March 29^th,

“What’s your gift?”

That seems to be the only way to distinguish people from each other anymore. Whether it’s an artistic ability or their angelic beauty; one’s gifts are the only identity we have anymore.

 I just hope I get a gift soon; father said I only have two more weeks left if I don’t; my eighteenth birthday is the deadline for my expiration. I’ve done everything I can to change the way I look; I pierced my ears, three times on both sides. I’ve cut my hair short and had highlights implanted permanently; it looks really cool… but I know it won’t be enough; I have to change on the inside too. I still miss you mother.

                                                                        Love,

                                                                                    Serial No. C1204

C1204 stared at her entry, studying the words she had just written, her neat symmetrical writing gliding across the page.

The diary had been her mother’s, but sadly her mother had expired unexpectedly, well before her usage had departed. Her father had been waiting for a replacement for quite some time now.

She closed the little emerald colored book with a small sigh and gazed at it, lost in her thoughts. There weren’t many people that still use this old technology, most of the books had been destroyed during the storms, and the wave of electronics had taken over quickly.

Fondling her ID bracelet, C1204 was just glad that old paper books and diaries like hers weren’t outlawed, not that she would care.

These days, everything was glass and steel, but sadly the consequences of the ancients left most of the old cities in ruin; aged buildings were rusted piles of junk where the criminals and outlaws hid.

Because of some controversy of a select people wandering around in the cities unidentified, everyone had ID bracelets come standard at birth now; GPS systems and voice identification equipped. The only flaw with the bracelets was its network plugged directly into your mind; a chip was implanted in one’s skull, making private thoughts impossible.

Staring out the window at the fiberglass trees, C1204 couldn’t help but feel the town was some sort of ploy; a decoy of sorts, using its big shiny living quarters and ID bracelets as a way to keep the people busy and distracted from the destruction of the police force. It’s not like C1204 saw any of the damage herself; what she knew was from school teachings; she just thought the Regime knew more than they were telling.

Some of the security measures where a little outrageous, but C1204 dare not think that thought too much; she didn’t want to get shipped off for rebellious thoughts, again.

C1204 gasped in shock as her bracelet beeped; jolting loose a memory that she had to study her lessons. Cursing herself for her treacherous thought, she rapidly pulled her homework up on the wall screen.

“Let’s see…” C1204 muttered, scrolling through the list of assignments for the day. The curser rested on the last item on the list. C1204 made a face.

“Remember and recite the three rules… are you kidding; we’ve only been working on this for a day!” C1204 grumbled. The wall screen beeped in protest, warning her of punishment if she didn’t comply to finish her tasks. Sighing, she read through the rules; slowly at first; testing the strictness of her bracelet, which beeped angrily and made her work faster.