Nightingale

Nightingale (First Chapter)

EDIT 1: October 10, 2020

Nightingale is almost ready for publication! I'm so excited to release this story out into the world, and I hope you are too! The first chapter will still be up, however, this is the 'un-updated' version- so please keep that in mind as you read :)

The expected publication date for Nightingale is early November- so stay tuned for future announcements! But as of now... enjoy the story!

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I suppose I should be used to the roaring sound of drones by now. After all, they're always hovering above us; watching us, waiting for a wrong move. But I could never shake the feeling of impending doom as they flew by. I've lived in Tier 4 long enough to know the horrors that came with the drones. So naturally, when the vibrations in the air signalled the arrival of another drone, I slipped inside and clapped my hands over my ears. I curled up against the wall, my knees pressed up against my chest, my heart thudding painfully. Shakily, I hummed the melody of an old lullaby, trying to mask out the sound of the incoming drone. 

But as always, it wasn't enough. As the drone flew closer, the roaring sound easily engulfed the feeble attempt I had made to drown out the noise. Within seconds, I was flung back into the past- right into a memory that I so wished I could forget.

I whirled around at the sound of a gunshot. My eyes flickered from the body lying on the ground to the drone circling above, not fully comprehending what just happened. Within seconds, crowds were pushing in, trying to assess the condition of the boy lying on the ground. Shouts of alarm filled the air as more people shoved me out of the way to get to the centre.

"Move! Get out of my way-"

"Help, help! Somebody save him!"

"I know him! He's my sister's-"

"It's no use- he's already dead."

"What happened? What did he do?"

Letting curiosity get the best of me, I slipped in between numerous citizens, to get a glimpse of what the commotion was about. What met my eyes shook me to the core. A boy was lying on the rough concrete, blood flowing openly out of the bullet wound in his head. His pale face was turned towards me, and his eyes were vacant; staring into nothingness. His body seemed to swell up, filling every inch of my vision, as I struggled to get away. When my path was blocked by more people closing in, I was forced to stay rooted to the ground, eyes locked on the horrifying sight. Terror seemed to bubble up in me, finally exploding as I let out a scream. A loud, wailing scream that filled every crevice of the square.

The crowd murmured as my scream grew in intensity. A woman wrapped in a think cloak moaned,

"Somebody quiet her down! The drones are going to come back and kill us all!" This statement was met by unanimous agreement from the growing crowd. As desperation grew, a man standing next to me grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me lightly.

"Little girl, little girl, why are you here? Where's your family?" Unable to answer, I continued to wail loudly, unable to put my emotions into words.

"The KSU officers are coming! Hurry up!"

"We're all going to be shot!"

"Oh, poor girl... she didn't deserve to see this..."

The man crouched down and stared me in the eyes. Even at that age, I could identify the key element behind his expression; fear.

"Little girl, you have to get out. Run- run back to your family. Don't look back. Do you hear me? Forget about this. Go-"

"Shut up!" I leaned back onto the cool wall, breaths coming in light pants. The drone had passed, and the air was silent once more, my ragged breathing the only sound in the room. I placed a trembling hand on my forehead as I tried to regain my focus. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I couldn't understand why I still acted like this. Every time a drone flew by, it took me back to that fateful day, eleven years ago. The face of the boy and the terrified voices of the crowd burned images into my mind. I couldn't unsee them, no matter how hard I tried. Shaking my head slightly to combat the dizziness, I rose to my feet, using the wall for support.

I pushed lightly on our front door, trying not to awaken my mother and brother as I slipped outside. It was early in the morning, but the humid air of summer was already starting to make an appearance. I knew exactly where I was going- the river. 

The river was a source of life for the citizens of the Ridge. But for me, it provided something else other than life-sustaining water. It gave me a shelter of sorts, a sense of security. I didn't go there necessarily to hide; the tracker chip embedded in my forearm erased any possibility of that. Something about the river always calmed me- the sound of flowing water and the chirp of birds. The KSU hadn't banned trips to the river yet, so I was free to come and go as I pleased.

To my pleasant surprise, the riverbank was deserted. I submerged my feet in the cold water, wincing slightly as I did so. Looking down, I was surprised to see a small jagged scar on the heel of my foot. I must have stepped on something sharp, and didn't feel it. Not that it was a surprise. The KSU did provide each citizen shoes, but they were bulky and unsuitable for everyday wear. Many people liked to go barefoot instead. I was one of them. 

I stepped out of the river and made my way to a large willow tree stationed on the riverbank. When I was younger, I figured that hiding in the tree would be amusing. It was; but not to the KSU when they came to look for me after I failed to return home after curfew. I smiled fondly at the memory as I swung myself onto a branch, hidden from the public eye. I sat on the branch, my bare feet dangling beneath me, as I took the first deep breath since the drone incident.

From behind the wall of leaves, I could see the entire layout of the community. I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear as I gazed at the decorations adorning every corner of Tier 4. The KSU had made considerable changes for this day, as they did every year. 

They tried desperately to make Tier 4 better than it already was. For the past week, large amounts of effort were put into cleaning the streets, and re-building houses that had collapsed. Overnight, they topped it all off by placing banners all over the community; hung from cracked windows, dangling off of poles, and draped over tables. In the centre of the public square, a makeshift stage was set up, with a flimsy microphone balanced in the middle, banners all proclaiming the mantra of the Ridge: Play by the rules, and no one gets hurt. I almost laughed with the absurdity of it all. Within a week from now, all the decorations would be gone; Tier 4 would return to being the dirty, dusty community we were used to. Not that it was likely for me to still be alive to witness that.

I fidgeted nervously with the end of my long braid. The decorations were uncanny reminders of the event that was to take place later today. The Ceremony of Sixteens. For many citizens in Tier 4, this was a cause for a celebration. After all, this was their chance to get moved up to a higher Tier. A chance to lead a better life. Although the odds were narrow, there was always a small group that was deemed 'worthy' of moving up. Everybody had an equal chance of impressing the KSU through the psyche test that followed the Ceremony. 

But for me, it was a death sentence in disguise. Along with the hope of being promoted, the opposite was also a high possibility. If you did not please the KSU, you could be sent to Dispensation- a secret community, where the 'unworthy' of Tier 4 were sent. The KSU never shut down the horrible rumours that had settled over the years; instant death, firing squads, a secret army... If anything, they encouraged them. They wanted us to be scared. They wanted us to fear them.