"I love you, Joy," my mom whispers quietly while tearfully hugging Joy.

"Why aren't you coming with us, Mommy?" Joy asks while sobbing. Sometimes it is hard to remember she is only nine; she acts so much older. This is going to be hard for her. I hope I can take good care of her. With Mom choosing not to join us in the camp, I will be all alone if something happens to Coral.

Mom hesitates a moment before answering Joy's question. "I can't honey; there is something very important I have to do before I can join you."

"What do you have to do Mommy? Will you join us when it is done?" Joy is so clueless sometimes. I really wish Mom could have chosen a better way to tell Joy. Hinting at the possibility of her joining us later on is just cruel. Charlotte says that once everyone who has been offered a spot and chosen to accept, which is basically everyone except my mom, is in the camp; there will be no direct contact with the outside world. Once we leave with Charlotte using the transporter, we will never see each other again.

After mom finished saying good-bye to Joy she came over to talk to me. "I know we don't always get along Coral, but I am glad you are willing to take care of Joy without me. I will miss you both and I wish I could join you, but as I explained earlier, I don't trust them and there are a few things I need to do."

"What do you have to do? All you do is stay home all day and occasionally watch the neighbors' kids. How are you even going to fed yourself? Without my small salary from work you can't even afford to stay in this small shack we try to call an apartment."

"I'm going to return to the old job I used to have back when your father and I met."

"What job is that?"

"I can't tell. I promise I will be taken care of though. Coral, you just have to trust me." I can tell she wasn't going to budge on this issue even though I wish she trusted me enough to tell me. Suddenly she pulled out a necklace from her pocket. I didn't even know we had any jewelry in the house. It must have been a gift because we could never afford something like this. The chain is slender and silver. A pendant with a sapphire in it hangs from the delicately crafted chain. Around the sapphire are a dozen tiny diamonds. It is a fairly simple design, but it is beautiful. My mother places it around my neck and does the latch at the back for me.

Picture of the necklace Coral's mom gave her.

"I want you to take this, Coral, and wear it at all times. Your father gave it to me as a gift before we were married, and he would want you to have it if he were still alive. It isn't an ordinary necklace. If something goes wrong and there is no way out, press in on the gem and help will come. Only do this if you have no other choice."

"Who will come to help? How would they know where to find me?" As usual, my mother has completely confused me. I wish she would just tell me what happened to make her distrust the government so much.

"I can't tell you. Just trust help will come, and only ask for it as a last resort." Of course she can't tell me. We have never had this issue before, but suddenly, she refuses to share anything with me.

Charlotte's voice cut in; "Marylyn, it is time for Coral and Joy to come with me." Mom pulls me into one last hug.

"Good-bye Coral. Take care of Joy, I love you both."

Charlotte directs Joy and me to stand close to her as she pulls out the transporter. "Good-bye mom," I whisper before the place I have come to call home quickly disappears and an unfamiliar room takes its place. Before I have the chance to take in my surroundings, my vision starts to grow blurry. The last thing I am aware of is Charlotte asking me if I am alright before everything goes black.

I wake up to an unfamiliar sound. It reminds me of a hologram that was part of the elitist test I took when I was sixteen. There was this huge body of water as far as the eye could see. It is called an ocean. I have never actually seen a real one, but in the virtual reality hologram I felt like I was at one. The noise I hear now reminds me of the waves hitting the shore.

The room I am in appears to be some sort of medical room, but the technology is far more advanced than anything I have ever seen. Unlike the walls in the local community clinic's dirty white walls, these walls are a beautiful light blue. A door I hadn't yet noticed opened and a kind looking elderly man comes in and smiles.

"Good, you're finally awake. I was beginning to worry something had malfunctioned in the transporter. You passed out because your body isn't used to being transported the way you were. Your sister didn't pass out because she is younger and her body adapts better. When we get you some standard issue clothes you'll be cleared for release. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but I can't answer them. Once you are cleared for release, I'll have an intern take you to Charlotte. She will be able to tell you everything you need to know." We both look up at the door as it unexpectedly opens again. Joy comes running in and she hops up on the bed I am on. The doctor leaves to get me a set of the standard issue clothes as Joy starts talking excitedly.

"Isn't this place awesome Coral!" Without waiting for me to answer, she continues on happily. "Everything here is so scientific; they have a reason for everything they do. That noise we are hearing is a simulation of what waves on the ocean sound like. It is playing because studies have shown it to be a soothing sound for patients here in the hospital, and the walls are light blue because it is a calming color that promotes relaxation. I love it here!" I smile at her. She is always so happy.

"It is a pretty cool place." I agree with her. "I can't wait to see more of it."

The doctor returns with the clothes. As he hands them to me, I notice the ring on his right hand. We must be in an elitist medical building. The clothes are basic. He gives me one pair of black jeans and a gray t-shirt with a pair of black combat boots.

"Once you are ready to leave, just open the door and an intern will be waiting to take you to see Charlotte." After giving me these instructions he leaves the room.

Joy impatiently waits by the door as I get changed and put on the boots.

"Hurry up Coral," she whines. "I want to see the rest of this place."

As I open the door and step out, I see the intern waiting just as the doctor said he would be. For some reason he looks strangely familiar. I gasp as I realize how I know him when I see his right hand. He is the elitist from the market.

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