The Court
I woke up smiling.
I always do.
Everyone does. What is there to be unhappy about?
Everyone is fed. Everyone gets love. Everyone is kind, and good.
I am, too.
As I pick up what I set out to wair, I realise my pretty pink shirt has a stain on it.
“But, pink is my favorite color,” I say aloud.
Pink, it has been my favorite color my whole life.
It’s the color the Court gave me, the color they chose for me to love. The color that I have learned to love through my life.
I wonder what to do. It is unimaganable for a child my age to get help before they get dressed, but it is just as unthinkable to wair dirty clothes.
I am stuck between two fouls, something that has never ever happened to me.
How can I be good when both my options are bad?
I carefully put on my identacle version of that same pink shirt, and then I carry my stained shirt and clean it up. Disaster averted!
***
At school, I do well at math, but another kid, my best friend, Shirley, isn’t so good.
“Do me a favor and help me with math?” she asked. I couldn’t refuse. I owed her for helping me with spelling.
The only thing is, I have trouble tuturing her during Study.
“Shirley, your wrong!“I exlaim. “You have to turn the zero into a ten before you subtract the four.”
“You mean incorrect,” Shirley replied calmly.
I gasped. My best friend was right. I said that horrible, mean, inconciderate, fixed mindset word wrong.
I was lucky that the Court gave me such a good best friend. Most would’ve cried and tattled upon me saying that word.
***
I trip up several more times along the week, and instead of feeling lucky for the forgivness my mom was given by the Court, and the simple sterness my father was given, I felt strange.
Why were we given personalities, and favorite colors instead of being who we are?
***
I can’t beleive it. When I asked my parents these simple questions, I was taken to the Court.
“You must exept the role you were given,” they said.
“We all have our parts to play,” said a tall one.
“If you want a good job decided for you, you must be greatful for the colors and favorite foods you were given now.” ’Tis crazy.
***
I can’t beleive it! I got a letter inviting me to join the Court!
Oh, but, it was a lie. They are sentancing me to death!
They are
“No writing, miss,” a Court servent said, taking away Cate’s journal.
Cate replayed the scene in her mind from earlier, frightened of that man.
The Court had told her, “We knew you were niave, but this... wow!”
“Anyone begining to question us may either join us, or die.”
“You came here all happy- you are just imaginative, not smart. People like you, they must be earased. Not just their body, but their memory, dear girl.”
“Be ready to say goodby-”
“You lyers!” Cate hollered. “This, all this was all lies! Scemes for power! You evil ver-”
“Laungage, Cate.”
“We have reasons to lie. We do it for the happiness of all- majority. The more clueless people are, the better.”
“It’s wonderful, really, to be sacrificed.”