The Injection

Chapter One

7 Days

"It won't hurt." My best guy friend Micah told me as I stared up at the massive machine in front of me. "Trust me, you will hardly feel it." It was easy for him to say, he rarely felt at all, but I had a fear for needles, and knowing they wished to put a tracker in my arm scared me out of my mind.

The contraption was larger than me, even though it was only used to give 16 year old teenagers a needle, injecting tracking devices so they always knew where we were. It may sound awesome, but after spending my whole life here, I know it will only bring sadness to me and the rest of my family. It would mean not going out of town ever again, even if it were meant to go to a Green Grocer in the next town over.

I frowned, rubbing my left shoulder, the place where I would get the shot. "I don't know Micah," I said grudgingly, "What if I chickened out?" Instantly our expressions turned solemn. It was considered a sin should we refuse to get the injection. The would kill us on the spot to make an example of us. Then I laughed nervously when he turned to flower at me, "I was only joking," I lied, "Of course I'll get it."

My name is Cassidy Williams. I'm turning 16 in about a weeks time and for the first time, I dread the day I turn 16. I had dyed my hair a dark blue when I was 13, and my green eyes are hidden by glasses. I wasn't much to look at, but it didn't faze me.

Micah, however astonishes me how hot he is. His blond hair is brushed to one side and he had blue eyes that acted like the sea, someone could get lost in them. I doubt he knows it, but I had liked liked him since the moment we met, as did many girls...and some guys.

He sighed in relief and hit me on the back, hard enough to make me wince and I frowned. Sometimes it irked Mr how much he liked this town. It's all he ever talks about, 'Isn't it awesome how organized Wilhelm is now?' He would ask at a random time, and I wouldn't answer him. 

"I know how it feels, being scared." He said finally after being quiet for a startling five minutes. Rolling my eyes, I looked over to a girl who was being dragged over to the machine and wailing that she couldn't do it. When the needle pierced her arm, she screamed so loud, I think part of my ear shattered.

I whimpered. If she was unable to do it without pain, I highly doubt I can. "I'm going," I said, directing my words to Micah, bug avoiding looking at him just in case he sees the escalating fear in my eyes.

He grunted, seeming to not care, so I slipped away and after I was out his sight, I made a run for it. Everywhere around me, cameras pointed at me, recording my every move. I stopped and stared right in the middle of one, and it seemingly went offline.

I took advantage of being alone by remembering my surroundings. Small trees were planted row by row in perfect order on the emerald green grass. The sky was a robin's egg blue, and the only clouds in the sky were shaped like adorable animals, like bunnies or kittens. The houses all looked the same with the grey shingles and the windows closed. Occasionally, I would see a house with a large red X on the door, and I shuddered, for this was a family that had refused the government. 

In my imagination, I saw my house with a large X and I repressed a sob, for I knew this was highly possible. I could get home and see that of was ransacked, all my parents having drowned in their own blood, their trackers gone, ready to be reused in some other unlucky kid's arm. Then they would ambush me and add me to the pile of bodies.

But when I turned the corner, I saw that my house looked as it usually did, exactly like the others except for a wind chime my dead brother made in second grade. He died like many others did, by his body rejecting the shot and having an allergic reaction when they forced it in.