Chapter 1

I stand here looking out my window at this world, my world, are world

What must it of been like when the entire human race wasn't confined to a single dome?

I've read so many books, watched countless movies and each time I end up more envious than the last.

50 years ago everything changed, in the beginning the virus spread, if infected you died, but not forever. No, you see you came back as something un human, the infected became cannibals or zombies according to the movies I've seen.

It seemed like all hope was lost, but there were some humans immune to this virus. Unable to get sick these people came together in attempt to save what was left of humanity.

They built the dome, people were safe and happy, but it was only so long before we started to out grow are new home. It became clear to the council (the leaders of the dome) that they had to do something in order to keep us from extinction.

And so the race was born, the race is an event where eight teams of four are dropped in the middle of nowhere, days away from the dome. Only one team will survive and never have any more than two people returned, its simple the first team back wins and if one member from one team makes it home no members of any other teams are allowed in.

It's the perfect way to kill off a bunch of people who are able to make more babies and fill up the dome. Each year 30 people from are 18 to 35 are selected to die and each year many possible babies become impossibility's.

I never intend to be picked, but my parents have secretly trained my brothers and I how to fight and survive for many years now. We keep it secret because the council claims they randomly pick, but you would have to be a fool to believe that.

The council doesn't want us to know how to defend and protect are selfs, but luckily for me my parents understand it was an important skill to have.

"Day dreaming about one of your movies"

I turn to see my best friend Nova, her long dark hair draped over her shoulder in a braid, she smiled slightly widening her slim nose.

"Maybe" I laugh

She laughs as her big green eyes squint, a ray of sun creeps in finding its way onto her olive skin, the sun clinging to her. Meanwhile I stand in the shadows hidings my ghostly white skin away, the sun and I avoid each other like the plague.

"I was about to go for a walk, wanna join?"

"Do I even have a choice" I say knowing I don't

Nova takes my hand pulling me outside

{~~~}

"Hard to think the race is only a few days away"

"I still can't stop thinking about Zara" I say

Novas eyes sadden as the two of us remember the suicide of the only champion of  last year's race. Zara was only home for two days before killing herself. It wasn't like suicide was un common for champions in fact most do kill themselves, but Zara was a friend of both Nova and I so therefore this death was different.

"You can't think about her, we can only remember her as she once's was not how she was after the race." Nova says

It's true before the race Zara was happy and bubbly, your typical beautiful girl always a huge smile on her face. After the race she didn't talk, didn't smile, didn't cry, she was wiped clean of any and all emotions.

It's a terrifying thought that someone so full of light can so quickly become nothing but darkness.

{~~~}

After are walk Nova and I each went home

As I walk through the front door of my small home, I see my mom

"Hello bean"

My family have all called me this nickname since as long as I can remember, they named me after a beautiful flower only to refer to me as a bean.

"Hi mama"

She smiles and I can see the faint crows feet at her eyes, her plump lips blow me a kiss. My mom is honestly kinda a hottie and I'm not ashamed to say it, unfortunately though she looks absolutely nothing like me.

"We're you with Nova?"

"Yeah we just took a walk" I stop for a second "mama, do you remember the sunlight?"

My mom is 54, she was alive before the dome and I can't help but wonder.

"I have one memory before the dome, I remember watching the stars with my father, I cannot remember sunlight, but I'll never forget the stars." She sighs

Before all this my mama lived in Spain, she met my father at 14, the two have been inseparable ever since.

"I've seen the stars in a few movies" I say

"Not the same bean" I turn to see my dad

A smiling, 6'5 man with ice blue eyes and white hair, he's older now so his hair is mostly grey, but my dad always had such blonde hair it was nearly white.

It's crazy how I look the way I do, my mom had inky black hair and my dads practically like snow, my mom had dark brow eyes and my dads like an ocean. How I ended up with red hair and blue eyes with freckles, I honestly don't look like either one and then there's my brothers who also look nothing like me.

"Tell me about the outside papa" I say

He smiles as his thin lips nearly vanish "I've told you all the stories I can remember"

My dad is 56, him and my mom were outside the dome until they were 17 and 19, but my mom hardly remembers I think shes chosen to forget life before.

"That's enough now time for dinner, go get your brother" my mom says

I walk towards Armani's bedroom, yes my little brother is named after a fashion designer, but he couldn't be more un fit for the name.

"Mani" I knock on his door

He opens it, I look up at my not so little, little brother, his height he gets from my dad , but he looks identical to my mom in every way.

He runs his hands through his thick wavy black hair "what is it"

" Dinner's ready"

{~~~}

We all enjoy a lovely meal, it's still strange eating at the table without Alexander since he got married last year. We still see him, I mean he can't exactly hide from us in the dome, but Dona his wife is not my biggest fan, so I don't see him as much as I'd like.

After dinner Mani goes to his room, he's been very quiet lately I think it's because this is the first year he can be chosen for the race. I remember that feeling, the first year it's truly awful, you can't sleep or eat, not able to hardly think even.

"Is it alright if I go out tonight"

I know I'm 22 why must I ask to go out, but in the dome you live at home until marriage and you live by your parents rules.

"Where, with who and for how long?" My mom asks

"Just to see Nova I won't be long"

"Fine, but only if you take your brother"

Shit, I'm goin to a party how can I take him, I don't want to take him, but I'd rather fight the devil than my mother.

"Fine" I say

I walk in Mani's room closing the door behind me

"Okay listen up, you and me are going to a party, but we never and I mean never tell mama, understand?"

"Who says I wanna go"

"Me, I do because if you don't go then I'm not aloud to"

"And I'm affected by this how?" He smiles showing his dimples

"Look you little shit, I know you're in a weird mood because of the races, but I need you to come with me, I promise you will have fun."

He stands up walking towards the door

It's an odd relationship we have but it works, we insult each other and tease one another non stop arguing, but at the same time I'd do anything for him and he'd do anything for me.