“Start reading, Olivia.” He pushed the open pages in front of me. “One of us has to do the work. It isn’t going to be me.” He smirked as I studied the letters on the page. I leaned closer, trying to focus, quietly sounding out the words as I felt him grip onto my pigtails and pull.
“Oww!” I squealed as the pain radiated up into my head.
He snorted like a pig, mocking me.
I jerked around, my fist finding his face as I pummeled him once. It was all it took for Ms. Steiner to scold me and send me home for the day.
I didn’t want to imagine a life tied with Levi because the government thought we were the perfect match. My eyes scoured the stage and then the mass of people standing before us. I could deny the match but what then? I’d be immediately escorted to the gate and left on my own to die out there alone. I’d never see my mother again.
There had to be another way. Pretending to marry would at least buy me time to pack some food and water. I could say goodbye or maybe even convince my mother to come with me. She’d understand, wouldn’t she? Then we’d climb the wall or find a way to forge through the entrance. It was an impossible task but less revolting than marrying Levi Keller.
The Governor read off the first name, “Janessa Becker,” and a silence filled the city square as anticipation edged from the boys waiting to see who would marry her. She was a nice enough girl with porcelain skin, auburn hair and freckles. She’d never done anything wrong to me, but we weren’t best friends. The Governor adjusted his spectacles while reading the names, “Martin Scavenger.” A soft clapping erupted through the crowd whether they wanted to celebrate the news or not. Martin caught sight of Janessa and stepped away from the boys and made his approach toward the stairs. The Governor waited until Martin made his way up the platform and stood before Janessa, reading off the second girl’s name.
Two additional girls’ names followed as did the boys’. None of the girls had been paired with Levi. I knew my turn was next and held my breath. Levi was a bully. In all our years of schooling he’d never changed. I’d witnessed him pick on the younger children at the playground. Maybe I should have stopped him. Maybe I should have stood up and done something different. I couldn’t change the past any more than I could change where I was right now.
Governor Craynor read off my name next, “Olivia Parker.” I stood awkwardly staring down at the boys who were still available. I could deal with most of the other boys in school. Marriage, though, seemed like such a long time with someone you had to tolerate. My eyes scoured the crowd seeing a guard a few feet from my mother. What would happen to her if I refused my match? I knew the guard was watching the ceremony and not standing by the gates because his daughter was on the platform today, to the right of me. Was he not still on duty? He was dressed in the black Cabal uniform with a gun slung over his back. I doubted he would be so forgiving.
I wondered if Governor Craynor remembered me from all those years ago, reading my father’s eulogy at the funeral. He hardly interacted with the townspeople. He liked to stay pent up in his mansion. For a system where everyone was treated equally and provided the same things, Governor Craynor lived in the largest, most elegant home in Genesis, the Governor’s Mansion. It wrapped around the street with a private swimming pool in the back, and several people in town worked for him, cooking and cleaning. It was no secret he thought of himself as better than us. I had no idea what he did as Governor, but I didn’t imagine it involved much work. His responsibility was supposed to be to the people. I couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever done anything to help the people of Genesis. He seemed more about controlling us and instilling order. I doubted he had any real training to be a leader and half-wondered how a man of such power came into the position of Governor. I couldn’t remember a time when anyone else had ever watched over our town. I knew there were other Governors in the other cities, but didn’t know who they were. Once a year, sometime in the early spring there was a Governor’s Ball when they’d all visit our town. Very little work was done – mostly it was an elaborate party to celebrate how fortunate we all were.
I despised Governor Craynor. I had no personal reason to hate him. He’d never spoken directly to me and I doubted he ever would again after today. He was plump and graying, and his voice was gruff. I was almost certain as he spoke, I could hear a slight slur in his speech and wondered if he’d had too much grog. I’d heard of people getting sick from grog, but I’d never tasted it, nor had I ever seen it in our home. The government provided our food – it was unlikely the people would ever get anything more than we absolutely needed.
I realized I had let my mind wander and glanced back at Governor Craynor as he used his spectacles to read the name of the person I would be marrying. He took a moment and I was sure the air had left my lungs and I would pass out. My heart quickened and my eyes widened, leaning forward. My hands were visibly shaking, and I felt more than just nervous. I felt sick. I gasped as I heard his name, “Joshua Warren.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard. Had I imagined it? Joshua walked down the aisle past the other boys and headed for the stairs, an eager smile on his face as he slowly approached me. I never imagined Joshua being the government’s match. I could see it in his eyes as he stood facing me. He felt it, too – relief.
I didn’t listen as the Governor finished calling the girls’ names and their matches. Instead I reached out, taking Joshua’s hand in mine. I glanced down at our hands together and felt my breath quicken as the world seemed to pause around us. No one else followed my lead. Everyone stood there awkwardly, putting on their best smile, pretending to be happy. It was a big adjustment today, for all of us. We live in one of the better cities. We are of the few lucky ones, or so we’re told. I hardly felt lucky, yet standing there with Joshua was more than I could have hoped for. I glanced toward my right and saw the marriage ceremony continuing. It all felt like the perfect dream.
Once the last couple was called, the ceremony continued to our vow exchange. I followed the lead as each girl stood to the left of me, one by one twirled in a circle. As it was my turn, I followed suit, twirling and stepping out of my heels, absently missing my footing. I nearly fell to the floor as Joshua reached out to catch me. A slight gasp emitted from the town. My face flushed red from embarrassment, and I knew I’d made a mockery of the vows exchanged for marriage.
The Governor laughed it off, “Children.” He shook his head, “You are no longer that today,” he chided, scolding us for our actions. He stared at me, his gaze lingered, waiting for me to further disobey him. Did he think I did this on purpose? I merely nodded as the Governor continued the tradition and gestured for the next girl beside me to twirl. Down the line, all sixteen girls had followed suit and then the boys all took a step forward and then a step back. Each boy, now considered a man, held out one hand, and if we accepted them as our husbands we gave them our hands in marriage. One by one each girl accepted. As the ceremony came to a close, the crowd softly clapped and one by one the new couples walked off the stage and down the aisle toward their respective families. I took Joshua’s hand, still surprised by the sudden turn of events. I had feared what today would bring, that marriage would be the end for me, and instead it was clearly the beginning.
“We should go find your mother,” Joshua told me, squeezing my hand as he dragged me through the crowd.
Joshua’s family found us first. His mother, Rebecca, grinned excitedly. “We’re so happy to have you in our family!” She squeezed me tight in her arms, and I knew she was being honest. Most families accepted this as fate, but his mother would never lie. It wasn’t part of her nature. His father reached out and shook my hand with a faint nod. I glanced around wondering where my mother was when she pushed her way through the crowd toward us.