"Tai?", said a small voice, "Are you awake?" Tailyr immediately recognized the voice as belonging to his little sister, Alivea.
"Yeah, Liv, I'm up.", he replied as he sat up. His younger sister was sitting on the bed parallel to his on the far side of the room, "What's up?"
             "Well, I know this is the fifth night in a row and I'm sorry to bother you and I know your bed's not that big, but....", she trailed off. Tai chuckled and pulled the blanket that topped his mattress back, inviting Alivea to climb in. Liv got in and snuggled gratefully against Tai. He pulled the blanket back up.
Alivea was a tiny little one, only four years with pretty brown eyes and bouncy curls of dark brown hair. She was so sweet. Tai feared the day when she would begin to fully understand the Order System and what it means to be a Third Order.
           Tai knew exactly what it meant to be a Third Order: Pitied by the Second Orders and looked down upon by the First Orders.
           And even worse, there had been another Killing today. Leasa from the bakery. They killed her in the light of day. Usually the Keepers wait until night. They're either getting sloppy or cocky. Or both.
             Tai could feel Alivea's breath evening out. She was falling asleep. Tai didn't think he would fall asleep at all tonight. He had known Miss Leasa. He had talked to her. He had laughed with her. She was a living, breathing person. And then, just like that, she wasn't.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tailyr Jones of the Third Order. Fairly handsome, a bit taller than average, much stronger than any of the First Order boys, but that was average for Third Orders. Any of them could crush a First Order in a second, and Tai would joyfully grind one into powder if he ever got the chance. Tai hated First Orders. More so than anything this God forsaken life has to offer.
They're snobby, despicable pieces of scum that don't deserve a lick of what they have. They believed they were simply better because they had been born into 'The Right Family'. The First Orders didn't have brains worth their money.
All the Third Orders felt that way. They all knew who the Killings had been orchestrated by. The First Orders hated the Third Orders just as much. They saw them as dirty criminals who don't deserve to be on this Earth. Look who's talking, Tai thought bitterly.
It was 05:00. Alivea was still asleep, but Tai was already up and making breakfast. As he was scrambling the eggs, there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see his mother's smiling face.
"Good morning, Tailyr.", she signed.
Patrysha Jones of the Third Order. Born into the First Order, but placed into the Third Order at eighteen because she was deaf and seen as unworthy of her First Order title.
"Hey, mom.", he replied, making sure to sign precisely, she hates mumbling.
"What's cooking?", she asks.
"Eggs, bacon.", he replied. His mother looked through the oven window at the cooking meat.
"That's the good bacon. Where'd you get the currency for that, Tai?", she asked.
"Don't worry about it.", Tai responded before turning to face the food. She turned him back toward her.
"Tai.", she said with a very serious expression.
"The eggs are burning.", he replied turning away once more and taking the eggs off of the eye. He heard his mother her sigh and retreat to a seat at the kitchen table which was nothing more than a folding card table with three mix matched lawn chairs. He fixed her some coffee. Patrysha looked surprised. Coffee was rare for Third Orders. Too expensive. Tai wondered if his mother was wondering where he'd gotten the currency for that as well. And the truth is, she doesn't want to know.
               Tai knew that if his mother ever found out how he really kept their family afloat, she'd be so disappointed. She'd say he was proving the First Orders right, and Tai didn't think he could bare another one of her I'm So Disappointed In You, Tailyr looks.
              "Good morning, Tai.", Alivea said as she skipped into the kitchen. She walked over to her mother at the table, kissed her on the cheek, and signed good morning.
              "Hey, Liv. Your plate's on the counter, and can you give mom hers?", Tai said to her.
               "Okay." she said as she took the two plates to the table and sat down. After putting the dishes in the sink, Tai fixed his plate and joined them. They ate in silence. They always did because they wanted to get all of their food down, wasting no time. Being Third Orders, they never knew where their next meal would come from, or if there was even going to be a next meal.
              Once they finished, they all headed separate ways. Alivea to Day School, Patrysha to the market, and Tai to work. Tai hoped he wouldn't get punished for being distracted at work again. He always was on days like this. Days when the real fun would start in the night.