A Sunset in the Sand

"We're going to be late!!!" Cassie yells over her shoulder. She's riding her bike perfectly centered in the lane, the chrome stands out against the black asphalt. 

"No, we won't," I scoff back. This is an ongoing joke, we know we aren't going to be late. We never have been. Nobody has. The Panel has planned everyone's schedules precisely so that there are no accidents, no excuses. 

I'm 16 today, there will be a celebration this evening after daily studies. I enjoy birthdates, they are one of the allotted days each year where entire families are permitted to gather, following the Winter Celebration. 

This year's birthdate is special, The Panel will be making an official decision on who my life partner is to be. I'm fairly certain it will be Matthew, the light-haired boy on my block. We have similar attributes, and The Panel likes that. Our families have urged us to spend time together since we were young, we had been in playgroup together, my earliest memories included Matthew. 

"Are you excited, or what?" Cassie shouts back again. She's not yet 16 and hasn't received her assignment, although it's almost certain to be with Thomas, who has Cassie's fair skin and red hair, but has a knack for engineering while Cassie is stronger in literature. 

"Yes, I suppose I am," I answer "Although, it's hard to be too excited when it's not new news."

Cassie giggles, I can't see her face, but I know she is blushing. She has been excited to receive her assignment for as long as I can remember, she's what some would call idyllic. 

As expected, we arrive at the learning center on time. Cassie waves goodbye to me as she makes her way to her lessons. I head through to the back of the block building to join my medicinal studies for the day. Matthew and I had both received placements in medicinal when we were 13 after showing strengths in life sciences. It was very unusual for The Panel to place two community members with the same societal strengths together, but it was conventional for medicinal community members to be paired.

When I walk in, I see Matthew sitting at his desk. He looks up and smiles, he knows what today is and is likely expecting the same assignment as everyone else. He is two years older than me, 18. Community females receive their partner assignments at 16 while the males are matched between the ages of 16 to18.

I give him a bleak grin and make my way to my desk, setting up my supplies for the day's lessons. I’m trying to focus on the educator, but I find myself distracted. Joseph is seated in front of me, and I am finding my eyes drawn to the skin on the back of his neck. Joseph is 17, has olive skin, and longer than normal hair. I had never met him until he was placed in our medicinal group, but I had heard that he was from the outer skirts.

Society members of higher status live in the center. My family resided in the second-largest block, my father being a continued learning educator and my mother a consumables technician. Joseph did not have a mother, and his father worked in the waste sector. It was quite a surprise when The Panel placed him in medicinal studies. No members spoke out, but there was silent disapproval throughout the community.

I’d been in lessons with Joseph since I was 13, but had never noticed him differently until today. An odd feeling arose in me, warm in my stomach, then tight in my throat. I’m focusing so heavily on his skin that I almost don’t hear our educator ask us to pair off to test the effectiveness of a powdered substance on some infected slides.

Matthew slides his seat back, standing up and making his way towards me.

“Not so fast, Matthew.” Our educator speaks in a soothing voice. “Today is Lydia’s assignment, why don’t we give her some space and allow her to select her own partner this morning?”

Matthew blushes and agrees while our pupils giggle quietly. I feel warmer than I thought possible as if all the blood in my body has rushed to my cheeks.

“Do you want to work with me? I’ve already set up for the assessment.”

I look up, surprised to see Joseph looking directly back. Our eyes lock, it’s the first time I’ve noticed his. They’re light brown, almost golden. I struggle to find the correct words, and instead quickly shuffle over to his station.

“Thank you,” I mutter.

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry that you were embarrassed,” he replies with a smile. It’s a look I hadn’t seen before on another community members face.

“I was hoping that my embarrassment wasn’t too noticeable.”

He chuckles and slides the microscope my way. His slides have already been set up, there is not much for me to complete. Ashamed that I have not completed more of the assessment myself, I look at the slides and begin the work.

“Are you nervous?” he asks in a hushed tone after a few moments. The room is quiet aside from some low murmurs pertaining to the findings.

“About my assignment? Of course not. The Panel knows best,” I reply louder than he asks. I know better than to say any different, questioning The Panel can come with many levels of discipline.

I had been subjected to community service when I had inquired about what was beyond the fencing that surrounded the community. I did not have to stand before The Panel, but I was reminded that nothing laid beyond. The community was formed to keep those remaining alive, and The Panel did not approve of inquiring members.

Joseph is looking at me with eyebrows furrowed, I sense that he understands my answer.

“That’s wonderful,” he finally says after careful consideration. “It is an honor to receive your assignment.”

I thank him. After all, it would be looked down upon if I did not. We finish the rest of our studies in silence, my heart never slowing down.

Once studies conclude, I make my way quickly from the room to the bike rack where my cruiser resides, last year's birthdate gift. Cassie is waiting for me.

“Did you speak with Matthew? Is he excited? I can’t wait to hear your assignment, you must tell me tomorrow!” She swoons.

Luckily, her quick thoughts take up much of the ride back to my block.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Cassie,” I say, stopping before the road turns towards my residence. “I will tell you everything.”

Cassie flashes a big grin, wishing me luck before riding off. I stand at the corner watching her ride towards her residence on the fourth block. Other community members lull past, giving me reassuring nods and smiles. Everyone knows what today is. A pit grows in my stomach, but I try to keep a calm disposition.

I think of the advice my mother had given me the night before.

“I was nervous, as well, for my assignment,” she assured me. “But you must remember that The Panel knows what is best for each community member. Since the day that you were born, they have assessed your strengths and weaknesses. They will make the best decision on a life partner that will benefit both you and the community.”

I had thanked her for her candidness but had still found myself sleepless. Other female community members had spoken about their restlessness the night before their assignments as well, I wondered if they had felt the strange surge of emotions that I was experiencing.

I still have some free hours before I’m to return to my residence. Birthdates are seen as the community member's special day. Besides our societal duties, there are no other obligations. Aside from my assignment, of course.

The feeling of restlessness had not abided, so I decide to ride my cruiser to the outer skirts to see the trees. The inner blocks have no foliage other than small shrubs, the pollen produced by the large oaks is seen as a distraction to those with higher status career placements. I had always enjoyed the ancient forest that spanned along the west side of the community. I had only been a handful of times, mostly during free hours on birthdates as I got older, but my fondest memory was when Mother and Father took me as a small child.

I peddled my way west, legs feeling heavier with each rotation although I was heading downhill. The silhouette of the trees is visible in the distance when I hear a familiar voice.

“Lydia!”

I stop abruptly as he approaches.

“Hello, Joseph. Thank you again for inviting me to work with you during today's studies.” I exchange pleasantries but avoid eye contact.

“What are you doing out here?” He asks, ignoring my appreciation. I quickly glance around, but there are no other community members to overhear the exchange.

“I have free hours before my birthdate celebration, so I was going to visit the forest,” I tell him, returning my foot to my cruisers peddle, preparing to ride away.

“Would you mind if I joined you?” He asks.

“Do you have no other obligations?”

“No, I don’t,” he replies with a small grin. It would be rude to say no.

“Of course, I would enjoy some company.”

We ride in silence until we pass the seventh block. Residences beyond the final block are vastly different than I am used to seeing. Even the final blocks' homes look inviting compared to the ramshackle abodes that lie on the outer skirts. I try to hide my surprise so that Joseph doesn’t feel embarrassment about his residence.

“It’s different out here, isn’t it?” He asks.

I don’t know what to say aside from agreeing. He does not press me further.

We reach the first trees, and I feel a rush of relief.

“I’ve always enjoyed the foliage out here,” I confide. “I often wish that the blocks had some.”

Joseph laughs in agreement.

“Yes, that is one benefit of living on the skirts.”

“Are there other benefits?” I inquire, immediately feeling rude for asking.

“Yes,” he says. “I’ll show you, if you’d like.”

I nod my head in agreement and lean my cruiser against an oak.

“Okay,” he says. “Follow me.”

We walk through the forest. The sun is high, but the shade from the trees filter much of the light. The Panel had decided to keep the oaks in the outer skirts as a reminder of what was before the community was formed. At one time, all there was were trees, and humans wandered aimlessly. The community was formed by prehistoric humans who found each other and believed in a greater good. The morals established in the past were the same morals followed by the community today.

Joseph leads me further into the forest. It is usually unheard of for a male and female community member to be alone together unless they have been assigned life partners, but there are no other members in sight. I follow without question, something I have never done.

Suddenly, we are face to face with the fence.

“I’ve never been this close before!” I exclaim.

Beyond the barrier is golden sand as far as I can see. It stops suddenly at the fence line, where the lush green forest floor begins.

I’m too distracted by the l change in the landscape to notice that Joseph is looking at me with an inquisitive demeanor.

“Do you ever wonder if there is anything out there?” I whisper. “Maybe there were more prehistoric humans that did not find each other? Maybe there are other communities?”

As soon as the words leave my lips, a panic begins. I am older now than the last time I questioned if anything laid beyond the community. My discipline would be much more severe, I may have to stand before The Panel.

Joseph notices my dismay and quickly places his hands on my shoulders.

“They can’t hear you here.”

He’s speaking nonsense, I step back, a panicked feeling comes over my body. I can’t find the words to reply to him, so I run.

“Lydia! Lydia, stop, I swear!” He shouts after me. “Just stop! I’ll show you!”

Something within compels me to slow down and turn back. The sun's rays shine between the canopy and envelope him in an angelic glow.

“What can you show me?” I ask, voice shaking.

“There are other communities beyond the fence,” he starts.

I’m terrified, still searching the trees for cameras or other community members.

“Lydia, I promise you, they can’t hear us. Come here, listen.”

I apprehensively walk towards him, keeping a distance so that I can escape if necessary.

“There are other communities. Have you ever wondered why my father and I live on the skirts? Why we are outcasts?” He asks.

I shake my head, I had never questioned The Panel’s decision with societal placements.

“We came to this community when I was a child,” he confesses.

“No, there aren’t any other communities,” I protest.

“Yes, there are. We came from one called Renity. My mother stayed behind.”

I’m flooded with disbelief, but his face looks sincere.

“The Panel doesn’t want the community to know about other communities,” he explains. “Renity is a “free will” society, it’s a city!”

I’d never heard this word, I stare back at him, puzzled, terrified at what will happen at this evening's assignment ceremony after I’ve engaged in this conversation. Yet, I can’t walk away.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“Free will means that the community members, or “citizens”, choose their own lives. They choose their career placements, their life partners. They can even change these decisions later on if they don’t feel comfortable with them.”

The strange feeling I experienced earlier returns.

“Choose their own life partners? How will they choose the correct person?” I exclaim.

“They just know,” he answers, looking intensely at me. “And if they aren’t happy, they choose another. Nobody tells them how many children to have, who to have them with. They choose.”

We stand in silence for a few minutes while I absorb what I had just heard.

“If this “Renity” exists, why did you and your father come here? Why did you leave your mother?”

Joseph sighs and looks down at his feet.

“Panel members visited Renity, they promised a life that was better than what we had there. They promised career placements and residences that would sustain a family. My father had a career similar to your mother’s, he was called a grocer. My mother was ill and did not have a career. My mother and father decided it would be best for he and I to move, so that he could provide for me as well as her.”

“We moved to the community and were placed on the skirts, we were told we would be provided a residence on a block once my father earned it. He expected to be placed as a consumables technician, like your mother, but he was placed in the waste sector. That was nine years ago, and we are still on the skirts. My father still works in the waste sector, and we still have not been able to send for my mother,” he looks up, tears swelling in his eyes.

I don’t know what to think, how to respond. “Why are you telling me this?”

“You don’t want your assignment.”

“I did not tell you that.”

“You didn’t have to. You don’t want your assignment, and I need to find my mother.”

“I don’t understand,” I reply inquisitively. The panic has faded, I am interested in his story.

“Come here,” he says, beckoning me over. He grabs the fence near the ground and pulls, there is a hole.

“We can go, now, before the Searchers make their rounds for the evening.”

Evening. I look towards the sky, the sun is on its way down. I will be late, no one has ever been late.

“My assignment! I have to leave, Joseph, I’m sorry!”

I turn to run back to my cruiser, mind racing, wondering how I will explain why I was late, wondering what my discipline will be.

“You don’t want your assignment,” he says again. “We can go, but we have to go now! The Searchers will find us soon if we don’t.”

I turn, looking into his eyes once again. The sun is falling behind him, it feels quicker than usual. I’m already late.

“My bag has food, water,” he begins.

“Okay, let’s go.”

With a shocked look on his face, he grabs the fence once again and pulls it to the side, leaving an opening large enough for me. I take a deep breath and slip through, stepping away from everything I know. Joseph clambers through behind me, we pause for a moment, looking back towards the forest.

“We have to go,” he says. “If we hurry, we can make it before morning. But we will have to run before the Searches are alerted that you’re missing, or find our bikes.”

I look at him again, his face is kind and reassuring.

“Let’s go.”

We take off running, my calves burning from maneuvering on a terrain I’ve never stepped on before.

Thoughts of Mother and Father fill my head, they will be disappointed that I am late, then worried when I never return home. Poor Matthew won’t receive his assignment either, the news will be delivered to him tonight. His mother and father will be disappointed as well. And Cassie, my closest friend, will never hear how my assignment went. She will have to continue to longingly wait for hers.

I run with tears stinging my eyes, thinking of the community that I am leaving behind, but the guilt fades as I see the light from the sunset illuminating the sand before me.