Jasna Pickett-Allison

Persevere

Beverly Hills, it was a normal day. Some would even say it was better than normal considering Jenny was named Top Lead in her Firm. She walked into her office with the biggest smile on her face pulling her phone out of her pocket to text her boyfriend Chad. “Jenny,” Cloe said, rushing into her office. “ We are taking you out to celebrate. How soon can you be ready,” Cloe said, smiling from ear to ear. “Umm sorry Cloe I have plans with Chad, he's taking me to some new fancy restaurant on Sabe Street,” Jenny said trying not to sound too excited. “No worries we have all week to celebrate,” Cloe said, rushing back to his desk. Jenny packed her things and headed for the door. She wanted to hurry and get home before Chad made it there to get her. Rushing off the elevator Jenny bumped into a man causing him to fall on the ground. The man was very old and looked as if he had been homeless for years. “Excuse me Mr. How clumsy of me,” Jenny said, helping the old man to his feet.” How eager a real tomb.” The man said, looking Jenny in the eyes. “What was that?” Jenny asked, leaning in closely. “Nothing,” the man said, stumbling away. Jenny stood there as if she had heard something she couldn't make out. Turning around to head for the garage she stepped on a box. “Sir you dropped” Jenny tried to stop the man but he was gone out of the door. Jenny put the box in her pocket and headed out to the parking garage where her car was. Jenny all of a sudden felt a pain rush through her hand. The pain was so intense it caused her to scream. Jenny gathered herself and got into her car. She couldn't help but keep thinking about what the man said to her. Jenny's phone began to ring which startled her. Pulling out of the car garage. It was her mom, “We have to move today, the governor made the call”. Her mother said, sounding very disturbed and almost as if she was being controlled by a computer. “What.. what mom, what are you talking about going where? Jenny said, pulling out of the parking lot. Her mom hung up the phone. Jenny tried calling back but didn't get an answer. She then tried calling her boyfriend and didn't get an answer. Oh my god, what has happened. The streets appeared very different lights were flickering as she drove under the lights. Everything appeared to be being controlled by a computer. Jenny rushed to her mom's house first. When she arrived the house was empty. It was as if there was no one ever there. No plants, no birdhouses, no dog houses. Everything seemed to be controlled by some kind of computer. Jenny's phone began to ring and it was her boyfriend Chad. “ JENNY'' he screamed, ''take it back please you have to take it back now”, yelling and almost crying her boyfriend begged her to take it back. “What is happening, take what back, Chad something weird is going on in my mom's house is different,” Jenny said screaming and almost crying. “You are in a game you have to surv-” Before Chad could finish his sentence the phone hung up. Jenny tried calling back three times only to get a voicemail each time. Jenny had no clue what was going on. She jumped in her car and started to drive. She had no clue where she was going. All she could think about was Chad screaming to “take it back”. Jenny took her phone and dialed 911. “Hello please, someone has to help me, something is going on and I am not sure what to do” Jenny screamed on the phone. “You have to play the game, no one can help you until you survive.”. The officer repeated the word “survive” over and over again until Jenny hung the phone up. Laying the phone on her seat she saw something lighting up in her coat pocket. Pulling her car over she took the box out that the old man had dropped right after she bumped into him. “What is this?” she mumbled in her head while opening the box. It was black and glossy, this wasn't just any kind of gloss it was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen. It was as if it had some kind of spell over it. It was something that couldn't be explained. A black heart locket that glowed. Jenny couldn't help to think that the locket had something to do with what was going on. She tried to open it but it appeared to be solid shut. A text message appeared on her phone. “You were chosen, we see you found the locket now, activate it and survive” Jenny threw the locket on the ground and started her car up. Tears flowed from her eyes as she tried to wrap her head around the emotions bubbling in her body. She drove back to her office only to find a completely empty building. On the building read to follow the clues. Jenny kept replaying in her head what Chap had said she then thought about her entire last 24 hours. “Am I going crazy what is happening?'' she said, sitting in the car in front of the empty building. Her phone began to ring again. This time it was her coworker Cloe. “ Jenny oh Jenny I'm so sorry this happened to you,” Cloe said yelling and trying not to cry. “ Cloe what is going on where are you, please come help me. I have no clue where I am, everything is different”. Jenny said yelling to the top of her lungs. “ Listen closely to me you have to find the homeless man you are in a game run by the government they picked you to do the test you have to find the old man the locket will lead the way. The locket is the key to everything”. Cloe said to Jenny as she started to cry. Where am I don't know what you're talking about? Before Jenny could finish her sentence the phone hung up and the locket began to glow. Jenny picked the locket up and the words immediately “ How eager a real tomb.” The exact words the old man had said to her after she bumped into him. Another text appeared on her phone. “Lookup in the sky, you should see a light your family is watching you from their TV screen. The moment you picked up that locket you went directly into a film ran and controlled by the government. We are designing a new game for the elderly. We are testing the game out on real humans. If you convince the old man to remember who you are, you will be set free. His name is “Heart” and he suffers from memory loss. The black heart locket is the only key to getting out of this dystopian city. Make him remember who gave it to him, follow the clues. Jenny looked in the sky. At first, she didn't see anything but as she looked closer she saw Chad, her mother, and Cloe all looking down at her.