Erased

Prologue

My life has hurt me, beyond compare. Death, being let down, and being betrayed are just a little bit of it. My parents died because of some accident when I was just about 3 years old, and I was left in an orphanage. The orphanage wasn't exactly good though. The patrons hated all of the children. I always wondered why they even decided to open an orphanage if they hate children. I tried asking, but it resulted in a brutal beating.
A lot of people have lost family, which is why there was quite a lot of people in my orphanage. Our ancestors, the people who used to live in America, all ruined the once beautiful country with wars and destruction. It wasn't settled until a long time later and apparently our generation rose from the ashes of destruction.
A leader was soon selected. Her name was Isles Woden. She still rules today, and I guess she's doing pretty good with it. I don't pay attention to politics.
But the best thing was that she created this program. It's called the Erasure. Basically the government will erase 16 year old volunteers' minds and it'll be over with. And the reward is having a new life and forgetting all of your past worries. It's such a good program that no one has remembered their old past ever again.
I've wanted to do it to myself ever since I turned 10 years old. I still remember that day. I had walked up to that evil lady in the lobby, and I had asked her if I was allowed to take the Erasure when I turn 16. She had asked me my age and I had answered 10. Then she laughed and said "If you live that long." Yet she wrote my name on the list anyway. That same name has been on the list for about 6 years. Marienna Reyes.
Now there's about a month before I turn 16. I'm so excited to forget my old past and let it go. But that's all about to change.