The Unthinkable
The Perlustration

I sign my name at the bottom of the old paper book, hesitantly looking at it for the last time. Ever since Nana taught me how to read and write I would keep everything in this book. All of my secrets, drawings, desires, and losses. All of it. It had been a therapeutic way for me to relax and get away from all my responsibilities and worries. Like an imaginary brother or sister. Now I must part with it, just like I did with Nana.

I pick up the glass jar, on my right, unscrewing the iron lid. This jar alone would have given me roughly a week's worth of food and water for me and Nana but she gave me strict instructions to keep the jar for something it was made for. It was not made to be sold and broken down for its resources. It was made to hold things.

I fold the book as neatly as possible, but it's hard not to crumple the delicate pages. Oh well. It won't be read for a long time anyway or maybe it won't be read at all... No Lilie! Don't think like that. It had to be read, it must. I push the book inside the jar, letting it drop deep down into its new safe home and then to finish I cut a small strand of my brown hair and drop it inside, screwing the lid on tightly. Now when it is found the future generations of humans will find it and know the truth of the past. No more tainted sky-lander lies.

Breathing in deeply, I shuffle to the edge of my boat. This is it. My most prized possession and basically my entire life. The only real proof of mine and Nana’s existence is held inside this old glass jar.

Splash!

It sinks into the murky waters disappearing from my sight. Closing my eyes tightly I hold back sobs and hope that it will end up in the right hands. I am going to miss that book but I also miss Nana. And she will never come back now just like the book. This was my choice and I don't regret it. I just regret not helping Nana.

A tear falls from my cheek and I huddle up in a tight ball hugging my legs. I cry into my stained and ripped trousers mourning for my Nana. The only family who actually stayed by my side and nurtured me through my pathetic life. A life that nobody dreams for but many commonly get.

It will be okay. It will be okay

I keep trying to reassure myself with hope but eventually realize that I need to grow up. I must be strong. Nana is gone. Period. I am now the oldest, and well the only, member of my family so I must show maturity and leadership.

I wipe my eyes unwrapping myself from my thin arms. I’m back to reality from my small personal pep talk and back to the dark night sky with traces of stars and the bright lights of the sky city above. Back to the fight for survival around the polluted waters. Our very own creation. Our very own disease. A disease that instead of bringing us together as one ripped human rights, compassion and sympathy to pieces leaving 1 rule. Fight for yourself.

I can see the shipping station not too far away. I should be there soon before the rising sun if I start rowing now. I try and make the old oak planks more comfortable by placing down old rages but nothing can keep the splinters from piercing through my thin layers of clothing. It's all I have, a thin faded red tank top and black leggings that are hardly staying together. To keep me warm in the cooler months I have the black bomber jacket that I'm using to sit on now. It's probably covered in splinters meaning I am not wearing it again in fear of becoming a hedgehog.

I stand instead and start rowing, using a huge branch I found as debris on my travels here. It must have come from the dryland. A branch that fell in the water after a fire. I dried it off before touching it just in case the toxins hit my skin. All it takes is one pathogen and my skin will bubble up allowing the bacteria to spread through my blood and to my heart. I've seen it happen...and I'm not prepared to ever face it myself.

Breathing heavily, I drive the dreary water behind me pushing the branch through the darkness with a scooping sort of motion. I would do this for 5 days and then take 2 days caring as a nurse for the floaters. The 5 days I did this was for junking. Don't worry, I'll explain later.

1 hour 30 minutes till destination

As my muscles work to the maximum I start to wonder if I'm even heading in the correct direction. But then I see the lights illuminating the ports surrounding the building. The structure is slightly clearer but I have to squint my eyes to see any sort of movement in this light. I know it's the shipping station from the electrics and the metal. Only Skylanders own that. I move on.

1 hour till destination

Sweat is dripping off of me like mad, god I have never rowed so fast in my life. I have only rowed for 20minutes at most and even then I had breaks. For junking you wouldn't need to go far since the Skylanders are always dropping their unwanted items from the sky. And yes that includes the nasty stuff. It's their way of punishment since they believe we are the cause of this whole ordeal.

45 minutes till destination

I take a break, laying down to catch my breath, ignoring the splinters stinging my back. They were hardly important when my lungs are literally collapsing. I've pushed myself too much. Maybe just a quick rest then...Then all goes dark and I relax too much and without even realizing sleep gets the best of me...

Day 183. Year of 4020.

I wake to the screams of people rioting and bickering with each other. Crashing, pushing and shoving. I sit up instantly feeling the pain in my sore back, big mistake. When my eyes adjust to the light I realize what is happening.

It’s the day of the Perlustration.

I must have floated closer to the port in my sleep as I am only 50 feet away from the docks. However, huge wooden bridge sits around the docking station. Rowing closer, the noises increasing in volume and my sight adjusting, I realize that this wooden bridge is really millions of other boats that now surround mine. But they are all empty. Their owners already crowding the port. Everyone is already pushing around at the guards trying to hand children over or sneak through themselves. It is complete chaos. Babies crying, men fighting, families being pulled apart in brutal ways.

I jump across using the other boats as my bridge. Jumping from rowing boat to rowing boat, I carefully maneuver to the docks, trying to stay balanced. I needed to get to the front of all these people but none seemed in any state to let me walk through without them claiming me as their child and getting a reward themselves. I stay near the back. From a distance, I recognize some people as floaters from the way they dress and talk but others seem more foreign. More....ruthless. Dry landers. They are slightly cleaner with better clothing but they are definitely not people to be messed with. Nana says they are all on the edge of insanity but I feel they just have more confidence and rage. Us floaters are more sneaky and the most compassionate.

I am only 5 foot 6 and so standing next to all these people who are around 6 foot at the least makes me unseen and pretty much invisible. Looking around I find the dock posts are easy to climb and give me more height. Balancing up on one of the dock posts trying to see the front of the building and I get a glimpse.

The doors are closed tightly and guards surround it securely stopping people from breaking through. Children were being dragged through the crowds some crying, some injured and some were only newborns. It was an awful sight. I don't want to go through that. Maybe they'll come to me if I get their attention?

I wave trying to get the guards to see me. I have to be seen. Please. Please. Please. Why can’t they-

Crack!

I lost balance, falling back and hitting my head against a boat. Everything goes black. The right side of my head is throbbing giving me a severely bad headache. I can still breathe which is a good sign but I cannot wake up.

What if I’m dead?

If I am dead I wouldn’t feel the pain in my head. I am not dead.

What if I’m in a long unwakable sleep?

Well, there is a small chance of that.

I am going to go with the conclusion that someone hit me around the head knocking me out. I can't of lost balance I mean, I'm a floater we were born to balance of floating debris. Someone knocked me out. I should wake up soon.

I hope...

Sunset

Finally, I can move. My body grants me control and I move my arms and legs slowly getting up. Grabbing my head in pain crying out slightly. I must have a nasty bruise, it hurt so much. Whoever hit me has some hell of a swing.

I open my eyes weakly and see the docks are deserted leaving just the quiet sounds of my cries in pain that slip from my mouth every time I try to move. I look down inspecting myself and confused when I see I'm wet. Did I get splashed or something? If I fell in the water I would be drowned surely or dying from infection. And nobody would splash me with clean water since that is expensive.

Anyway, The Perlustration must have finished meaning they all left to the sky lands without me. Great. Now I have nowhere to go, with no family and no plan and no food! I'll die!

Whimpering in hopeless loss I turn around seeing no boats or people in sight. Meaning my boat was taken. I'm truly stuck here. Swimming is too risky, don't want to get infected unless I already am. And there is no boats to steal, even if I knew how to steal. And nobody around since all the gu-

Light. I see light. A guard walks around on patrol seeming to not notice me. Of course! Guards patrol the area for any incoming boats! I stumble over to him feeling dizzy and weak on my feet. I probably looked drunk but expensive things such as booze where only in the sky lands so he would know that I wasn't.

'Miss are you alright?'

He walks over to me catching me before I fall to the ground. I catch my breath, my muscles aching. Trying to ignore the pain in my head I get some words out.

'I'm Lilie....16, I-I....missed t-the' I couldn't finish the sentence as another groan escapes my lips and my head slumps down in pain.

'Let me take you inside to make sure of your age and then we can take you to the head office. They will know what to do'

I just nod crying in pain. He holds onto me practically dragging me inside the building. It's slightly warmer in there helping me dry off slightly.

Liquid drips down my head and right leg. I ignore it thinking it's just water but then I see red drip over my eyes. The pain in my head was getting worse and I start feeling the little food I have in my stomach rise up my throat.

He sits me in the waiting room disappearing into what I'm assuming is the head office.

As soon as I'm down I empty my stomach onto the pristine white floors. Strong acidic broth burns my throat as my final drops of energy drain from me completely. For the third time today I let the darkness take over my vision, helping me forget my rough start at being independent. Being without Nana. Being without a family.

I hope things get better but something in my soul tells me worse is to come.

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