Authors note:
This book is about a tattoo that can change everything.
PleAsE VoTe
I will add more on different days so add this to your library♡
Enjoy
I can feel the hair rise on my back. I know it's time. The guard holds me down as the tattoo artist places the needle on my skin. It burns but I suffer through it. I know what there doing. Everyone does. At 14 years old everyone gets their 'expiration date' tattooed on their wrists. And no one seems to remember what happened. All they know is that the expiration date is on their wrist and that's when they die.
***
CHAPTER 1
***
Charlotte Anderson
It's been 3 years since I've gotten my expiration date and I was supposed to die 4 days ago. Well, according to my tattoo. "They" said they'd give me five day until I get experimented on. I decided to run. I got farther then I expected. I've been running for 3 days. Every day I've been found. I found an abandoned warehouse where my dad used to work before he "expired" I hate the word expired. It's just another word for death. "They" say it means they now live different lives somewhere else. But I know it means death. Most of the time if the people live after their expiration date they get killed to reduce population. But "they" said I was special. That there was something different about me. Everyone knows if there is something different about you, you don't want the government ("they") to find out. I don't have to worry about food and drinks because even though the fridge was turned off, there are some noodles, a working sink, stale chips, some old sodas, canned fruits and veggies, soup, and some water. That will last me a while.
I look around the warehouse for a bit. there are some blankets and pillows, which is good. They have electricity and they have a t.v. which is nice.
(5 days later)
"Charlotte Andrews," I hear "you are under arrest for running from the government."
I hide in a box and look through a hole.
"Are you sure she is here?" I hear someone say, he sounds young.
"Yes, she was spotted near the bridge and her father used to work here." says Jackson, the head security.
I can't be spotted. I will die.
I remembered the tunnels I ran through as I kid. They were in the walls. I didn't know why but I loved to play in them. I slid from where I was around a corner and into the hidden, molded, wooden latch. I unlocked it and slid in silently. The tunnels lead everywhere. I remembered the one that leads to the border of town about 5 miles away from here. I flipped my hood up and started running.
"Don't turn back, don't turn back." I whisper to myself.
I won't stop running I have to get to the tunnels. I have to.
I reach the tunnels and I see the one leading to the border of town. I keep running. I reached the border now and I'm leaving town. I quickly glance back but no ones there.
Everything fell silent. I couldn't hear anything. That what I liked about the tunnels. If your alone, it's silent. "But I can't stop." I whisper myself and start sprinting towards the exit of the tunnels. I see the end and there he is.
"You made it." he says and he hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.
"I did." I say but then he looks down at my wrist.
"Your expiration date...well...you were supposed to die a couple days ago." he says.
"Please don't turn me in, Oliver." I say to him. "I would never." He says and kisses me on the head.
"We can't stop." I say
We wait for a bus at the bus stop.
"What if they notice us?" He says
"Come," I say. I find a beauty salon and pick up some hair dye, "I'll take blue and you take blond."
"Okay." he says
We wait for the bus for 5 minutes.
*After the bus*
"Charlie..." I hear "CHARLOTTE GET YOU BUTT UP!" I hear Oliver scream
"What?!?!" I ask but also scream.
"Time to get off, you fell asleep."
"Oh." I say
We get off and decide to rent an apartment.
"Also, I'm going to need your names." the elderly lady at the front desk says.
"Come up with a fake name." Oliver whispers to me.
"I'm Octavia Martin." I say
"I'm Logan Montgomery." he says
"Okay, here's the apartment key." the elderly lady says.
"Thanks." I say
We start walking upstairs and our apartment is on level 3. We walk into the apartment. It's a decent size. I see Oliver grab the dye and turn on the sink.
"C'mon." he says with a smirk.
"Okay." I say
Once we are done I have light blue hair and he has bright blond.
"Cute." I say giggling.
"Very funny." He tugs at my wet blue hair and pulls me down to the bed with him. I squealed as I landed by him on the bed.
He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. I smiled against his lips. I laid against his chest , his arms held me tight.
When I woke up it was dark and I looked up at Oliver, he's awake and kissed me on the head.
"We should get some food." I say
"Okay, what do you want?" He says
"Pizza?" I say
"Sure, I will order it." he says
Once the pizza arrives Oliver's asleep. I open the door.
"Charlotte..." The pizza man says shocked
"I'm sorry I have no clue who you are." I say because it's true.
***
CHAPTER 2
***
"How do you know who I am?" I ask
"You don't remember me?" He asks looking a little sad.
"No." I say
"I'm your older brother James."
"What? I don't remember you."
"The government took me away from you."
"Why?"
"I don't know." he says.
"Come in." I say he looked at my wrist I thought he would look shocked but he didn't.
"I'm 6 years after my expiration date." he says.
"I'm only a couple days."
"It's our family, well most of our family dies after. Dad didn't and neither did mom." he said
"What?" I ask and the tears are running down my face "they're not dead?"
"No and you can see them soon but you have to wait."
Later he leaves and we exchange goodbyes and I fall asleep. I later wake up and hear a knock and immediately know it's James. I open the door and James has a pale face.
"We have to go now! I'll explain later." he says
I wake up Oliver and grab all of the stuff we need. We get to a bus stop and there is a couple there.
"Charlotte?" The man asks
"Dad?" I say "Mom?"
The smiles on there faces were huge.
"We need to go." said James
We get on the bus and I feel my mom reach over and hug me.
"I thought you were dead..." she says, eyes filling with tears. the bus comes to a jerky stop and falls to its side. I land on my head. Oliver grabs me.
"What's going on?!?!" My dad yells
No one answers. No one is here.
"Hello!" I yell as Oliver gets up.
"What are you doing?" I ask him
"I'm looking." he says
"For what?" I ask. Confusion masked my features.
He looks at me like I'm stupid
"Who do you think?"
I took a sharp breath understanding he meant the government.
He heard my Intake of breath and nodded. Noticing my recondition.
"I'm joining." I say. He nods in agreement.
We start looking.
"Oh my god!" I scream in horror as I look down and see the dead corpse of the bus driver. Everyone walks over.
After talking about it we walk away.
I wanted to see the corpse once more before we left. I walked over to where his corpse was.
Or had been.
I see the blood outline of his head.
His body wasn't there. I freeze.
"Come on, Charlotte." I hear mom say
"Nobody move! Get over here." I say
"What happened." I hear Oliver say
"The body is gone. That means we are not alone." I say and everyone's face turns pale. We get out of the bus and start running towards the border. 'Leaving Washington' it says on a sign. We walk a little longer.
***CHAPTER 3 COMING SOON***
