Pax Pacis: A Dystopian Shortstory

Liber

Chapter 1. 

16 Years Later

Ethne

Ding-Ding-Ding. I hear the bells chime that signal the end of the work day and hop down from my perch in the apple tree. Since I was fourteen the trees have been my job. Pax Pacis mandates that at the age of fourteen each child pick a job. They say that you should pick one that interests you, since it is what you will be doing for the duration of your lifetime, so I chose Agriculture. Of the four it seemed like the best option and the least dangerous. I don't mind danger, but since my father manages to come home every day with a new scrape, bruise, or broken bone, I decided that that life was not for me.

"Eavan!" I called to my best friend and co-worker as we all take our place in line to leave. Eavan, like me, resides on the outskirts of town, near the forest, so together we walk to and from work every day. It just worked out that we picked the same job. I guess that happens when you spend a life time together. 

"How was the orchard today?" Eavan, an animal specialist, is always wondering about the plants that grow in the green houses. She asks me about them almost every day. Whether its curiosity, or lack of other things to talk about, I am not entirely sure.

"Tall and healthy!" I respond and scan my badge on the gate, taking in my hours for the day and allowing me entry into the city beyond. Eavan follows suit and together we link arms and head toward the outer wall. 

As we cross the bridge into the Technology district I notice a peculiar person staring out the window of Edificium, Pax Pacis headquarters. He seems tall from this angle, with pale skin and long dark brown or black hair. His eyes glint in the fading sunlight and I notice that they are a strange purple color. A color that I often associate with lavender flowers. I elbow Eavan.

"What?!"

"Look!" I nod towards to window and hope that she can see what I see, but the moment she looks up, the boy is gone.

"Are you insane?!" Eavan stops with her hands on her hips. 

"Maybe slightly.." I give her a guilty expression before she breaks out into a grin and starts laughing. I laugh too in order to look somewhat normal and the two of us continue on our way home.

***

I should have expected my father not to be home again tonight, but I had hope that he would grace me with his presence. Ever since I became old enough to take care of myself he has been spending more and more time at the Contego Compound. However, since tonight was my sixteenth birthday I had hoped that he would take the time to see me for more than the minuscule time that we see each other in the mornings.

I never knew my mother. I am told that her name was Daryn and that she was raised within the confides of Edificium. That is all that I know. I know that for some reason my father, a member of Contego, decided to marry her, but that it was entirely false love and that the two were miserable. He told me that he wanted me to be the only woman in his life and that the moment she was off of bed rest after my birth, my mother rushed back to Edificium and has not been seen since. 

Eavan thinks that there is something wrong with me because I do not care that my own mother left me. I never knew her so it does not matter to me. In my life the only person that really matters is my father. I hope that someday, if the opportunity arises, I can marry for love, unlike him. But, for now, I am content with Raziel and the apple orchards. 

I am not obsessed with the idea of getting married off. It is not an important part of life. As woman we are made to marry whomever chooses to be with us and we are mandated to be content with that. Eavan is hoping that Tarrence chooses her. But the two of them are practically made for each other so that is not going to be a surprising choice. He is also Agriculture, so they make a perfect match.

According to Pax Pacis one must marry among the same social class. It is one of the many oppressing rules that we have to follow. Every so often though, that rule is broken. But only by people like my father. The heads of The Divisions, or students of promising stature, are allowed to marry whomever they please. They can pick from any division and even from the Edificium. It is a stupid rule. But a rule none the less. 

"Ethne?!" I am awoken from my thoughts by the frantic pounding on the door. My father, Raziel, is there waiting for me and bleeding. I can not tell where the blood is coming from.

"What have you done?!" I help him into the room and lay him down on the bed before rummaging through my backpack and trying to find some sort of herb or bandage to stop his bleeding. That is one problem with Contego, they do not care how hurt you are. Just go home and sleep it off. 

"Gandra training again. I won!" I roll my eyes at my father and place some ambrosia on his wound. He is bleeding from a gash in his stomach. 

"Well great, now lets hope that you don't bleed out." I glare at him and begin wrapping his wound to stop the bleeding. I will take the time to clean it properly later for now it just needed disinfected and wrapped up.

"Oh hush! You sound like your mother." He always says that to me when I make a smart alec comment and it always manages to have the desired affect, shut me up. I pour him a cup of Green Tea and then give him a few pills to ease the pain. 

"Rest. I will be back later. I'm going to go get some more ambrosia for my private stash." My father just nods at me as the medicine kicks in and I grab my jacket and head out into the night.