Chapter Text
The moment I was born I was a criminal and for as long as I can remember I've been locked up one way or another.
My sister was born five minutes before I was, but that was all it took to condemn me for 17 years.
~~~
Before I was four years old, my parents kept me in a hidden closet when the guards did their weekly check-ins. They could only hope that I would stay quiet while the guards were there.
When I turned four they told me that I would be taken away from them if others found out about me and after that I would automatically go to my closet when check-in day came.
My sister was my best friend. Whenever she came back from school or from watching our mom work in the MedBay she would tell me everything that happened and that would always be my favorite part of the day.
My father home-schooled me. He taught me everything that the other kids my age were learning at school. He said that even though I couldn't go to school, I should at least get to know what the other kids did.
He always told me about Earth and how one day we would all get to live there and when we did we would be home.
~~~
When I was nine, I was moved from one prison to another.
I couldn't take it anymore. I had been told my whole life about the Ark and I just wanted a peak at what was out there.
I opened the door and right away I saw the large widow and it was facing Earth. I had never seen anything more beautiful in my whole life. That was the first time I was experiencing something for myself and not having my family tell me about it.
It was the best and worst day of my life.
While I was looking out the window a guard came by and saw me.
"Hey kid, where are your parents?" He asked kindly.
I just stared at him terrified. I'd never seen anybody other than my family my whole life and I was told that bad things would happen if someone saw me.
I heard some people walk up behind us.
"Oh god." I turned around and it was my mother and sister.
"Mommy." I said as I ran up to her.
She picked me up and looked from me to my sister and then to the guard.
"Are these both your children?" The guard was suddenly very serious.
My mother looked at me and moved my hair out of my face and gave me a sad smile.
"Yes." She answered while looking at me and my sister.
"Ma'am I'm going to have to take you all to the Chancellor." He said.
My mother started to tear up and hugged me.
"Ok." She answered.
She walked with the guard knowing if she tried to resist it would just make things worse.
Later that day I was told to hug my family goodbye and then I was taken to the SkyBox.
~~~
That was eight years ago.
Since my mother was on the council and my father was the top engineer on the Ark my parents weren't floated and my existence was kept secret from the people on the Ark. I haven't seen my sister since the day I was taken from my family, and my parents either weren't allowed to visit me or just stopped trying after two years of me being in here.
I'm 17 now, but I've lost track of how many days I have left until my execution. It could be six months or it could be tomorrow. So I'm not really surprised or even that worried when I see two guards come in with a box that I've never seen before.
I close my eyes for a second and try to remember my family one last time, but their faces are all fuzzy now. I open my eyes and look at the guards.
"Is it my time already boys?" I ask, knowing that they hate when I call them that.
"Prisoner 67, stand and face the wall." Said one of the guards.
I do as they say knowing that I would get shocked for messing with them.
"How many times do I have to tell you? My name is Alivia Griffin."