There are only three pairs of clothes in my closet. They are all the same, plain and tan colored dresses, and I have to wear them everyday. Or, that is what we are told to do. North America was the target of all nuclear bombs in 3026, 4,619 years ago. This is what caused half of the world to perish, and now, only the Eastern Hemisphere still stands today. People fought for power, and soon, it led to wars that were unnecessary. More people died, and the human race was so small that scientists today, still don't believe how we managed not to go extinct.

But I don't know how they don't understand how those people survived. They created the BB., which was a machine that acted like an artificial womb, and that made the first inhumane baby. They continued to make billions and billions of these machines to boost up the population until it was stable again. But we never got rid of the machines, and that was how I was born, through one of the BB. machines.

I'm not very proud of the fact that I was born from an artificial womb, but that is where everyone comes from now. Scientists thought that this machine would save mothers from dying when they are giving birth. It also had other benefits like improving long-term health outcomes and reducing mortality rates. But I still don't agree with the 7 Figures and the rules of which we have to follow.

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Right now, I currently live in the fraternity that was once titled on maps, "Greece." But we don't call it that anymore, we changed it to "Vigil Mirage," because we still try to grasp for the hope that is just out of our reach. My mother says that we cannot riot against the government, she thinks that it would get her family into trouble like Family Arrangement #55. They were a family of four, with a little boy turning 6, and a girl that was 11, including the mother and father they were assigned to. But, they all were stubborn, and they never really thought that the rules were particularly right. So, Family Arrangement #55's parents talked to the wrong people, sharing their thoughts about the government that led their "friends" to tell the 7 Figures. Sometime after, the parents were found dead, and the children were sent over the Wall.

The Wall is what it says it is, a barrier that kept us in, or something out. But no one could see what was at the bottom of the Wall, so what happened to the children, no one knows. But we all agree that being thrown over the Wall is not something we would happily want for ourselves, so we've kept quiet, until now.

Me and Michael Finch, my best friend from the facility named a school, have been talking about the government behind their backs as best we can. There are cameras and recorders everywhere, so you really have no idea where to hide to talk in private. But we have found a spot by the Wall, where a building almost touches it, and hides whatever is under. That is where we squat down low and whisper about what we could do.

I suggested telling other people and forming a group who thought about the rules the way we do, but Michael cut me off before I could even finish.

"It won't work, Ellen. We can't risk being caught before we even take action!" He shook his head like he was annoyed with my stupidity. But I honestly thought that my proposal could actually work. Instead of letting me speak before he could again, he continued on, "If we take charge before they can even realize what's been going on, then we have a bigger chance of survival, either if we get caught and run, or take down the government and win."

I contemplated Michael's idea, but I couldn't stop myself from wanting to lash out at him. He was the stupid one. If we attack straight on, without an army of any sort, we could be killed with just a touch of their finger. But I didn't say or do that. How could I? He was my only friend, the only person I had left. I needed to at least take his thoughts into consideration.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I guess your plan could work," I mumbled. I didn't want to admit it to him, but I had no choice.

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The next day, Michael and I got up at 4:16 AM, way before the rules say we were allowed to, but getting up at this hour was the beginning of the day where we would carry out our plan. As soon as I'm done putting on one of my ugly dresses, Michael pulls me out of my window and catches me so I don't fall. It's hard to say what he's trying to do, but he holds my hand tight, which he's never done, and guides me down the roads.

In Vigil Mirage, one of the rules says we aren't allowed to use cars, only ride bikes or just use our legs because cars are supposedly dangerous. In history class, my teacher, Mr. Rogers, had said that vehicles killed many people back in the day, and that is why they have made these kinds of rules. My family says that even bikes are dangerous, so my legs are so sore by the end of the week after walking everywhere that I think I could lay on the ground for years at a time.

We don't pass anyone on our way to the ISO-7 building, where the 7 Figures stay most of the time, because everyone is still asleep. But we do pass many forgotten bikes by the side of the road. We don't ride them though, because it would make too much noise; causing attention to be focused on us.

Me and Michael start to run now, the wind rustles in my ears, and my lungs burn for more air, but I don't stop, I actually run faster. It takes about 10 minutes to reach ISO-7 at our rate, but it's still only 4:47 AM when we get there.

I can see a small knife poking out from Michael's back pocket, and I wonder how he got it since all weapons are also against the rules. I'm tempted to ask, but I don't want to disturb the peace. He still holds my hand like he needs something real to hang on to, since what we're about to do feels like a dream turning into a nightmare.

I've never really seen the ISO-7, but now I see it clearly for the first time. It is a tall, silver painted building that reflects the sun. Solar panels are intact to the top, and that is probably where they get their light from. All of our houses in my fraternity don't have lights, nor running water. I don't know why the 7 Figures are allowed to while we aren't.

There are 4 windows on each wall of the ISO-7, and the outline of them are painted blue. Two doors stand straight ahead from where we are, and they are an old, yucky yellow. Michael lets go of my hand now, and just grabs a part of my dress, pulling me toward the doors since I'm too numb to move by myself. I can't believe we are going to rebel against the most powerful people here.

An hour passes and we are now walking down ISO-7's walls. Before we got here, we broke open a window and jumped into this room. But since then, we haven't seen any of the 7 Figures.

My steps are too loud, and my breaths are too raspy. Michael turns to me, stopping abruptly and whispering, "If you take off your shoes, you won't make as much noise as you are now." I don't have to be told twice to do so, and then we start walking again, both of us barefoot.

Michael turns left, still on the hallway, and I follow after him. I almost slip on the polished floor because I don't have any friction with just socks on, but I steady myself before I can. Up ahead, Michael stops and looks behind him, his eyes locking onto mine. He makes a shushing gesture and doesn't move except his head, which travels to the door beside him. I tip-toe even if I don't need to, and find myself beside Michael in seconds. His hand is now placed on the doorknob to the door, but there is no light on currently, so I can't describe anything about it. Then, before Michael or I can do anything, the door comes open without us doing so. But a tall, thin figure emerges after, and I instantly know who it is, Luke Coleman, one of the 7 Figures.

Michael reaches into his back pocket and pulls something out so fast that I still can't see what he has. But then I remember, it's the knife that was hidden there earlier. Luke stumbles back as Michael puts the knife to his throat, but he doesn't cut it, not yet. And when I think Michael would put the weapon down and surrender to defeat, he grips the knife tighter and slits Luke's throat. I'm too stunned to do anything but keep my mouth open and stand there. Michael doesn't say anything either, but he doesn't look the way I do. He looks...satisfied? How could he do this to someone, even if it is one of the 7 Figures? What are we going to do now?