The world we live in

“They’re HEREEE!” LLuvia yelled out with a tremble in her voice. She wasn’t known for being fearful but this time I can see it in her hazel eyes. Her wide eyes showed fear, which meant that we should be taking off. I rummage through my belongings and hold my locket tight in my fist as I kiss it.

The screams of the tormented souls were getting closer. I grabbed my forest green backpack and placed my silver vintage heart locket in the tiny pocket. I can't lose this necklace because it connects me to the most important person in the world….but to whom.

“HEYYY!! Get your head out of the clouds if you want to survive” Lluvia yelled, this time with anger.

“Okay...what’s the plan?- Where are we heading out?” I asked but somehow unsure of my own confidence. “Just follow me, we're taking them back,” Lluvia said, already heading out with her backpack on her back and her weapon in hand ready to press the trigger. The screams of the tormented souls were getting closer and how the yelling hurt my ears it felt as if they were scratching their nails on a chalkboard.

The tormented souls were those that were unlucky. The ones working by the nuclear plant or near the area. Most of these people were planning on dying with the nuclear plant and others couldn’t make it to the safe zone. But if you're like me and Lluvia and get separated by your family you are considered a castaway.

The back door that Lluvia had found was damaged and old which we could easily get past, but that also meant that the tormented screamers could make it. I looked back and to my surprise, they were on our tail. “Hey Maly, we’re going to have to hop the fence, Let’s Go!” We can now scratch this off our list for getting supplies and camping out to read stories like we used to. As I was climbing the fence I hadn't realized that a tormented screamer had caught up to me, I mean they aren’t super marvelous fast but they can run. It reached for my leg and just to the point where I was about to cross over. I reach for my backpack in the side pocket and grab my hammer. Careful not to hit my ankle I slammed the hammer with good force into the hand of the tormented screamer.

This is the part of society that our government doesn’t want its people to know. This part of the world is known as apocalypto. When the nuclear plant exploded, the government created a safe zone that was just across the bridge and miles away from the explosion. The government has told its people that those who had passed during the nuclear plant explosion have died. The castaways, due to our lack of family, must find the resources and supplies our city needs to survive. But doing so comes with great risk.

“I see you always daydream about that necklace. What for, if we have no family?” Lluvia stated. Her red hair looked drained from all the dirt and sweat. Her face had smudges of blood and dirt because every now and then we encounter screamers. Her face looked rough as if life put her through a series of hardships and is still in it. I wonder if my face looked like that. I realized I couldn't answer her in any way. I can’t just tell her that almost every night I dream of those honey-brown eyes near my face as the silver vintage heart locket with a green emerald is being put around my neck. She’ll think I'm delusional or just craving to be with family as much as she did. I reached into the tiny pocket of my backpacks as I unzipped it Lluvia quietly mentioned with her eyes focused on my backpack, “Don’t”.

I looked back at her, I knew she understood. “You don’t have to show me or tell me anything….” she was fiddling with her fingers now. I could tell she was remembering something of her own. “I know how you feel, being Isolated and all.” And that was the last thing she said before she headed to sleep as for tomorrow a big event was expected of us.

I wish someone in this world could invent a more comfortable sleeping bag, I think as I pop my back. “Maly, your uniform is over there, get ready,” Hemson announced. Hemson was our guardian, well guardian of this side of the city. He made sure we were ready for our hunts out in the Apocalypto and made sure we all made it back safe. “I’m glad you and Lluvia made it back here, and she’s already downstairs in her uniform” Hemson mentioned. The uniform was a thick blouse with a collar and side pocket. The pants were thick, almost military-like except that the uniform was fully grey. I quickly washed my face and combed my hair into a bun. This suit smelled new and it felt fresh on my skin. The boots were black and heavy on the bottom as if they were made for running miles and miles through a rocky trail.

“Maly! Let’s go!” Hemson yelled, he was panicking and I can tell by the way his voice sounded. I always thought he could scream someone's ear off with his deep voice. Even when he was talking normally his voice sounded loud and deep. I joined Lluvia, her hair was also in a bun and she looked ready for what was ahead of us. “Did you take your pills?” Whispered Lluvia as Hemson went over the rules of the game and how important it was to come back alive. I realized that I hadn’t taken my pills, but I couldn’t go back upstairs to get them. Hemson would kill me. “Here, I got them for you. I knew you would forget” Lluvia said as she smiled. I was so thankful for her. The pills were the governments doing. They say that if we take these pills we will be in the best condition. The green pill is for intelligence, the blue pill is for health and the red pill is for overall health. Hemson dismissed everyone but us, although he looks like a big mean person he can be the sweetest. “ Hey, Hemson, is this any ordinary game?” I ask. Usually, these games just involve us castaways to earn coins to shop supplies at the primes, but this time it looked like it was different and Hemson's face said it all. “Are you aware that there is a curfew here and if you were to get caught you’d go to prison with no trial just because you are…”

“Yes, castaways” Lluvia and I said in unison interrupting Hemsons furry. Hemson looked pleased that we knew the rules but not enough to rule out the panic in his face. “This game is not like the others. The government has heard noises and loud screeching outside the gates and they believe that any day now the tormented screamers will trample the city down and get to us all. That is why they are sending all the castaways to fight them and whoever is left standing….will get moved up to the wealthy class.” I can understand why Hemson was so frightened, but I can’t believe the government would do this to us. I felt Lluvia hold my hand and put a grip on it. I’m sure she’s going through her own thoughts.

“This isn’t fair, Hemson, we have to do something!” I urgently exclaimed, “ We can’t just let our fellow castaways give their lives for a government that doesn't care about them!!” At this point, Hemson looked just as upset as I was, but not even he could do anything about it. “Hurry, girls, the government is waiting for you at the capital.” I wanted to cry, but I was holding my tears back and that only made it worse as my face was becoming hot and my hands turned into fists. “Maly, you’re hurting me” exclaimed Luvia, I had forgotten that she was even holding my hand. “It’s not fair”, I quietly told her. She nodded and led me outside.

At the capital, there was a crowd of people around us in a big stadium cheering for our demise. The big platform Tv broadcasted every single one of us. I could see the fear in our faces, even Lluvia’s face on that big Tv. The government came out, It was a lady with blonde curly hair and pearl-like skin and bright green eyes she almost looked nice, and the man had a rough texture to his jaw something his well-trimmed beard couldn’t hide, and last the lady with the brunette hair, her skin was honey gold and her dress stood out in all its bright orange and yellow. The government spoke in unison, “ Upon us, we have the brave castaways who are willing to go out there and get us more supplies, and the ones who are left standing will get a spot at the wealthy class. Lluvia and I looked at each other as the other castaways seemed relieved as this was a normal routine and all of them always made it back. The government was lying, they were lying because if the people knew what was really going on they would get overthrown and the society that they had built would crumble down. This is why I can’t let them do this to us. “Every brave man and woman upon your return will have your own private house with your own furniture and food” they continued talking in unison. “ You should consider yourselves the honored as this isn’t the type of hunt just for anyone. As I was about to raise my voice Lluvia gripped me so hard I lost balance. “ Don’t you dare do anything crazy Maly they are more powerful than us… Do you think that they would let you speak?” No, she was right one word and one shot to the forehead. “Luvia, we have to do something because what they are doing to us is horrible,” I whispered. She nodded and whispered back, “ We will, and with your necklace give us good luck.” of course, I was not going to leave without my locket. This locket means everything to me for reasons that I can not explain, which mainly have to do with the dreams I have every night. “We all wish you a fair game,” The government sang. I can see why they seem so happy, the thought of us getting killed out there satisfies them. The gates opened up and the two army men were at the gate. “You may proceed to the gate where you will be timed, you all have seven days” The government seems so calm as they speak. “And once again, good luck”, they sang in unison again.

There were about 50 of us here, we were all afraid and isolated from the world. Who knows how many are plotting against their fellow friends. The gate behind us shut with a loud thump and that was the signal. “Fellow castaways, we must stick together!” I yell at the top of my lungs. I see a few turned around and others looking out.” They want us dead, so if we stick together we will all make it” The screams were getting louder that it was hard to distinguish the noise whether they were coming from inside or outside. “You know what Maly, you fend for yourself and what you believe but I will be doing this on my own… I hope you can understand” Ray yelled back at me as he ran in a random direction. It was so foggy outside that after a while I could barely see those that had listened to Ray leave. Jerry, Spence, Maya were the only ones who stayed behind with us. “ I reached for a group hug and said, “ let’s do this!”