Yesterday must have been a dream, an amazing lip-locking dream. My swollen tender lips act as a reminder that it was real. Very real. A day spent with Zach in my bedroom. The two of us intertwined on my bed, talking and kissing the entire morning.

Burying my face into my pillow, I inhale his lingering scent. I want to stay here forever, wrapped in his intoxicating scent while enjoying the hum of excitement and happiness flowing throughout my entire body. The only problem is the bell hanging on our porch is clunking loudly which is odd. It hasn't been rung in forever.

Pulling on some clothes, my bad ankle hinders my progress, slowing me down so much that when I hear my parents footsteps pad towards the front door I haven't even got one leg in my trousers. Muffled voices drift through the walls as I fumble with my clothing. As fun as it is not to have to carry out chores while my ankle heals, I seriously can't wait for it to get better, even if it means I'll have to return to daily weeding.

I grab my crutches and enter the lounge. Through the open door, I see Amina and Jeremiah standing in front of the porch surrounded by what looks like all the other Council Leaders.

They know about Zach.

My throat constricts, a tightening of my insides pushes all the air out of my lungs. Slowly hobbling towards the porch, I hear my parents talking in low strained voices. My parents are losing another child however this time there will be no bending of the rules.

I'm going to be exiled.

Stepping through the doorway onto the porch, my parents walk towards me.

'Do not approach, Kit.' Amina orders loudly, making us all freeze in shock.

'What is this about?' Dab asks, looking calm and in control except his shaking voice gives him away the fear he's trying to hide.

'The neighbouring settlement informed us a girl and a boy were seen climbing over the wall last Sunday. The girl was dressed in Naturalist clothing and the boy was one of them. The description they provided matches Kit, and she is known to visit the woods on a Sunday. Also with the recent revelation of her unusual friendship with the boy, it has led us to the only possible conclusion. Kit, is there anything you would like to say in your defence?' Amina looks sombre.

Jeremiah beside her is glowering at me and the other leaders behind look even more menacing. They are out for blood, my blood. There's nothing I can say which will get me out of this.

I look at my parents, their expression pained. I wish I didn't have to do this. 'It was me, but my parents didn't know. They thought I was in the woods.'

The Leaders take a step back in disgust. Daa lets out a whimper as Dab reaches out and clutches his hand. Amina looks astonished, whether it's in light of my actions or my admission I'm not sure. She probably thought I'd lie.

There's no point in lying. I've been found out.

'This is a serious offence, Kit. You have put the whole settlement in serious danger.' Amina shakes her head in disappointment.

'You can't exile her. There is no rule in regards to crossing the wall.' Daa straightens up, and I glimpse a side of him I rarely see; the argumentative part of him which I guess he used often in his old life.

'You are right, there are no rules specifically stating not to cross the wall,' Amina says carefully.

'Because I doubt anyone ever expected it to happen,' Jeremiah interjects. His thinning grey hair exposes brown age spots on his scalp. His face looks haggard, and the scowl only adds to the harshness of his words.

'Physical contact with those outside your family, however, does warrant exile. The boy was seen carrying her,' Amina adds.

'Because I hurt myself and couldn't walk,' I say.

'If you hadn't crossed the wall in the first place you wouldn't have hurt yourself. You put your fellow residents at risk. I dread to think what diseases that boy is carrying,' Jeremiah spits.

'Zach gets tested regularly. He hasn't got Virulence or any diseases so I haven't put anyone at risk,' I blurt out and everyone frowns around me.

I'm not helping my case at all.

'His test results are irrelevant. You have gone against the fundamental ideas that our settlement was built upon. We've already allowed too much,' another council leader snaps, 'we refuse to let uncontrollable teenagers be the cause of our annihilation.'

Annihilation? That's a bit of an exaggeration. It would have only been annihilation if I caught Virulence and I didn't. Luckily.

A murmur of agreement rumbles across the group of Council Leaders standing behind Amina and Jeremiah. Amina holds her hand in the air to halt the discontent. 'Kit, you will be placed in quarantine until arrangements are made for you to be taken to the outside. Adula and Brian, as far as we're concerned you had no knowledge of her actions so you will not be exiled. However, you will be placed under house quarantine for twelve weeks due to having recent contact with Kit.'

Amina and Jeremiah step back joining the others. They carefully form a circle ensuring over an arms distance is maintained between each of them.

'Kit, come with us.'

They watch me carefully as I step off my porch. All of them hold long wooden poles in their hands, one end of it splits outwards. They've surrounded me with large wooden two-pronged forks.

They really are crazy.

The poles must be here to prod me towards quarantine without causing another person to be tainted on my journey. I step into the centre of the human fence they've formed. They raise the poles slightly, possibly preparing for me to run or to make a scene or even attack them.

'I'm coming willingly. You don't need to use those on me,' my voice is croaky, tears scratching my throat as they come to the surface.

Amina waves her hands towards the others, gesturing them to lower their weapons. I glance over my shoulder to face my parents who are huddled together on the porch. I mouth I'm sorry and kiss my two fingers. Dab kisses his while Daa sobs. I turn my back on the depressing image of my parents weeping. They've now been added to the list of people I love that I will never be able to hug or kiss again. They cared for me, brought me up the best way they knew how and all I've done is repay them with disappointment and embarrassment.

I've failed them as a daughter.

Following Amina, my vision swims as the world around me blurs with loss. Continuing through the settlement, I'm aware of people watching, shocked at the scene passing them. Escorted by a circle of Council Leaders it alerts everyone to the fact I've broken the rules and for those who have heard the gossip, which will be all of them, they will assume me and Zach were caught touching.

We may weren't caught but we definitely touched. We touched a lot.

The quarantine building comes into view, and I stumble as my legs crumple under the weight of what I've done, of the pain I've caused. The only thing stopping me from falling is my crutches. This is it. There's no going back, but part of me knew this was coming and I still can't make myself regret my actions.

If I went back I'd do it all again. I'd just be more careful and ensure I'd didn't get caught. I bet most people would.

Hours have passed and I know it takes twenty-three steps to walk the perimeter of the room, seventeen if I take large strides. Based on how many of me fit along the floor, I'm guessing the room I'm contained in is approximately five by four metres.

I'm trying to distract myself from the fact I'm going to be exiled, but I'm running out of ideas and the sun hasn't even got to its highest point yet. The bare cabin smells musty. A light layer of dust covers the few objects occupying the room: one hard single bed, a chipped wooden table and a stool.

I'm bored.

My parents and Alma survived this for twelve weeks and managed to not go crazy. They came out relatively sane after isolation. I'm struggling after a few hours. However, they had a future in a safe settlement to look forward to, I do not.

Meals have been passed through a slot in the wall but I'm still hungry. I have an appetite fuelled by apprehension and an awareness that soon I will struggle to find food once I'm forced to wander alone. Staring at the table, I'm sure the dents and chips in the wooden surface are actually scratches, etchings marked by wandering fingernails. Did the owner of those scratch marks survive? I shudder at the thought of how many people died in this room.

Night falls and the room darkens until I'm in complete blackness. There's no working light in here. Zach will be arriving in my room. We agreed it was too risky for him to visit me during the day again, especially on a Sunday when people are always around. He planned on sneaking in this evening. I wonder how long it will take for him to realise I've gone.

What will he do when he enters my room and I'm not there? Will he try to speak to my parents or worse, will he think I don't want to see him anymore?

Laying down on the hard bed, I toss and turn, trying to soften the mattress but it's no use. I haven't been informed of the date of my exile. Will they tell me or will a Techie simply collect me and dump me on the other side of the wall?

I won't get to say a proper goodbye to my parents or Mattan. I'll never meet my niece or nephew. I'll never see if Mattan's prediction of a settlement getting rid of the non-contact comes true. My mind is in overdrive at all the possibilities awaiting me once I cross the wall. How long will I survive? Will I be attacked by Drifters or simply die of starvation?

Whatever the outcome, my chances of survival are non-existent.

Author's notes

Were you expecting this? Still, more plot twists to come.

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