is always one," she smiled. "We must go through them all to see which one it will end up being."

Aspen vetoed dress number two. She said it made my posture look horrible. I didn't like dress number three. It was entirely too clingy and tight. Raleigh rejected dress number four, she said the shade of blue was too greyish and made me look like an animated corpse (I thought that was a bit harsh). So we moved on to dress number five.

The gown was a purplish one-shouldered affair, tight to the waist, and then draping beautifully to the floor. It moved gracefully, twirling about my legs, as I twisted my body back and forth. I liked it. But did I like it as much as the first one?

"This one is beautiful too. But I'm not sure," I worried. "I still like the first gown. Well, actually I like them both."

"They are both quite lovely. I think the first one might have an edge over this one," Aspen noted.

I thought about it for a moment and then decided that I agreed with her. "Yes. I think you're right. The shimmer in that fabric is eye catching."

"There is still one more," Raleigh stated, holding up the last dress from the rack.

As I stepped into the last gown I immediately noticed that the fabric was quite similar to the first one. It shimmered and billowed in just the right way. I twisted my body back and forth and was delighted to find that it twirled. The strapless bodice had unique draping and texture to it that made one think of a flower. A satin ribbon was just under the bust line, where the fabric changed to the shimmering one and draped gracefully to the floor. I adored it.

"This is the one," I sighed.

"This one it is," Raleigh smiled. "I always save my favorite for last. Now I just need to fit it perfectly to your body. Hold still so I don't stick you with a pin."

"She'll need some bracelets to keep that Brand covered. I don't want everybody staring at that thing all night long. I'm sure Bluebell wouldn't either," Aspen said, addressing no one in particular. She was just thinking aloud. "Pearls, maybe. Gemstones would distract too much. Then the other girl should wear an accent color too. Maybe some flowers for their hair. Yes. That would look quite nice. Does it need a necklace? I should contact our jeweler. Where did I leave my tablet?"

Aspen walked out of the room, leaving Raleigh and I alone.

"Are you excited for the Gala?" she asked, kneeling on the floor to mark the proper length.

"I think I am more curious, because Aspen, I mean Mother, has planned so much and I suppose she must want the whole experience to be a surprise for me. And I'm slightly overwhelmed by everything," I admitted.

"If you are worried about people staring at your Brand then I suggest you keep your wrist covered, like your mother does. She has been doing it for so long that it has become a desired look. I believe she had a row of pearls on her wrist when we first met, as I was fitting her for her own Gala Gown. If the Citizens can't see it, then eventually they will stop focusing on the fact that you are different. It is a beautiful thing, by the way." Raleigh brushed her hand across my wrist before standing up again.

"I don't think The Council will allow me to wear jewelry or longer sleeves all the time. They have more public plans for me," I sighed. "It's to be announced soon."

"I know all about it," she smiled. "I am to take a full set of measurements before I go so I can begin work on a full wardrobe designed specifically for you. I was told to make sure you looked young, fresh, and stylish. I'm sure accessorizing will be permitted."

I wasn't as sure as she was.

As soon as I was back in my room, I collapsed onto my bed and picked up my tablet to start a video chat with Lily.

"Lily, has you mother told you anything about this Grand Gala?" I asked.

"Of course. What do you want to know?"

I sighed. "Everything."

"Okay. Well, it will be held at The Citizens' Ballroom. It's in about four weeks. It is themed pink for me, and blue for you. Invitations go out tomorrow. Want to see one?"

"Yes," I groused. "I can't believe Aspen has shared almost none of this with me. She just keeps muttering about the details and then leaving the room to arrange something."

"Here," Lily said, holding up the invitation for my inspection.

"What else?"

"Um, the music soundtrack was set up by some popular music playlist expert. The food will be by Aspen's favorite chef. Did you pick out a gown?"

I nodded at the camera in response. "The dressmaker just left."

"Mine too!" Lily exclaimed. "My dress is brilliant. I love it."

"Aspen said something about pearls for our jewelry and flowers for our hair," I offered up the little information I did have.

"I haven't heard about that yet. I bet she'll message my mother later. You should see some of her messages. Mother showed me a few. They are overflowing with plans and details. You should try to ask her questions about it. Maybe she'll tell you more about the Gala if she sees that you are really interested."

I rolled onto my back and held the tablet in the air above my head. "Maybe. But she's always running from one room to another. That woman can't stay still."

"Then follow her! You can't blame her for leaving you out of the plans if you haven't demanded to be informed of them. My mother likes to share things with me, Blue. Yours doesn't. So make her."

"Easy for you to say. Cheyenne actually listens when you speak," I pointed out.

"Blue, I love you, but you are so accepting... stand up for yourself a little. You can still be a good Citizen and ask questions and expect answers."

"All good Citizens know that Concord always does what is best, chooses what is right, and acts with honorable intentions," I quoted.

"Aspen is not Concord," Lily argued. "Ask your questions and get your answers!"

"I'll try to do that," I gave a half-hearted promise. "I wonder who else is having a Gala. I know Rosemary's is next Saturday."

"The Pets are the Saturday after that and we are the Saturday after. I overheard Rosemary at the CEC today, she said Coral isn't having one."

"Even if she did, I doubt we'd be invited. And if we were, I doubt Aspen would allow me to attend," I said. "Aspen has declared that since Coral was assigned unfavorable occupational choices, is marked with an X, and will be unable to extend the 1.01 family line any longer, she is not considered a desirable associate. I was told to keep my distance. Which is fine with me. Coral was never a friend of mine anyway."

"I'm marked with an X," Lily reminded me. "Will she order you to keep your distance?"

"Oh Lily, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that. Aspen couldn't keep me away from you if she tried. You're my best friend, Lil. I don't care what that mark on your wrist is. If you must know, your father's influence has saved you in her eyes. In my eyes, you've never ever needed saving!"

"Thank for telling me the truth, Blue. My mother keeps telling me that nobody will care. But some people do care. Don't they?"

"Yes. Some insensitive people, who we'd never want to be friends with anyway, care. But I don't, Fish doesn't, Stone doesn't... lots of people don't, Lil. I promise," I smiled at her. "At least you don't have to offer up your arm for anyone and everyone so they can ogle it and touch it."

"True. I don't want icky people touching me." She stuck out her tongue at me. It was pink.

"What have you been eating? Your tongue!"

"Raspberries," she laughed. "Is it red or pink?"

"Pink."

"Then it has faded. You should've seen it before. Guess what?" Lily's eyes sparkled.

"What?"

"Fisher is going to be my escort to our Gala."

"Oh is he? Are we supposed to have escorts to our own Gala?" I asked.

"I don't care if we are or not. I asked my father and mother and they've given their permission."

I rolled onto my stomach and propped the tablet against my pillows. "Have you had much chance to see him since the end of Incorporation?"

"We message or chat every single day," she admitted with a shy smile.

"I can't believe you are just telling me this now!"

"He is so kind to me, Blue. It's nice to have someone, a boy, be sweet to you."

"He's a great guy, Lil. I've known that since the very first day, when we were forced to bump into him. Stone and Fish, they're the best."

"And Blue, you are right. He doesn't care about the X. He doesn't care at all."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from him. I'm glad, Lily. I'm truly happy for you."

"You should see if Stone can be your escort," Lily suggested.

I knew at once that Aspen would be against the idea. An escort would suggest a possible union. My father and Aspen had very high hopes for my future Marriage Contract.

I raised my eyebrows. "I'll ask but I highly doubt the possibility. They are scheming about Marriage Contracts already. Aspen said she wants to find the best possible candidate. I'm not ready for all of this," I groaned.

"Sorry, Blue." Lily gave me an exaggerated frown. "Ack! Well, I've got to sign off. That was Mother calling. Did you hear that? She has a booming voice."

"Yes. I heard it. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

I ended the video chat and opened up the Library, scrolling through the titles. I had hoped for a full access Library after leaving Training Tech but I found that my downloads were still restricted. There was a little countdown clock in the corner of the Library screen that kept me informed of how many days remained until I could access the Ages Eighteen to Twenty-One Selections. And I was pretty sure that females had a completely different selection of books than males did.

Lost on the Way to the Beach seemed like an interesting title. There was a little girl in the cover image wearing a shimmering blue dress. It seemed like the perfect choice. I clicked on the book and started to read.

*****

#  Chapter Nine

Family and Friends

The end of the week had a slightly different meaning than it did when we were in Training Tech. When I was there, we had six days of instruction and organized activities. After Training Tech, it was reduced to five. The Career Education Center actually closed down on Friday... and not at seven in the evening, as it did on the other days for after hours tutoring. On Friday the CEC closed its doors at five o'clock.

But it was only three o'clock and it seemed like five o'clock would never come. The day was going too slow. A big group of us had decided to meet up at Lily's to watch the new comedy video that had been approved for release. She had a very open room with a wall screen that was perfect for a large gathering. Everyone was told to bring a snack and arrive no later than six o'clock.

I was staring a Cimarron, but I kept glancing at the time on my tablet, all the while trying desperately to remember what she just said.

"Isn't that good news?" Cimarron asked.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I just got word that you've been approved for a family of four children, without the bother of Training Tech fees subtracted from your income. That is unheard of. Isn't that good news?"

"Four children?" I asked, confused by her statement. I had been too distracted. It wasn't making sense.

"Bluebell, stop wandering off. Pay attention. The Council has graciously allowed for you and your future husband to have four children and be exempt of all Training Tech fees. Being Lush comes with great benefits. That news will be of great interest to anyone seeking a Marriage Contract with you," Cimarron smiled and nodded her head at me, expecting me to agree with her.

"Yes. What wonderful news. Four children," I smiled in return, because it felt like the right thing to do.

Cimarron put her tablet down. "Of course you can have more than four. The fees wouldn't begin until your fifth child turns five and is enrolled at Training Tech. Six would be an amazing number, don't you think? There hasn't been a family with six children for well over one hundred years. Half a dozen new Citizens for Concord... Concord Reigns! How exciting!" She clapped her hands together in one loud boom.

I jerked my head up and found the most joyful expression on her face. "Yes. Very," I said.

I wasn't sure I wanted to have six children. Although it did occur to me that if I spaced them out correctly, I could be sending the last one off to Training Tech just as the first one was coming home. I always thought it would be hard to have a child, send it away for twelve years, and then suddenly have a grown child at home again. Visits never seemed like it was enough real contact to make any deep connections. Sometimes it felt like my friends from school knew more about me, were closer to me, and cared more for me than my parents did.

But then, living with a child through its developmental years did seem like an even stranger concept. I wasn't a trainer. I wasn't equipped to deal with the physical and emotional changes all girls and boys went through. And what would I do with a boy? I didn't know a thing about boys. I had never laid eyes on a boy from the ages of six to sixteen. I was quite sure I'd mess that up, no doubt about it.

Six was a lot though. For many years I had pictured myself giving birth to the one mandatory child that was required of all fertile females. I considered the possibility of two, knowing that twins do happen and that sometimes a married couple decides to have more than one. But I had never entertained the idea of more than two, let alone four or six.

It seemed that I was finally getting the answers to the questions that had plagued me since Dr. Odessa cut off the white bandage to reveal my Citizen Brand. What did it mean to be Lush? It meant being an ambassador to Concord, learning how to be a public figure, and resolving myself to the future travel and public appearances that were expected of me. It meant finding the best possible candidate to enter into a Marriage Contract with. It also meant having four children for the glory of Concord. Not six, I told myself. Four.

Cimarron tapped and swiped at the screen on her tablet.

"What's next?" I asked, eager to leave the subject of marriage and children behind.

"We need to look at some of the speeches The Council has decided to have you film. It is just a preliminary thing. They want you to get used to speaking to a camera. So we will practice here pretending there is a camera and then we will eventually move on to a real one. On Monday we will make a visit to the video department of the CEC so you, young lady, need to practice these speeches tomorrow and Sunday. I've just sent them to your tablet. Make sure you look them over. No full day of rest for the Lush girl," she teased.

Cimarron wasn't very good at teasing. It seemed halfhearted and awkward for her to speak in any way other than a straightforward manner.

"Let's read through the first one together," she suggested. "Come. Stand by me. Good posture is step number one when in front of a camera."

I got up from my chair and walked over to stand beside her. We began to read the text together.

***

At ten minutes to six, I walked up the steps to Lily's house. There was a note on the door that simply read Please Come In. When I opened the door, the house chimed. My house did the same thing; it let everyone inside know that someone was entering the residence. I wondered if all the houses were equipped with chimes. It seemed logical that they were.

"Hello?" I called out

Lily yelled back, "In the kitchen!"

When I entered the kitchen I found Lily and Fisher standing in front of the sink. Their soapy hands were intertwined under the running water. Lily giggled and flicked water and bubbles at Fisher's face.

"Hi, Lil. Fish," I smiled. "What are you up to?"

"We just made the biggest mess. We were trying to make my mother's sweet lemon glaze," Lily laughed. "It didn't turn out so well."

"The project was a total failure," Fisher admitted with a mischievous smile.

"Where is your mother? Why didn't she make it for you?" I asked.

"My parents are with yours, at that dinner party," Lily answered.

I remembered the message from my father that I'd received earlier in the day. Your mother and I will not be home this evening. Duty calls. Have a nice time at Lily's. It seemed that "not be home" actually meant "at a dinner party with Denver and Cheyenne." Lily was right. I needed to ask more questions.

"So you two have been here all alone," I winked.

Lily blushed.

Fisher looked away.

"Who all is coming?" I asked.

"Stone is on his way. Ash and Holly should be here too," Fisher said.

"Pet 1, Pet 2, and Willow, because Holly doesn't do anything without Willow," Lily added.

"Clay wants to stay home and go through his notes from the week. No surprise there. But I think Ridge is coming and he might bring one of his other friends." Fisher summed up the other attendees.

Lily pointed to the box I was holding. "What did you bring?"

I placed the box on the counter. "Oat, nut, and brown sugar muffins. Dallas, Aspen's chef, left them for me. He said they were divine. I'm actually dying to try one."

I lifted the lid and pulled one of the muffins out. I ripped off the top (the top of the muffin was always the best) and then took a big bite of it. The slight crunch of the nuts, the hearty oats, and the sweet brown sugar, mixed together with Dallas's secret blend of spices (that he refused to divulge)... all those flavors... I loved it. "Mmmmmm," I hummed while I chewed.

Lily saw the look on my face and giggled. "That good?"

"That good! Here. Try," I said and brought the piece of muffin to her mouth.

She took a bite. "Seriously amazing," she said and grabbed the rest out of my hand to bring to Fisher. "Try this," she said.

Fisher opened his mouth and Lily placed the piece of muffin up to his lips. As he took the morsel into his mouth he seemed to kiss the tips of her fingers. Lily's smile was one that I'd never seen before. It was a very intimate moment. I felt like I was intruding.

"I think I heard something. I'll go check the door," I said softly, not wanting to break their moment.

Neither of them said a word as I walked out of the room directing myself toward the front door. Coincidentally, the door opened just as I neared and Stone came walking in.

"Blue!" he exclaimed.

"Stone!" I countered.

He studied the expression on my face. "Why do you look so strange?" he asked and then puffed up his cheeks with air.

"No reason. Come on, they're in the kitchen. I'm sure the door chime has... nothing. Follow me," I fumbled my words.

Stone released his air bubble. "Ooh, and you're acting strange too."

"Lovebirds," I whispered.

"Aaaah. Now I understand. Sickening, isn't it?"

I nodded my head. "And awkward."

Stone followed me into the kitchen and placed a small white box on the counter.

"Stone!" Fisher smiled, stepping away from Lily. "Did you bring it?"

"Bring what?" I asked.

Stone opened the box to reveal small bite sized pieces of something light brown. The smell that emanated from the box was mouth watering. It smelled a bit like the hard candies we were permitted to have on certain Concord holidays, but the scent was richer.

Lily licked her lips. "What is that?"

"It's called toffee," Stone said as he picked out four pieces and distributed one to each of us. "And it's the most amazing candy. I think it's just made from sugar and butter, I don't know. Anyway it's cooked in some special way. Apparently it is only made once a year and you can only buy one box. My mother said she gets an extra box from her neighbor, because the crazy woman doesn't really like it. I begged her to let me bring this little bit so you guys could taste it. It'll be months before it comes out again, and we can get some of our own. Anyway, pop it in your mouth. You can suck it or chew it. I suck on it, because it lasts longer that way, and if you chew it gets stuck in your teeth."

I placed the piece of toffee in my mouth and let my tongue move across the surface of it. The sweet flavor coated the inside of my mouth. "Oh wow, Stone."

Lily's eye widened. "This is better than that hot chocolate drink."

Fisher slapped Stone on the back "I told you they'd love it."

"My mother has a weakness for sweet tasting things," Stone said.

The door chimed again, announcing the next arrivals. Stone hid the box of toffee, stating that it was too valuable to be devoured by the herd, and then we went to welcome our friends. Within a few minutes, the rest of the group had arrived, carrying various bags and boxes filled with treats. Ridge was the last to arrive; he had Thorn with him.

I hadn't interacted much with Thorn during Incorporation. He was usually quiet and kept to himself, so it was nice to see him at something social. Even though he didn't say much, his eyes were always moving about as if he was absorbing every detail of the world around him. I liked that about him.

Lily announced that she was going to start the video on the wall screen, so we gathered in the other room and sat down to watch the comedy. As usual, I could predict the ending quite soon after the beginning. Lily only had to tell me to be quiet once... after I said, out loud, the name of the secret admirer a few minutes before he was revealed on screen. I kept my mouth closed during the last half of the video. I had such a bad habit of spoiling the ending, and I wanted to make sure I didn't do it.

After the film was over, Lily brought out what was left of the food. She placed it in the center of the room and we all sat around it on the floor and just talked.

"What other videos have you seen recently?" Willow asked the group.

"I liked the historical drama that told of the Origins of Concord's Council," Fisher offered. "The people at the time were not doing well at all. It's no wonder The Council was formed."

"There was that love story about a Marriage Contract that almost didn't happen because of a selfish woman. I loved how she saw the error in her ways and made things right in the end," Petunia sighed.

"Oh yes," Petals agreed. "I liked that one too."

"How about books?" I asked. "Has anyone read that new one... the cover image had a little girl on it... she was wearing a blue dress... ack. What's it called?"

"I haven't seen that one," Lilly pulled at her bottom lip in confusion.

"Neither have I," Holly shrugged.

I clapped my hands together as the title came to me. "I remember now. Lost on the Way to the Beach. There is this little girl, like I said, and she is on a trip to the beach with her caretaker. They are walking through a wooded area, and I think they get lost. That's as far as I got."

Willow shook her head. "I scan the new selections every day and I didn't see that one."

I jumped up from the floor where we sat. "I'll get my tablet and show it to you."

My black bag was still in the kitchen. I grabbed it, brought it back into the other room, and took out my personal tablet. As I started scanning through the Library, Willow looked over my shoulder.

"All the same selections I have," Willow noted.

"It was here," I exasperated.

I'd read almost half of it already, and I was planning to finish the rest of it the next day. I couldn't believe it was just gone, vanished from my tablet.

"Whatever it was, it is not there now," Ridge commented. "That's not exactly uncommon. If the media department receives several complaints about the same book they will pull it from all devices. My father is a media distributor. He works with Thorn's father," he explained.

"They sit in front of wall tablets all day, don't they?" Stone asked.

"Probably," Ridge shrugged.

"Ugh. No desk," Stone sighed.

"Well that's frustrating," I sighed. "I really liked the story so far."

"Make up a new ending," Stone suggested with a wink. "Come on, you know you want to."

I pushed his shoulder hard, almost knocking him off balance. "Maybe I will!"

Thorn's eye glinted with curiosity. "You do that too?" he asked me.

"Do what?"

"Make up new endings to stories."

"Sometimes," I said. "When I think it would be more interesting if the story took a different path. Sometimes I think it would be nice if the characters did something unexpected."

"Me too," Thorn smiled. "Did you know I was assigned to the Writing Department? I'm leaning toward Creative Storytelling rather than News and General Information."

"I didn't. But if you like to make up story endings then it sounds like the perfect placement for you. Lily, Fisher, and Stone once thought that I might end up creating stories. I think it would have been a nice career, but I guess it simply wasn't meant to be."

Thorn shook his head. "I suppose not. Destiny had other plans for you."

"We can't argue with destiny, can we? It's all for the best, right?" I asked, slightly uncertain of my own words.

"Is it?" Petals sighed looking down at the X branded into her flesh.

Petunia grabbed her sister's hand. "It is," she said softly. "Did we tell you all our plan?" she asked the entire group. "I guess we couldn't have. It was approved by The Council just this morning. Since we are identical twins, so alike in every way, we have decided to stay together always. You see, any child I have will also look like it came from her, and since Petals is infertile but I am not, I can have one for me and then have one for her."

"We will need to marry brothers," Petals continued. "That way there will be similar genetic material from the fathers as well as from us. The Council has approved for a Marriage Broker to look in all four Concords to find two brothers, close in age, for us to marry. I think it would be nice if we all lived in the same house."

"Of course!" Petunia agreed. "Our mother came up with the idea and Father approached The Council with our plan. Concord will not even charge our family for the Marriage Broker's services. They just want us to appear at a few public functions and make a Marriage video to show the Citizens how gracious The Council is being to us. Being an identical twin is quite special."

I moved to position myself between the two of them and pulled them into a group hug. "I think both of you are beyond special. I'm happy for you."

Petals wrung her hands together. "I hope they find a good match for us."

"I'm sure they will. We will be together. That is all that matters," Petunia concluded.

*****

#  Chapter Ten

Stories and Memories

Later that night, after I returned home, I received a message from Thorn. He wanted to know if I would be willing to read one of his recent works, a short story.

I typed an enthusiastic, "YES!" in response.

How strange it was that I'd spent six months of Incorporation with Thorn and we'd hardly even exchanged pleasantries. I think a "hello" and a few head nods had been the extent of our communications. But after one night spent away from the Guardians, trainers, and instructors, he decided to speak to me – five whole sentences and one goodbye. I was intrigued.

My mind wandered back to the missing book. It angered me that the title had been removed before I'd had time to reach the end. I could easily put my mind to the task of imagining my own ending, but that book had been different from the others. It hadn't been as predictable. It didn't seem like it was trying to reaffirm my trust in Concord. It was simply telling me a story... a story that interested me greatly.

I opened up the library so I could search for a new story to read, until Thorn sent the file over and I was able to read his. As I scrolled through the book cover images, waiting for one to catch my eye, a notification appeared on my tablet. Download Complete.

But I hadn't selected a title to download.

I switched screens to check my download folder and found that Lost on the Way to the Beach was back on my tablet. I smiled with glee. There must have been a glitch in the system that caused the book to disappear. I was just glad it was back and I would be able to finish it. This was one story that I was actually looking forward to reading all the way to the end. I had no idea what would happen to that little girl... and I wanted to know!

I clicked on the file and it opened up right where I had left off before. My place had been bookmarked. I snuggled back into the pillows and covers on my bed and began to read.

The woman took the little girl's hand, urging her to move faster, wishing that those little legs could keep up. They needed to get to the beach. The boat would be waiting there, but not for long. She'd been warned. The window of time was a small one. If the boat didn't make it across the electronic barrier in time, it would be forced to stay for another thirty days, which would surely lead to the Captain's capture. An unauthorized boat wouldn't go unnoticed for long.

The woman quickened her pace. She knew the captain would not wait for more than ten minutes, and if he saw anything suspicious he would leave immediately. She had to get them to the beach. This was her only chance. They were taking the girl away from her soon. Even if the Captain was willing to return after thirty days, when the barrier was down once again, the girl would be gone and all would be lost.

They ran through the forest. The woman didn't know how long it would be until her absence was noticed. She wasn't allowed to take the girl out for more than an hour or two at a time. Even though she was known to all as the girl's appointed caretaker, she was watched, she was always watched. It had been a mistake coming to this place and agreeing to this post, because it certainly wasn't a marriage.

I rested the tablet on my lap and closed my eyes, trying to picture the scene I'd just read. To me, reading a story was just as good as watching a video... better even, because I could imagine the scene the way I wanted to. That woman and the little girl were right there in my head, running from one thing, toward something else. I could see the desperation in the woman's face. I imagined that frantic energy traveling down her arm and flowing into the little girl.

The little girl must have felt the urgency of the situation. She probably didn't know how important the beach was to the woman. Maybe she wasn't even aware they were heading toward the beach. I tried to remember if I'd read anything earlier in the story about the woman informing the child of their destination. The beginning of the story came flooding back to me. The woman had only told the little girl that they were going on an outing and that they'd be away longer than usual. The little girl was happy about the outing. She liked the woman so much.

My tablet beeped, jarring me out of my thoughts, informing me that Thorn had sent his story. I closed the book and downloaded the file. When I went back to the book a minute later it was gone again. "Ugh!" I half sighed, half exclaimed aloud.

I wondered if it was worth getting myself invested in a book that was going to disappear and reappear with no warning. I pushed that story out of my mind and opened Thorn's. I was determined to give him my feedback as soon as possible.

***

I wasn't even sure how far I got through Thorn's file before my eyes started slipping shut. No matter how many times I tried to will them to stay open, they just wouldn't cooperate. I awoke the next morning fully clothed, with my tablet beside me. Apparently, I'd fallen asleep reading.

There was a knock on my door.

"Yes?"

"I need to talk to you. I'm coming in," Aspen informed me from the other side of the door.

I nodded my head. Which was a ridiculous thing to do, considering that no one would be aware of the action but me. The knob turned, the door opened, and Aspen came into my room.

She stood by my bed, her arms crossed, fingers tapping away at her arms. "My father is on his way over. He wants to speak with you."

"So I finally get to meet this grandfather you've all been talking about. I honestly have no recollection of him."

"Bluebell, do not be flippant. I've told you many times that he saw you on several occasions when you were very little. He is a very busy man. I hardly see him and he is my father. I hardly know what you expect of us. You are treated very well and live a privileged life. Not everyone has access to the conveniences that you have," she scolded me.

"I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just that I've been home for weeks and I thought he'd have come to visit me by now," I said.

Aspen looked at my disheveled state and frowned. "You need to get out of that bed and straighten yourself up. Please put extra care into your appearance today. It is important that he sees what a fine young woman you are." Aspen spun around and walked out of the room. "He'll be here in thirty minutes," she called over her shoulder.

"I will do my best," I called out after her.

"Do my best. It would be better," she replied.

My shoulders raised in a heavy sigh. Of course her best would always be better than mine. Would I ever perform up to her expectations?

I walked into the bathroom and stared at my reflection. There were bags under my eyes, which were also puffy and red. That wasn't a good look at any time, let alone when you were seeing your oh so important grandfather for the first time. Well, the first time that you remembered anyway.

I sighed and thought about what Holly would say. "I look zonkered," I said aloud, in Holly's absence.

After I showered and dried my hair I went back to my room. Waiting for me on my bed was an outfit Aspen had clearly picked out for me. It was brand new, probably something she was holding on to for just this occasion. It looked like something she would wear, overly styled and on the cutting edge of fashion. I would have preferred something simple, something that was easy to slip into, and something that made me feel comfortable.

That was not what was waiting for me.

I pulled on the slim pencil skirt and was grateful that it fell just below my knees. The white ruffle collared shirt was silky, but it didn't look comfortable at all. The fabric was easy to crease and wrinkle. I'd have to stand straight and tall, and keep still, if I was to keep from looking like I'd slept in the shirt. The beaded jacket she'd paired with it was overly styled and embellished. There were just too many things going on with it. My eyes danced around it.

There was also a stack of bracelets, to cover my Citizen Brand. Aspen wouldn't be caught anywhere without her signature bracelets, and she was obviously hoping to force that tradition onto me as well. I wasn't sure if I wanted to jingle and clink everywhere I went. But I put the bracelets on anyway, to keep her happy.

As I was about to exit the room, I realized that my face was make-up free, and Aspen would expect me to be wearing some. I plopped myself down in front of my little beauty table and hurriedly applied a light coat of everything. When I stood up to inspect myself in the mirror, I didn't love the reflection. Wearing clothes that I had no choice in the selection of made me feel not quite like me... but it would do.

The door chime sounded. My grandfather had arrived. I slipped my feet into the shoes Aspen had left by the bed and exited my bedroom.

He stood at the bottom of the stairs, steel grey hair, smooth expressionless face, eerie pale blue eyes, looking up at me. He was perfectly perfect, like Beta, but with grey hair.

"Bluebell, how lovely you look. Come. Let your grandfather inspect you."

"Grandfather," I nodded my head in greeting as I descended the stairs.

When I reached the last step, and stood toe to toe with him, he grasped my hands, raised my arms, and looked me over from head to toe. He really was inspecting me. I started to wonder if I was going to pass the inspection. Was I good enough, at first glance, for this very important Council member?

He turned his head away from me. "Jackson, Aspen, she is just lovely." Then he turned back to look at me again. "Bluebell, your proportions are perfect. You eat a healthy balance of food and exercise regularly, don't you?"

"Yes, Grandfather," I answered.

"It is apparent. And your grooming is impeccable; you would catch anyone's eye. First impressions!"

The inspection felt very impersonal, as if I were an object and not a living being. I felt pressure to say the right thing. "First impressions are extremely important. Once made..." I began.

"Once made they are hard to be undone." He finished my sentence for me. "Excellent. I'm not sure about this choice of outfit though, Aspen. Is it appealing to the youth of Concord? I think I will call in a style consultant for her."

A look of disappointment, and then irritation, crossed Aspen's face. "I assure you it is a quality outfit. Raleigh's work is unmatched," she huffed.

Grandfather released my hands. I lowered them to my side and lightly shook them out.

"She needs to look the picture of youth... desirable to all. I'm not exactly getting that at first glance," he countered. "Don't worry, Bluebell, we will rectify the situation. I understand that there will be three Galas this season. I'm sure a few other small celebrations will take place, but a Gala is special. We made sure that yours will be the last, impossible for it to be outshone by the others."

"I am looking forward to it," I assured him.

"This Rosemary girl from your class has inherited a respectable sum of money. But her Gala is a false front to attract a good Marriage Contract. She hasn't inherited as much as she's been told. Her family isn't always the most vocal in their support of The Council. You will need to be absent the night of her Gala. I won't have you attend. Aspen will send your apologies with a decent and believable excuse for your absence. The next one belongs to twins. I understand that you were quite friendly with the identical twins at Training Tech?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. "That is correct. Petunia and Petals are very good friends of mine."

"Good. Their Gala will be sponsored by Concord. It has been decided that they will be introduced to two sets of brothers and we will create a video series to see which ones will end up with a Marriage Contract. The Citizens will be entertained as they discover how well the couples get along, and then peek into the beginning of their cohabitation once a set of brothers is chosen.

"You are to make your first very brief video appearance the night before their Gala and then you will be properly presented the night of the Gala. Concord's Lush girl – the envy of all your peers and the role model of all young girls in Training Tech, they should all aspire to be like you. It will be a successful campaign," my grandfather concluded.

Not only was I an object, it seemed I was also a product.

"I will serve Concord with pride." The dutiful answer exited my mouth without much thought. I always knew what was expected of me.

"Concord Reigns," Grandfather smiled.

"Concord Reigns," I replied.

***

Cimarron was on overdrive for the entire week that followed my grandfather's visit. I was completely exhausted each and every day, collapsing on my bed earlier each night as the week progressed. My nightly assignments consumed my time, I'd barely managed to finish Thorn's story. I still hadn't found the time to discuss it with him.

I was expected to memorize speeches, practice talking in front of a mirror while examining my facial expressions, and was given dozens of random questions to answer. Cimarron said that a successful ambassador would be able to answer any question posed, at a moment's notice, and do it dutifully, and with flair. Answering questions proved to be the easiest task. I always knew the appropriate response in any situation.

Twice, the students learning Video Production at the CEC filmed me while I gave a prepared speech, and I would be graduating to the actual Concord Video Department sometime during the following week. Stone had done his best to break my concentration, making a spectacle of his blown up cheeks. He managed to puff them up larger than I had ever seen. It took all my strength to look past his silly face and continue to extoll the virtues of Concord. I was proud of myself.

One thing that struck me during the week was the more I read the words Cimarron gave to me the more I realized that they were true. The speeches were starting to sink in. I'd always known that I would do what was expected of me, but I did it blindly. It started to become clearer that Concord did have my best interests at heart. And not only that – It became more apparent that Concord was always striving to make my life easier, safer, and better than the day before.

By Friday, I was in bed by seven o'clock in the evening, completely exhausted but satisfied with my work that week.

Get up, Bluebell! Get up, Bluebell! The beeping notification on my tablet woke me a few hours later.

I rubbed at my eyes with the back of one hand while I reached for the tablet with the other. Video Chat Requested scrolled across the screen. It was from Thorn. I accepted the chat and yawned into the camera as Thorn's image appeared on the screen. I rolled onto my side and propped the tablet against a pillow.

"I woke you," Thorn frowned.

"It's fine, really. I purposely left my notifications turned on. I was hoping you'd contact me. It was a very busy week, but I did manage to read your short story. I really liked it."

"I can contact you another time. We don't need to talk about this right now. There is no rush."

I stifled another yawn. "Thorn, I'm serious. It was just a much-needed nap. I'm awake, I swear."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure!" I brought myself up to a seated position. "See, awake."

"Okay. I see. So you liked the story?"

"I did. I loved all of the vivid descriptions. You made me feel like I was walking the path with the two characters. I could see the green trees, the tall grass, and the blooming flowers."

Thorn smiled. "That means you enjoyed my writing skills. I want to know if you liked the story."

I thought about his question for a moment. The story was of a man and a woman, walking through a garden, discussing whether or not their marriage was going to last. They questioned their decision to enter into a Contract in the first place and wondered if they'd be happy with their choice as they grew older. It seemed like a difficult conversation for two people to be having.

"I could feel their angst. Forever is a long time. It would be very hard to start questioning a choice like that. I wanted to reassure them that Concord would be proud of them if they stood strong together. But you ended it with uncertainty."

"I thought you'd enjoy that. You could imagine your own ending, decide what would become of the two of them."

"That's so true. I can imagine my own ending. Oh that makes it even better. Honestly Cimarron has run me nonstop this week and I am too busy to think sometimes, I think." I giggled. "Gracious. I can't believe I just said that, to think sometimes, I think. I'm talking in circles now. I guess I must be a little tired still, not fully awake. Anyway, what made you write it?"

"I imagine that many people question their Marriage Contract choice. Fertile Citizens are encouraged to find a mate as quickly as possible and begin a family soon after," he stated. "It all seems so rushed. Sometimes I think it would be nice if Citizens were encouraged to take some time and make sure that they are making a match that would make them happy, as well as being a suitable one."

"Thorn, you know as well as I do that research indicates that a fertile woman is most likely to produce healthy offspring between the ages of eighteen and twenty-eight. After that her chances are so greatly reduced that Concord will rarely allow it. It is logical to begin as early as possible."

"Oh, I know. It was simply an exercise to see if I could capture the scene and capture their conversation while still portraying genuine emotions."

I smiled at him. "I think you were fully successful on all accounts. I could picture the scene in my head and I felt as if I were walking beside them, eaves-dropping on their conversation. I could see the worry on her face; a reflection of her partner's concern. You drew me into the story."

"That is encouraging," Thorn said. "I wrote two more short stories this week. They were for a required assignment. I uploaded them to my instructor a few hours ago. I guess I'm a bit nervous to hear his reaction to my story telling."

"Did you write about marriage in those ones too?" I asked.

"No. But it is a topic I think should be openly discussed. Even though Incorporation just ended for us, and most of us are still seventeen, if we are branded with an O we'll be expected to find a mate soon. Especially you, Bluebell."

"I know. My father and Aspen are already scheming," I sighed. "But one must do one's duty."

"Must one?" Thorn asked.

"One must," I answered. "Especially one who is the Lush Ambassador for Concord, one who needs to set an example for young future Citizens. One must."

"I guess so. But it still concerns me to see rushed unions and unhappy mothers and fathers that end up living as brothers and sisters because they are just doing their duty."

"I think, for the most part, a Marriage Contract is mostly about compatibility, mutual interests, and extending the family lines. What do you think it should be about?" I asked.

"About what I see growing between Lily and Fisher. There is a spark that happens whenever they come together."

"I rarely see that spark. My father and Aspen don't have it, most of the other parents don't seem to have it either," I countered.

"Exactly. It is a shame." His lips twisted into a confused sort of frown. "Hey. Do you want to meet in the park?"

I shook my head. "Now? It is almost ten o'clock, Thorn. That's too late to be meeting in a park."

"You're probably right," he conceded. "How about tomorrow then?"

"Excellent idea. Maybe you could show me one of your other stories."

Thorn smiled. "How about at 11:00 tomorrow and then we could get something to eat afterward?"

"Food! How could I resist food?" I exclaimed.

"You can't," Thorn shrugged. "It is impossible to resist food."

"It is," I nodded my head in agreement, "especially if there are carrot cookies involved."

Thorn scratched his cheek with his right hand. "I'm pretty sure we can find carrot cookies for you."

"Then it is a deal," I smiled.

***

The next morning, as we were sitting on a park bench, Thorn and I compared our Citizen Brands. He traced my five circles while I traced his one.

Thorn pressed his finger into the center of the star. "I wonder why we've never seen this brand before. Do you think you're the only one?"

"I know I am the only one right now, but not the first one ever. Holly and Ash's parents said something about there being another one. They said it was twenty years ago, I think, in Concord Three or Four."

"I guess The Council didn't choose to make her an ambassador like they're doing with you. Or else we'd all know about her and she'd be in the video archives – or still be a prominent video star."

I took my right hand and circled it around my left wrist, covering the brand. "Maybe they just let her live her life in private and she started covering the brand with bracelets and ribbons, like so many of the women do, and the Citizens just forgot about it."

"I could never forget about it, especially if I saw the person every day."

"Maybe she moved to another Concord where people didn't know about it. Not everybody wants to be the center of attention," I said.

"How about you?" Thorn asked. "How do you feel about being the center of attention?"

"It's fine. I've accepted it. It's not as if I have a choice in the matter. Choice doesn't come into play when it comes to our career paths. It's not as if any of us have a choice. You are going to be a writer because you've shown great aptitude in that area – the story I read was so good. Lily will work in Armory because she understands the details of weaponry and strategy. Stone was placed in Video because his brain is a jumble of talented visual ideas. And I will be the Lush Ambassador, because it is what best suits me."

"How do we know it's what best suits us?"

I answered automatically. "Because Concord always acts with our best interests at heart. We went through six months of tests and evaluations during Incorporation. Those were to help Concord discover the best possible occupations for each of us."

"I wonder if the infertile were all given their best possible occupations."

I thought of our friends and immediately listed the infertile ones. "Lily is in Armory, Clay is in Information, and Ash is in Peace Keeping."

Thorn looked straight into my eyes. "Lily has an influential father, Clay is crazy smart, and Ash is a twin. Twins are historically treated well. What about River? He is great with problem solving. He was able to settle arguments like no one else could, during Training Tech. He'd be an excellent Peace Keeper, much better than Ash. Ash is quick to anger. But River was given the choice of being a Gardener or Guardian. And then there is Petals. She showed me some of her drawings, she is a talented artist."

"What about Petals? She was allowed to stay with her sister. The Council was very generous to them, finding brothers for them to marry. I think it is wonderful."

"The Pets are identical twins. That makes them even more appealing to The Council. So they have been assigned public lives, with public Marriage Contracts, that will all be arranged for them."

I sighed in frustration. "I don't understand why we are having this conversation. We must have Guardians, and Gardeners, and butchers' helpers, and sanitation workers, and public figures that appear on video, and much more. What does it matter who does what, as long as it all gets done? We all have a job to do. It is our duty to do it well, serve Concord to the best of our abilities, and find some joy in life."

"I'm sure you're right. I tend to overanalyze things. I think it is the writer in me. Sometimes I want to see things from every different angle. My instructor has already informed me that I'll need to learn to control those urges, because Citizens do not want to be forced to think about things too much. They just need to be entertained with a good story. It makes life easier. If we don't question things too much, then we tend to be happier... or so my writing instructor tells me."

"I think I agree with him," I said softly. "It is a lot easier if we don't question too much. I mean, I do question things. I just usually do it in my head. I hardly ever ask them out loud. It doesn't seem right, to question Concord."

"We could just ask each other the questions that are in our heads," Thorn suggested.

"I don't know..."

"That way, we aren't questioning Concord on their decisions. We would just be questioning each other," he explained.

"I guess that could work. We could get the questions out of our heads that way."

"And it wouldn't do any harm..."

I interrupted him. "Unless someone finds out and we are reported for probing into things when we are not authorized to."

"You worry too much," Thorn laughed.

I smiled. "I guess I do. I just want to be a good Citizen."

"You are a good person, Bluebell. I've always thought so."

"What do you mean always? You say that like it is some huge amount of time. I just met you during Incorporation, and we hardly talked then. You never even saw me until a few months ago. You barely know me."

"I didn't just meet you during Incorporation. We used to play together when we were little. My first memory of you is from when I was three, but that one is a little fuzzy. The more specific ones are from when we were four."

I sat up a little straighter and blinked my eyes in disbelief. "What do you mean, three? We don't have specific memories from when we are little. The trainers have always maintained that the first real memories start later, during our time at Training Tech. I mean, I do remember playing with a group of children outside. I'm almost positive there were both boys and girls, and I think I remember a stream. But that is it. There is no specific detail to it. How do you know it is me you are remembering and not some other random little girl from before Training Tech?"

"Oh, it was you. I remember screaming your name and chasing you near the edge of the water. My mother scolded me for getting too close, saying that we might have fallen in. And once you almost did; more than once. But there was this one time, when I was right beside you, that I grabbed your hand in time and pulled you back from the water's edge."

I closed my eyes as a jolt of something hit the memory centers of my brain. I could almost feel the hand grabbing onto me and pulling me back. I could hear the scream in my head.

I opened my eyes and stared at Thorn. "Did I kiss you on the cheek?"

"Yes," Thorn smiled. "You told me that a thorn's job...

"...a thorn's job is to protect the flower."

"Yes, and then you thanked me with a kiss." Thorn pointed to his cheek.

I closed my eyes again and saw a cute little boy face looking at me with a proud grin.

"I remember that," I breathed, as memories of the long forgotten past came back to me. "I had a blue ribbon tied around my neck that day," I said, touching the base of my neck. "There was a ring hanging from it. It must have come untied and I remember finding the ribbon but I never found the ring. It was special to me. I don't remember why, I just remember feeling that it was very special."

"I went back to that area with my mother, the day before she took me to Training Tech. I found the ring and shoved it into my pocket. It is still in a little box in my room. My mother told me that I wouldn't be able to see you again until we were much older, but that it would keep until then."

"Tag!" I exclaimed. "I remember playing tag. I was running from a girl with blonde hair, screaming with glee. Who was that? Do you know?"

"Probably Coral. Her face seemed familiar to me on the first day of Incorporation. I think I remember Rosebud too."

I grabbed his hands. "There were boys there, other than you. I remember other boys."

"Yeah. Red was there," Thorn said.

"We didn't Incorporate with a Red. Did he move to another Concord?"

Thorn shook his head. "No. Sadly, Red passed away when we were in Year Seven. He was always climbing things that he shouldn't. One day he fell and hit his head pretty hard. He was a nice kid, feisty, but real nice. Sometimes you and I played with River, but he doesn't remember at all. I've asked him a few times over the years, but he always says that he can't even remember Year One, let alone anything that happened before it. I know there were a few boys and another girl that were a bit younger than us. So the boys won't be out of Training Tech for a year or so, but you probably saw the girl in passing. Close your eyes. Can you see her in your head?"

I closed my eyes and tried to picture a young me, a young Coral, a young Rosebud, and another young one that was just a bit smaller. I could see us as we ran through the tall grass. We played by the stream, laughed and chased each other. Blonde Coral ran ahead of me, red flaming Rosebud ran beside me, and silky jet black Obsidian ran behind us. "Obsidian," I said. "Her name is Obsidian. Gracious, I have a massive headache now."

"Yeah. I don't know why that happens. But sometimes when I try to dig deep into my memories, I get a headache too. Maybe the trainers are half right. The first real memories that we can easily remember start a little later. If we want anything before that, it takes some effort. I make myself remember all the time. I want to remember. My mother died when I was Year One. Those early memories are almost all I have, aside from a few Visitation Days. I don't want to forget her."

"I'm so sorry, Thorn. That had to be hard for you. I can't imagine."

"I was dropped off at Training Tech one moment, forced to leave her, and then she just stopped coming to visit. She was gone. My father always talks about her. He wants to keep her memory alive."

"I'm glad he does that for you. Poor Rosebud's mother would hardly ever acknowledge her daughter or her late husband when we were in Training Tech," I told him.

"That had to be unbearable for her."

I nodded my head. "I think it was, and still is. So... we played together when we were four?"

"Yes we did," he smiled. "And younger too."

"That's pretty great."

"It is. Sometimes, I turn those memories into stories. I think that's why I love to write. I'm always creating stories in my head. Try to remember, Blue. Try to remember."

"I will. We should go get some food. I remember food is good," I winked at him.

Thorn stood up from the bench and pulled me up with him. "Let's go, flower."

"Let's go, thorn," I smiled.

*****

#  Chapter Eleven

Debut Video

I looked into the camera and spoke with a loud, clear voice. Determined not to blink under the blast of bright lights, I stood tall and tried to look strong, confident, and dutiful.

"Hello, Citizens of Concord. My name is Bluebell and I am blessed to be a descendent of one of the original twenty Council Members. My grandfather and my father are current members of The Council. I guess you could say that Concord Council runs through my veins.

"I wear my Citizen Brand with pride, as we all do, though mine is different. Mine is special. At the end of Incorporation, it was discovered that I am Lush. I am not simply fertile. I am Lush with life. It is expected that I will be able to successfully bear multiple children... those children will grow to be healthy and strong and will serve Concord with pride. You see, I have always followed the directions of my parents, my trainers, and my doctor. Because of my dedication to always live within the boundaries that Concord has set up for us, and my parents' hard work during my early years, I have been rewarded."

At that point in my speech, I was told to hold my left wrist up high, showing my Lush Brand to the camera. I knew it would zoom in on the five circles, so I tried to hold my arm steady.

"The Council is proud of my Brand. My mother and father are proud of my Brand. I am proud of this remarkable Lush Brand. I wear it with dignity, respect, and for the honor of Concord. Concord Reigns!"

I paused, holding my breath, waiting for Cimarron to hold her hand in the air, which would signal that the video was no longer recording. A few seconds later, I was given the signal and my whole body responded with a slump.

"How was that one?" I asked.

"It was very good," Cimarron assured me. "We don't have to do another take. Three is definitely enough. The editors can take the best parts of each speech and mesh them together seamlessly. They are masters at that."

"Oh, good," I sighed. "I don't think I could do another one."

"You performed perfectly. Now this will go to editing, like I said. They have also put together some of the scenes we filmed this past week; you at the gymnasium, you at the CEC, you at a restaurant, you at home with your parents - and they will add in some music and artful angles. It will all blend together to create one captivating video about the glamorous life of a Lush Citizen. I can't wait to see the finished product," Cimarron smiled.

"Neither can I," I admitted. It had been a very busy week, but also one of the most exciting weeks of my life. Having a video camera following me around had made me feel special, like I really was something to look at and envy. "I can't believe the video will be ready to be seen tonight."

"Believe it, Bluebell. It will interrupt all other tablet and wall screen activities at precisely eight o'clock this evening for a mandatory viewing, in Concords One to Four. Your face will be instantly recognizable."

"I feel bad that this is airing the day before The Pets' Gala. Won't I take attention away from their special night?"

Cimarron shook her head. "Tomorrow night does not belong to Petunia and Petals, it belongs to Concord. Petunia and Petals will receive their own attention when we bring out the two sets of brothers the Marriage Broker was able to find for them. The Council is still trying to decide how to select the winning set. You will be making your first public appearance after the Lush video announcement. So, yes, you will be drawing some attention your way. But it is fine. The Pets, as you like to call them, are well aware of The Council's desire for it to happen this way. It is a shared event, Bluebell."

"I guess."

"Go home, Bluebell. Gather some friends around you and watch the video together. Be proud of your hard work and your dedication to Concord. You are a good girl."

"Thank you, Cimarron. Will I see you at the Gala?"

"Of course," she replied with a smirk. "Who else would be able to guide you in the proper way to behave throughout the evening?"

"See you tomorrow, then." I waved and started to walk backward toward the door.

"See you tomorrow."

***

"Hurry," Lily squealed. "It's almost eight. It'll be on soon."

"Yes, Blue. Get back in here!" Stone yelled.

"Now!" Fisher added.

"I am getting something to drink. Hold on," I huffed.

"Bluebell, are all these people really necessary?" Aspen asked as she walked through the kitchen.

"Well, I certainly can't send them home without seeing the video. What ungracious hosts we would be. I'm sure that would reflect badly on the Lush Ambassador for Concord," I smiled sweetly. "Plus, I don't think that four people can really be classified as all these people," I added.

"I meant to ask you about one of the boys. Thorn, is it? Well, is he the kind of person you should be associating with? What will people think?"

"What could you possibly mean by that?" I asked, completely thrown by the suggestion that his association could somehow tarnish my reputation.

"His mother passed away so long ago and his father never sought to enter into another Marriage Contract. He has been living alone for over a decade, and now it is just the two of them with no female influence at all. I find that strange. Concord would like us all to be happily connected to a well matched mate," Aspen explained.

"There is no rule or mandate about that," I reminded her.

"There should be," she concluded. "No good can come from a single man. It takes a woman's touch to guide a man onto the correct path in life. I firmly believe that."

"Stand firm in your beliefs, Aspen. Stand firm," I told her as I marched out of the room holding a tray filled with mugs of hot chocolate. A special night deserved a special treat.

"Bluebell, you are a lovely girl. Don't let Fish tell you anything different," Stone told me as I put the tray down in front of him.

"Thanks, I'll remember that," I smiled and then playfully cut my eyes at Fisher.

"Nice! Real nice, Stone," Fisher shook his head.

"She is a lovely girl," Thorn agreed. "But this hot chocolate is even lovelier."

"Ssshhh," Lily hissed, staring at the wall screen. "I think this is it," she said as the screen went black for a moment... and then my face appeared on the screen. "Blue, sit by me!" She ordered.

Five minutes later the video ended and my friends all clapped their hands together in a roaring applause.

"I loved it," Lily sighed. "They made you look so beautiful. I wish I could do my make-up that perfectly."

"Yeah, me too," I agreed. "Their people are amazing."

"Nice speech, Blue," Fisher said.

"It was shot well," Stone added.

"You looked very sure of yourself. That's a good thing. If you want to make people trust you, you should be sure of yourself," Thorn remarked.

"So it's good?" I asked.

"Very good," Lily squealed.

Stone exhaled a bubble of air. "Excellent job, my friend."

I covered my Brand with my right hand. "Should I be nervous about tomorrow night with The Pets? Because I am."

"Nervous is good," Lily said. "Nervous energy will keep you on your toes. You don't want to get lazy and forget things."

"You're right. I don't want to forget anything. I want to remember," I said while looking at Thorn.

"Yes. Remember," Thorn repeated.

"Lily, do you remember anything about your life before Training Tech?" I asked. "I know we were all so little, but I was just wondering."

"I remember my bedroom. When we first came home from Incorporation, it was pretty much the way I pictured it in my head. And I remember making cookies with my mother, but that is it. I can't really recall anything else. As you said, we were so young. I'm surprised I can remember that much."

"I remember absolutely nothing from before, and hardly anything from Year One," Fisher said. "What about you, Stone?"

"I remember lots of stuff, but I'm never sure if they're real or imagined memories. I think it's that creative thing in my brain. Works overdrive sometimes. I think most of the memories, the ones that I am certain are real, began in Year One. Why do you ask, Blue?"

My new memories began to feel like stolen items. I had pulled them out of the recesses of my mind. But was I supposed to? Was I allowed to?

"No reason. It's just that Thorn..." I looked at Thorn and he gave me a small shake of his head. It was barely noticeable.

He interrupted me. "I was just writing a new story and I wondered if I could have my character remember something that happened to him before he entered Training Tech."

"You could," Lily said. "But I think it would have to be a pretty fuzzy memory. Very vague."

"Exactly. Just something general," Fisher added. "Like being in a crowd or riding in a vehicle or playing with something."

Stone blew out an air bubble. "I don't like forcing myself to think about things past. I swear it hurts my brain. That's probably why I just create scenarios instead. It's more fun that way anyway."

"Are The Pets ready for their Gala?" I asked, changing the subject.

Lily nodded her head. "Oh yes! Petunia and Petals are going to wear matching floral print dresses with big poofy skirts. Pet 1 will have a pink floral crown and Pet 2 will wear a purple one. They gave me all the details yesterday. They're pretty excited to meet the two sets of brothers too."

"Cimarron told me that a new gown will be delivered tomorrow for me to wear. Something the new Style Consultant they brought in picked out. What are you going to wear?" I asked her.

"Mother had a lovely yellow gown in her closet. We had that refitted for me. I'm still upset that you weren't at Rosemary's last week. I looked fabulous! Were you really that sick?"

"More exhausted than sick, I guess. It was awful. I could barely stand," I repeated the lie that Aspen and my grandfather had decided upon.

"That Cimarron works you much too hard," Lily frowned. "I missed you. It would have been so much fun with you there."

"I'm sure you had fun with Fisher there," I winked.

"And Stone!" Stone exclaimed. "You can't have fun without Stone!"

Lily laughed. "Yes, and Stone."

Stone looked at Thorn. "Why didn't you go?"

"Wasn't invited," Thorn shrugged.

Lily looked from Thorn to me. "You two are close all of the sudden."

"Instant friendship, I guess. I'm reading his stories," I said.

"She gives excellent feedback," Thorn added.

"Are you going to the Gala together?" Lily asked.

"Not together. Cimarron would never allow that. My grandfather wouldn't allow it either."

"I didn't realize I was so undesirable," Thorn said with an exaggerated frown.

"Don't worry. So am I." Stone mirrored Thorn's expression. "Lily told me that she wanted Blue to ask if I could escort her to their Gala next week. But that isn't going to happen either. She's crushed us both."

I looked from Stone to Thorn. "Boys, boys, I am at the mercy of The Council. I promise."

"Joking, Blue," Stone laughed. "You're all wrong for me, anyway. I've decided that I have a weakness for freckled red heads with light eyes. Freckles on bare shoulders are irresistible. I just want to connect the dots with my fingers. You're a great girl though," he winked.

"Thanks, Stone," I winked back at him. "Maybe I'll grow some freckles and become more appealing to you."

"Might work."

Aspen came into the room, and declared that it was time for everyone to leave. She said that a full night's sleep was necessary for such an important day. If I was to look my best then I needed to be well rested.

I had to agree with her. When I didn't sleep well, it showed.

I hugged Lily, Fisher, and Stone, said goodbye, and then turned to Thorn.

He placed a little box in my hand, gave me a hug, and whispered in my ear. "Wear this tomorrow." When he pulled back he said in a louder voice, "You did great, Bluebell." Then he left.

"Upstairs and to bed," Aspen repeated her orders after I closed the door.

"I'm going straight to bed. I promise," I sighed as I climbed the steps.

When I was alone in my room, with the door closed, I opened the little box Thorn had placed in my hand. Inside was a little gold ring with a flower in the middle. It was the ring... the one that had been tied to the ribbon around my neck that day, years ago. I remembered it. I took it out of the box and slipped it onto the middle finger on my right hand. It fit perfectly.

*****

#  Chapter Twelve

Stepping into the Spotlight

"I feel a bit ridiculous with this collar. I mean... the dress is eye catching enough with this huge red skirt. Isn't the collar a bit much?" I asked.

"Not at all," Aspen scoffed. "This is a one of a kind creation. It is the perfect gown. All eyes will be drawn to you. The color red commands attention. This is exactly the kind of dress that a girl in your position needs," she insisted.

"A girl in my position," I mumbled under my breath.

"Bluebell, you are a reflection of the auspicious 1.15 family, a descendant of the original twenty, and you are being groomed to live in the public eye. Any other young Citizen would trade places with you in a moment's notice. But they can't, they aren't Lush. But you are, so act like it!"

I stood up a little straighter and put a smile on my face so she would think that her little speech had worked. Hoping that if she saw it, she would let me be.

I stared at myself in the tall mirror. The red and white gown had an exaggerated full skirt and a high tulle collar. I had to admit that the collar framed my face in the most amazing way, but I knew it would draw attention. When Aspen had been going through her tablet, looking at all of the pictures of gowns, I hadn't spied one that looked anything like this.

This new Style Consultant was determined to make me the center of all attention, though at Petunia and Petal's Gala, it just didn't seem right. But Cimarron, Aspen, Father, and Grandfather had explained that since Concord was sponsoring the Gala, then Concord was entitled to highlight its new Lush Ambassador – and that meant I was to be paraded around. They kept telling me that it was a shared event, but it still felt wrong.

The make-up and hair people had just left. The gown was on (and it was wearing me as much as I was wearing it). I slipped my feet into the shoes that had been delivered with the gown: they were quite high, but had a thick enough heel that I'd be able to wear them for the whole evening. The little bag that would hold my mini tablet (I was up to three of those things) was waiting for me by the door. I was ready to be presented to Concord.

Aspen's tablet vibrated in her hand and she looked at the screen. "Jackson, Bluebell, the car is waiting outside. Is everyone ready?"

"Oh, wait just a minute. I forgot something in my room," I said over my shoulder as I rushed from the room.

I ascended the stairs as quickly as was possible in the enormous dress and high heels, and entered my room. The little box that Thorn had given me the night before was sitting on the table by my bed. I opened it up, slipped the ring on my finger, and then turned to go back down to where my parents waited for me by the door. I grabbed my little bag and we all walked toward the waiting car.

"It is such a lovely evening," Aspen remarked as we started moving.

"Yes, dear, it is," my father agreed.

"The moon looks lovely."

"Umm-hmm."

"I do hope they have the little canapés that I requested. They are the perfect little bite. Everybody loves them. Don't you agree?"

My father smiled at her. "They are always enjoyed by all."

After paying attention to that particular exchange, I tuned them out. Aspen said something meaningless and my father agreed. It was their common form of communication and it drove me mad. I couldn't imagine such a boring existence. When I was with my friends we had discussions, laughed, teased, agreed, disagreed. My parents always spoke as if a high-ranking official were there, observing them to measure their compatibility. It was all so sterile. A public conversation was to be conducted that way; a private one should be full of life... at least that was what I believed.

I decided to pull my mini tablet out of my bag so I could read from it until we reached the Gala. Thorn had sent over another story and it was pretty good. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, because when I start reading, time seems to have no meaning anymore. I could read all night if the story was good enough, and gladly suffer the consequences the next day. I would brave a tired day when the story whispered, just one more page...

Aspen tugged at my skirt, pulling my attention away from my tablet.

"Where did you get that?" she asked, pointing to my hand.

"Cimarron gave it to me. She said that I needed a smaller one for the times when I was only carrying a small bag."

"No, not that, you silly girl. That," she frowned, pointing at my ring.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you meant the mini tablet. Because, really, who needs three of these things?" I asked, pointing to the mini tablet.

"The ring, Bluebell!"

"Right. The ring came from Thorn," I answered.

"And where did Thorn get it?"

"He found it," I said, giving her the truth but not much more.

"Where did he find it?" she pressed for more answers.

"Outside."

Her mouth drew into a hard line. "Bluebell, a full sentence with more details would be nice."

"Aspen, why all the questions? It is just a ring," my father said. He leaned closer to get a better look at it.

"Yes, Mother. Why all the questions?"

Aspen rolled her eyes at the word mother and said, "I just want to know where it came from, and why you have it."

"Should I not have it? It is mine, isn't it?"

"Well the boy gave it to you, so it is obviously yours," my father replied.

"Forget it, it is not important," Aspen waved her hands in the air, washing away the current discussion. "We are here."

From the way the conversation went it became obvious to me that Aspen remembered the ring, but my father did not. The ring held no significance to him, while the sight of it seemed to bother her. I was intrigued by the fact that a little flower ring visibly disturbed Aspen. It may have been wicked of me, but I'd made up my mind to continue to be as vague as possible.

We stepped out of the car and were ushered over to a side entrance. Petunia and Petals were inside, ready and waiting. Introductions were to be made soon and until then we were all to be kept away from the guests. The Pets and I squealed when we saw each other and rushed together to give air kisses and little hugs. We were each too worried about messing up ourselves, or each other, to do any more.

"Bluebell, you look divine!" they said in unison.

And I once again wondered how identical twins were able to do it. It was like they were in each other's brain. It always amazed me.

"Thank you! The collar worries me, but it is pretty, isn't it?" I twirled around and let the red skirt poof out. "I love your dresses, the flowers, your shoes. Did you ever think we would all look so nice in gowns?"

Petals laughed. "I think any girl would look lovely with a pretty new dress, her hair done in a flattering way, and the right make-up on her face."

"I think you are correct in that assessment," I smiled. "I can tell the two of you will excel in your given career."

Petunia twirled around, making her dress flare out. "Fashion and Style will be perfect for us. I never knew that it was so interesting, until that first day at the CEC when we were told we had shown an aptitude for it."

"Plus," Petals grinned. "Who wouldn't love to have gorgeous identical twins show up to be their Dressmaker or Style Consultant? We will be quite the desired pair, I predict."

"Girls," Cimarron whistled. "You two," she pointed at The Pets. "You're up. Walk through the curtain and stop about three feet behind the microphone. The announcer will take it from there."

"Got to go," they chimed together and then disappeared through the heavy curtains.

I could hear the announcer talking enthusiastically in a booming voice.

"Concord One has the most beautiful set of identical twins and I'd like to introduce them to you..." he began speaking, but I was forced to stop listening.

Cimarron grabbed my attention.

"Aspen, Jackson, and Bluebell, you will walk out together with Aspen on Bluebell's left and Jackson on the right. The parents will be introduced first, then you two must walk toward the tables and have a seat at the one reserved for you. Just look for me. I will be out there to guide you," Cimarron explained. "Bluebell, you will be introduced after that and will have a few moments of question and answer. You will need to draw on all those practice questions we rehearsed at the CEC. Keep calm, keep your voice strong and steady, and answer them the way a true Ambassador for Concord would. I have faith in your abilities. You'll do great!"

I nodded, to show her that I understood and then tried to focus on the announcer's voice again. I wanted to know what was going on out there with my friends.

"Girls, we have a treat for you," he said and his words were followed by applause. "On your right side are Leaf and Blade; they come from Concord Three. Leaf is nineteen and Blade is twenty-three years old. Leaf is in the beginning stages of his apprenticeship in Peace Keeping, while Blade is an excellent chef.

"On your left side are Reed and Hunter; they come from Concord Four. Reed is just eighteen and Hunter is twenty years old, their parents moved quickly with these two! Reed is at the Career Education Center, learning to become a talented butcher, while Hunter is about to finish his apprenticeship in Landscape Design.

"They are mighty fine choices, girls. What will you do?" the announcer finished with the question.

"Gracious," one of them sighed into the microphone. I was pretty sure it was Petals.

"We have no idea," they said in unison.

"Aren't they adorable? Give them a round of applause, Citizens. We will bring them back up as the Gala starts to wind down and talk with them some more. There will be a little surprise at that time and I'm sure you will all want to be a part of it," he continued. "Off you go, young ones."

"Now I would like to introduce somebody that is truly unique, a girl who honors Concord in all that she does, and honors her parents, as all children should. But before we speak to her alone, we'll meet the whole family. Please welcome Aspen, Jackson, and Bluebell, of Family 1.15."

As the Citizens clapped their hands, Cimarron guided the three of us to the edge of the curtain. "Go now," she yelled, in an effort to be heard over the applause, and we walked out from behind the curtain.

When we reached the microphone, the announcer introduced Aspen and Jackson. He remarked that they were "fine Citizens" and "wouldn't any girl be proud to have them for their parents" before Cimarron appeared again, quickly ushering them to their seats.

Then it was my turn.

The announcer stepped closer to me and reached out to hold my left hand. "Citizens of Concord, it is with great pleasure that I am able to personally introduce Bluebell to you all." He took my arm and raised it high in the air, exposing my Lush Citizen Brand.

I glanced at the wall screen to the right of me and saw that the video camera operator had zoomed in on my wrist. The applause that began with the raising of my hand died down almost immediately. Everyone focused on the wall screen, trying to get a good look at the flowery brand. The room fell to a whispered hush.

"Isn't it a wonder?" the announcer boomed. "An extraordinary thing indeed. Lovely, young Bluebell is Lush with life and has been marked with a rare Brand. She is the kind of Citizen that you should all aspire to be, the kind that parents aspire to create: helpful, dutiful, loyal, and kind. She spent the beginning stages of her life following the guidelines set out for her. She and her parents have never wavered from Concord's plan. And look at the results, Citizens. Bluebell has been rewarded!" he almost shouted into the microphone.

Cimarron was motioning for me to curtsy, so while the announcer still held my left hand I grabbed the side of my skirt with my right hand and bent my knees. I dipped my body into a curtsy and lowered my head.

"Bluebell, are you excited to visit all four of our beautiful Concords? It is not something every Citizen will be able to do in their lifetime. How do you feel about it?" he asked.

I quickly analyzed the question the way Cimarron and I had practiced. Giving an appropriate response was not as easy as it seemed. I must entice the crowd and please The Council with every answer.

"I am very excited. I understand what a privilege it is for someone my age to be able to move about so freely. Although each Concord is its own special community, the same loving Council governs us all. It will be so interesting to interact with the Citizens of Two, Three, and Four," I answered.

"Some people say the underwater tunnels that connect us all together are dark and feel very closed in. Does that prospect trouble you?"

"Why would that trouble me?" I smiled widely showing no hint of worry. "Our great Architects and Engineers designed the tunnels, our hard working ancestors built them, and our current dedicated Citizens maintain them. I will enjoy the ride."

"I have heard that the darkness – not being able to see the sun – is daunting to some?" he prepped me for my next response.

This one Cimarron had expressly wished for me to convey...

"Concord is my light in the darkness, it shines as bright as any sun. Concord Reigns," I answered.

"Concord Reigns!" he shouted.

Everyone at the Gala burst into applause and I curtsied once again.

"Isn't she lovely, everybody? Enjoy the night, Bluebell. Concur with Concord!"

"Concur with Concord!" was repeated by all.

I entered the crowd and was immediately surrounded by Citizens. My father and Aspen flanked me as we made our way around the room. I shook hands, held out my wrist for up-close inspections, and gracefully accepted the various forms of congratulations for nearly an hour. When I was finally released to find my friends and enjoy the evening on my own, I knew I would always be under the ever-watchful eye of Aspen and Cimarron. It was Lily and Fisher who found me first.

"You look lovely, Blue. You answered his questions so well. You'll be the perfect ambassador," she said while squeezing me tightly in a hug. "And is it wrong of me to say out loud that I'm glad you were introduced that way tonight and not at our Gala?" She whispered the question.

"Not wrong at all. I feel bad for squashing in on Petunia and Petals, but I guess they are going to do something special with them at the end of the evening too, so the focus will be drawn away from me. I wouldn't want anyone to feel overshadowed. Were you two able to talk with either of the sets of brothers? I wonder what The Pets think of them."

Fisher looked back to the corner of the room where a long couch had been placed. Sitting in the center of it were Petals and Petunia. To the left of them sat one set of brothers. To the right of them sat the other.

"Lily and I went over there a little while ago. Right now I think they are playing the - I'm more interesting than you are \- game. I don't think I'd want to be competing for the chance to live a fairly public life. I mean The Pets are great, but a videoed wedding, videoed birth, videoed family outings, that's just not for me," Fisher frowned at the thought.

"Welcome to my life," I laughed.

"Sorry, Blue. I know. I just don't think I could do it. I mean, if Concord wanted me to, then I guess I'd have to," he explained.

"Believe me, I understand. I accept this because I must..."

"And you are just amazing at it," Lily interrupted. "Seriously, Blue. I know I'm repeating myself, but you really are going to make the perfect ambassador. I'm not just saying that. I really mean it," Lily smiled at me.

"Thanks, Lily," I said and squeezed her hand. "Where's Stone?"

"Believe it or not, he has set his sights on Rosebud. She showed up in a strapless dress, exposing a fair amount of pale freckled skin. He noticed her about an hour ago and told me he was off to connect the dots," Fisher grinned.

I looked around the room, curious to see if he had been successful. "Are they together somewhere? Where are they?"

Lily giggled. "Yes. Look over there." She pointed them out to me.

Stone and Rosebud were sitting alone at a table for two. Their chairs were very close together and their heads tilted toward each other. I bent down, pretending to adjust the strap on my shoe and looked under the table. Their feet were touching and their hands were clasped. Stone had found his freckled redhead. Rosebud needed a happy guy like Stone in her life. I hoped that it was the start of something promising. I hoped that they were well suited for each other. I hoped for them what I knew better than to hope for myself.

I pulled at Lily's hand. "Look at that! Do you see the blush in her cheeks?"

"I know. She is glowing," Lily smiled.

"Stone is done for, now," Fisher said.

"What is that supposed to mean," Lily frowned.

"Once you find that girl that grabs your attention, it is impossible to get her out of your head."

"I'm in your head, am I?" Lily teased.

Fisher nodded. "All the time."

Lily threw her arms around Fisher's neck and he pulled her tight to his body. Their foreheads were pressed against each other, their lips only centimeters apart.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Fisher whispered.

"That's my cue to leave," I said and spun around.

My eyes locked on Thorn. He was on the opposite side of the room, waving at me. I waved back and started toward him. As I was attempting to maneuver my way through the tables, I heard my name. I turned my head to see Aspen and some other man with their heads close in conversation. They were turned away, with their backs to me, but I'd always had pretty sharp hearing. Plus, Aspen seemed to say my name with a particular sort of disdain. That sound had stood out in a sea of voices and it caused me to pause.

"We just need to keep Bluebell busy and always in the public eye," the man said.

"I want her face unmistakable. Everyone in Concord should be able to point her out in a crowd. I want her whereabouts tracked at all times. My father should have known this was a possibility," Aspen hissed. Her angry whisper was filled with regret and worry. "She can't... she just can't... it would ruin me."

"This isn't the place, Aspen. We'll converse tomorrow," he responded.

I slowly backed away from them, being careful to remain out of their line of sight, and motioned for Thorn to follow me.

I kept what I had overheard to myself. I wanted time to process it before I tried to reason it out with another person. Plus, I wasn't sure if Thorn was the person that I wanted to be having that kind of conversation with anyway; I didn't know that much about it. Why was it so important to shine a spotlight on me and track my every move? What purpose could it serve Aspen? I just didn't know.

Thorn walked an entire circle around me when he neared, and whistled when he finally stopped. "What did they do to you?"

I laughed loudly. "Let's see... skin glow treatment, manicure, pedicure, hair, make-up, new shoes, gown, and bag. But it is the jewelry that sets it off. Don't you agree?" I said, holding out my hand for inspection.

"You wore it," he smiled.

"Thank you for giving it to me. I have to tell you, Aspen seemed a bit shaken by it. She was asking me all sorts of questions about where it came from. My answers were very unspecific."

"That's probably best. My father says that, for some reason, those closest to The Council don't like to hear about childhood memories. Actually, they don't want Citizens to hold on to too many personal memories in general. He says that for the kids, it just makes the transition into Training Tech harder, so they are encouraged to forget about their life before schooling... and for adults, dwelling on the past doesn't let one look to the future. Concord always wants everyone to look ahead and never behind. But my father doesn't want to relinquish his memories. He doesn't think anyone should be encouraged to forget anything that happened in the past. That's why he won't let me forget about my mother and he talks about her so much. He keeps her memory alive."

"I can actually see the good in both sides of that argument," I stated. "While recalling the past is sometimes quite nice, some memories are too painful to relive, especially for a child. There is something to be said for moving on and looking toward the future."

"I guess in certain cases that could be true. But how is a person, or especially a government, ever supposed to move forward without examining the past, analyzing the good moments and the bad and then proceeding forward? You can't learn from a mistake unless you acknowledge it. Bad moves will just be repeated if they are not recognized and internalized."

"There is a lot of truth in that. But we are talking about childhood memories; I doubt anything happened when I was three, four, five, or six that I need to learn from," I countered.

"We'll never know, because most people have no real memories of that time."

I grabbed his hand. "I've been trying, you know, to remember more. I can almost picture the whole area we used to play in. The grassy area, the trees, the flowers, and the stream, I can see it all. If I close my eyes it almost feels as if I am standing there too. But the headaches always follow, Thorn."

"It's just a headache, I get them too. They'll lessen in time. The more I press my brain to remember details, the less they bother me. My father says he thinks that over the years our brains have been trained to only retain things that happen when Concord is making a larger impression in our lives. When we are very young, the concept of Concord holds no real meaning. By Year Three though, we fully understand the impact that Concord, The Council, our Guardians, and the trainers have on our lives."

"Thorn, you do realize that this sounds very suspicious. Almost like you are suspecting someone of something. Couldn't it just be that little children do not have the capacity to remember specific things? I'm not sure I like the way these conversations about memories are going."

"It's just a theory. Anything's possible," Thorn shrugged. "For the rest of the evening, there will be no more conversations that require deep thought, I promise. Would you like to meet The Pets' potential mates? I said my hellos a little while ago."

"Yes. That would be lovely!"

Thorn walked a half a step behind me with his hand at the small of my back. I wouldn't admit to myself that I liked the way it felt. It was a doomed thought. Thorn was the son of a selectively single man, who worked in Media Distribution. Somehow I doubted that the Lush Ambassador for Concord would be allowed to entertain the thought of a possible match with someone like him. Aspen was holding out for the son of someone with influence, power, and money. Someone she approved of to occupy the spotlight with me... of that I was well aware.

*****

#  Chapter Thirteen

Times and Tracking

As Thorn and I approached the couch where Petunia and Petals sat talking to the four chosen young men, I noticed heads turning, eyes following, and fingers pointing. It had officially started. I was being watched. Cimarron had warned me that it would happen. She said that after the video was shown over the national broadcasting system, and after I was introduced at the Gala, my face would be recognizable. I was the face that went with the rumor of a Lush girl. Except it wasn't a rumor, it was true.

I circled my right hand around my left wrist and wished for some of the bracelets that Aspen wore. Aspen had more bracelets in her jewelry chest than I cared to think about; or so she said – the door to their bedroom was always closed and she'd never invited me in. I should have borrowed some from her. The day my gown arrived, she suggested we find some matching jewelry to cover my Brand. She said I should consider placing a few bracelets in my bag so I could wear them after the big announcement. Many of the women in the room had some sort of covering on their wrists; even The Pets wore matching beaded cuffs, but I'd resisted.

I squared my shoulders, released my wrist, and walked up to the first set of brothers.

"Hello. I'm Bluebell.

The younger looking one spoke first. "Hello, Bluebell. I'm Leaf and this is my brother Blade."

"Blade," I said, looking at the older one. "That sounds like a strong and dangerous name."

He laughed and shook his head. "Actually it is quite the opposite. He is a Leaf, as in from a tree, and I am a Blade, as in a blade of grass. Not as dangerous as it sounds."

"You could always just pretend it is the dangerous kind," I winked.

"Actually, he couldn't," Leaf smiled. "Our mother tells that story to everyone she knows, so his secret is out. I never stood a chance at subterfuge, there isn't much chance of coming upon a tough and treacherous leaf."

"Unless it is the poisonous kind, from a hazardous plant, you know?" Petals suggested. Her voice had a nervous edge to it.

"That is true," Leaf said. "I never thought of it that way. Now I have a dangerous edge."

"It was nice to meet you," I said and then turned toward the other set of brothers. "Now it's my turn to meet you two," I smiled.

"Hi, I'm Hunter."

"And I'm Reed."

I looked from Hunter to Reed and then back to Hunter again. "It is remarkable how similar your features are. If your ages hadn't been revealed when you were introduced, I'd swear that you were twins as well."

Hunter nodded his head up and down while Reed shook his back and forth.

"We hear that all the time," Hunter said.

"Every once in a while we would switch classrooms at Training Tech, before Hunter went through Incorporation of course. Our trainers rarely figured it out," Reed explained with a proud smile.

"We did that too," Petunia grinned. "But our trainers never figured it out."

"It was nice to meet you both," I said to the second set of brothers. "I probably shouldn't take any more of your time." I leaned in to give Petunia and Petals a group hug, and positioned myself directly between their heads. "Crazy hard choice, girls," I whispered. "They both seem quite nice."

"We know," they whispered back.

I stood back up. "Talk to you later. Have fun."

"We will," The Pets smiled.

Thorn stayed by my side and we walked toward the refreshments. After talking so much, my whole mouth felt as if cotton balls had swabbed out the inside of it, and a few were still stuffed in the back near my throat. I realized that it had been close to two hours since I'd had something to drink. Cimarron would give me a mini lecture if she found out. She'd reminded me just yesterday that when speaking in public I should make sure to keep myself hydrated.

When we reached the bar, I asked for an enhanced water. It was full of vitamins and all that other stuff they kept telling us was good for our bodies. After quickly downing the first, I asked for a second, and another one for Thorn.

"What should we do now?" Thorn asked.

"Crash Stone and Rosebud?" I suggested.

"I saw them!" Thorn exclaimed. "She's exactly what he said he was looking for."

"I know!"

"Bluebell, there you are," Aspen's voice smoothed. It came from behind. I turned my head to find her just as she reached a clanky jingly arm out and wrapped it around my shoulders. "I just told your father I'd fetch you. Come, dear, he is waiting."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Say goodbye to your little friend," Aspen said dismissively.

"What? Ummm..." I looked at Thorn. No part of me wanted leave with Aspen and walk away from him.

"I'll see you around, Blue. Remember, a headache is not so bad," he winked, turned around, and walked away.

"Do you have a headache, Bluebell?" Aspen asked.

"A small one earlier. Nothing to worry about," I assured her.

"I was watching you. You seemed quite thirsty a moment ago. Dehydration can do that... cause the headache," she said pointing from the glass in my hand to my head.

"You were watching me?" I asked.

"Your father and I have been keeping track of you all evening. You are working the room fairly well. Just don't let one person monopolize too much of your time and attention. It really isn't the best idea."

I knew exactly what she was trying to say, but I refused her any more than a mumbled "Umm-hmm" in response. I enjoyed Thorn's company; I didn't care much whether or not she thought it was the best idea. I planned to message him as soon as we returned home.

My father smiled widely as we approached him and held out his arm. "There's my Bluebell. Are you enjoying the evening? Your grandfather is watching the video feed. He is expecting great things from the Lush Ambassador. You will make us proud, won't you?"

"Yes, Father, I am enjoying the evening. Wait, what? There is a video feed?"

"Of course there is, dear girl. Many years ago, The Council started to video all public functions. It is for security reasons. That way The Council can have someone review the footage if needed," he explained.

"Oh?"

Aspen placed her hand on my shoulder. "Bluebell, if the Citizens know that Concord is watching out for them they'll feel more secure. Don't you agree?"

"Um, yes, of course," I answered. "A good Citizen knows that Concord always acts with the best of intentions."

"Yes, Bluebell." My father stared straight into my eyes. "Remember that."

"Jackson, there were a few people that missed meeting our dear Bluebell earlier. I'm going to show her around again," Aspen announced and took me by the arm once again.

"Of course. Enjoy," my father smiled and stepped to the side as Aspen and I walked past.

Aspen ushered me from one group of people to another, making introductions, easily chatting about whatever topic they happened to be engaged in when we arrived. She was a master at working a room. Flitting around from one social function to another day-in and day-out seemed to have its advantages after all. She was the perfect Councilman's wife and daughter. I probably should have taken mental notes, but then I had a stubborn streak when it came to Aspen. I really needed to get over it. I'm sure there was something I could learn from her.

As the Gala was winding down, the announcer took to the stage once again. He brought my friends and the two sets of brothers up to the microphone with him.

"I promised you a surprise at the end so we should let the countdown begin," he boomed and a timer lit up on the wall screen behind them all. The blue letters and numbers read 3 Weeks, 6 Days, 20 Hours, 59 Minutes, 59 Seconds. "This is the time that remains for our lovely twins to rank these gentlemen beside them. The ranking system will show up on your tablets in just a few minutes, because all Citizens get a chance to help pick the best fit! The average of the Citizens' scores, in addition to The Council's scores, and of course Petunia and Petal's scores, will be calculated. The winner wins the prize, and the loser will be required to return to their Concord at that time. May the best men win!"

As soon as he finished his sentence the numbers at the end of the timer started moving. The countdown had most definitely started.

Petals and Petunia looked at each other in shock.

My friends had approximately four weeks to find out which set of brothers would make the best match. Together, they were only allowed a one-third share of the input that would decide who they would be spending their lives with. I didn't know what I'd do if I were faced with such a rushed decision. It was a daunting prospect.

***

That night, after the long and tedious task of carefully removing the gown, making sure that it was safely returned to its box, putting the heels away in their box, throwing my hair up into a pony-tail, and washing all the make-up off my face, I settled into my bed, fully intending to read myself to sleep. I reached for my personal tablet, which was waiting on the table next to my lamp, and as I grabbed for the tablet I noticed a flat rectangular lump, under my blanket and near the pillows I was leaning against. The lump turned out to be a metal box and inside the box was a tablet, there was a note attached to the front of it that simply read, Read me.

I switched the tablet on and when it came to life it wasn't like any tablet I'd seen before. It didn't have icons, and pages, and scrolling Concord messages. It just showed a list of files, simply labeled with the words - First, Second, Third, Fourth, and so on. Where did it come from? Who had put it in my bed? How did he or she even manage to get in our home? What were these numbered files all about? Why did someone want me to read them? The questions were twirling around in my head.

"Relax and take a deep breath," I told myself in a whisper. "When beginning a mission, however small, or however large, one couldn't hope to reach the end without taking that first step."

I selected the file labeled: First.

The message Place your index finger in the center of the tablet, appeared on the screen. I placed my finger in the center and a solid green line swiped across the screen. Scan accepted.

You are the only person that can access this tablet. The previous message will never be shown again. You must place your index finger in the center of the tablet and only after it is scanned will it turn on and reveal the files. If someone else attempts a finger scan twice in a row, the tablet will become inaccessible.

You must keep this tablet hidden. We believe that it is untraceable and cannot be tracked back to us in any way, but Concord has very capable specialists. We never take anything for granted, and as an extra security measure, each page of the file may be read one time and one time only. You will not be able to scroll back, only forward. Once each page of this file has been seen, the file will delete itself. So read carefully and absorb the details. After this "First" file is read, access to the "Second" will be granted. And you must fully read the previous file to move on to the subsequent one.

We begin by saying: Life in Concord is a peaceful existence. As Citizens, we are well taken care of, as long as we Concur with Concord. But our children are stolen from us at the tender age of five; they are brainwashed and conditioned and exit Concord's care twelve years later. We have knowingly, and for the most part willingly, let this happen. We accept it because we grew up being told that Concord knows best and we are not given a choice in the matter. Though it has not yet been announced, The Council now wants to start earlier. Next year they will be calling for all four year olds to be removed from their homes and turned over to Training Tech.

You may be asking yourself, 'What is the harm?' Or perhaps you may wonder, 'Why doesn't Concord just take the children much earlier?' We'll attempt to answer both of those questions now.

What is the harm? For several generations, Concord has been raising a race of autobots. We use the term autobot because Citizens are programmed to give automatic answers and act in a particular way. Drugs are administered during the first few years that we believe encourage the loss of early memories and make it easier for children to forget the love that was shown to them in their homes, by their parents, and learn to substitute it with ordered, sterile, conformity.

These "medicines" have also contributed to the need for our Citizen Brands. The drugs are powerful, they affect more than just the brain, they affect all of our functioning systems. Concord's Doctors have been able to create additional drugs to combat most of the side effects, but they haven't figured out how to protect fertility. Yes, you read that correctly, all these medicines that Concord has created and forced upon its Citizens for so many years have also created our problems with infertility. So Concord decided to use infertility as a way to place Citizens in occupations that the higher-ranking officials have decided are undesirable. It is a way to keep the Citizens of Concord under their control.

But we also believe that certain individuals are chosen to be infertile. If a man or a woman behaves in a way that is opposite of what is expected, and does not adequately repent his or her non-conformist ways, then their child will bear the scars. Their child will emerge from Incorporation with an X for a brand and be placed in an "undesirable" occupation. Medicines will have been administered to that child at some point, in the guise of vitamin supplements or as a needed cure for a minor ailment, but in fact it was those medicines that caused infertility.

Selective infertility also helps to control the population of Concord. The Council likes to maintain a certain number of people within each Concord. If it becomes too high then they will restrict new growth.

The second point to be addressed is the age that a child enters Training Tech. There are several factors at play here. The cost effectiveness of keeping infants and toddlers in a nursery type setting is not very appealing to Concord. They have looked into what it would take to raise a child from infancy and discovered that they would need several more Guardians in place to care for these much younger children.

Another factor is that of a mother's attachment to her child. When a child grows in the womb of his or her mother, a bond is formed. It is unmistakable, it is unbreakable, and Concord cannot find a way to condition a woman to disregard the connection. There are some cases in which the mother is easily detached from her child, but that happens with no real consistency and with such rarity that Concord's scientists cannot identify a true cause. The majority of mothers are simply not willing to part with their children during infancy or the toddler years.

Through experiments, Concord has discovered that children actually develop better in a loving home setting. In those experiments, infants were forcibly removed and raised in a sterile environment, with minimal emotional involvement. As the children hit their formative years, they lacked certain developmental necessities and were found to have deficiencies in particular parts of the brain that allowed for sharing, acceptance, willingness to please, and pride in a job well done. These children were detached, scared, angry, and in some cases quite dangerous. These experiments were TERMINATED so they could not impact society.

But The Council has decided to move once again toward an earlier control of Concord's youth. This time they will start in Concord Four, away from Concord's main hub. Concord Four will be expected to have the first class of four-year-old students enrolled in Training Tech. If this class assimilates well and if the parents accept the turn over without too much resistance, The Council will extend the requirement to Concord Three, and then Two, and then One. The Council will continue to require children to be turned over at the age of four until someone decides that it is time to lower the age again.

Where is our heart, where is our passion, where is our love? Why do we blindly allow Concord to run our life, to decide our fate, to choose our occupation, and to take our children? Why? Does Concord really have its Citizens' best interests at heart? All we ask is that you think about these things, consider what you've read, and continue to investigate our claims.

The "Second" file will not be accessible for eight hours. It is our wish that you would ask yourself these questions and examine the answers you come up with before moving on. Hide the tablet, do not carry it with you anywhere or show it to anyone. The Council tracks each Citizen's every move.

And try to remember.

I stared at the blank screen in shock. The file was gone, as it had said it would be. A few seconds after I read the last word it just disappeared and then the tablet turned itself off. I needed to hide it. I couldn't risk Aspen finding it, or even my father. I was the Lush Ambassador for Concord. It would be scandalous for it to be discovered in my home... especially since I was the descendant of the original twenty and the granddaughter (and daughter) of current Council members.

There were slanderous accusations in that tablet. There were vile claims. In truth, Concord did have a controlling hand, but the government needed to function that way. Citizens required guidance. They needed to be shown the path and set on it. Everybody knew that. How else could they be productive members of Concord?

I flung the tablet across the bed. I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to be touching it. I didn't want to be associated with it. I turned my head away from it.

My heart was racing.

There was a noise coming from my personal tablet and I looked over at it with horror. It was a video chat, I could tell from the tone. I couldn't answer it. If I accepted a video chat then the other person, whoever it was, would see the contraband tablet just casually lying there on my bed.

I scurried to the edge of the bed where the tablet was taunting me and I snatched it up. I wasn't sure where to hide it. Where would Aspen never want to look? Where would she never think to look? My father wasn't a concern; he never came in my room. But Aspen did.

I slid the tablet between my bed frame and my mattress for the time being. I'd think about a better hiding place later. My tablet stopped beeping. The screen displayed a missed request for a video chat from Lily. I decided to message her in the morning and say that I had simply fallen into an exhausted sleep as soon as I'd returned home from the Gala. She'd believe that.

My mind replayed the whole file, from start to finish. I know why Concord really opened Training Tech. The trainers showed us pictures of what life was like many years ago. We saw photographs of children that were starving, so skinny that you could see the outline of each of their bones. We saw photographs of children that were grossly overweight, with so much fat under their skin that they looked rounded and puffy. The old government was forced to try to feed the underweight ones while bringing the overweight ones back to a healthy weight... all the while battling parents that refused to properly care for their children.

Normal, healthy, children hardly existed at all back then. There were a myriad of health problems that could come from an unhealthy weight, not to mention the numerous diseases that the Citizens of old had allowed to overtake their land. Children had pox on their faces, some had braces on their legs, while others were forced to spend their lives in a wheeled chair. Children died. No. It was better that Concord had a period of Great Restructuring and implemented the mandatory health care. Doctors started tracking each child born in Concord and made sure that the parents were properly taking care of them. They required each and every parent to participate in the government provided healthcare and it made things better.

There were no longer chromosome abnormalities, or dire issues with major organs. Occasionally an infant would die during childbirth, but childbirth is widely known to be a very tricky and wearisome procedure. Even a mother could die during childbirth; consequently Citizens were no longer encouraged to have more than two children. The fact that I was told I could have four of them scared me. That was four chances I could lose my life. It was rare, but it was still a possibility.

Since the Restructuring, Citizens just didn't die from anything health related; childbearing was probably the only exception, but it wasn't exactly a health condition. Citizens just grew old, and bodies eventually slowed to a stop. That is the natural process of things. If someone did die before they had a chance to reach a certain age, it was because there had been some sort of an accident. No government could prevent a person from falling from a great height, or being hit by a vehicle, or drowning in a body of water, or being electrocuted, or... well, accidents just happened.

And as far as lowering the age of entrance into Training Tech was concerned, I would have to say that The Council knows best. They must feel that they can start to teach Concord's children at an earlier age. My brain didn't want to even tackle that subject. It was so overworked that it was starting to shut down. In fact, I didn't want to think about anything at all. I just wanted to sleep.

*****

#  Chapter Fourteen

Remembering

The woman is tugging at my hand. "Let's hurry, dear heart. We must get to the beach in time."

I am a small child. I must crane my neck to look up at her; she stands so tall next to me.

"Why are we going to the beach today?" I look up at her and ask. "You told Father that we were going to the park and then to lunch. I heard you."

"I changed my mind, that's all. I thought the beach would be much more fun. I know how much you love to play in the sand," she smiles at me.

But her face doesn't look happy... it looks worried.

I sigh. "We have been walking for a really, really long time." We've never walked to the beach before. My legs start to hurt. I am tired.

"Bluebell, please try to keep up. We must get to the boat."

I stop walking. "There's a boat? We are going to a boat?"

She kneels down so she can look into my eyes. "I meant to say that we could see a boat. I heard that there might be one at the beach today. I bet if we're lucky the Captain might even let us go aboard and walk around the boat. Wouldn't that be fun?"

I nod my head, suddenly too tired to talk. I just want to sit for a while. But seeing a boat would be fun, so I start to move my legs again.

We walk some more; the woman is always beside me. She tells me a story about when she was a little girl, how much she loved to pick flowers, and then she talks about the beach again. She starts to look a little worried and I ask her what is wrong.

"It's nothing, Bluebell. I just want you to know how much I love you. That is why I never want to lose you," she answers.

"That's silly," I smile up at her. "You can't lose a person. You only lose toys and things."

Her eyes begin to water a little and I think she might cry, but she doesn't. "You're right, dear heart. We must go faster though. Do you think you can walk a little faster?"

"I could try," I say.

I push my little legs harder and try to keep up with her hurried pace.

"What was that?" she asks and spins around. Her eyes dart across the field and she stares into the trees. "Hurry!"

She grabs onto my hand, squeezing tightly, and we start to run. She moves so fast, I am not sure if I can keep up. I yank my arm free, but I keep running. I start to lag behind.

I see a bridge up ahead. It's made of planks of wood and ropes, all strung together. We have to cross it, but I'm not sure that I want to. I stumble and fall, but she doesn't turn around because she hasn't seen that I've fallen. She steps onto the bridge without me.

I start to cry. That grabs her attention and she stops then turns to look at me. I am on the ground staring back at her. There is worry in her eyes.

"Get up, Bluebell," she calls out.

But I can't get up. My ankle hurts. The woman looks behind me. She focuses on something, and her eyes grow big with fear.

"Get up, Bluebell!" she screams.

I shake my head at her.

"Get up, Bluebell!" she screams again.

It is so loud. But I am frozen, I can't move. Something grabs me from behind.

I awoke drenched in sweat. It was dripping from my head and my pajamas were soaked through. My heart was racing. I looked around my room in a panic, trying to figure out what had grabbed me, before realizing that none of it was real. It had just been a terrible dream.

It was the most detailed dream I had ever had. I could instantly remember every moment of it. But this time I had mingled the details of the story Lost on the Way to the Beach with the dream that had plagued me for so many years. But it had seemed so real. It didn't seem like something that I had created. It seemed like me... like I had really and truly experienced it.

I shook my head, trying to clear it.

I picked at the edges of my damp shirt, pulling it away from my body, and decided that I needed to take a long, steamy shower. I hoped it would wash away the dream, wash away the mysterious tablet, and make me feel clean once again.

An hour later, as soon as I'd finished drying my hair, Aspen appeared in the doorway of the bathroom.

"You performed well last night," she smiled.

"Thank you, Aspen," I replied.

I was a bit shocked to see her there. She seldom spoke to me unless it was out of necessity or to give me one of her "life lessons."

"It was silly of me to ask you to start calling me that," she said. She twirled a section of her hair with her fingers. "Aspen. It's not right, is it?"

"It is fine," I shrugged, a bit shocked by the conversation. "It is what we are all used to now."

"I think I was trying to resist getting older. If I erased Mother and stayed Aspen I thought it would make me feel better. It doesn't. I've maintained myself so well that it actually doesn't bother me anymore... the thought of being called Mother."

"Oh?" I said. It was the only thing that I could think of to say.

"Yes. Ever since Cimarron told me that you'd need to refer to me as Mother when we are in public, I've been thinking. It is actually quite nice... being the mother of the Lush Ambassador. You are conducting yourself with such poise and strength, and you show your support of Concord and The Council so well. I guess I just want to let you know that you can call me Mother all the time, not just when we are in public."

I was taken aback by her words. She had never said anything so kind to me, for as long as I could remember. My eyes misted over. Aspen wasn't exactly showing affection to me, but it was the closest thing to affection I'd ever experienced with her. It pulled at something deep within me. My throat swelled up.

I gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Aspen."

"Thank you, Mother," she corrected.

"Thank you, Mother."

"Well, that is settled. It is our day of rest today. I thought we could spend it together. Maybe we could find a few new outfits for you. What do you think?"

"I'd like that, Asp... Mother."

She smiled in triumph. "Excellent. Why don't you put some make-up on that face and wear something nice and be ready to go in, say, thirty minutes?"

"I'll be ready," I assured her.

She nodded her head at me and then turned to leave. I stood in the bathroom, a bit shocked by the whole conversation, for several minutes before I realized that I'd better hurry up and get myself ready.

My mother was expecting me.

Aspen and I spent several hours picking out numerous new outfits for me to wear when I toured the four Concords. The style consultant had sent an album of pictures and sketches of desirable looks to both of our tablets. So as we shopped we were able to compare and select the most fashionable pieces. Aspen, my mother, chose quite a few new looks for herself as well.

She also insisted on selecting an assortment of bracelets and ornamented cuffs, several in a style that matched her own quite well. If we both wore them, she reasoned, it would draw less attention to me when we were together. I knew that I wouldn't be able to wear them all the time, like she did, because my Citizen Brand was the entire reason for me being chosen as the Lush Ambassador. The people wanted to see the mark when I was being paraded around. But my mother said that afterward, when I had time to just be Bluebell, covering the mark would put us on a more level ground. It was my face, she insisted, that should be the focal point, not just my Citizen Brand.

At first I found it hard to transition from Aspen to Mother, and she had to correct me quite a few times. But by the end of the day I found the word rolled off my tongue a little easier, and I was almost able to think of her in a motherly fashion. Slowly, genuine smiles replaced my tentative ones, and I was able to catch a glimpse of what Lily had always had with her mother. I didn't feel quite so jealous of my friend by the end of the day.

And I had completely forgotten about the mysterious tablet... until the next morning, when I awoke from yet another dream.

"Get up, Bluebell!" she screamed. "They're here."

"What?" I yelled out, not understanding.

"Get up, please. I don't want to lose you! GET UP, BLUEBELL!"

My eyes flew open.

I felt frozen, unable to move, but I knew it would be silly to panic. So I focused on my surroundings and breathed deeply, first in then out, in an attempt to calm myself. I was in bed, lying on my side, curled up into a ball; my muscles so tight they ached. I tried to stretch myself out, but found it was a difficult task to accomplish. Moving slowly, first one leg, then the other, I finally managed to uncurl myself and lie flat. I reached my arms behind my head, touching the headboard and tried to make myself as long as possible on the bed. The stretch felt good.

Whatever had happened in the dream before that moment, before the woman had screamed at me, I couldn't remember... The only thing I knew was... I felt frantic.

I forced myself to swing my legs to the side of the bed and get up. I needed to get ready for the day. There was no time to analyze the dream. I didn't want to be late getting to the CEC; Cimarron did not like to be kept waiting. After checking the time, I knew I'd have to move fast.

My father stopped me as I was on my way out the door.

"Bluebell, you look tired today. You can't still be recovering from the Gala on Saturday."

"Not recovering," I yawned. "I just don't think I slept very well."

"You don't think?"

I twirled my new/old flower ring around my finger, trying to remember anything else from the dream. Other than the typical, Get up, Bluebell... I was still drawing a blank.

"Weird dreams," I shrugged.

My father smiled at me. "Like a mouth full of loose teeth, or forgetting the words to a speech, or showing up for an important event in your undergarments?"

"Gracious, no," I laughed. "Do you dream those things?"

My father gave a sheepish smile. "Sometimes. So if it's not loose teeth, what is it?"

"Nothing really. In the dream I am little. I fall. Some woman screams at me to get up but I can't."

"Who is the woman?" my father asks.

"Funny thing is, I have no idea. She's kind of faceless, but I'm pretty sure she has dark hair."

"One of your trainers or a Guardian perhaps?"

"No. I'm pretty sure I'm about four in the dream so it would be before Training Tech."

He patted my shoulder. "Dreams are just dreams."

"I know," I said, still twirling the ring around my finger.

My father pointed to it. "From the boy. Thorn?"

"Yes. Thorn gave it to me. Does it look familiar or anything?"

"No. The flower reminds me of your Citizen Brand though."

I put my right hand near my left wrist and compared the two. "I guess it does kind of look like it."

"I thought that the first time I saw it," he said. His voice had taken a different air, like he wasn't quite in the room with me anymore.

"When was that?" I asked.

Aspen walked over to where we stood. "When was what?"

"The first time he saw this ring?"

"In the car on Saturday evening, of course," Aspen answered for him. "I'm not sure you should be wearing that. Potential suitors you know."

"I'm sure it is fine," my father said.

"I'm not so sure," Aspen countered. "Bluebell, you don't want to keep Cimarron waiting. Off you go. And Jackson, darling, I have a question about our daughter's Gala. We are quickly running out of time, it will be here on Saturday," she said with a grimace and grabbed my father's arm. "I think I should dye my hair a single color again. All blonde. These multiple colors, though artfully done, are starting to be copied. I've gone from four to two and it's time to move on again," she sighed, pulling my father away from me and walking toward the den.

I had been dismissed. It was just as well. Aspen was right. Punctuality was very important to Cimarron.

"Bluebell," Aspen called over her shoulder. "I had a lovely day yesterday. We really do need to spend time together more often. It will make our interactions much more natural when we are to make public appearances together. Don't you agree?"

It was a question phrased as a statement, because my mother was accustomed to being agreed with. In her mind, there wasn't a second or third option available. She didn't even wait for an answer; she just led my father into the other room.

There was a car waiting for me outside. My grandfather had decided that it would be better if I had a car and driver at my disposal. After my Gala I would be expected to start my official duties, which meant a lot of travel, a lot of appearances, and a lot of public speaking. Having a car and driver would definitely make all that a lot easier.

My tablet beeped as I got in the back of the car. A message appeared on the phone and I typed a reply. A quick conversation followed.

From Thorn: In case you didn't know – you were amazing on Saturday. I'd like to see you sometime today.

From Me: Thank you. Sorry my mother pulled me away.

From Thorn: Me too. I would've liked to spend more time with you. Later today?

From Me: Maybe tonight at the park. My day will be full.

From Thorn: Mine too actually. Tonight at the park is good. 7:00?

From Me: 7 will work for me. See you tonight.

From Thorn: Sounds good. One more thing. Are you still wearing the ring?

From Me: Yes. Why?

From Thorn: Think about it today and try to remember.

"Try to remember," I repeated the phrase out loud.

Was that phrase in the mystery tablet? I asked myself. Did Thorn have something to do with it? He was always questioning things and trying to make me look at different side of an issue, and not just the Concord side. Thorn wanted me to push myself to remember things, even though it was almost impossible and it gave me headaches. Maybe Aspen was right. Maybe Thorn wasn't someone I should be associating myself with. But I pushed those thoughts away. I liked Thorn. I didn't want to believe anything bad about him.

*****

#  Chapter Fifteen

The Countdown

Cimarron was waiting for me when I finally arrived at the CEC. She and I had only one week left together to go over last minute things before we'd both be plunged into the active world of a Lush Ambassador for Concord. After my Gala, we were off to Concord Four, then on to Three, then Two, and then back to One.

"I got word that we were officially given our security clearance today," Cimarron stated. "All border stops will be informed of our right to pass through."

"Do we just flash something on our tablets when we cross or something? Or will they have pictures of us up at the borders?" I asked, unsure of the security protocol.

"No, silly girl," Cimarron smiled. "The guards will scan us and check our Identity Chips."

"Identity Chips?"

"Oh yes. A little chip that we all have inside us."

"And how long have I had this chip inside me?" I asked.

"They started being implemented about twelve years ago, probably during your first year of Training Tech. I remember when the mandate was announced. We were simply told that during the next scheduled physical check-up with our doctor, a chip would be implanted under our skin. It carries all our personal and medical information within it, so if we are ever in an accident or fall seriously ill we will be able to get the proper care we need. It also helps with the little ones if they wander off and get lost, someone in Tracking will be able to locate them almost immediately."

I frowned. "I thought that was what the tablets were for."

"The tablets are only good for contacting a person with a video chat or a message that needs an immediate response. They are a way to get hold of someone. They do have tracking devices in them, but people sometimes forget their tablet and leave it at home. Concord needs a reliable way to locate each Citizen and protect them from peril. That is why the Identity Chip was created."

"I wonder why they never told us."

"Mandates are not always passed on to children. As a Year One, you were too young to understand what the benefits were, so it was probably just inserted during some other minor procedure. It didn't hurt. I remember it well; just a very small incision, and a little skin glue for closure. But I think I may have a high tolerance for pain. My husband has a slightly different opinion."

"So everybody has one?"

Cimarron nodded her head. "Yes. Everybody. It is done minutes after a child is born now. That way they are fully protected from the very first day of their life. Concord Reigns."

"Concord Reigns," I repeated. "Have you been given any more details about what it is we will be doing during this tour?" I asked.

"We will be visiting the Training Tech of each Concord. While there, you will specifically speak to the classes of Year Six and Year Ten, as well as the Incorporating class. We will attend a hosted dinner party, sort of a mini Gala event, with several of the influential families of each Concord in attendance. The Council has informed the chosen families and extended a formal invitation. Only the most loyal and influential families were invited. Then we will make a few very public appearances, so that the rest of the Citizens of each Concord have a chance to catch a glimpse of you," Cimarron explained.

"So it's officially all planned out now?"

"A day by day guide will be sent to us soon," she answered. "A full wardrobe has been packed and pre-shipped to each Concord for you, with a gown for each of the hosted dinners. I was able to get a bonus wardrobe as well. My husband thinks my new violet gown brings out the purple tones in my eyes."

"Will your husband be allowed to join you?" I asked. "It sounds like we may be gone for quite a while."

"It won't be that long, just a week in each Concord, initially. And no, he was not granted the clearance to leave Concord One. He is needed at his place of work, and it would not do for him to take such an extended leave of absence. It usually takes months of planning to get the proper permissions to travel through the tunnels between Concords. You and I have been granted permissions because we are on a special tour. There are only so many travel passes granted each year."

"It is good that Citizens are kept track of," I said, remembering a lesson from school. "When I was in Year Ten at Training Tech, we were told about a time before Concord, when people were forgotten. They were lost to their families and disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Many people died and there were never any bodies found, for proof of death for the remaining family members. I would hate for that to happen. It would be awfully hard to deal with."

Cimarron smiled. "With so many Citizens to keep track of, it does require strict adherence to the rules, but it is for our own good."

"I understand." I said.

"I knew you would. Not every Citizen is aware of the Identity Chips or of the great amount of time Concord spends keeping track of our people, but that is for their own good. Some people do not process that kind of information well. That is another reason why you are quite perfect for this job. You understand that Concord works best when its Citizens are cooperative and accepting. I have always accepted that Concord knows best and I have been rewarded with a very nice life."

"I see that and I know it is for the best. But is it wrong to question the way things work? Sometimes I just wonder if Concord should gather opinions from its Citizens," I voiced a concern. Worry immediately spread throughout my body. I felt a lump in the pit of my stomach.

"Look around at those Citizens that may be performing in a low level occupation, or those that do not have all the luxuries that you have been granted. Those are the families that have chosen to resist Concord in some way, to question its policies, or to accuse The Council of wrongdoing. Fighting against someone that is trying to help you is such a useless waste of energy. It is better to accept the help and be grateful for it. Don't you agree?"

"Of course, you are right. It was a silly question."

Cimarron sat next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Bluebell, I do not mind if you ask me silly questions. I will always give you an honest answer. You are still young and the young are very often unsure. But..."

"But do not ask them in public," I finished for her. "I wouldn't do that."

"I didn't think you would," Cimarron stated with her standard smile.

"I'm going to cause you to miss a few Visitation Days with your daughter," I stated, trying to change the subject. "I hope she doesn't miss you too much."

"It isn't because of you. I do my job with pride, for Concord. My daughter, Iris, is well aware that I am sometimes needed in other places. My husband will visit her if he is able to, and she is well cared for at Training Tech, just as we all were. I informed her at the last Visitation that I would be absent for a few weeks. Iris is proud to have a mother that works so hard for Concord. It is sweet of you to think about her though," Cimarron squeezed my shoulder.

"So what are we working on today?" I asked.

"We are working on a new speech for your Gala," Cimarron answered.

My father and mother sent another one of their vague messages about not being home for dinner. My father had a late Council meeting, while my mother was busy trying to sort out more last minute details for the Gala. I tried to video chat with Lily, but she sent me a message saying that she was busy helping her mother with something. The Pets were on a dinner date with two of their four guys. Holly and Ash were watching some new video with their parents. Stone was spending the evening with Rosebud, and Fisher was meeting with one of his Architecture instructors for extra after-hours personal tutoring. I couldn't get hold of Willow, plus I was starting to feel a bit desperate, so I stopped trying to think of who the next person I could message was. I just sat in my room, alone and bored.

With nothing pressing to occupy my time until I was to meet up with Thorn, the mystery tablet started popping back into my head. All I had to do was pull it out from between the headboard and my mattress. Once my index finger was scanned, the next file would be ready and waiting for me to open it. What harm could it do? It was just a file. I was under no obligation to act upon it... and knowing what some of the nonconformists were saying would help me in my arguments against them, if I was ever confronted by one outright.

It would be an educational experience to read the file, I reasoned with myself.

I reached my hand down in the space where I'd hidden the tablet and found it right away. It turned on, but instead of displaying file names, the screen was blank this time. I knew what I needed to do. With my finger placed in the center of the tablet, I waited for the solid green line to move across the screen. The tablet scanned my print, flashed black for just a moment, and then the names of the remaining files appeared.

I placed my finger above the word Second and let it hover there for a moment, asking myself if this was really what I wanted to do, and then I pressed down. The file opened.

Have you asked yourself why Concord has suddenly decided to have a Lush Ambassador? You are not the first Lush girl, but you are the first Lush Ambassador. Why do you think that is? What does Concord accomplish by creating a public figure out of you? Is it for the benefit of Concord, the benefit of the Citizens, the benefit of The Council, the benefit of your mother and father, or is it for some other purpose entirely?

What happened to the other Lush women? How many have there been? Why do we have no record of them? Do they still exist somewhere in Concord?

There are just too many questions and not enough answers. But the answers can be found. Records are kept somewhere, they must be. Ask yourself who has access to that kind of information.

We are able to give you a few of these answers. The rest you must find out for yourself.

Rumors of the last known Lush brand are from nearly twenty years ago in Concord Three. It is said that the girl came from a family with very little social status. Even though both her parents were branded fertile, neither sought to marry someone from a more prestigious family because they had become infatuated with each other during their Incorporation. They started their co-habitation period while they were still in the CEC. And because neither of them had enough money or social clout, the woman produced a child as a surrogate first, moving quickly to fulfill her duty and receive compensation, so the two of them could enter into a Marriage Contract.

Sometime later, they had a little girl of their own. The Council was not completely happy with their decision to move ahead and not wait to see what alternative pairings they could have made before settling on one another, so they made sure that the parents were never allowed to advance much higher in their low level positions. This made the parents very unhappy. So while this yet to be determined future Lush girl was in Training Tech, her parents started to urge her to strive for something more. Their life had not been the most comfortable one. They grumbled about the positions they held, they cried out that they had been forced into the life they lived, and they wanted something better for their daughter.

During Visitation Days, they were quite vocal in their opinions. They told her if she was branded fertile she should seek the most advantageous match she could possibly find, they told her to find out what would please Concord. Their daughter was quite beautiful and they hoped her beauty would make someone desire her enough to be the future mother of his future child, regardless of her parents' social standing. They didn't want her to repeat their mistakes.

So eventually the time came, Incorporation ended, and not only was it determined that she was fertile, she was branded Lush. The brand wasn't publicized, attention wasn't called to it; in fact Concord wasn't quite sure how to deal with it, since her parents weren't exactly pristine examples of dutiful Citizens of Concord. They had dared to vocalize their displeasure with their careers, their finances, and their home, which was more than likely the deciding factor that kept Concord from publicly recognizing the girl with the Lush brand.

In fact, there is no official record of anyone being branded Lush around twenty years ago; our account of this story is gathered through whispered remembrances of former classmates. We were told that The Council did offer to help her find a match and interviewed her to determine what kind of person she would successfully be able to share a home with. The daughter had grown tired of her bitter parents, and was determined to get away from them as quickly as possible. She told The Council that it didn't matter. She would just be grateful if they found her a potential Marriage Contract as soon as they could.

My personal tablet beeped at me. It was six-thirty. Even though I hadn't read to the end of the file, I put the tablet back in its hiding place. I went to my closet to pick out an outfit, quickly ran a brush through my hair, and then exited the house at ten minutes to seven. I walked toward the park, happy that I was on my way to meet Thorn.

He was waiting for me at the very edge of the park, sitting under a tree, watching my approach. He didn't get up, he just waved, so I walked over to where he was and lowered myself to the ground to sit next to him. I leaned my back against the tree, rested the back of my head on the bark of the trunk, closed my eyes, and sighed.

"I'm a big fuzzy mess up inside my brain right now," I admitted.

It was the first thing I said to him.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"I can tell you anything, right? And it will never be repeated outside of the two of us. Just questions between friends, right?"

"Yes. Absolutely. Just questions between friends," he assured me.

"Did you know we have an Identity Chip implanted inside of each of us, just under the skin, somewhere in our bodies?"

"Yes. I know. My father told me about it when we were only a few years into Training Tech. He also told me not to talk about it to anyone, because he wasn't sure if Concord was going to keep the knowledge from the youth."

I kept my eyes closed and continued to talk. "I don't think very many people near our age, or younger, know about it. I wonder where it is in my body."

"Mine is in my left forearm."

"How do you know that?" I asked him.

"I asked my father's doctor friend to scan me for it after we were finished with Incorporation."

"Do you think that doctor would scan me? I want to know."

"It's pretty simple to figure it out yourself, actually. Once we found the spot, I inspected the area for a tiny scar. They had to get the chip under our skin somehow, so I figured it must have left a scar. I found it, right there where the scanner indicated the chip was. Look, Bluebell."

I opened my eyes to look as he held out his arm and showed me the spot.

"Search all over your arms and your legs and look for a tiny scar," he said. "My guess is that they go for our extremities first when implanting."

"Okay, that sounds easy enough. Look for a tiny scar. Do you know anything about a mysterious untraceable tablet that could get me in serious trouble if I'm found with it?"

"What? No," he shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Forget I said that last part," I sighed. "After my Gala I'm going to be off traveling the Concords for at least three weeks. I'm not sure I want to go."

"Do you have a choice?" he asked.

"None whatsoever," I said, closing my eyes again.

"Then I guess you have to go," Thorn replied. "I'll message you a ton, so much that you might ask me to stop and you'll be so busy answering my stupid questions that before you know it you'll be back."

"That sounds like a good plan," I smiled. "You know, when we were in Training Tech and during Incorporation, I had my life pretty much settled in my head. I would get my Citizen Brand, I had minor cares about whether it would be an X or an O, but I knew that being a descendent of the Original Twenty would save me in the end. I figured I would be assigned an occupation, secure the best Marriage Contract possible, have a child or use a surrogate or adopt a child, and then live out the rest of my life."

I felt Thorn hook his little finger with mine. "That's what we all expected, except for the Original Twenty part, that's just how we were all told our lives will be. It is what every Citizen of Concord is groomed to accept."

"I would have too, you know? I would have accepted it. I know I question things in my head, but I rarely voice them. I would have been perfectly fine to live out my life, boring as I knew it would be."

"But?"

I lifted my head and sat up a little straighter. "But then these dreams of mine started coming more and more often, and I was branded Lush, and instead of being given a career, I was told I'd be a public figure. My parents are actively looking for the best possible candidate for me to marry. They want someone that looks amazing if you wrote down a list of all his good traits. My mother sees this as a social game."

"When did you start calling her your mother, what happened to Aspen?"

"Yesterday morning she asked me to go back to it, and I am trying to. We had an amazing day yesterday. She told me she was proud of the job I was doing as Lush Ambassador, she took me out shopping, we spent the entire day together and it actually felt good. But then this morning, it just seemed like she had checked something off her list. Be a good mother: done."

"People don't change in a day, Bluebell. Either she'll continue to try and be a better mother to you, or she won't. Give it some time and you'll find out if she was being sincere."

"I guess what bothers me most is that I feel like I should question everything now. Especially since you came around. Lily has always told me to ask questions, but she meant like... Where is the Gala? What time is dinner? When will you be home? You want me to ask questions like... Why don't we remember more? Why are people encouraged to marry so quickly and so young? Why does an O make someone more important than someone with an X? Those are deep questions, Thorn. Those are questions Concord would rather we not ask."

"We said we could ask each other those questions. So for now, that is what we will do. It goes no further than me and you," Thorn said tugging at my little finger with his own. "And if you have some mysterious tablet that could get you in trouble, you should keep that thing hidden. I'm not asking about it. I'm just giving an opinion."

"Not. Acknowledging. That. Statement," I said quietly.

Thorn stood up and reached for my hands. "So we are in countdown mode."

I grabbed his hands and he pulled me up. "What do you mean?"

"Five days until your Gala and six days until you are off to tour all of the Concords."

"I guess we are," I sighed.

"What should we do before you go?"

"Ask each other more questions," I smiled.

"And try to remember," he added.

"And try to remember," I promised.

*****

#  Chapter Sixteen

Life is a Ball

The week passed by quickly, much too quickly for me; when Friday arrived, I realized I wasn't excited about the Gala at all. I was nervous, and not in a good way, not in a way that you'd expect to be right before a grand party was held in your honor. I was nervous about what it meant for me. I would start my tour the day after the Gala and would be really, truly, and fully thrust into the public eye. It wouldn't simply be on a video screen anymore.

I was expected to be witty and graceful in front of crowds of people, be charming and dutiful at dinner parties, and be the perfect example of a loyal Citizen in everything I did. Cimarron insisted that I'd be perfectly perfect.

Thorn insisted the same. He said he knew I'd perform exactly as expected and that I shouldn't be worried. I was thankful for his friendship, especially with Lily so involved with Fisher, and Stone pursuing Rosebud. It was nice to still have someone to talk to every day. My father had accepted my friendship with Thorn without question, but Aspen still questioned it. Whenever she could work it into a conversation, she somehow managed to call attention to the fact that there were better candidates out there. So I was thankful that she hadn't been around much.

Aspen had been so busy during the week; she was determined for the Gala to be the best one Concord had ever seen. She actually made an attempt to leave messages for me and give me little details in passing. It was an effort on her part and I appreciated it. Thorn told me to give it time to see if my mother was sincere about changing, and during the week I had been encouraged to believe that we were on the right track. It felt really good just to hope.

I hadn't picked up the mystery tablet again. It was still tucked between my headboard and the mattress. But I did peek at it every day just to make sure that it was still there. I was reaching my hand down in the space to feel for it, when there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"Bluebell, come look at my dress," Aspen called from the other side of the door.

I got up and opened the door.

"Come see it. It was just delivered," she said. "I love it. It is a powerful looking dress."

"You want to look powerful?" I asked. It was a confusing statement. I figured Galas were all about feminine beauty. The dresses that had been paraded in front of me had a soft feminine feel to them.

"Absolutely. I want the 1.15 family to be known as a great and powerful family. Our men are Council members and our women are fertile and Lush," she explained as I followed her down the stairs.

There were two large boxes in the center of the room. One held my gown, shimmering and soft. The fabric seemed so light and airy. I thought back to when I'd first tried it on and how much I had loved the way the fabric billowed around me as I twisted my body back and forth. Even just lying there in the box, I loved it. The other box held Aspen's dress. It was a deep black color, so dark it felt like it would absorb all the light around it. The gown had long sleeves, heavy looking fabric, and a high tulle collar.

"Aspen," I said.

"Mother," she corrected.

"Mother, that is definitely a powerful looking gown. It looks heavy."

"It does. I think it shows what a strong woman I am."

"Ummm, the collar is nice," I said, not sure what else to draw attention to.

"It reminds me of the one you wore last week. That collar had strength. It framed your face and made you stand out. I loved it, so I ordered one to be added to this gown."

"Well, you will definitely exude power in that dress."

"Yes. I also think that together we show all aspects of the 1.15 family. The soft and the hard... You and I," she smiled, pleased with herself. "But in a good way. I am hard because I must be and you are soft because you can't help but be the sweet, pleasing girl that you are."

"I guess we should hang these up for tomorrow evening," I said. "When will hair and make-up arrive?"

"They'll be here tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon. You're scheduled for another skin glow treatment before that. So get your beauty sleep tonight and make sure that you eat something solid tomorrow, even if you feel too nervous to eat. I don't want you fainting on me. That wouldn't make the family look strong at all," she teased.

I carefully lifted my gown out of the box. "I will be well rested and well fed," I promised.

"And I don't want you going on any walks tonight. It would please me if you just stayed in. Spend a comfortable evening in your room reading stories or maybe watch a video. You like to do that, don't you? If you fell down somewhere and scraped yourself up, well, it just wouldn't do. Everything must be perfect tomorrow," she worried.

I had planned to meet Thorn again, but I could always just video message him instead. "I will stay in my room. No scrapes. I promise," I said, more than a little disappointed.

"Thank you, Bluebell. I'll just be in my room dealing with last minute details for the Gala, try not to disturb me. I have a few surprises in store for you. I would hate for any one of them to be ruined," she winked and dismissed me.

I went back up to my room and hung the dress up in my closet before grabbing my larger personal tablet. I opened the library on it. Lost on the Way to the Beach was back again. I couldn't believe it. I clicked on the cover image, found my place, and started to read.

They ran through the forest. The woman didn't know how long it would be until her absence was noticed. She wasn't allowed to take the girl out for more than an hour or two at a time. Even though she was known to all as the girl's appointed caretaker, she was watched, she was always watched. It had been a mistake coming to this place and agreeing to this post, because it certainly wasn't a marriage.

She had told The Council she'd enter into a Marriage Contract with whatever person they determined would be compatible with her. She was so desperate to get away from her home and the shame that her parents had brought to their family. She didn't spend enough time making sure that the marriage would be a good match. A second wife. How had she allowed herself to become somebody's second wife?

The man had been so nice at that first meeting; after the older Council member brought him in, introduced him, and left them in a room together. They laughed and talked and shared stories from their time at Training Tech. He told her how much he wanted a child, but said his wife was still unable to conceive even though they had tried so many times. Adoption was discussed, but his wife had thought it would be nice to bring in a second wife. A woman that would be willing to have at least two children, with the first to be thought of as the first wife's child and the second to be considered the second wife's child.

The situation seemed ideal, at first, until the woman moved into their home, became pregnant with a child, and was kept hidden for the entire pregnancy. The first wife was determined for everyone to think the child was hers. The woman would be introduced as the child's caregiver.

The little girl tugged at her hand, drawing her out of her thoughts.

"Did I ever tell you how much I loved to pick flowers when I was your age?" she asked the little girl.

"No, but picking flowers is fun."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Yes. They are so pretty," the little girl smiled.

"Making a wild bouquet was one of my favorite things to do."

The woman paused and looked around. Her face grew worried and the little girl asked her what was wrong.

"It's nothing, Bluebell. I just want you to know how much I love you. That is why I never want to lose you."

"That's silly. You can't lose a person. You only lose toys and things," the little girl replied.

"What?" I stopped reading and stared at the tablet. "This can't be happening," I whispered aloud.

How in the world was I reading a story on my tablet that had invaded my dreams. It seemed so much like real memories to me and suddenly my name was printed right on the screen? I was looking right at it. I couldn't deny it anymore. I wasn't meshing the two different stories together. They were both the same story. My memories were here, written out by someone else and sent to my tablet. I wanted to scream for my father or message Lily or video chat Thorn. Actually, I wanted to run from the house and find Thorn and ask him a thousand questions about how and why this was happening. But I knew I couldn't do any of those things until I finished reading.

It took all of the woman's strength to stop herself from crying. She didn't want to scare the child. "You're right, dear heart. We must go faster though. Do you think you can walk a little faster?"

"I could try," the little girl smiled up at her.

The woman heard something and her eyes darted across the field. "What was that?" There was someone coming, she could feel it. "Hurry!"

They started to run and the woman thought that if they could just make it over the bridge it would all be fine. The beach wasn't that much further. But in the frantic rush, the woman didn't realize the little girl had stumbled and fell down. Then she heard the cries.

"Get up, Bluebell," the woman called out.

The woman looked behind the little girl and then focused on something behind her. Her eyes grew big with fear.

"Get up, Bluebell!" she screamed.

The little girl shook her head, and didn't move.

"Get up, Bluebell!" she screamed again.

Someone darted out from the trees and grabbed the little girl. Someone else followed and started toward the woman.

"I'll go after her," he shouted. "Take the girl back to my home, please."

The woman turned and ran. She heard footsteps pounding behind her, so she pushed herself even harder.

"Stop, Hope. You can't go," he yelled out after her. "Come back with me. Come back and be with our daughter."

He was closing in on her, she knew it. Then he grabbed her.

"Jackson, let me go," the woman pleaded.

"I can't let you go. I think I love you," he said, and spun her around. "Hope, you can't leave me."

"She'll never let me have another child. You both said I could have one to call my own. Do you know how much it hurts to see Bluebell call that woman mother and know that I may never get to have that chance on my own, because she won't share you with me? You lied to me. I am not a true second wife. You tell everyone I am Bluebell's caretaker, and now that she is about to turn five and about to leave for Training Tech there is no way to explain my presence any more. She is going to get rid of me and send me away.

"Jackson, can't you see that? I am bound to you, we have a Marriage Contract, and nobody knows it but us. I will not be allowed to marry again, because Concord Marriage Contracts are binding for life. So what am I to do? Where will she send me? I think she plans to have me secretly banished and cast out!"

"She wouldn't do that. I won't let her."

"What power do you have? None. Her father is on The Council. She pulls all the strings here. I should never have come here and accepted a life as a Second Wife. It was unfair to me, it was unfair to you, and it was unfair to Aspen. She always wanted you all to herself. And I don't even hate her for that. I'd want you for myself as well. But most of all I want my daughter. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving her in Training Tech for twelve years, and not being able to see her or touch her or hug her or show her the love she deserves."

My tablet flashed for a second then reverted to the home screen. The book was gone once again. My head was spinning. It felt like my whole life had been crumpled into a ball and thrown down the street. It was bouncing away from me, too fast for me to catch it.

I quietly opened my door and crept over to Aspen's room. My brain had erased the word Mother from any association with her... instantly. The door to her room was cracked open. She was sitting at her dressing table, in front of her mirror, brushing her hair as she spoke with someone on video chat.

"It is all going just fine," Aspen said. "She is really warming up to me."

"If you had nurtured the relationship from the beginning you wouldn't need to try so hard to fix it now," came the reply.

I couldn't see the face in the screen, but I knew the voice. It was my grandfather's.

"How was I to know she'd end up Lush like her mother? You never thought it could happen either, admit it, Father. If she had simply been fertile, or better yet, infertile, you wouldn't have felt the need to make a spectacle out of her. This is your doing."

"Her mother ran because YOU forced her to be invisible, I refuse to take any responsibility for that. That was all your doing. You could have let Jackson father another child with her. She probably would have been manageable if you had lived up to your promises when she came to your home."

"Father. There was no way I would share my man with any other woman. You brought her to us... YOU. Remember that?" Aspen hissed.

"Aspen, we need to stop laying blame. Jackson barely remembers her, though how you convinced him to willingly take those medicines I don't know."

Aspen gave a small laugh. "He wanted to forget her. It was easy to convince him. And when he showed his loyalty by returning our daughter and living the way we wanted him to, you rewarded him with a seat on The Council. He got what he wanted. I got what I wanted. It will all work out in the end."

"What did you get out of this, Aspen?" Grandfather asked.

"I got a child," she answered.

"You never wanted a child," he said.

"But of course I did. How else could I continue to convince my friends that I was fertile? I purposely made myself violently ill the day of our final Citizen Brands. I drank chemicals just so the doctor would have to keep me in the Medical Center. My bandages were removed, and my brand revealed, in private. There were no witnesses. I've been wearing rows of beaded crap on my arm for over twenty years. Convincing that woman to live in our home and have a child for me in secret was the best decision I ever made. When Bluebell arrived and I told everybody she was mine. It created a lie that everybody believes to be true. I am a fertile woman and everybody knows it," Aspen smiled.

I could see her face through the crack in the door, reflected in the mirror. Her smile was full of venom and malevolence.

She put the brush down on the table and started to remove her bracelets. One by one she pulled them off her wrist and placed them in the jewelry box by the table.

"But you are not fertile," Grandfather said. "That mark on your wrist proves it."

I squinted my eyes to see if what he said was true. She held her wrist up closer to her face, took out a cloth, and started to wipe at her skin. Then it appeared and my eyes fixated on it.

Aspen looked at her wrist and her face went blank. "But nobody knows it is there," she said, staring at the black X that was her Citizen Brand.

The End...

...for now.

Look for the next novel in the LUSH story – coming October 2013

HUSH (a LUSH novel)

Other Novels by S.L. Baum

THE IMMORTAL ONES SERIES – YA paranormal romance

A Chance for Charity (The Immortal Ones – book one)

My Link in Time (The Immortal Ones – book two)

Of Fire and Brimstone (The Immortal Ones – Elizabeth's Novella)

Our Summer of Discontent (The Immortal Ones – book three)

The Eve of Destruction (The Immortal Ones – book four) - coming June 2013

You can catch up with all the random stuff that I do (not that it's really all that interesting to anyone else but me)... at any one of these places...

http://twitter.com/slbaum

http://www.facebook.com/slbaumnovel

http://mywriteroad.blogspot.com

http://instagram.com/slbaum

http://slbaum.com

Thank you so much for downloading LUSH.

SL Baum

*A special thank you to all my Beta Readers (Al, Allie, Gayle, Lala, Vickie, and Win) – those wonderful sets of extra eyes, and all with massive brain power. You've helped so much in getting this book ready to be put out there for all to see. You are invaluable to me!

*I would also like to thank my editor for this novel: Andrea Harding at Express Editing Solutions.
