Through Metallic Gold Eyes (On Hiatus)

Chapter One

Those flaws don't seem to disturb her natural beauty as much as they should be.

I pretend to listen as she switches back and forth from lecturing Bel and I for being late and yelling for Whilemina to hurry. We really aren't that late, we are almost ready to go and yet didn't have to for another fifteen minutes. But Jacenta is always in a rush, as if she thinks that if she doesn't keep moving something will catch up to her. And it isn't just because it's Check-up Week.

Jacenta sighs in relief as our last sister, in a pleasant orange sundress and sandals, finally travels down the stairs; Willie.

They say we look exactly alike, which is partly true. In my opinion, she looks like a super-improved version of myself.

We both have long, dark curly hair, but while mine is a dull, frizzy, tangled mess, hers sits in perfect shiny rolls around her shoulders. Willie's got the flawless skin, while mine is all but. Her lips are plumper, her nose is smaller, she has the perfect weight.. And she's the only one of us that inherited our mother's beautiful green eyes rather than our father's brown.

I watch as she stands near me. She doesn't slouch as much as I do (or at all), making it seem like we're the same height rather than me being a couple of inches taller. I straighten up a bit at that thought.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm ugly or anything. I'm not the most attractive girl out there, but I'm not a slob either. It's just that Willie looks like a model, and next to her, I'm hardly noticable.

I know what you're thinking; I must envy her with all my heart. But I don't. Unlike most people, she doesn't let her looks get the best of her. She's not only the prettiest, but also sweetest, kindest girl I've ever met. And along with her eyes, those qualities make her remind me of my mother.

In a good way, of course.

Willie's got her arm around my shoulder and is staring at our older sister, who is now literally dancing around in a hurried panic.

"You got ants in your pants, Jace?"

I giggle along with Bel as she rolls her eyes in response and pushes us all out the door, ranting about the time or something of the sort.

Although the sun is nowhere to be seen in the grayish-blue sky, the heat is already making me sweat. I spread my arms slightly while we walk, watching as some kids from school take off on their flight-boards. I've craved one of those ever since they started selling them near our town a couple years back, but they're far too expensive. After a few months I got over my obsession, but the heat is so unbearable today I would kill for a ride.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't so self-concious; at least not enough to not be able to wear shorts in public. Although, as much as my usual long jeans and t-shirts have made me sweat during the hottest of days, I know I'd never work up the nerve. Besides, I'm not one to go out of my comfort zone --- how can I just stop wearing my usual outfit, when it's one I've worn everyday?

"Happy Check-Up Week, everybody!" A voice interrupts my thoughts, and I turn to see a girl about Whilemina's age walking beside us. Immediately, I tighten my already crossed arms and manage to turn my head just a teeny bit more towards the ground as she begins to chatter away with Willie. It must be one of her friends from school, I concur, although I've never seen this one before. There's another difference between my sister and I: while I, having always been painfully shy, prefer to be either alone or with a couple of friends, Willie seems to know everyone at school. I lift my head about an inch to look at the girl. Her dark blonde hair is flying everywhere as she bobs her head up and down in unision with their conversation.

"..yes, I did hear! Oh, the first day is always so busy.."

She isn't wrong. Since today is the twelfth, a.k.a the first day of Check-Up Week, children all over the state are piling together and towards the Three Buildings. That being, the three governmental buildings placed smack dab in the center of each state of the Protected States of America. There’s the Waiting Building, where you, quite obviously, wait for your “check-up” to be called, the Check-Up Building, where the general “check-up” of each citizen is done, and the smallest but most important one, the Building of Elimination, which is where you would be sent if you were said to have Marphibian X.

I can see the Three Buildings in a close distance. They're tall and thin, with a combination of grey and the color of rotting pumpkin --- most people like to describe it as a dark beige, though.

Our government thought of the idea of the monthly Check-Up Week soon after the MXO ended. Every citizen of the Protected States of America over the age of three is obliged to attend this check-up. This check-up, however, is generally just a Marphibian X test. With so many people having to take it, it’s a long process, but it must be done.

I guess you could say I know my share about the Marph X due to general school studies. It’s a genetic mutation that started inexplicably occurring at random in many citizens of what used to be the United States around 2034.

Marph X makes a change in your cells, dramatically increasing your strength, speed and intelligence. This wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t also rid you of your feelings and emotions along with giving you the unbearable urge to murder.

And so, with so many people gaining the urge and abilities at once, a war likely started, which we now call the Marphibian X Outbreak.

After a year and a half of this tragic war, the Humans defeated the Marphibates and we all lived happily ever after as the Protected States of America, cautiously checking for the disorder in each citizen of the P.S.A. every month. The End.

Well, that’s what my textbook says anyway. I wouldn’t actually know that much; I’m not that great of a student. It’s odd, because that’s the kind of thing that runs in the women of this family.

The girl --- who's hair is now completely messed up from all that bobbing --- is saying goodbye and now walks away to her own family as we step towards the Waiting Building. Since we live so close to the center, the walk here only takes about twenty minutes, which would seem like heaven to the folks who live near the borders of a state as big as mine. Dalenoss is the third largest state out of all twenty-six, much to their dismay.

"Welcome to Dalenoss' Three Buildings! Thank-you for attending your check-up. Remember, each and every one of these check-ups help keep the Protected States protected!" chants an automatic robot as we walk through the entrance doors of the Waiting Building. I clutch my younger sisters' hands tightly, in fear of them --- or myself for that matter --- getting lost in the large crowd like many children do, and follow Jacenta as she pushes her way through.

Dalenoss has a population of over three million citizens; almost half of those citizens are children aged three through fourteen, the age group that gets their check-up done on the first day of Check-Up Week. Those children need to be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian, which brings a total of approximately two million people at the Three Buildings today; although it suprises me that even half of us can fit in here at once.

The walls inside are the same color of rotting pumpkin --- dark beige, I mean --- seen outside and the chairs pinned against them are the same tone of grey. Despite the room's lack of windows, decorations or any sign of friendliness, it makes us visitors feel somewhat safe. Of course, that's the very purpose of the Buildings.

A yank of my arm interrupts me from my thoughts. It's Jacenta, pulling us into the next room, which happens to be a spitting image of the first one. We join a long line to the grey desk placed near the farther end --- generally the first part of getting your check-up done is confirming your presence. This process alone takes hours, taking into account the number of people in line. Then afterwards, you have to wait a couple more hours just for your turn to be called, in which the short check-up is actually done and you can finally go home.

I sigh, seeing my sisters' dark eyes already drooping, mine feeling heavy as well.

"Don't worry, guys. In a few hours, we'll be done for the day and we can all go home."

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I wish what I had said had been true, but it wasn't that easy.

I dozed off for a while during the wait -- the chaos must have startled me awake. It was fast and sudden and blurry and confusing, but I could just make out the small, flashing red words on the wall: INFECTED. The crowd was as perplexed as neccesary, shifting in haste while they created a wave of murmurs and gasps. Suddenly all things were adding up, frightening me. The red light, the crowds' reaction, and in the near distance, the screams. The familiar, high-pitched screams that could only be coming from the Second Building and could only be made by my sister. I knew, despite it's slight incomprehensibility, I knew the voice could only be saying 'help'.

Whilemina.