Today is the day when I turn fourteen. At 12:00 this afternoon my life will change forever. I will find out how my life would actually be without having to take care of my family. This may not seem very life changing but my sister is going to be alone with my father and I will get to notice "my talents". I don't think I have talents but its required to spend a day by yourselves so that you can find out what job you will be assigned for when you turn eighteen. You also have to dress up very elegantly so that the Principles can see that you can do work in uncomfortable clothing because lets be honest, fancy clothing is never comfortable. They also make you dress up nicely because they want to see how you might look doing your talents with fine clothing and they pick the one talent you look the most comfortable doing.  Principles will be looking down on you from in the trees to make sure they catch any talents you might have and which one fits you the best. 

 My father is the only "parent" I really have but he really doesn't act like one. He puts himself first before me and my sister Rose so I have to act like the adult around this house. I've had to act like the adult ever since I was nine years old and when Rose was five. When I was nine, my mother left us but I think it was for a really good cause. My father started to drink and do drugs when my mother left but I'm not really sure why because my mom left for a good cause. 

When each girl in our world turns fourteen, they take a day away from their families and spend a full day in our world, the woods, completely alone. Our world is called Silva. The boys do the same thing, but they do this when they turn thirteen. The Head Principle, Chance, doesn't tell us this because he thinks that girls and boys should learn things at different times because he claims that we have "different minds and girls process things later than boys". So the only reason I know this is because my best friend Perry told me. Perry is fifteen and we met climbing trees when I was eight. Climbing trees is our favorite hobby. It relaxes me and lets me forget all of the troubles I have at home. Climbing trees with Perry makes home even more forgetful because he is so kind with Rose and makes her feel safe. While me and Perry climb trees, I let her go to The Plaza and play with her friends because even though my father is usually sleeping, I don't want her staying home alone with him. 

"Are you ready for your big day?" asks Rose. She is so young, ten years of age to be exact, and doesn't realize that I'm more scared for her than I am for me. 

"Totally," I say in a hushed voice trying not to sound scared. And I'm glad she wakes me up asking this because its 8:00 and I want to go to Perry and my special spot where we meet and climb trees every Sunday at 9:00. 

"Bye father. I'm taking Rose to The Plaza," I yell to my father while I'm holding Rose's hand ready to exit out of the front door. My father is snoring so I expect no response.

"Bye," he says under his breath and then continues to snore. 

We enter The Plaza and I let go of Rose's hand. "Bye Rose, I will pick you up at 10:00. Keep an eye on the clock tower, all right?" I say. 

"Alright. I love you Carolyn," she says in the sweetest voice ever. 

"I love you too," I say as I walk away back near my house, on my way to our special spot.