It was now a minute from twelve pm on the giant clock in the Limo and Abigor had stopped the car about ten minutes ago. I couldn't glean anything from the surroundings, it was pitch black, and I couldn't look for the light buttons because Abigor had turned off the car with all its special effects, leaving on only the heater, which sent tingles of warmth down my body.

I basked in the beautiful feeling and did the thinking I deserved. I would have to go through with the marriage, swallow my guilt and let Abigor deal with my test.

And I would have to leave the others, Astoria, Darian, Alarie, Deborah. My own personal Ads. But I would have to do it for my sake and the sake of making a difference. Because how could I make a difference if I was at the bottom of the food chain?

The clock ticked twelve. And I was sixteen.

Where the hell had Abigor gone? Being left in the middle of nowhere was not a very good situation to actually be in. Sure you read it in all the books and saw it in the movies but-

The Limo's door slammed open and a hand, smooth pale hand hovered outside the open door. I pushed it away and got out of the door. The entire place was a realm of darkness, and all I could see was the silver of Abigor's clothes.

The smell was earthy and clean, like all the dirt of humanity had been wiped away. I beamed.

"What the heck Abigor?"

"We're in the woods by the border of America," he explained. Seriously.

"And why?"

"It's your birthday?" A light flashed in his hand, illuminating our surroundings. Bushy leaved trees arced upwards, slim brown bark and pretty branches sticking out in corners. Here and there hung some beautiful bird nests.

Oh this was too much like the pictures, in the middle of the woods all alone-

"Puhlease, we are not in the middle of the woods," he grinned," On the border."

Oops, did I say that out loud?

"And why are we here again?"

"Cuz it's your birthday, your sixteen all that jazz?" he wiggled his hands for effect but I just raised an eyebrow.

" So?"

"Aren't you supposed to dance around and hula or something?" He looked confused and paused in waving his hands like a lunatic.

My frown just deepened and he sighed," Well happy birthday anyway, I got you a present."

"And we just had to be in the middle of the woods in the for this?"

"It's really amazing."

I watched him gaze at the pretty forest and soon my eyes began to adjust, the beautiful silver-white moon and bright beaming stars, lighting up the forest with love. The forest radiated with happiness, and the smell-

"Okay, it really is," I admitted.

A hand entwined in mine, and slid something light onto the black-ring finger. What couples used to call ring fingers. But the President had made us married, or eternally devoted, to him.

I pulled my hand upwards to see what was on my finger, a stunningly crafted ice-diamond ring, catching in the moonlight.

He had forgotten to give me a wedding ring. I laughed," Smooth Abigor, smooth."

He laughed," No your real birthday present is this."

The beauty of nature.

The best gift anyone could give.

I blinked at it all," Thank you."

A slender brown, snow white speckled creature was hiding behind dark brown bark, her green eyes perked up with innocence, pausing to stare at us. I didn't dare breathe as she watched me, calculating if I was a threat. Moments flew by but we maintained contact and she visibly relaxed turning to pull dark green strands off the ground, and munch contently.

" Doe," whispered Abigor so gently.

An arm slid around my shoulder and we watched the doe graze.

---

A blanket was drawn over my body, I must have fallen asleep in the forest because now I was in the backseat of the Limo, slouching comfortably.

I could feel eyes watching me, but I kept my breathing normal and kept my body relaxed. We weren't moving, so he must have waited, let me sleep. I could feel light over my eyelids, trying to force me awake. It was definitely at least morning.

Hands caressed my face so gently, adjusting the soft blanket, tucking the pillow in closer.

I blinked my eyes slowly, the open sunroof letting in rays of dancing yellow sunlight, the windows were drawn open and a car side door was open, gust of air flowing through, Abigor stood by the door, watching me, his face bright.

"What- are we still here?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes and pulling off the blanket, ducking out of the door and taking the green plastic bottle filled with cold water that Abigor handed me.

My purple lilac dress was crumpled, all fluttery and pretty, the purple robe dumped on one the cream backseats. My black high heels, polished with purple, were stranded on the bottom of the Limo. I dug for them and shoved them on my feet, wobbling slightly and exiting the car to stare at the beautiful place.

The sun was unexpectedly bright but the air was freezing still and the sky was clear, empty page blank.

The lush carpets of green grass were dotted with the occasional blue flowers, winter blossoms. The trees seemed to last forever, and there was no path after here. I glanced back to notice that there was a crumbly dirt path up until now.

The forest shimmered with light and happiness. The beautiful song of birds filled the air, like the one Grandma loved. There was no way to describe that music, of hope and peace and love and a future.

I cupped some of the water from the green bottle and washed my face, the cold sending sparks of excitement through me. I called to Abigor to tell him I'd be back and went further into the enchanting forest. More bright greens and lovely sprigs of colour met me.

I quickly did what I had to and then watched the air swirl the green trees around. It was only then I wondered why the trees still had leaves, why the place was still so bright when it was the middle of winter.

Confused I went back and mentioned this to Abigor.

" Uh, magic?" He laughed at my face and told me to get in the 'limo.'

---

I was grinning like hell because of the curly haired limping boy, and two dark skinned twins I had seen on the way.

"So how bad is my day gonna be?" I questioned Abigor as we neared the large house paved with white stones and border that they used for every single person's Sixteenth.

"Pretty bad, expect a lot of rituals and blessings and whatever, then there's the test about evening and at eleven, hour before midnight, the results come out. Oh and only family allowed."

I sighed and he shot me a concerned glance," You'll be just fine darling."

I huffed at the last word but gave him a small smile," Yeah, yeah."

---

Mother had a hand around mine and she fitted the purple diamond in my hair, I was totally exhausted from all the weird smelling perfume, and my head was dizzy from the entire experience. So many flashing white lights, beaming faces, water being thrown around. The white blankness of the hall, with nothing but marble white stoned seats and stage, hiding a small area I would go through to do the test.

My parents had crowded me and an old guy with a baseball hat dressed in solemn white kept going on and on about these customs.

I was now being lead up the beautiful glimmering stone stairs and I took a proper look at the place. It was a large hall, its walls covered with drawings of prosperous Purples and Silvers. I sighed and looked up at the glass ceiling showing the dark winter sky. Third of February.

The area was empty apart from three rows of marble white chairs, in the front one Father sat, regal in his purple, Mother just running on to join him after fitting me with the purple gem.

The baseball hat dude launched into another sermon as I studied the stage, in my dizzy achey headed state. It was empty but here I could spot the details of the large marble mass, it was a kind of seat shaped like a C, with a little finger print monitor hanging around the C and a blue and green beaded glove.

The floor here was polished white tiles, and I could see the little couple sat below in chairs nodding at me and the baseball guy looking serious and solemn opposite me on the platform.

My head burned from all the stupid traditions that I willingly hurried to the C chair, my kitten heels squeaking on the floor. The purple gem and ring Abigor had given me, weighed down on me because of its heavy weight and burdens it held-

I took a deep breath then I sat down, the cool whiteness like water against my raging skin.

The baseball guy walked towards me, his white silk flowing around him like a halo," Take the finger scanner-"

A sharp tap from outside and a familiar voice said clearly," It's Mister Killian."

Baseball Hat was already pulling off his signature white baseball cap and stuffing it into a side pocket of his white silk and readjusting his scruffy half-balding brown mop.

His purple ring-finger glowed a dangerous amber for reckless planning and organisation skills probably while a Cleansing started off for me for having rude thoughts to people of my status, even higher.

The man was at the door before I could even think stupid Abigor and my parents were on their heels too, looking anxious.

I still didn't get the whole royalty hype, I mean sure it was the President's family and you never saw much of them apart from faces on tv screens, but what was the big deal- No what am I saying it is a big deal but people take it the wrong way. The man in charge of this family is the man, the murderer who left hundreds cold in their beds. Who was always killing just to keep everyone else in line. But it was time he got a slap.

I love you. Bring back America. I love you. Bring back America. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Grandma replayed in my head, her strong face was bright with enthusiasm each day, full of love for everyone, here eyes were full of light even after all the dark. She was- is so strong.

Then I recalled the little boy almost beaten, the scars on my hands were still there proving it had happened but less distressing and more in the background, but it was clear they would heal no more. There was new skin but a lighter shade as if they were patched on in a hurry.

I thought of all those I could never save. I could never look at there faces for more than a moment, without seeing the betrayal and hopelessness in their faces. I tried to forget them. Forget the screams but they were always there a little numbed like the Cleansings, something I had learnt to endure and keep locked up.

So locked up I could hardly ever feel the full force of the pain.

I zoned back into the present and realised Abigor was chatting to Mother and Father while glancing at me from the corner of his eye. He wore a neat black and white suit made of material only Silvers could buy, a black tie cut like his Father's and- he was a replica of him. But, I reminded myself, definitely a different person at heart.

I stood up and quickly bowed my head, easing the baseball hat guy's disapproving glare.

Abigor said something to Father and glided (no I'm not joking) up the stairs to the stage. Everything was now slightly fuzzy and I watched from my grand high chair as he said something that sounded like a blur to Baseball Cap.

I tried blinking to clear the various thumping sounds in my brain and clearing my weird jiggly vision. But no-

Die, the eyes screamed from the Entertainment, you murders you cowards-

A cool hand was on my forehead and a low calm voice said to me," Fara, you've got a temperature. Look I'll sort this out for you okay, let's get your test over with hm?"

Bad Thoughts, screamed Cleansings. Disgusting, disappointment, you call yourself a Purple

He sat down with me on the seat, entangling our arms and legs, I would have protested but I had no energy left and I had a vague idea what he was going to do.

Grandma was staring at me mouth wide open as I married the son of the monster. She whispered all y failures, disappointment etched on her crinkly face-

He picked up the finger scanner that would define my life, the moment I put it on all my thoughts, all my deepest desires would be flooded through. But I knew that he couldn't very well put his own fingerprint down because they would know it was an invalid finger. Everything was going whirling but the arms wrapped around my shoulders kept me anchored to the world.

Dead bodies, everywhere, stacked on top of eachother the reeking smell of Death met my lungs. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe-

And he drew closer, so that no one could tell the difference, I shut my eyes against the pain and waited one more moment before embracing the darkness.

Bad thoughts, screeched the Cleansing, ruining the bliss of darkness.