The City of Nyssa

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Sometimes I feel like I am that voiceless person screaming into the void. Like no one even cares to listen.

Sweat is dripping down my face as I sprint under the morning sun. My muscles ache with each stride, but I don’t mind the pain. I weave through the streets of my neighborhood, a series of identical white houses all on a grid. The front porches of each residence all have the same five steps and silver lamp posts. I imagine you could get lost in the monotony of the place.

I’m running toward a nearby park, one that I have been visiting since I was a child. The white houses reflect the beating sunlight, making the atmosphere utterly too bright.

I only recently adopted this daily ritual. I find it a better coping mechanism than lying in bed and loathing my existence. It’s almost like I can run from my troubles this way, or I at least get my mind taken off of them for an hour every morning.

The streets are empty this morning as everyone prepares for the Ceremony. Today is the day I have been dreading for months. I will have to walk to a podium in front of my entire city and get Chipped to mark my official graduation from student to member of society. Our Council says that the Chip is the tool that protects us all from the Lumos, but I see how differently people are once they get Chipped, like they become completely new people.

There has been this heavy anxiety about the Ceremony in the pit of my stomach all year. There was a time when people simply grew up and followed whatever path that the universe paved for them. A woman could be anything she wanted. Sometimes I wish I lived in another time. One without duty. Without the Chip. Before the Light War.

Some nights, I look out the highest window in my university building and wonder what it would be like to venture past the wall. Something out there calls to me. I’ve never told anyone, though. People dislike me enough already.

The park is a green haven in the middle of the city. The wide, grassy fields are an escape from the white infrastructure that we see every day. This plot of land survived the war so long ago. I suppose I come here to feel like I am a part of the world that was before. Surrounding the field are ancient trees that shoot into the sky, brush and wild plants growing at the base of them. Far to the left of the park, there is a small lake. It’s glittering waters move slowly with the morning wind. I always run out to the edge of the park where the field curves up into a hill beside the lake. I pause, overlooking the city.

This spot is the highest point in Nyssa. From here, you can see the entire city skyline. The bleached concrete buildings look matte under the sunlight. Far out in the distance, I can see the arena that the entire city will stand in today as they watch the members of the university get Chipped. As they watch me get Chipped.

I stand like this for a while, letting my mind wander. I imagine my thoughts blowing away with the soft, summer breeze.

Abruptly, the watch on my wrist beeps, signaling that I need to conclude my run, and my mind is brought back to reality. I sigh to myself and head home.

The run back is built into my muscle memory. The trip is so easy that it feels like I blinked and just appeared back home. I come to a stop in front of the house I’ve lived in my entire life and stare at the front door, knowing that I will be moving to the employee dorms tomorrow. My heart compresses a little in my chest as I reminisce. My mom will be left alone for the first time since she has lived here. She has always had me, and now I will be living in another part of the city. Most people in Nyssa hardly see their families until they are married. I can’t bare the thought of being away from my mother, especially after everything we have been through.

A feeling of numbness covers my entire body as I walk up the front steps and hold the small, square box around my neck to the door handle. A short tone sounds, and the door unlocks. As I enter the front room, the air conditioning engulfs me, a wonderful relief from the outside heat. I remove my key from my neck and set it on the table next to the front door. Running my fingers along the carvings in the wood, sorrow overwhelms me. I won’t see this room after today.

The front room is small, furnished with a couch and coffee table that sits in front of a brick fireplace. The light beige walls are mostly bare, except for a few photos of my mom and me. To the left of the front room, a two-person dining table sits empty apart from a lit candle in the center. The kitchen is closed off to the dining area, while still lacking a door.

Light shines in from the kitchen. I hear the water running and the clash of ceramic against ceramic, so my mom must be washing dishes.

Hearing my entrance, my mom peeks out through the doorframe. She is already dressed for the Ceremony in a beautiful emerald pantsuit that accentuates her curves in all the right ways. Her dark curls flow past her shoulders in perfect ringlets.

I can tell from her eyes that she has been crying, but she has wiped her tears away. It pains me to see her sad. I’ve always been able to read her emotions, though she attempts to always appear the stronger of the two of us.

She smiles widely at the sight of me. “How was your run?”

“It was okay, I guess. I keep forgetting that it’s the last time I will ever run through this neighborhood.” I shrug nonchalantly, pretending to be unbothered.

I know she can read me as well as I can read her, but she doesn’t comment on my lack of excitement.

She steps into the front room and we stare at each other in silence. I see a tear run down her face, and I close the space between us. Before embracing her in a hug, I wipe the tear from her face.

“It’s going to be okay.” She assures me.

I laugh, mostly to myself. “I’m supposed to say that to you. You’re the one crying.”

She matches my laugh. “No, I’m the mom. I do the comforting.”

She pulls away to look at my face, moving a strand of hair from my forehead.

I giggle sheepishly and look at my feet. “Sorry, sweaty hair.”

She rolls her eyes. “Come on, I’m your mom. Nothing disgusts me.”

“EW.” I stick my tongue out at her.

She considers me for a moment before becoming serious. I furrow my brows, wondering what she might say.

She takes a calming breath. “Look, I know that we have had a hard time here. Don’t think that I don’t know what they say about us.” She gestures to the front door. “But, they don’t get to define you. You define you. Today is the day you go out there and claim your role in society and say ‘Fuck you’ to everyone who has ever made you feel unworthy. Okay?”

My heart twinges. We don’t talk about the way that people shame us when we are out together. I stopped telling her about the things I have heard said about us a long time ago. When I am alone, most people just ignore me, and I’m fine with that. When my mother is out, though, she gets such so much hatred spewed at her. I have spent most of my life defending her against them.

I search my mother’s eyes for any subliminal messages she is trying to share with me. “You always made it seem like you didn’t hear what they said about us. Like you didn’t care.”

She caresses my cheek. “Oh, I cared. But, my sweet, I have been hearing those things since well before I was your age. Since I met your father, and lost him. Since I was pregnant with you. I’ve accepted my fate as the resident social pariah.” She laughs. “But, you don’t have to do the same. You can live a good life.”

Tears well in my eyes at her words. I don’t understand why she is saying anything now. “What will you do when I am gone?”

“I’ve managed this long.” She smiles.

She pauses for a moment, and her lips part as she considers saying something more. “While we are on this subject, maybe I should tell you -”

A long chime rings three times through the loudspeakers in the street.

“Fuck!” I exclaim. “I only have an hour to get ready. Can you tell me later?” I start rushing to my bedroom.

Her shoulders slump in relief, as if she is glad she didn’t get to say what she was going to say. “Yes. We will have time later to talk.”

I scramble to the shower and wash the run off of my body.

***

I’ve been staring at my reflection for the past ten minutes, attempting to steel myself for the journey ahead of me today. After my shower, I quickly added color to my lips and cheeks. I’ve been making this stuff since I was young. It’s something mothers teach their daughters early on.

My dark curly hair has been pulled half up and out of my face. I am wearing my nicest dress. It has a heart neckline that curves across my chest and ends in capped sleeves. The bodice cinches at my waist in a point, and the skirt flows to my knees in an A-line. The royal blue lace is vibrant against my tan skin.

I’ve always been told I was pretty, and I suppose I believe it. The old ladies in our community used to always make comments about my skin or how I will drive the young men wild. I’ve thought it odd that it mattered though. It’s not like we get much say in who we end up marrying. Your chosen partner is usually in the same appointed district as you, so your chances of a rendezvous with a stranger are very minimal. Besides, it’s my mother that is the most beautiful in this city. Maybe that’s why people despise that she is without a husband. The prize was never won, at least not by anyone here.

We don’t talk about my father much. All I know is that he left before I was born. I’ve heard the gossip about my mother’s love affair for as long as I can remember.

They say that she fell in love with a young man just before her Ceremony. The two ignored the warnings and fell in love outside of their stations and before they were assigned. Though they were model students and loved in the community, it’s just not encouraged to have affairs before your Ceremony. Despite the judgment they received, they continued to see each other, and, before they knew it, my mom was pregnant with me. She was immediately shunned. The young women in Nyssa are raised to follow a path. You complete your schooling, get assigned, find a husband in your rank, and have a family. Our entire purpose is to repopulate the community that we lost in the Light War. Even so, you have to do it the “right way”.

He left the city just before my mother gave birth to me. I’ve heard a lot of rumors as to why he did, but my mom says it was the best choice for him to go. I see how sad the memory of him makes her, though. She has suffered too much.

My mother was allowed to keep me as she finished her schooling. I guess our Council took pity on her, but she wasn’t allowed to attend her Ceremony. I think she is the only adult in our city without a Chip, which means she has pretty much been ostracized from our community since. It’s one of the reasons why she never married. All she has is me.

I feel like I am the only person in Nyssa who isn’t excited for the Ceremony today. The other girls in my class have been talking about it for months. They are proud of their life purpose. I guess I’ve always felt like there should be more to life than this. There is more outside of this city.

As I stand in front of the mirror, a piercing headache starts to pound against my skull. It dizzies me, and I grip the edge of the bathroom counter. I have been getting these more and more recently. Usually they pass after a minute or two, but it worries me that they have been happening more often.

The energy in the room has begun to shift. I can feel every bit of electricity in the air, and the hair on my arms begins to raise. The energy is warm as it pulses through my entire body. An odd comfort rushes through me, but my head is still pounding. I lift a hand to my forehead, taking steadying breaths until the pain subsides. When I open my eyes to my reflection, the person I see in the mirror is not quite me. Her irises are glowing a bright gold. My heartbeat begins to pound heavily, but just before I can comprehend what I am seeing my mom pops into my bathroom.

“Is everything going okay?” She asks from my doorway.

I startle and turn to face her for a split second, forgetting what has happened just a moment before. I whip my head back to the mirror, but my eyes are back to a dark brown.

Looking back to my mother, I realize that she never saw anything different about me. Maybe all of that was in my head.

“Gosh you scared me.” I say, putting a hand on my chest.

She giggles. “Oh, sorry. I just came in to say that you have ten minutes before you need to head out.”

I take a calming breath. “Okay, thank you.”

My mom pauses to look at me and smiles a beautiful, sad smile. “You look wonderful. I am so happy that you get to have your Ceremony.”

I match her smile, knowing what this moment means to her. “Today, I get to do this for the both of us.”

She reaches out and takes my hand, and we stand like this for a moment. I can see her fight back tears, but I ignore it to save myself from my own.

“I love you, Mama.” I say.

She embraces me tightly. “I love you too, Lyra. Always.”

***

The chatter in the gymnasium is deafening as we wait to be paraded to our seats in the arena. The room is a sea of seventy sky-blue robes, perfectly pressed. Along each of the walls, stand guards dressed fully in white. I watch as they press their fingers to their earpieces, communicating on intercoms. There have never been tragedies during the Ceremony, but I suppose it is better to be prepared for one. It’s just a way for the Council to keep control. No one would be stupid enough to fight against them.

I used to know some of the guards, back when we were all just kids. It’s strange to see them now, so dutiful and devoted. I wonder if they ever wish they could’ve been assigned differently, though I’m sure they love their current compensation.

I’m standing alone in the back of the room. I've never minded being left out of social situations. I enjoy my own company, but solitude is always better when you choose it.

I can feel the side-glances from the other students as I stand here. Their gossip has spread across the crowd around me. The entire city knows about my family history. I’ve heard the protests from individuals who hate that I have gotten this far, but I’ve earned my place here.

I’ve been replaying what my mother said to me earlier today in my mind over and over as I wait for our procession to begin. It never occurred to me that she must really worry about my future here. She had wanted to tell me something else. I wish she had said what she needed to.

Suddenly a short beep resounds, and a voice follows the alert. “Graduates, please line up in order of family name.”

There is a cheer from the crowd before we all begin to form the line.

Anxiety bubbles in my stomach as dread seeps into every ounce of my body. The headache begins its torment again as I push toward the middle of the line. No one needs to confirm what my name is. They simply make room for me to take my place.

The girl behind me inches herself forward while looking to the boy behind her, accidentally bumping into me.

“Oh, I am so sorry!” She jumps back with fear in her eyes.

She is short with hair cropped just below her chin. Hattie, I think her name is. She was in my science class this year. I remember when she got that haircut. Everyone teased her for the way that it bounced when she spoke. She never seemed bothered though. She liked the attention.

I give her a small smile. “It’s okay. Tight space.”

She peers at me, eyes softening. She takes a second to contemplate her next words. “Good luck today. I know your mom must be very proud of you.”

Hattie never was the kind to say anything negative about me and my mother, but she also never stood up against the ones who did. Despite that, I can tell from her expression that what she says is genuine. It eases my nerves a little.

“Thank you,” I say. I turn to face the front of the line, taking a deep breath into my lungs.

The guards begin to usher us forward.

One at the front of the room begins to shout orders. “Keep it moving, guys! We need to keep this orderly. Once you get seated, we will start the ceremony in order of last name, so make sure that you are in the right spot. When they call your name, head to the podium. As soon as you are done, head to your seat on the opposite side of the arena. Alright, happy chipping!”

He, and the others, begin to wave batons as they direct us in the direction of the front door.

My nerves kick up a little as I walk through the long, underground hallway that leads to the arena. Whispers from the other students echo across the walls. The closer I get to the other end of the hall, the more anxious I feel.

Blinding light washes over us as my section of the line makes it to the arena. The sunlight warms me under my robes. I look up at the clear, blue sky with no clouds in sight.

The arena is a large circle, made with white concrete, split in half between students and the rest of the city. Rows of seats lead down to the center platform where a podium sits, surrounded by cushioned chairs made especially for the Council.

My eyes scan the opposite side of the arena for my mother. She must be seated amongst the rest of the community. They all wandered to their seats about an hour ago.

Once I get to my seat, I sit while trying to calm my nerves. My heart won't seem to slow down it's thundering percussion. I am heavily on edge, and my headache has returned. Fear grows in my stomach. What if another episode like the one in the bathroom happens again?

There is no chatter now, not in the arena. We have been trained to not speak in the presence of the Council. I look down at the podium to see them arranging themselves in their seats. The Council never appears to the public in any color other than stark white. Each of them are clad in suits and floor-length dresses. They are the epitome of health and beauty, with glowing skin and no hair out of place. It makes them look almost inhuman. Once each of the members fully settle in their seats, it is clear that the Ceremony is about to begin.

The same monotone beep plays over the speakers, signaling another announcement.

“Thank you for your attendance of this year’s Ceremony.” The speaker says, as if we ever have a choice not to go. “The Council will address you now.”

A small, pale woman with gray hair, streaked with white, walks forward. The entire area erupts in voiceless cheer, welcoming her to the spotlight. I've known this woman my entire life. President Edina Raven.

She raises her hands to tell the crowd to quiet. “Welcome, dear city of Nyssa, to the Ceremony. As you all know, we have kept the tradition of Chipping since the Light War, three hundred years ago, to keep us strong against The Lumos.”

We hear this speech every year, but it’s all information we have known since childhood. Our history books are littered with references of the war, to remind us where we have come from. The Council never wants us to forget.

She continues, “With this Chip, we are all connected as one and can move in harmony, should there be another attack. Our ancestors used this same technology, leading to the savior of our species. Never forget who our enemies are, for they have not left our planet. They continue to be a threat to our civilization!”

A rowdy cheer fills the arena. I clap along unenthusiastically.

Edina smiles at the crowd smugly. I’ve always been aware of her happiness to lead. She never shies from authority. She addresses the crowd once more. “Now, we welcome our resident historian, Matheus Gregory to the stage to recite a passage from his own textbook.”

A tall, thin man with dark curls walks up the podium. His suit fits tightly against his body, highlighting his slim features. A book is carried in his left hand at his side.

Once he reaches the podium, he runs a hand through his curls awkwardly. “Hello all.” The mic on the podium screeches. Matheus leans back before glancing at Edina apologetically.

He takes a beat before beginning. “Three hundred years ago, an alien species, The Lumos, or so we deemed them, landed on our planet. Though us humans were civil and offered peace, our new neighbors wanted more than just a place to stay. So, the great Light War began.” He speaks the words as if he isn’t convinced by them. “Our planet suffered much under the crossfire, and our population was decimated. Humans were no match against the technology that the Lumos brought with them. It was far beyond anything that had ever been created here on Earth. That advanced science, mixed with their supernatural abilities, made them seemingly unstoppable. Humans fought to steal some of their technology and attempted to use it against them, but our knowledge wasn’t advanced enough for us to use it to its full potential.”

His eyes wander around the crowd for a moment, and he tugs at his collar. Why is he nervous to recite his own words?

“The leaders from every country in the world came together to fight the invaders of this planet. They brought the brightest minds together to develop a chip that would be inserted into the base of our brains. The hope was that we could tap into a dormant, supernatural control over energy, but there was no time to perfect such a seemingly impossible device. Instead, it became a tool of communication that connected us to an online grid. The humans used the Chip to create a hive mind. With every soldier connected, they were able to lead a successful attack on the Lumos, but great loss was still suffered on both sides. The last battle ended when the leaders of both species realized how much of their respective populations had been decimated. After five long years of war, both civilizations came together and proposed a peace treaty. They decided that each party would claim their land on the continents and vow to leave the other alone. They agreed to coexist on the planet with the promise that neither would ever again attack the other. We have lived this way since. Thank you."

Matheus steps back, taking a long breath. He wipes his clammy hands on his pants before taking himself and his book back to his seat. As he walks back, he visibly shares a passing glance with Edina. With furrowed brows, she nods at him.

Our President walks back up to the podium, all smiles. “Even so, we continue to Chip so we will be fully prepared against such a dangerous enemy. That being said, shall we continue our Ceremony?” She raises her hands to the crowd, and we all cheer on command.

Edina looks triumphant as she shifts to the left side of the podium.

Another woman walks up now. She has light brown curls and tanned skin. She is younger than the others, an intern maybe. She addresses the crowd with a silent smile before beginning to call names to the stand.

One by one, the students walk down the aisles to the podium and bow before our council. The procedure lasts all but five seconds. The student bows, stands to face the crowd, and a small device with a needle at the end of it is placed at the nape of their necks. There is a beat, then it’s done. The crowd performs a round of applause for the student before they walk to the other side of the arena, to signify their transition into society.

The line in front of me is getting shorter and shorter. My heart is beating feverishly, and the pounding in my head just won’t subside. I attempt to shake the trembles from my hands. If anyone notices my nervousness, they don’t say anything about it.

In the blink of an eye, it is my turn to walk across the podium.

“Lyra Ingrid!” The woman at the podium calls.

The seconds it takes to get to the podium seem like hours. In this moment, I am made aware of the men guarding the podium and every exit way. They hold weapons to their sides, ready to aim at any moment.

I don’t think I am breathing. Energy begins to pulse through every inch of my body, but I am too nervous to really notice.

The hairs on my arms raise I finally make it to the podium. I bow before the Council and turn to my audience. I scan the crowd for my mother as the device is pressed against my neck. Then, I hear a click.

Everything happens at once. A gasp of pure shock resounds from everyone in the arena as a gust of energy explodes from me. It fills the air causing the world to stand still. A feeling of pure relief fills me, as if the energy had been dying to escape for ages. The headache has subsided. Tears well in my eyes at the feeling.

I can’t comprehend what is going on as I look down at myself. My robes are floating, as if blown up by a phantom wind. I look to my surroundings, realizing that I am still standing with the council members. The guard has begun to assemble around the base of the podium, weapons drawn at me.

Edina looks into my face, disdain crossing her features. “Your eyes…” Her brows pinch fiercely. “You’re one of them. I should’ve known. It was so obvious.”

I shake my head, not comprehending. “What? Them? I don’t understand.”

Edina turns to one of her guards and whispers something to them as the rest of the council members begin to back away from me, heading toward the nearest exit.

I look at the crowd. Everyone in the arena has begun to usher themselves towards the gates.

Suddenly, I hear my mom’s voice far out in the distance. “Lyra! Run! Go!”

My eyes find her struggling against three guards. They begin to drag her out of the arena.

My heart drops as I finally realize what is happening. Why it’s happening. Before I can register what I am doing, my feet begin to take me out of the area. My body hulls itself toward one of the heavily guarded exits. The guards point their guns at me, but, with one thought, I command my energy toward them, sending them backward. I don't let myself take time to wonder how I did it.

I wind through the same dark passageway from before, until I've reached the gynasium. The room is already full of people that immediately move out of my way. There are no more whispers about me, just pure fear.

As I push through the mass, Hattie and I catch each other's eyes. Hers are full of understanding, like she has truly seen me all along. I give her a singular nod and continue to sprint as fast as I can.

As I run through the city I have known all of my life, I’m not sure my brain has fully identified where I am going, but my soul knows the way.

Far behind me, I hear yelling on an intercom. The sound of engines and helicopter blades fill the silence of the empty streets. I glance behind myself to see my pursuers. Lidia sits in the passenger seat of a large glass vehicle, her eyes burning with fire.

Gunshots sound, but I barely register the gunfire that aims at me. The weapons never meet their target. My energy creates a shield around me, and I laugh to myself. I feel free.

Finally, I make it to my destination. The wall to the outside world stands towering into the sky. Looking up at its great expanse, I weigh my options, but I come up short. I am fully surrounded.

Edina’s voice sounds on the intercom. “You have nowhere to go Lyra. We have you surrounded. Why don’t you surrender, and we will make sure that no harm comes to your poor mother.”

I say nothing, glaring at her as she continues to speak. “Did you know? Did you ever have a clue that your mother mated with one of them? Our enemy?”

My heart stops as she confirms my suspicions. All these years, my feeling out of place has been because I truly don’t belong here. I have wanted to escape to the outside world because that’s where I come from. My mother must have known who my father was, but she kept it a secret to keep me safe. That was what she wanted to tell me today, to warn me.

It is clear to me now that I can't stay here. Mother wouldn't want me to stay. She would want me to find something better outside of this city. To find my father. A flip switches in my brain, and I know what I have to do.

I smile, facing Edina. “I will be back for my mother...” I address the rest of the Council and the guard surrounding me. “and to end you Edina Raven.”

Then, without really thinking about what I am doing next, I command the energy around me. I feel it lift me up, the wind rushing under me as it pushes me high into the sky and over the wall. Once I've crossed the threshold, I let the energy drop from under me, and I fall to the ground, landing on my feet.

My hands graze the dirt beneath me, and I savor the feeling. The air here sits differently in my lungs. The wind smells sweet as it kisses my skin. There is an overall sense of calm out here, nothing like I have ever felt in Nyssa. I look out to the world in front of me, and I am filled with hope of the future. Gazing far into the distance, I wonder what I have yet to discover about this world. About my father.

I take a step forward, then another, as I begin my journey in search of the Lumos.