Chapter 1

The blond man followed the red shirt walking in front of him. He groaned when another man asked him if he wanted to try his luck and place a bet. He never bet at these monthly mandatory gatherings, it was perverse enough without the addition of betting into the mix. He jumped when he turned and saw a guard coming towards him, a sigh of relief swept over him as the guard turned at the last minute to place a bet with the bookie.

The red shirt in front of him stopped abruptly and he collided with him, unable to stop in time.

He brushed off his purple shirt before glancing up at the front of the arena. Of course, curtains fell down from the ceiling to the floor with several guards standing in front to keep prying eyes from getting a glimpse of what they would soon all see.

“Walk much?” the man he’d been following turned and growled at him. He’d been grumpy since he’d been required to change his shirt from purple to red. That was a couple of years ago; he’d been hard to room with ever since. The other man already had thinning hair which made him look old, but his brown eyes still looked so young.

“Sorry Jay, lighten up will you?”

“Lighten up? Lighten up?” he asked the younger man. “Seriously?” he scoffed. “When you are wearing red we’ll see how ‘light’ you are Nick.” With that he turned his attention back to the front of the arena.

“Aje,” Nick pleaded but it sounded more like a whine. When his friend did not reply he pushed forward so that he could be standing next to him. It was almost time to start, the back of the arena was filling up and that was a sure sign that the stragglers were being rounded up and brought in. The only excuse to miss this was if you were on your death bed, which was somewhat ironic.

“People of Endwise,” a man wearing red standing on a platform high above everyone spoke. His voice was amplified throughout the entire arena, throughout all of Endwise for even those with a valid excuse to be missing. “Greetings.” He started speaking of the history of Endwise, how they formed and the history of the event they were there to witness that day.

“Same speech as last month.” Nick mumbled to his friend. When he didn’t respond he poked him slightly. “AJ?”

His friend turned towards him with slight disgust in his eyes, “How long has the Luminary been wearing red now anyway.” He muttered.

Nick shook his head and catching a glimpse of a guard turned his attention back to the platform where the Luminary stood continuing his speech.

“Sadness fills me today as several people thought there was something better, that there was something more outside than what we have been informing you of monthly since the creation of Endwise.” The screens filled with the familiar pictures of a vast wasteland that everyone knew was above them and all that was left of the old world, outside the dome of the arena they now stood in. “Believe me fellow citizens, if it was possible for us to live on the surface of our once great planet, we would be there now.”

Stirrings in the crowd cheered the Luminary on at this statement. The man paused and let the people’s cheers subside. Eventually he started to wave his hand to get the audience to quiet down. When they quieted the man continued. “It was unfortunate that these people had to find out the hard way that life on the surface is not feasible. They will be missed by their loved ones.” He bowed his head and everyone copied this motion and they stood in silence for a brief minute.

“Now to commence with today’s ceremonies.” He spoke and raised his arms. This was the cue for the massive curtain to be taken down to reveal what people had been placing bets on. “This month will be gas.”

Massive cheers erupted and only a handful of people returned to the bookies to collect their winnings. The rarest form was being used; it was quite an occasion as one would hardly be guaranteed to see this method in their lifetime. It was the most expensive form. Nick was starting to feel sick as he always did on this day of the month, whilst AJ stood stoic. This month was affecting him more than any of the past months, he knew his time was getting close, he could feel it.

The great glass chamber at the front of the arena was slowly starting to fill. Figures wearing all black from head to toe, with only their faces peeking out were being lead in, some being forcibly shoved inside the glass cage. When the people finished filing in they stood there waiting.

“There seem to be more this month,” Nick whispered to his friend who only grunted in response. AJ noticed the increase in numbers too but he was afraid that if he formed any words he would throw up where he was standing. They were standing towards the middle of the area but Nick thought he saw several dark spots on the pants of several people inside the chamber, he couldn’t blame them, he was sure he’d pee his pants if he were up there too.

“Commence,” The Luminary’s voice rang out once again and all eyes focused on the chamber. At first it was hard to see if anything was happening. What looked like steam entered from the holes towards the top of the chamber and slowly snaked its way to be at the same level as the people.

Then came the screams, the panic of the people inside once they realized that it was really happening. AJ never understood how any of them ever had any hope that it wouldn’t happen. Nobody who went on that stage for execution ever left the stage alive. Bodies inside the chamber fell until the last person fell in death.

The screens hanging around the auditorium showed the faces of each of the dead inside the chamber; it was a chance for the audience to see their loved ones for one last time. The more morbid in the crowd enjoyed to see the faces of the dead, to see how their faces froze in their final moments.

“Disgusting,” Nick muttered and AJ nodded in agreement.

Their voices were dropped in whispers, if they were caught talking against the public executions it could lead to them standing up there next month. “I can’t help but think the rumors are true, that those who tried to escape didn’t die outside the walls but instead were in that chamber today.” AJ voiced quietly.

Nick nodded in agreement.

“Do you think there really is life outside?” Nick dared to ask his friend. AJ only shrugged in response to this friend. What was he supposed to tell him? Should he say he did think there was life outside, get their hopes up that there could be more than this life they were living, or should he just squash his dreams now and be over with it.

AJ opened his mouth to speak when a woman wearing a blue shirt turned around and smiled at the two men. AJ almost gasped when he saw her deep green eyes making contact with his own.

Nick didn’t have time to take in the girl’s beauty; he was too worried this girl would report him to one of the guards nearby.

“There is.” She whispered looking at Nick and smiling. She winked and held out her hand, wrist turned upwards. There nestled in the palm of her hand was something Nick had only ever seen in books, a rose petal. As quickly as she showed it to them she turned her hand back down, fist around the petal.

“Those who attempted it last did not die outside.” She whispered. “I plan to leave; you are welcome to join me.” Her eyes were on Nick but she turned to look at AJ with a smile and he instantly nodded his head to her suggestion.

Nick shrugged his shoulders. “What if we are found out?”

“And what if it’s all just bullshit?” AJ added.

“Think about it, kiss your loved ones goodbye or bring them with you. If you plan to go with me meet me at the northeast wall of the arena in two nights time, we make our break then.” And with that she turned from the two men and was gone.