It Doesn't Get Anymore Colorful Than You

Chapter 3

"I'm not going to argue with you. Are you getting in or not?" Rolling my eyes I slammed the door after getting in the car. 

She immediately pulled out the center, going outside where it would be a quicker route. My eyes squinted at the view of natural sunlight.

A calm breeze could be felt, but this was a huge disappointment from what I imagined my next time outside would be. I knew the outside world would be going through some trauma after the events five years ago, but it wasn't healing itself over here.

"I think the same thing too." Tabatha broke the silence. "Where are the animals, why haven't the trees come back. Why doesn't the sun shine like it use to when we were kids."

I said nothing. Letting the silence fill back in the air, I had no intention of acting like I wanted to have a conversation just because she wanted to be generous.

"Where did you get this dress from?" She inquired. "Did my mom give it to you, because the green is going to turn some heads, and spark unwanted attention. I hope you aren't being disobedient. I would hate to see you become an example."

"Please don't speak to me," I mumbled.

"Saige you can't still be mad-"

"My number is 1911750, you should know it. Your family gave it to me after they killed mine." I kept my wall up.

I was sitting next to the only best friend I had ever had, the only person at a time I thought I could trust besides my parents.

"You have to believe I'm not like them. My parents only care about power, they don't want to protect like I do."

A dry chuckle left my mouth. "Excuse me, and I hope I don't sound bitter. You say you want to protect but you are allowing people to live as numbers, and not have their natural born rights. Your parents made you head of security, because you are the best trained but yet haven't done anything about the unjust killings, the ignorance, and haven't done anything to help. You are exactly like your parents. Not to mention, how you betrayed me and led to my family dying, and have me being looked at as an outcast from my people." I spoke with disgust in my voice, and I hoped she could hear it.

"Saige, I know this is a lot to ask. Just trust the process. You've never stopped being my best friend," she stopped the car looking at me. 

"Save it, Tabatha."

Walking into the ceremonial service it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust back to the dimly lighted room. 

Security guards and even Lady Diablo stopped to look at me for a second before looking away seeing Tabatha with me. No one would question why anyone was with the head of security. I knew most was looking at the green on my dress.

I wouldn't say it, but I was happy that Tabatha made it to the position she was at. She was the only female, and some might say that she was only set as the leader because of her parents. However, because of how good I once knew her, I knew she worked for that spot. She was always violent and loved to stop danger.

That was why it was so hard for me to continue to see her do nothing about these circumstances.

"NO. MAMA, PAPA PLEASE SAVE ME!" A little Hispanic boy screamed kicking and trying to fight off the male security guard that held him in his arms. 

The boy was continuously dunked into warm water, being baptized with no priest present. Sir Diablo chanted a passage from a book in Arabic, as Lady Diablo smiled at him. Everyone in the room held an emotionless face, besides the parents who were crying, as my stomach twisted feeling the need to throw up.

A line of children were behind the podium waiting to be next, and I could feel the fear radiating off of them.

This was my first time witnessing a "ceremony of the youth being welcomed into the house" and I wanted nothing more for it to stop. I never had to go through this experience because of my age when this started. 

My jaw began clenching as I watched the boy continued being dunked, and my eye twitched seeing Tabata sitting next to her mother with her head down, not being able to look at the child.

"Stop!" I screamed getting out of my seat not being able to hold my tongue longer than I already had. "This is ridiculous." On command, guns were pointed at me, as Sir Diablo stopped his chant.

The cries of the little boy were still heard as he was being hung upside down, stopped from being dunked another time. "Let him go!" I ignored the weapons directly pointed at me, ready to kill me at any second.

"You have some nerve!" Lady Diablo spoke. "How dare you disobey the dress code and then speak out on tradition!"

"Let him go! How would you feel if that was Tabatha, you ruthless bitch!" I screamed with a balled up fist, and heat steaming through my body.

Gasps filled up the room, as I stomped over to the podium. One gun went off, but they missed my face by a centimeter. 

"Did I say you can shoot?" Tabatha screamed, punching the man in the face with the butt of her gun. "No one shoot." She continued.

Snatching the little boy gently from the upside position, I placed him back in the arms of his parents as they rocked him back to silence, although his tears never stopped. 

Lady Diablo stared at me, while Sir Diablo stared at her. I was waiting for her next move because the smirk on her face was telling me she had something planned.

"Arrest her!" She demanded, and a bunch of men rushed to my side taking my arms handling me roughly. 

"Mother, please," Tabatha stepped in front of her looking at her in the eyes. Lady Diablo never took her eyes off me as my breathing got worse, and my eyes dilated.

I wanted to kill her.

"MOTHER!"Tabatha placed her right clear manicured hands on her mother's face, turning her face to look at her. 

A hard slap was sent to Tabatha's face, and out of shock, Tabatha stared at her mother in pure disgust. 

I would spit on her.

"Mija I'm sorry it was a refl-" 

"I don't care." Tabatha gritted out. "Do not arrest her! Her punishment will not be cruel for speaking out. She is a Neveah." Lady Diablo stared at her in confusion, and I was beginning to calm down, realizing what I had just done. 

I am going to die.

Clearing her throat, Diablo looked around the room seeing everyone's attention was on her. Like on command, she straightened her posture, staring at me.

"Send her to her room, with the punishment of ten whips of a wire. She is not to leave the room for three days out of disobedience to rule two, voicing opinions, trying to change rule number eight which allows for these ceremonies, and for going against dress code."

"The ceremony will continue next week." Tabatha and I stared at each other before I was yanked by five men in the direction of my room. 

The punishment would be worth, giving those children an extra week with their parents.