Tap tap tap. Spencer's hand shook as the pencil violently hit against the tiny one-person desk. She quickly glanced at the instructor, whose small eyes were darted directly back at her, the only nineteen year old in the room. He went on with his lecture about how owning up to your mistakes and admitting them to The Reform was the most important lesson. Spencer glared away, eyeing the small clock on the instructor's desk intently. The heel of her black worn sneaker bounced up and down, counting the seconds away for dismissal. Finally, the awful beeping noise sang its song, and all the sleeping fifteen year olds jerked awake.

"Ten minute break, students." The instructor said, sinking into his chair with a sigh.

Spencer reached into her black leather jacket's pocket and yanked out headphones, a gift she had received on her thirteenth birthday. Her mother had saved up the little bit of additional money she had worked for to buy them for Spencer.

_______________
"These will help." Her mother had smiled down at her when she opened the gift.

"Help with what?" Spencer had asked.

"Drowning out the world."

That night, she had pulled out her New Phone, a device she hadn't touched since they handed them out to every survivor a year after the dome was built. Ever since the first time she plugged her new gift into the New Phone, the headphones had become Spencer's most prized possession. The first couple of years, the only music options they had was old people who sang hymns or middle aged men singing about their dead loved ones. But eventually, over the course of time, real talent was released.

_______________

Spencer turned up the volume, standing up and resting her back against the brick wall. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, focusing on the music.

"Hey! I'm talking to you." Spencer blinked her eyes awake and looked at the girl standing before her.

"Hm?" Spencer groaned in response, tucking a lock of long hair behind her ear. The fifteen year old girl folded her arms across her chest, and Spencer found it obnoxiously annoying that she was mocking her. The girl had red short hair and many freckles that dotted across her nose and cheeks. Her green eyes squinted at Spencer, in a suspicious way.

"Aren't you the girl that has been in obedience school for six years?" She asked rudely, raising an eyebrow.

"Seven years." Spencer muttered.

"What was that?"

"Yes, that's me. And it's been seven years."

Spencer raised her voice, taking out one earbud so she wouldn't get a headache from the redhead's high pitched voice mixed in with the music.

"That's too bad. Have fun being sent to the Outside though!" She whipped around and began walking toward a huddle of teenagers who were all talking about the latest drama.

"Senseless brat." Spencer rolled her eyes, taking a quick glance at the door. She quickly began to examine her options. She could leave now, and skip Rules period and Respect period, or she could stay and at least try to behave and maybe, just maybe, not fail obedience school for the seventh time. She glanced away from the door, right as the instructor yanked her left earbud out.

"I said get back to your seat, Miss Gray." His gray eyes narrowed, his crooked nose only an inch apart from hers. Spencer furrowed her eyebrows, grabbing her earbud out of his hands.

"It hasn't been ten minutes yet." Spencer replaced the headphone into her ear, ignoring him. She turned up her music, the instructor's demanding voice turning into a muffled sound. She jumped as she felt his hand shove into her back jean pocket and yank her phone out, forcing the headphones out of her ear.

"What the h-?" Spencer cut herself off, quickly grabbing the instructor's wrist forcefully without thinking. He struggled to get out of her grip, but she didn't budge. Suddenly, she realized what she was doing and abruptly let go, looking down at her hand in horror. She shook her head quickly, glancing at her New Phone and headphones that were now lying on his desk.

The instructor tightened his lips together harshly. "I've had enough of this ignorance, girl. Go sit down and meet me at my desk after Respect."

"Whatever you say, your highness. And I'd appreciate it if you would stop treating me like I'm four years old." Spencer said, running a hand through her thick hair and flipping it to the other side as she took a seat.

"I'll stop treating you like a four year old the day you stop acting like one." He raised his voice, making his way to the front of the classroom.

"Ooooh. Mister instructor dude just roasted you. How does that make you feel, Gray?" A teenage boy with sandy blonde hair said from beside her. All the girls giggled, but wouldn't dare look at Spencer.

"Oh, shut up and get a life, Brenston." Spencer shot him a glare and he raised an almost-invisible eyebrow at her flirtatiously.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." He muttered before turning and facing the instructor.

Spencer breathed in a shaky breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

"... Remember the SafeWatchers are always keeping an eye on us for the safety of the dome and everyone inside of it. So it's important to follow the simple rules." The instructor continued on with his speech, and it became really easy for her to mute his voice. She watched the clock attentively, as each minute passed.

The instructor released the classroom a minute too late, and Spencer sprung out of her seat and marched over to his desk. With about a second of hesitation, she snatched her New Phone and pair of headphones and ditched the lecture she was about to get. She walked straight out the door, ignoring the man's shouts for her to get back in there. She made one swift movement of her hand, goodbye.

Spencer watched as the huddle of teenagers walked straight down the city road, following the sidewalk and passing all the shops and small restaurants. She glanced away, clicking her music on as she turned and walked toward the other side of the dome, the side no one ever dared walk through because it wasn't Renewed yet. She tucked her hands into the back pockets of her black torn jeans and walked through the dark alley.

The gray crumbled buildings stood around her, the little bit of America left. Her eyes scanned the ground, looking at all the cracks in the cement.

The bombs, the fire, the destruction. It was all too familiar.

Spencer snapped back into focus, halting to a stop when she noticed something. The smallest bit of color was peaking out from the ground. A small flower. In the midst of all the darkness and old crumbled buildings that survived the bombings, there was a little flower. A little hope that maybe things could get better. Maybe. Spencer leaned down and felt the petals of the flower, before pulling out her New Phone and snapping a photo. She knew she was being watched, she knew a small SafeWatcher was watching her every move. She began to walk away, but then halted again.
She turned back around and picked the flower, holding it between her fingers carefully as she walked back to her so-called home.

She walked around Living Quarters 39 and put her face in front of the large screen on the door. "Confirmed. Welcome back, Spencer Jane Gray." The recording recited, and the door opened a crack. Spencer flung it open and made her way into the building. The metal staircase stood right before her, the only option. She stepped onto the first step, glaring at every SafeWatcher on her way up. Her Living Quarters were trash compared to the ones she passed on the way there. The numbers were based on the family's current money situation and their job status. And some of the reason they were in Living Quarters 39 was because of her.

She trudged up to the seventh floor and walked down the narrow hallway until she reached Room 107. Spencer took out her key and twisted it into the knob, shoving the old wooden door open.

Sighing, she unlaced her black combat boots and slid them off. She took out her headphones, letting them dangle out of her dark green tank top underneath her black jacket. She walked past the living room, where her mom was asleep on the old velvet couch, and into the small hallway. Her room was at the end of the hallway, but she stopped midway, turning the knob to the closet and opening it a crack. She reached her hand in and dropped the small flower and a small piece of paper. Quickly, she grabbed a blanket off of the shelf before shutting the door slowly and going in her room.

On the other side of the closet door, her seventeen year old little brother sat on a small blanket, he back resting against a pillow. He slowly began to twirl the small flower around his fingers. He stared at it in satisfaction, his long dark wavy hair pulled back into a ponytail. He unfolded the note that sat in his lap quickly.

Dear L,
I wish i could be in that closet with you today. This dome sucks and everyone in it. Sometimes i think that being on the Outside is best for me. If i don't pass this year of obedience school, that's where i'm going anyway. I miss you so much and hope to get you out of that stupid closet. Until next time, your big sis.

Luka smiled sadly, tucking the note into the back corner where all the others lie. He pulled out his sketchbook in the corner of the dark closet and turned on the small light hanging above him. Skillfully and quickly, he drew the flower that twirled between his fingers.

Spencer took off her leather jacket and collapsed on her small bed. She slid off her black ripped jeans and her tank top, stretching out on the sheets. Her room was surprisingly hot, and she hated it. She closed her eyes, and before she knew it she was in a deep sleep. And the nightmares returned. But the worst part was, they were real memories.

"Daddy!" Seven year old Spencer shouted, but she felt as if not a sound was coming out. The deafening sound of the bombs rang in her ears as she tripped onto the ground. She reached for George, her ragged teddy bear, and grabbed him off the ground. Her father, Matthew Gray, turned and saw his daughter lying in the rubble, her small white dress full of black dust and blood. He ran as fast as he could back to her and picked her up from the armpits, holding her in his arms and continuing to run back to his wife and son, who had found shelter underground. Spencer cried into her dad's shoulder as they approached the place where her mom and little brother hid.
"It's okay, Spence. Mommy's down there." The terrified man said to his little girl, lifting her down into the dark. Spencer hit the ground and looked up at her dad, waiting for him to jump down. The bombings got louder and louder, and Spencer began to cry again, lifting her hands to her ears but not once taking her eyes off her daddy. He looked quickly to his left before yelling, "Curl up and cover your heads, guys!" His eyes were full of fear as he looked down at his little girl who looked up at him with teary eyes. "I love you, Spence."
And then there was darkness.

Suddenly, she heard a loud siren that beeped so loud it woke her, but by the time she stood up in a hurry, the siren had stopped. She quickly wiped a tear from her eye, furrowing her eyebrows. Confused, she looked at one of the SafeWatcher cameras in the corner of the room and watched the red light on top of it go dark.

Spencer pulled back on her jeans and tank top, debating what was going on in her head. Deciding to take the risk, she turned to the camera and stuck up her middle finger.

Expecting to hear the deafening beep noise and hear a woman recite, "Use of foul language or signals. This is your last warning", but not a noise came out of the camera.

_______________

Spencer still remembers the day when the dome was built, and the rules were enforced. When they announced that adoption was now illegal, and that they needed to convince the other countries that they're cutting off all ties with them, she remembered seeing the fiery in her mother's eyes. She remembered the confusion she had when her mother picked Luka up, even though he was nine by then and covered his face with her jacket.

She recalled the sounds. There were many piercing screams and cries for help as the 'bad people' took away kids and teenagers and even adults that were once adopted. She remembered her mom running out of the building, even though they were required to stay. "Don't look, Spencer. They're bad people." Her mother had said, grabbing Spencer's hand and dragging her out of there. She was thirteen then; the 'bad people' was a term for little kids, and Spencer was able to figure out better names to call them as she got older.

Since that day, for seven years, Luka was hidden in the closet, away from the Reform and away from the SafeWatchers.

________________

Spencer started bursting out in laughter, grabbing her leather jacket and heading into the hallway. With a quick glance at the camera in the hallway, she thrust open the closet door.

"Luka? You can come out. You can come out!" Spencer started laughing, reaching her hand into the dark closet. She felt a hand grab hers and she pulled, her adopted brother standing up for the first time in a long time. His legs killed him as he stood up but he pushed the pain aside and reached around his sister's shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. He smiled, "Spencer."

She wrapped her arms around his torso, and backed away enough to see his face. His eyes were wet with tears, his face looked about the same but he had a more mature look about him. His hair was long, and the dark curls went down onto his chest. He ran a hand through her hair, and looked her up and down. "Wow, you look different." He swallowed, his throat dry and course.

"This world is different, Luka. Come on, let's get you some new clothes and a glass of water so we can get you out of here." Spencer squeezed his hand, entering her room and pulling out a box that was full of Luka's old stuff from her own closet. She pulled out a gray long sleeve tshirt and black jeans and tossed them at him.

She quickly got him a glass of water and walked back into her room and found him changed into the clothes. Handing him the water, he took a drink and then looked her in the eye, "Mom?"

Spencer glanced away, biting her lip. "Um, yeah. She's in the living room." Spencer held his hand and took him to their mother who was still passed out on the couch. Luka glanced nervously at Spencer, who wouldn't return the look. He slowly approached his mother, who had stopped giving him letters two years ago. He softly touched her shoulder, shaking her a little. She moaned, opening her eyes into slits. She jerked backward when she saw Luka, a loud scream coming out from her throat. She ran out of breath and began into a coughing fit, her greasy blonde hair sticking to her sweaty neck.

"Mom? It's me, Luka."

"My son?" She muttered, and Spencer whips her head in her mother's direction. She hadn't heard her mother speak in years. Her mother ran her hand down Luka's cheekbone, her eyes misting up. She wraps her arms around him crying into his shoulder, her heart bursting into pieces.

"My son, my son." She cried. Tears rolled down her cheeks, tears she had been holding back for all the years she had waited for one day to touch her son again. Mary Gray kissed her son on the cheek, sighing a sigh of relief. She glanced at Spencer, and looked her in the eye for the first time in six years.

Pain rang through Spencer's heart, her mother didn't care about her. Six years of yelling at her mother for a response, for a simple look of acknowledgement but she never got one.

"Mom, please. I can't handle this silence anymore." Spencer began to cry, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to lose you too."

Her mother just shook her head, not able to look in her daughter's eye. Spencer looked too much like him. It was too hard to look into his eyes.

"Mom! Please talk to me! You're not the only one going through this! I need my mother, I need her. Please come back." Spencer fell to the ground, her weak body colliding with the hardwood floor. She hid her head in her hands, maybe she deserved this. Maybe this whole thing was her fault. She just wanted one hug, one simple look of empathy, one word to make her feel at least sane. But nothing came.

Now she watched as her mother was hugging, looking, and speaking.

"Luka, I'll be waiting outside." She tried not to choke up on her own words as she slid on her leather jacket, shoved on her boots and walked out the door and down the stairs. She yanked her hair up into a high ponytail, and instead of the identification lock, she had to shove the door open with her own strength.

Once she was outside, she looked up and found everything she had hoped to find.

Beautiful Chaos.