23.
"So, can anyone tell me how the label system was created?" the history teacher said, pacing around the classroom. "Miss Mallei, go ahead."
"It was created by an american man named Mark Lonson. He owned a lot of powerful companies all over the world and was a huge influence on people, especially americans. Then he became president and after that he basically conquered the world." Hannah explained, putting careful thought into her words.
Frances scoffed quietly in the back of the room, rolling her eyes at Michael who looked just as annoyed. History class was hell. Frances quite liked history but once the label system was brought up all she wanted to do was shout and slap everyone to make them see how harmful it was.
"Society was quite divided by then and people are so many different ideas that it was hard to organize everything. Therefore Lonson came up with an incredible idea to create a system that would help people know their place in the world. The labels were created. After much thought, Lonson and a few other people came to the conclusion that by the age of 10 the person would already reveal enough information about their personality and, to avoid any other crazy transformations throughout our lives, they label us at that age."
"The label system provides an organized society and makes it easier for each individual to figure out their futures in a simpler way."
Luckily, the bell rang and the teenagers immediately ran out the door to the crowded hallways rushing to the exit. Frances was carelessly throwing her books inside her backpack when her old friends, Courtney and Lindsay, surrounded her. It was weird since she hadn't hung out with them for months.
"You're never with us anymore..." Lindsay pouted, her voice in a high pitched baby tone. "We miss you."
"Yeah, that's true." Courtney agreed. "You should hang out with us."
Frances stayed quiet for a while. All her life she had always agreed with pretty much everything Courtney and Lindsay told her while she judged them in her mind. She stood up from herself once in a while but she didn't care enough for that. However, now she was stronger and more independent than before and she was more than tired than having people bossing her around. She knew she had a strong sense of leadership but she was always too scared to show it. Just like Kelsey, she was an excellent leader.
"Get the fuck out of my way. Your pretty friends dropped you right? What a pity. That's none of my concern though, so please get the fuck out of my way. I don't wanna see your fucking faces in front of me anymore."
Lindsay and Courtney looked shocked as Frances walked past them like they weren't even there. On the other hand, Frances was proud of herself. She did a lot of shit but at least that she was sure she did right.
+
The crowd cheered as the ball slipped right through the goalie's hands right into the goal. Calum raised his hand in the air in a sign of victory and quickly hugged his teammates, adrenaline pumping through his veins begging him to keep playing. The football game was against another school from Sydney.
Calum was a great player. Being a Jock he was pretty much forced to join a sport and ended up joining the school's football team. He actually really enjoyed the sport and wouldn't mind making a career out of it.
The game was nearing its end, their school winning 2-1, when a loud bleeping noise was heard through the field. The players stopped the ball looking around confusedly like everyone else. Suddenly, a loud, clear and electronic voice was heard through the speakers.
"'Hello. We live in a messed up society, don't you think? There's something missing, don't you think? Freedom. We're missing freedom. We can't express ourselves freely. And why, you ask? Just look at your wrist. Don't you feel trapped? Just think about it.'
That's something a Revolutionary would say. It's ridiculous, as you all should agree. The label system is great, it's the best we have to organize society. Everyone knows their place and that's just how it goes. However, right now there are nine teenager amongst you who don't agree with me and society. It's an horrendous crime, don't you think? They're dangerous, they're bad.
Don't trust them. Trust society."
The whole crowd stayed silent until panic settled in, everyone fearing the terrible Revolutionaries. It was a scary sight, people running around madly trying to get out of the bleachers.
Daniella looked at Kelsey questionably to which Kelsey replied with an equally as confused and scared look. No one knew what was happening and everyone was freaking out, especially the nine teenagers.
"Let's get the fuck out of here." Daniella yelled, taking Maya's and Kelsey's hands and squeezing between the mass of hysterical teenagers.
The girls ran to the exit pushing everyone out of the way without a care. The police was already outside trying to organize everything and keep everyone calm and safe. However, to the girls the police meant danger and not safety.
"We're fucked." Maya cried. "Is this a set up? What's happening? I don't wanna die..."
No one knew what to do except try not to be seen by the police and get out of the school.
Meanwhile, Luke, Ashton and Michael were standing with their backs against a wall watching everyone pass by as they searched for their friends.
Michael turned to his left side were Frances was supposed to be but let out a surprised sound when he saw no one.
"Where's Frances?" He shouted over the noise.
"I have no idea! I thought she was next to you!" Luke yelled back, searching for the short brunette in the immense crowd.
"She's smart, she'll find a way." Ashton said. "Let's get going!"
The boys were still worried about Frances but nonetheless they started walking towards the exit to where everyone was going in hopes of finding their friends along the way.
Ashton looked at the crowded field trying to find either Calum or Frances but it was useless. Ashton didn't know what to think anymore. Michael and Luke both thought that could be a set up or some sort of test to spot out Revolutionaries and they were both scared and just wanted to get out as fast as possible. Ashton partly agreed with them but he had barely anything left so going to jail or even dying didn't scare him as much as it did in the past. He wasn't scared anymore, he was just numb.
+
Frances lead Calum to the girls locker room in which she opened locker 34 and took out a small box. She opened it revealing a box of discardable gloves and two circular objects.
"Put them on." she ordered, handing him a pair of gloves and then pointing at the spheric objects. "This things create a dark smoke the moment you press the blue button on the side. We're gonna throw this on the ground in the middle of the crowd near the exit. Then we run. Be aware of your surroundings because the smoke is really dark. Don't let go of me and try to find the others. Let's get out of here as fast as possible, alright?"
"Why do you have all this stuff?" Calum asked, still agreeing with the plan though since it was their best option.
"Precaution. I bought it a while back and so that my parents wouldn't find it I kept it here. Never thought I'd actually have to use it." Frances explained, putting on her own pair of gloves and handing one of the objects to Calum. "Be careful and don't let go of me. If you see the others, warn me."
Calum nodded and both ran out of the locker room to the crowded field with scared and hysterical students. They pushed past everyone heading for the exit hoping to find their friends. Finally, Calum spotted Michael in the crowd on its way out. They ran to the boys who exhaled loudly and relaxed a little when seeing Frances and Calum perfectly fine.
"Change of plans. Don't let go of each other. Ran to exit and get out as fast as possible. Calum, wait 30 seconds and then do it." Frances demanded as she disappeared into the crowd ignoring the boys yelling at her to come back.
Thirty seconds passed and both Calum and Frances clicked the blue button and threw the object on the ground immediately being enveloped by a thick, grey smoke.
Frances coughed as she struggled to ran past the scared teenagers who had stopped moving due to the conditions. Her eyes were watering but she kept going until she bumped against the side of the gates on the exit. She ignored the sharp pain filling her body and quickly ran to the street on the other side where she could finally breathe.
For her relief she saw Calum and the boys a few meters from her running down the street. She quickly joined them and they kept running until they reached a safe distance from the school and sat on sidewalk, their hearts beating fast, trying to catch their breaths.
"We have... We have to go back..." Luke said, desperately trying to breathe. "Kelsey..."
"They'll be alright." Michael assured, although not very confident himself. "They'll be alright..."
The teenagers stared at each other and each hoped their friends would be alright and that they were safe.
"Someone betrayed us." Ashton concluded.
+++++++++++++++++++
TWO MORE CHAPTERS ITS ALMOST OVER IM FREAKING OUT
love,
inês