Alexandra Jane Wilson, or as she preferred to be called when she was sure there was no one to report her, Alex, stared up at the sky.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was high and it beat down on her with a fierce heat that had caused almost everyone else to stay indoors in the shade of their homes.
She was, for a short while anyway, safe. In another time Alex would have likely flourished, she'd have travelled the world and lived life to the full. But this was not another time. Any sign that you were different was punished, curiosity was considered a terrible thing and could result in you getting arrested. Any interest in the past or the world beyond Utopia was punishable by death. Of course this was never actually stated, but everyone knew that you just disappeared if you showed interest in it.
The best thing to do was follow the rules, that way you survived.
Alex hated the rules, she struggled keeping them at the best of times and her curiosity was endless, as was her determination to believe that the history that they tried to shove down peoples throats was all a lie, a fiction.
Of course at the young age of fifteen she had never known any different, no one did any more, no one was old enough to remember the days before the 'Formation' Of course there were stories, legends about a time when the land was separate and people got to choose their leaders.
Those days were long past though, and there were no records that there was ever a time like that, at least not where anyone who would want to change things could get them.
Alex smiled dreamily as she stretched up and arm and traced the shapes of the clouds, shielding her eyes with her other hand.
If anyone saw her she hoped they'd put it down to the heat making her need to lay down, after all it was unusual to just lay and stare at the clouds because of how unproductive it was.
She smiled to herself when she noticed a cloud that looked almost like a dog, it's mouth open, and with an almost childlike laugh she imagined it leaping from the sky and rushing through the streets. Of course she knew that logically that was a silly thing to think, everyone was taught that clouds were made up of water vapour as children, after all it wouldn't do to let even the smallest of children imagine they were anything other than that. Despite the logical knowledge Alex let her imagination go wild.
There was no one there to see the look on her face, so what harm could come of it, no one would know.
She'd spent so long pretending to be just like everyone else, it felt good to be able to relax and let herself come up with crazy ideas.
When a shadow fell over her Alex's eyes widened for a moment and she tilted her head back further so that she could see, when she did she sighed in relief and smiled up at the young man stood there.
He had hair the same shade as hers, and light brown eyes, he was just an inch shorter than Alex, and he was rather stocky, not fat, but he had muscles that bulked him up slightly.
"What the hell are you doing out here?" he demanded, his lips pulled down into a scowl as he grabbed Alex's arm and dragged her up with ease.
"I was just looking at the clouds Matthew." she mumbled, pulling her hands free and brushing down her blue dress, getting off as much grass as she could, "It's so hot and there was no one around, honestly you'd think I'd yelled that I hate the government in the middle of a crowded street the way you're acting."
Matthew's eyes widened and he glanced around nervously as he grabbed her arm again, clearly worried. "We're going home Alexandra, before you get in trouble."
Something in the tone of his voice made Alex hesitate before sighing, "Fine, I'll go inside... but I still think you're overreacting..." She let out a startled gasp when Matthew tightened the grip on her arm and dragged her towards their small home.
It was then that Alex noticed how tense he was, how his eyes flicked about nervously. Matthew had always been careful, but not to this extent, something had happened.
"Matthew, Matthew what's going on... why are you so worried... did something happen?" she fired out quickly, nearly stumbling as he walked faster, "Matthew stop it and talk to me!"
Matthew froze at that, causing Alex to bump into him, and then he spoke up, "Dad was supposed to be home an hour ago, mum called his work to check, but they said he never showed up this morning."
It took a moment for his words to sink in, and when they did Alex paled violently and shook her head, "I... no... maybe he just got hurt on the way to work or-"
"Mum checked everywhere. Dad's gone."
