Rule 20

Rose Witherfield

Rule 20: A family unit will comprise solely of a mother and father figure and a maximum of one male child and one female child. Violation of Rule 20 will result in immediate discipline by mandated officials. 

Rose sat in the front seat of the truck her chin resting on her fist as she stared at the country side rolling past them. She was a fairly average girl. Before being sent to the facilities she was in a middle class family meaning she wasn't super rich nor was she dirt poor. She was on the pale side, but that's what happens when you grow up without ever seeing the sun. She had a lean and muscular build with brown wavy hair that cascaded down to her waist and in the right light had ribbons of rustic red in it. She mainly wore it up in a pony tail to keep it out of her face or would braid it to keep it tame. She had light blue eyes with rings of gold around the iris, but she hated her eyes. They seemed so dull and sunken in to her. Maybe if she had been born into a richer or even a poorer family. Maybe she wouldn't of been sent to a facility. 

She absentmindedly rubbed the scars on her arm from years of chemical burns and what the doctors would call treatments. Rule 20. Something that she and her friends hated and feared more than anything. Didn't matter if you were the richest or poorest person on the planet. It still could catch you. She shifted her gaze to look up at the clouds, the voice on the radio had changed as an older song came on. That was the only fair thing in the world at the time. Everyone was equal. Everyone must follow the rules. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and allowed herself to think back on how all of this started for her. 

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Rose Witherfield belonged to Chester and Faith Witherfield. A happy middle class family with one boy and herself. Their family followed the rules to a T. Her brother's name was Stephan  after the founder of the United Empire. He was only two years older than she was, but he was nearly four heads taller. By now he was eighteen and most likely heading off to college. He always was a brainiac. She couldn't help but smile at the thought now. Her brother would probably be a leader sometime in the future. 

 At the age of four Rose was sat down by her mother and father in the family living room. She remembers everything about that moment from the looks on her parents faces to the smell of the old rug under their feet. The pit in her stomach grew as she looked at her parent's faces, reading the lines around their giddy eyes. Her mom had dashed some perfume on her wrist. It smelled of lilies and honey. Her father folded his hands and leaded forward on his knees. 

"Rose we have something very important to discuss with you." Her mother started as she sat down in a chair causing it to creak slightly from the newfound weight added to it. A four year old Rose would look back at her waiting for her to continue. One must always stay quiet and listen afterall. "Your father and I have decided that we are going to have another daughter. You will stay with us until she arrives." Her mother paused slowly rubbing her stomach in a loving manner. The pit in Rose's stomach dropped. Rule 20 allowed each house to have two children. One boy, one girl. Her parents had decided that they wanted to replace her with a different daughter. "Once she gets here, the state men will be taking you away to another home. It's not that we don't love you, but we want a baby girl who is pretty like mommy is and smart like daddy is. We just don't think you are the best pick. You understand don't you my Rose?" Her mother placed a gentle hand on Rose's cheek and gave her a small smile. Rose looked between her and her father who had stayed silent and refused to look her way. She felt tears begin to roll down her face, but she didn't cry. She didn't even open her mouth to speak. She simply nodded once slowly that she understood. She almost knew this day was coming. She saw how Stephen was treated in comparison to her. She knew she wasn't upholding to her families expectations. And now, she would pay the price of her shortcomings.