The Circus

From my opened window, I could feel the breeze from the vents built in the buildings and houses lined up upon the Neighborhood. “Close the window!” A sleep deprived Ross whispers sharply. He pulled the covers over his face to protect himself from the breeze. “I can’t sleep with wind in my face!” My body was stuck in a warm and comfortable position under the covers and I was disturbed at the thought of releasing myself from the warmth.

“C’mon Will! I’m trying to sleep here!” I worried Ross’s groans would wake the rest of the pound, so I swiftly removed the covers from my bare chest and pulled the latch and closed the window that hanged above my bed. I darted my eyes to a smiling Ross, who had just uncovered his long and ugly face from the protection of his covers. “Now will you shut up?” I asked rhetorically. “Yes.” He smiled back. A ruffling sound echoed throughout the hall of the pound. “Ugh! Why won’t you two shut up?!” A voice joins in. “Apologies Willow!” I said. The voice grew more aggressive, “God! I can’t get two hours of sleep because you guys are always arguing!” She walked up to me and Ross. She stomped her feet against the cool, hard tiled floor. “It’s Ross! He was complaining about the breeze!” I reared my head down and spoke with arched eyebrows. “Will is correct.” A second voice joined in. “I know Finley! I heard it all!” Willow turned to Finley, whom was readjusting his thick black glasses. He shook his small head with towering brown hair, trying to walk himself. The three of us glanced at the wall beside my bunk, where a huge clock stood. “Ugh, it’s only 2:00!” Willow groaned, “Ross why must you constantly complain about a small breeze?!” Willow questioned the silent and supposedly sleeping Ross. Ross flashed his blue eyes, smiled and responded, “Oh Willow, you know I can’t sleep with a breeze blowing in my face!” He pulled his head up and stared blankly at Willow.

Finley hopped out of his bed, he walked sloppily and slow. He approached Willow and I, “please remember we must get some sleep! It’s our graduation tomorrow! Do I have to remind that when we graduate from the pound, were eligible for the merry-go-round?” Willow and I both nodded yes and returned to our sleeping beds. I covered myself once again. When I got comfortable, I gazed out my window and saw the tiny reflections of the sun of the dome’s roof. “One day, I’m get outta this dome, Ross.” I cheered quietly. “Yeah yeah yeah.” He turned his body towards the wall his bed laid against.

Day broke and alarmed the speaker systems that were established around the corners of the houses. “Please awake! The time is 07:20 in the morning. The date is April 2, 2267. It is Tuesday. Cold weather will be located in the western section of The Circus, and warm weather will be located in the eastern sections of The Circus.” Echoed the robotic voice originating from the speaker. The kids of the pound dragged their bodies from their beds and headed for the dressing and bathing areas. I stood I front of the mirror as I dressed myself in the uniform. Everyone in the dome was instructed to were a uniform based on status and class. The uniform consisted of black pants and shoes, along with a black turtleneck shirt with elongated shoulder pads with a specific color to address your class. red for high, blue for middle, yellow for low, gray for federal employee, and green for student or pound kid. Your status is unchangeable. Willow, with her blond hair, walked up to me. Her small face was tired and sad. Willow didn’t want to leave the pound. She was the oldest student in our class. “I can’t wait for graduation!” She spoke sarcastically. “Don’t worry, we’ll be gone in just a few days. Living in paradise.” I held her close to me. “Thanks, Will” she said. “Your welcome Will.” I responded. Willow and I were best friends. I’ve known since I arrived after my brother, Julian went to paradise. Willow had also just arrived. We soon became very close. When we met Ross and Finley, our group grew and grew, but our bond never broke. Not even when she fell for Ross.

Ross, Willow and Finley joined me in the lobby of pound after changing into our uniforms, as I took longest to get dressed. “Ugh, I will never get over Destry’s stupid alarm!” Ross yawned. As we headed for the doors, a skinny man approached us. He wore the blue uniform. He bended down to our height, “Willow Jaylen, Ross Ryan, Finley Rogers, and Will Blair, I’m been looking forward to meeting you!” The man laughed. We stood there with quizzical expressions, “who are you?” Finley then asked. “Yes, I’m your new headmaster, Mr. Hawthorne Numbers!” He golfed his hand for a simplistic handshake. None of us held out our hand. The man retracted his hand and placed it in his pocket. He scratched his blading head and continued to talk, “I’ll be hosting your graduation today!” I straightened our posture. “Oh. Well nice to meet you I’m William-“ I was interrupted by Mr. numbers, “Everett Blair, I know.” He chuckled softly. “Well congratulations! This week must be very important to you, yes?” I reassured him, “Yes very. I’m very honored to go to the merry-go-round, though Finley is most excited.” Finley spoke nervously, “that is very correct! April sixth, I can’t wait!” He man responded with saying that he was happy for Finley. “Willow and Ross, What about you? Are you happy for your sleep day?” Ross was not. His sleep day was on the seventh of April, Willow’s and Finley’s and my sleep day was on the sixth. “I’m sad I got to go a day without my friends!” Ross grumbled. “Well it’s okay, cause soon you’ll be with them in heaven!” The man padded Ross’s shoulder. The man and Finley continued to talk until the man turned to me, “Mr. Blair, I heard of your family. Your sisters and Brothers, are you happy to be joining them in a few days?” I looked at the man with a blank stare. “Yes of course. I’m more that elated to join Gabbie and Sandra in paradise. I’ll be okay with seeing Jerome and Julian. But if I see Francis, I’ll be so happy I couldn’t control it!” I joked. “Oh yes, your twin brother Francis, I’ve heard of him. He’s quite the legend around here, isn’t he?” He asked. “Well of course! Stopping a minor hole in the dome from infecting our air is something one should be remembered for!” I smiled. “Well I agree. I’ll see at graduation.” The man walked away and we continued to talk find our seats for graduation. The day was nice, as it always it. We lived in the eastern section of The Circus, where Destry kept the weather sunny and bright. The serval lights that hanged on the rounded part of the dome where there to simulate the sun’s once beautiful glow. Since the war of 2024 was the downfall of earth and it’s inhabitants. The pollution of the nuclear weapons deface the surface and forced into a small dome we now call The Circus. Over 20,000 live here in harmony. Our new world is run by Destry, a man or woman that is always correct. They know everything about everyone and everything! They built the world we know. He constructed our government and our laws. We are perfect because of Destry. Though, we seem intact and secure, The Circus’s practice have cause some revolts over the past few decades. Usually building its foundation off the Merry-go-round or Dreamshops. At birth, every citizen is to be tattooed their date of death on their palm. The date had no meaning. Not even Destry picks the date. It’s just something implanted in the people. The rebels, or The Awake, are the people who refused to live in perfect harmony and run away before their sleep day to some kind of sanctuary. I live in a pound in the eastern section, we call Stauber. The place was specifically designed to house yellow shirts and greens. The pound is where kids under the age of ten lived till their sleep day if their guardians have already reached theirs. The pound is separated by age. The spring and summer class was fourteen to nineteen, which was senior year. After we graduate from spring and summer, we were free to do we wanted until our sleep day. Summer was where smart and promising kids were ranked. The spring class was for poor and stupid kids. The other sections of The Circus are: Moultry, Houston, and Freakshow. Moultry is populated by most red shirts and blue shirts. Houston is for the gray shirts and greens that have outgrown the pound. Freakshow is Destry’s headquarters. It’s where the gray shirts receive their orders.

Though I was deep in thought, a familiar voice emerged. “Will? Will?!” Ross whispered aggressively. Ross put constant amounts of pressure on my knee to get me to focus. “Huh? What?” I turned towards Ross’s head in total confusion. “They called you!” Willow Said loudly. Mr. Numbers once again said my name. “Will Blair from the spring class!” I finally stood up, “Yes! Coming!” I walked up to the stage and accepted my diploma. “Thank you!” I stuttered. I face towards a crowd of bored faces and wandering eyes. I walked down and sat in my seat. “Atlas Conors from the summer class.” Mr. Numbers called out. A tall, but not thin boy stood up walked gracefully to the stage. Atlas was so perfect. Handsome, smart, and funny. His short brown hair was tucked under a small gray cap. “Thank you!” He expressed happily. The crowd cheered. “I have decided I’m traveling to Houston and become a Gray! Hence the cap, I’ve been accepted to the force!” He laughed.

I didn’t like him, he was better and he knew it. And I hated that I knew I wasn’t perfect, though I was told to be so. The most depressing part, Atlas’s sleep day was July 12th, 2272. He was going to live a full life, unlike my friends and I. Which is also very sad, is that I won’t see him reach his sleep day, but he’ll get to see me reach mine.

Willow and Finley were part of the summer class, Ross and I were part of spring, meaning that we would most likely never see each other other again until our sleep day.

After the graduation, the walker train had arrived in the pound’s station to take Ross and I to Freakshow to find out what job we’d victimized by. As Ross and I reached for the first step, Willow pulled Ross towards and kissed him. “Goodbye, Ross Ryan.” She chuckled. They held each other in a embrace for a few seconds. Finley and I had given each other a kind hand shake. When Willow released Ross, she turned to me and said, “Bye Will.” I lowered my head, “Bye Will.” We hugged and Ross and I boarded the walker. Tears streamed down Willow’s cheeks as the walker began moving once more. For as long they were in our sights, we waved goodbye.