"Mary!" My mother's voice rang through your ears. "Yes, mother?" I said, instantly lifting my head to look at her. "Focus!" She told me, rubbing her forehead with a sigh. I only nodded, looking down at the paper in front of me. I had a bad habit about zoning out while my mother was teaching me.

"Mother... what was it like? To go to school?" I asked, beginning to write down the alphabet. She gave me a nostalgic look. "It was amazing. You can learn so many things and meet other people. It can get difficult at times but if you never give up, you'll pull through. I met your father in Highschool." She answered softly, speaking so fondly as she continued on telling me about school. "Back then, the world was so nice. We would be able to go outside and buy things at stores. There would also be a zoo where we can go to see animals," She said, smiling. I bit my bottom lip, knowing full well that I will never be able to experience this 'school' and 'store' that she was talking about. "I'm sorry it had to be like this," She told me, running a hand through my long, hazelnut colored hair. "It's fine. I'm happy because I have a loving mother," I smiled up at her. She gave me one last smile before heading off towards the kitchen.

I looked around the room. The dirt walls, wooden floor and clay roof wasn't much but it provided a safe shelter. We didn't live above ground but we don't exactly live underground either. A tunnel led up to the surface and into a tree hollow. The entrance to the tree hollow was hidden by the streams of ivy that hung down from the tree. Large leaves blocked the entrance as well. From what my mother told me, it was to ensure our protection. She once said that the life I would be living would be far too different than the life that I would live if I was born in 2006. It was 4027, from what she told me.

The whole world is playing a game of tag. A game of deadly tag. When you are the person whose 'it' you must find someone to tag. When you are tagged, whoever you touch will become 'it.' You must do it before a week has passed. If you fail to do so, you will fall into a coma, a coma in which you will never wake up from. Once you do tag someone, you must flee immediately, for the person will be able to tag you once they become 'it.' A way to know you've been tagged is if you feel a sudden sting of pain, as if someone had stabbed you with a sharp needle. For other people, it might be more painful. Possibly feeling as if someone had stabbed them with a sharp stick or a large piece of metal.

"I'm going out to fetch more water!" I called to the kitchen, grabbing two metal pails that leaned against the wall. "Alright, be careful! Supper should be done by the time you're back." My mother's response was once again, heard.