I always wondered what it would be like in the real world, not in some room where everyday everything is the same.  Nothing was different. But on January 15, it was different. And from that day on, everything would be different. Because January 15 was Recognition Day, the day I would find out who I was, where I belonged, and what my purpose was to the New World. It was also the day I'd finally be able to see and hear, something I-like the other Youths-was never able to do before. I wondered what the New World looked like. What if the New World looks horrible? But I knew that it could also look beautiful.   My heart rate was beating fast, faster than I could ever remember. I could not understand what emotion I was 'feeling'.  Suddenly, it came to me.

Excitement; An excited state or condition

Excite: To arouse or stir up the emotions or feeling of

I took in the information. Excitement. I am 'feeling' Excitement.  Never before had I 'felt' Excitement, it was a new emotion for me.  But I was 'feeling' many other Emotions also.  Luckily, I was able to sort through them so I could tell which emotion was what.  I made a mental list of the Emotions I was 'feeling'.

-Excitement

-Fear

-Anxiousness

-Worry

-Happiness

It 'felt' like so many Emotions, but in reality it was only five that I was 'feeling'. But my thoughts were a jumbled mess. I was to arrive at my destination-the Recognition Ceremony-at exactly 13:08 pm.   The time ticked by, getting smaller and smaller.  It wouldn't stop until I had reached my destination.

113 minutes...  112 minuets...  111 minuets...

Suddenly, the train I was sitting in rocked slowly, and stopped moving-causing me to lose track of time.  A new emotion came.  Confusion. I started to wonder why we stopped if we were no where near arriving at the destination.

THE TRAIN HAS STOPPED DUE TO TRAFFIC. WE WILL BE EXACTLY 7 MINUTES AND 8 SECONDS OFF.

I 'felt' my Confusion lessen until there was no more of it. The time stopped, and then started again. The train started moving forward at its normal pace of 95 miles per hour.

117 minutes... 116 minutes...

I leaned my head on what I guessed was the window. There were 14 people in my car, and all of them were Youths. I knew it was silent, because none of us have ever spoken before. We knew how to speak-we were born with the information on how to talk, we just weren't able to hear ourselves and others, so there was no point in speaking. But soon, we would be able to hear, and we would have a use for the voices we never got to use. I wonder what I sound like... What if I hate my voice? The questions sparked a million other questions and worries. What did I like? What did I not like? What was my name?

105 minutes... 104 minutes... 103 minutes... 102 minutes...

Soon, I will know who I am. Soon I will be Recognized.

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Half an hour. That was how much longer I had to wait. Half an hour more of sitting in the train car, half an hour more of being blind and def. Half an hour. 30 minutes. To pass the time, I recalled everything I knew about Recognition Day.

Recognition Day: a day when all 16 year old Youths become apart of the society of the New World. In this ceremony, they will learn their lives; their name, their 'family', their homes, their job, their role to the New World, their personality, their companions, etc.  In this ceremony, each Youth will received a Personality Chip, which gives them access to their personality. Each Youth is given a different personality that no other citizen has received.  Afterwards, they will go to their signed houses, and live their life.  They will do their job, and contribute as much as they can to the New World.

By that time, only 3.6 minutes passed.  I felt another emotion, Annoyance.  This is going to 'feel' like a long ride...  I thought to myself.  So, I leaned against the window, and fell asleep.

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Destination arrived.

I woke up, 'feeling' tired.  The train wasn't moving.  I could feel the vibration of people walking on the floor.  Someone sent a Tele-massage to me, I figured it was the guide who helped me get onto the train.

"Hello, I am Grey-in case you don't remember, and I will be your guide for getting off the train.  I was also your guide to getting on the train.  I need you to stand up, please." Grey instructed.  

I did as I was told.  With wobbly legs-from my thirty minute nap-, I stood up.  I waited for the next command to come to my head.  

"Great, now hold out your arm.  I will put your hand on my arm, and I will guide you to the ceremony."

I reached out my arm, and Grey put my hand on her arm.  I wrapped my fingers round Grey's arm.

"Ready?" 

I nodded.  Then, Grey started walking, and I did too.  

0.6 miles away from your destination.  

I am 0.6 miles away from my life.  I felt myself automatically smile.  Out of all my Emotions, at the moment, Happiness was the strongest.  And I couldn't wait to say the word 'Happiness' once I got my speech.  I could just tell it was one of those words that sounded light hearted and...  happy.  Happiness, Happiness, Happiness, Happiness.  That would be the first word I ever spoke, Happiness.  Or maybe my name would be the first word.  No, my name will be my first name I will ever speak, and Happiness will be my first word I will ever speak.  I corrected.  I had no room for simple mistakes like that.  Nor would the New World.  Yes, mistakes were accepted, but I would try my best to make sure I made no mistakes, I had to be the best citizen I could be, and that meant I had to make no mistakes.  Mistakes were burdens on the New World, they could be small or large, but either way they were a burden.  I hope I never have to say the word mistake.  I wished.

Then, Grey stopped walking, so I did too.

"We have reached the train door, are you ready to step out once the door opens?" Grey asked.

I took a deep breath.  I was ready, I had been ready my whole life.  And so, very confidently, I nodded.  

I am ready.

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Comment what you think so far!  Also questions, comment questions.  

Question #1: What do you think about the whole 'automatic information' access thing?  Would you like to suddenly be able to know everything about a topic that you needed to just by thinking about it?  What do you think your life would be like?