1 100: Taken

In Archiefield, a small unified region situated under the soil, lives an orphan girl called Daphne Reuben. She's sixteen years old rather refer homeless, for she had no one but the small golden ball her father gave her before he died.

Daphne was young and petite; her long brown hair indeed hadn't rooted from her father's side, roughly frame her round shape face. Her eyes were honey brown and more prominent than her father's. Daphne had fewer friends or anyone closest to family. For year's she has live on her own with no adult guidance since the age it six. She has not a nickname like other kids in Archiefield. But if you feel like giving her one, what would it be? Some boy once called her a dolphin. She had no knowledge of what the word meant until she sadly learned it's a particular type of species that lives in that water.

Her father, Vincent Rueben, was a former successful merchant who committed a country crime. Instead, to serve the punishment as sentenced by the court members as for twenty years imprisonment, Vincent pleaded with the court and was granted six years to raise his daughter Daphne. In return, he shall be executed immediately on the exact date after the years are over.

Archiefield formed over fifty years ago after a nuclear war that wiped out humanity and technology, leaving the earth contaminated, of which survival is impossible.

However, a little survived under a secret bunker—unified and christened the underground region 'Archiefield' to what it is today.

For years Elders, that is, court members, whom everyone believed they've seen outside world before it's nothing more than a radioactive polluted space and have better knowledge for what earth had offered, along with what constitution and survival meant to the human race, fifty-five years ago. Those are the court members who introduced an annually mandatory tournament for every eighteen years old.

A better life, they call it.

But who believes what the members of the court say? When they're only obsessed with keeping the bunker under their control as long as they reign?

DAPHNE

"Double of the stones?" Bella questioned.

I included my special golden rock to beat the required number before answering the tiny blonde girl four years younger me. "I have five stones."

The young girl had to urge again.

"So what's double of five stones?"

Okay, when I mentioned Bella teaching me kinds of stuff, it is not like she's some teacher or anything to expect.

Bella is a tiny twelve-year-old girl, half my height. She has been my only friend for years, even though I'm older.

If not for her, I'd have starved and even break. But with her, she has been here like a little sister and a friend, constantly worrying about me.

The thing is, since, after my sixth birthday, my life wouldn't be described as usual. It's a life no one would consider for their child if they have a choice.

I lost both my parent at an early age, not that I knew my mother since we were apart three months after she gave birth to me. Father said it was her eighteen years, and with the tournament being compulsory for every kid coming to age, my mom had to leave.

At bedtime, he would describe what she looked like and remind me she wouldn't leave us intentionally. He said she didn't make it to the ultimate planet. She would've come back for us. It was the only thing he ever talked about her. So I made myself believe she died. I mean, sixteen years is a long time.

But with Bella, it was survivable. She taught me how to read and write, for I have nothing to pay for my education, sometimes she helps with medication when I fall sick.

Bella lives a good life compares to others. Her mother is one of the best doctors Archiefield would ask for, just as her father is among the most excellent engineers.

"Fifty-five?" I ask rather than answer.

It's been months, and learning mathematics is the hardest part of our studies. I still couldn't pass the counting stage, and it's starting to stress both of us.

"No, Daphne. It's just similar to what we did yesterday."

"I can't think of anything better than fifty-five."

Bella's eyes rise while she inspects me. "It's ten, Daphne. Five plus five is ten. It was an additional question."

"Oh." I embarrassingly scrunch my face. "You should have said it was an additional question."

Bella giggles at my dumbness, I'm sure, and begins getting up. "Whatever I say, you're always going to use the same tactic to defend yourself."

"No, I wouldn't." I oppose. Smiling at the cute girl, who has never seen me as disgust and nasty as others, would always define me in the market.

"Yes, you would." She pressed on.

Okay, I would. I always play the same game when I have no idea how to solve numbers. The truth is numbering confuses me.

That's me trying to survive under a polluted atmospheric space.

Though the smile on our faces didn't last long when the small door to the garbage store was thrown open, revealing four court armies in their dark robots uniforms.

Yes, I live in a garbage store.

One among the armies pulls me by the arms until I'm standing on my feet.

Scared, shocked, tensioned were all understatements. One would say I was going through a heart attack.

"What do you want from me?" I cried louder in the four-cornered steel-walled room. I was hopeful my screams would make them go away.

I even tried to wiggle out of their hold even though we both knew is not possible. They're too strong for a sixteen-year-old girl.

"Leave her alone," Bella yells before the men forcing me out, but none of them are listening.

I wonder what offense I've committed to having armies holding out those weapons that could damage the entire body system until human breathing stops. The last time I stole food was two months ago, and I'm sure a simple market woman wouldn't call those robots on me.

"Please, there must be some misunderstandings. Just listen to me; I'm not the one you're looking for." I tried explaining. However, I was granted no chance before they shoved me out from the door and into a court vehicle.

I heard Bella calling after me. I heard her pleading with them to release me. I heard her screams and cries until they became distant.

And then I saw where we were heading.

The majestic headquarters, which held the blood of my father.

My eyes widened, my heartbeat increased. With panic, I turn back to the men in robotic uniforms and beg.

"No... no." I charge for the vehicle exit, not fast enough, though, for the men beside me shoved me back.

"Please, I can't go there. I swear I'm not what you're looking for. I committed no offense. I'm no one." With tears, I explicit.

They must have a heart in their ribcage, they might wear robotic uniforms, but they must be humans behind those clothes made of plastic and zinc, they must have emotions, they must understand why I don't want anything to do with the majestic headquarters.

No country person ever came out of there after been delivered there. No one ever returned. I've heard stories, good and bad. Sad and tough. I do not wish to go there after everything.

"Please let me out." Luckily I finally wiggle out from that man's hold and push open the moving vehicle, rolling out of it.

I cared less for the sudden pain all over my body from hitting the hard floor.

It took me a while before my body stopped rolling against the floor, and when it did, I winced, lifting my head. Surprisingly, my mouth falls open to the view in front of me.

There are a lot of kids my age matching the same brown boilersuit; they were grouped into at least five groups, or is it a team? Around the spacious headquarters where my dad was executed were people lively practicing like my father didn't die right there ten years ago.

My eyes fell on some group sitting by the benches, clearly taking lectures from the man in a high court outfit.

Ahead of me are those learning to heat fire. And By my left were other groups training deadly moves with actual weapons.

I panicked and began crawling away when I saw a robotic army towering over me.

I think it's the last thing I remember after the weapon came up in my vision, striking me in the face.