I was a mess. My nerves were shot. I felt like I was on fire but had been doused with icy water at the same time. I had tingles from my scalp to my toes and I felt as if I was standing on my heart, that's how low it had dropped.

I was standing in my room, fully dressed, ready and waiting for my mother to come in to my room. It was tradition that every girl who turned Eighteen, would have her mother come in to witness her daughters very first Glow. The same applied to sons, except their fathers would bear witness to their first Glow. I do not know why it was this way, it just was. That was what we had to accept. Once The Leaders put something in place, it becomes Law and laws had to be abided by everyone.

I glanced around my room, probably for the last time in my life. I wondered what would become of it. Perhaps my parents would turn it into a Unit Training and Lesson Room. Maybe a new little boy or girl would occupy its space. I sighed. It didn't matter what happened to the room after I left. Once we turn Eighteen, our previous lives are not meant to mean much more to us. We will never get the opportunity to go back. We can never stray from our paths.

A soft knock sounded at my door.

"Giana", called my mother from behind the door. "Are you ready?"

"Yes Mother", I responded softly.

The door slowly opened and my mother poked her head through the door crack into my room. I tried to avoid her gaze for as long as possible, but I could barely manage a minute. I looked up and met her emerald green eyes. They were slightly bigger than usual and a lot more shiny.

As if on cue, a tiny silver-glinting teardrop fell from her eye. Her cheeks were red and tear stained. She had been crying, I could tell. She quickly tried to wipe it away but not before another one cascaded down her cheek. She looked down at her feet and let it fall. Her soft brown curls fell around her, as if they were shielding her heart-shaped face, trying to protect her from any more hurt and pain.

My heart fell. I had dreaded this moment more than anything else. I could not bear to see the pain blindingly written all over her face. Not only did it hurt me, it also sparked so many questions in my head. Questions I knew better than to entertain, but I could not help it. They were glaring.  Why did our lives have to be this way? Why did we have to go through this? Was this so-called Destiny even worth it?

The door clicked as my mother slowly closed it. She walked towards me, with tears brimming in her eyes. My mother was someone I had always admired. She always managed to make the very best of every situation regardless of what the outcome would be. I had always thought this had something to do with her name, Anura. She told me once long ago that it meant 'knowledgeable'. I could never come up with a better name for her. It suited her perfectly.

That's probably why she had gotten such a highly valuable position in The City. She was highly sought after, even The Leaders requested her to be at their meetings sometimes. I admired her in so many ways.

"How are you feeling?", she asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm struggling to put it into words." I replied.

She smiled knowingly. "I understand. The nerves were the worst part for me. That and the injection."

I shivered. The Injection. How could I forget? Everyone received a mandatory Wellness Boost injection a few moments before their departure from home. It was The Leaders' way of looking out for us even thought we were no longer part of their Sector.

"Do not fear Giana", my mother said gently. "You are much stronger than a tiny needle", she said playfully nudging me.

I smiled. The realisation that both my parents had gone through the very same thing at one point in their lives was somewhat reassuring and helped settle the clump of knots that had formed in my stomach. I glanced towards the timer above my door.

'07:57', it read. My Glow was supposed to appear at eight o'clock sharp. Glow's always appeared at the exact second you turned eighteen. I was born eighteen years ago, at exactly eight o'clock. Maybe a second or two after. I felt my body begin to tremble. I was nervous. I could feel shivers and flushes travelling all along my spine. my face was flushed and I could feel my breathing quickening. I am almost certain that I would have collapsed right there had it not been for my mothers graceful arms which held me up and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Shh", she soothingly whispered. "It's all going to be okay."

Almost instantaneously, I felt my body relax. I felt calmer and more relaxed. My mother had always had the ability to calm and soothe anyone regardless of the situation. It was yet another one of her special qualities.

07:58

I had two more minutes. I looked up at my mother. her face held a soft and reassuring expression but her eyes held nothing but pain and sadness.

"Why do you look so sad, mother?", I questioned her.

"Oh darling", she said sorrowfully.

"I have watched you grow and progress for the past eighteen years. I still remember the day we got to hold you for the first time. I felt so honoured that I got the opportunity to care for and look after you. It seemed as if this day was a century away." She paused to catch her breath before continuing on.

"I just find it so difficult to believe that today is here when it seems as if it were only yesterday that we were teaching you how to walk", She smiled. But the sadness on her face was evident.

I could not imagine how many different emotions were going through her head now. Fear, worry, sadness, anger - a combination in all likelihood. It was yet another reason for me to question our system. Why did we have to live like this? Why did I have to be ripped from my parents lives at only Eighteen years old?

07:59

Glancing at the clock for the one hundredth time reminded that I only had one minute before my life changed forever. I looked into my mothers eyes and forced a weak smile onto my face.I could never have asked for a better mother, or parental unit. They were simply the best. I held my mother tighter, forcing back the tears that were threatening to spill out of my eyes.

"Giana", my mother said softly.

I looked at my mother, who had a glinting steel needle in her hand. i shivered, feeling every chill climb up and down my spine.

"You will only feel a small prick", she said, walking closer to me.

I pulled up my sleeve, exposing the entire length of my arm to which she applied a strange orange ointment.

"Ready?", she whispered.

I nodded my head slowly, squeezed my eyes shut and waiting for the pain.

"I'll count down from three, alright?", she said placidly.

I nodded and began the countdown with her.

Three... Two...

I had not even began to say' One', when I felt a small prick in my arm. I looked up at my mother who simply smiled.

"Sometimes its better to be unprepared", she laughed.

Smiling, I looked up at the clock. The second hand had seemed to slow as it passed the forty-five second mark. I felt my heart rate quicken. My breathing became shallow. There were only a few  seconds left until my life would change forever.

10 seconds.

I squeezed my eyes shut. All those years worth of preparation and nobody had ever told me what it felt like when you received your Glow. I had no idea what to expect. My mind jumped between anticipating pain and anticipating nothing.

Eight seconds.

I felt unprepared. I was not ready for this change to take place. How would I survive this? Correction.I was never going to survive this. My mom held me tighter. I could her feel her sobbing, I could sense her pain and felt every single warm teardrop that escaped her eyes.

Five seconds.

Tiny beads of sweat were visible on my face. I felt uneasy, my palms were sweaty and I could have sworn that my heart thumping in my chest was very clearly visible.

One.