A Sheep Among Monsters

Terra had no idea how she ended up on this side of the fence. It seemed like a simple game, just hide and seek. Why would a simple game cause her to end up here? What happened?

She searched and searched but besides the main gate to the city, there was no way in. Was there even life out here? She was third generation born behind the fence. Her friends and her never stepped past the gate. Only the Scavengers were allowed beyond City borders.

Nyla always encouraged her to try it! She claimed she had crossed the fence many times. From this viewpoint, she can't imagine who called it a fence. The wall was solid brick and metal, climbing well over fifty feet high. The government from three generations back claimed it was to keep the monsters and evil out.

Terra had two choices, go back to the gate and seek entrance. She had no proof of who she was as a citizen. The citizens didn't receive their papers until they were twenty-one, until their first shift or first magical talent appeared. A curse from the Great Pandemic!

Everyone likes to think that it's a simple matter of being paired with the right partner to reproduce a good offspring. Terra knew her parents didn't love each other. Their union was still far better than most. Usually a computer spat out the pairs, if families didn't find their own pairings.

Her parents went to classes together and learned about the City together. They communicated well and chose to pair up together. Their families approved because her mother had three magical abilities and her father was what they called a Were. One magical and one shifting meant a possible crossbred offspring.

Terra is only twenty, she won't be showing signs for another year, her brother was a powerful Were and her older sister was proficient in three magical abilities. Terra was born extremely plain with a rare birthmark that looked like a Phoenix. It was assumed she would be special.

So special that the top City official claimed her as pairing for his son at birth. His son was an aggressive and angry person. He hated everyone and thought he was better than everyone. Did Terra really want to go back to that? What's out there behind these walls?

She spun in circles trying to decide what she should do. As she was hidden behind what people called an automobile back in the past, she heard a voice at the gate. The most intriguing thing ever because he was not a Scavenger from their City. So there are other places out there somewhere.

The conversation at the gate was short and sweet. Before long the guy was walking back the opposite direction. Terra looked at the gate, then back toward the stranger. Once, twice, three times she whipped her head back and forth.

"Feet do the walking! We aren't going back in there any time soon! Mom and dad may miss us, but the City won't see us as important enough for a search party! Let's see what's left of this world!"