Jezebel-

I toddle over to the window to get a better look at the kids playing outside.  "No," Rose's five-year-old self firmly says.  I run crying to Mother. She looks at me disgustedly.  If Mother hates anything, it's me.  "Jez, you can't be seen," she says.  I turn away and cross my chubby little arms. 

That's when I learned I was a Shadow Child.  My father read me a pamphlet about it as a bedtime story that night,  Not that he wanted to.  If I wasn't told, he was afraid I'd blow their cover.  "You'd better be good," he scolded me, "Or I'll have my workers come and take you away."  My eyes widened.  He gave me a look like, "I'm not kidding, kid."  I lay in bed that night, wondering when I'd be able to be like Rose and Kaylinn. 

The next afternoon, Kaylinn came running in with artwork she'd made at school: handprints in the form of a heart.  I always thought I'd be able to sit with kids at school and make something like that.  Now, I knew the truth.  Never would I feel the gooey paint on my hands as I laughed with friends with names like Mary or Lynn.

Now it's twelve years later, and I still know how I am  athreat to my family.  And I still try to be good... so Father's friends won't get me.

GraceElla
---------------

I hear a knock at the door of our family's farmhouse.
"GraceElla, get in the basement now!" my mother whispers to me.
I run down the stairs to the secret basement we have. I hardly have to be down here because we live on a farm, and who would want to visit us?
I hear loud voices upstairs and I hear a gunshot. I stifle a scream. That has got to be the Population Police! This is all my fault! I think. No GraceElla, this is not your fault...it was not your decision for your parents to have another child!

After it seems like everyone is gone, I crawl up the stairs, trying to say close to the floor. I open the door a tiny crack and peer out. Nobody here! I think to myself. Still I open the door as quietly as possible. I step out into the open, feeling very vulnerable.

Suddenly I hear a creak behind me. I whirl around and, there, standing behind me, is a Population Police Officer. He is very young, 16 at most, but he has rings under his eyes and is beginning to have the tiniest amount of facial hair. He gives me a glare, but, oh his eyes! His eyes are kind, and gentle. They are young and wanting to make a footprint in the world. I can deal with him easily. I walk up ot him. He puts his gun up in front of him. I push the gun to the side.

" You don't want this... do you?" I say gently to him. He gives me the sweetest look ever, but puts his gun back in front of me.

I stay still. Oh, no. This did not work out like I thought it would! But then...

" Go now and I won't tell nobody. You stay here or bring anything, I shoot." He says quietly. I nod.

RUN! My mind tells me. I turn aroung abruptly and go to the door. I open it fast but make sure that when it closes it isn'tdthat loud. Then I run.

//Mauve//

It was a normal, quiet night at Harlow's when I slipped out of bed. I noticed that the wooden floor was cold, as my toes came into contact with it. Even after slipping my feet into a pair of sneakers and throwing a windbreaker over my flannel pajamas, I was still cold.

I surveyed my sleeping roommates before quietly propping open the window and sneaking outside.

It wasn't much colder outside, but the wind was harsh and biting. It was also very quiet, except for the soft patter of feet.

I crept into the forest and easily made my way to a clearing, deep inside the wood. A group of people were sitting in a circle, speaking quietly. No one looked up as I joined the circle.

"-know some people who could help us," one of the people, John, was saying. Some people nodded and murmured amongst each other.

"We're planning a protest," said Kurt, upon seeing my confused look. Kurt was the unofficial leader. Maya was his second-in-command. I was third.

"And exactly how do you think we'll be able to pull off a protest," Maya said dryly, "without getting killed?"

"It's not like we can do anything else to help us," Kurt countered. Maya scowled but said nothing.

"Well, Maya does have a point," I pointed out. Maya smiled. "People will get killed. But Kurt also has a point: it's not like we can do anything else." Maya's smile disappeared and turned back into a scowl. Kurt grinned at me; even being a second-in-command, Maya wasn't exactly the most-liked person.

Got to go! 

The computer I'm using has a finnicky 'S' key, so I'm sorry if it's missing 's's

There's a knock at the door.  Fee glare at me.  I get the mesage and run to my attic bedroom.  Roe is up there.  I stare at her.  I start to yell at her.  He put her finger to her lips, and gets out of my hiding spot.

I hear the Population Police asking Fee where her three children are.  They're trying to get her to confess she had me.  "Kaylinn's at drama club and Rose was just going to her room to get something," Fee says.  "And your shadow child, ma'am?" he prods.  "Shadow chidren are against the law," Fee says like he's a baby.  

"I'm going to have to search your house ma'am," he sighs.  I close my eyes and plead, Please let Rose have remembered to put the bookshelf back.

I wait for what seem like forever until Fee says it's okay to come out.  Then I start yelling at Rose for being in my room.  I don't see the Population Police out the window until it's too late...

Liberty—

My room was dark when I woke up but I was used to it. Isilently crept out of the room and into the hall. The fresh smell of breakfastwafted into my nose.

I started to turn the knob to the kitchen door when Mama cameout with a tired look on her face. I could see Dad sitting across from Cole andTiana gave me a look which said it all. She pitied me. I couldn’t stand thefeeling of being a poor pitied life form that no one can do anything about.

“Liberty,” Though she looked tired and forlorn, Mama’s voicestill made a light glow inside me. “You have to eat in your room.” And pop. Theglowing ball became cold and left my inside. I felt empty inside.

“What?” Things around me seemed to swim in a pool.

“Cole will bring something down, okay?”

I didn’t say anything like: “Okay mom, I’m fine all alone inmy room.” Or “It’s great that I have to stay in my room all day while you havefun family times.” Or “That’s the best thing I ever thought of.” I coldlyturned on my heal and walked back into my room.

About five minutes later, Cole came into my room with asteaming plate of bacon and toast with raspberry jam.

I didn’t look up. I didn’t even bother with him.

“Vi?” My brother was the only person I knew who called me bymy middle name. I can’t remember a time when he’d ever called me Liberty,always Violet or Vi.

“What?”

Cole plumped down onto the bed looking at his hands. “Momdidn’t mean it badly.” He paused. “The Population Police are coming around theneighborhood and searching houses. It’s for your own good.”

Cole and I normally got along just fine. We teased each otherand played but we’d hardly ever fought. But the last words were like a bombbeing set off.

“FOR MY OWN GOOD!” I cried, standing up. “How would you likeit if you sat in this cage and I went around saying it’s for your own good!?How would you like to be me?!”

“I know how you feel…” He started.

“No, you don’t! You know nothing! You get to go out free witha pass. You get to go to school and have friends. I sit in this room half theday, looking out the window. You have never been inside a cage, like I am now!”I screamed.

By then Cole had stood up. “You can have a pass just like me.”

“I don’t want to go around under a fake name! I want people toknow who I am! I want people to call my realname when I walk down the street and not one of a person I’ve never met!” Iyelled. I felt my rush of energy and anger burning and a sadness rising up.“GO!” I choked.

Cole didn’t try anything. He just left, his face steaming.

I threw the plate down and too late, noticed that there werevoices and the sound of heavy footsteps upstairs. I ran to my bed andstraightened the comforter. I put the books on the shelf and hid the pamphlet I’dbeen reading. I took the school papers from the drawers and stuffed them underthe mattress. I stacked books and pencils. Then I rushed into the closet,waiting silently.

I duck down.  The Population Police come storming in.  "Is that a shadow child?" one of them asks.

"No, I'm her friend that's sleeping over," I say. 

He stares at me for what seems like forever.  I try not to look guilty.  He sighs.  "Have fun."

Fee looks at me.  Don't do it, I think.  "Go to your room," she says.  I sigh and head up.  Why didn't they do me a favor and NEVER HAVE HAD ME?! I think.

I sit and stare at the wall.  Kaylinn brings me dinner.  "Nice job, Evil," she says meanly. "Now Mom's crying again."  She throws me one of her old schoolbooks.  "Page twenty-one, then finish Moby Dick," she tells me.

As I'm doing my math, a boy my age comes in and throws me to the floor.  He puts a finger to his lips.  He gestures to go into the closet.  I shake my head.  The secret tunnel in the closet that leads to the library is scary. 

He pushes me in and follows me.  In the tunnel, he turns on a flashlight.  "I'm Jace," he tells me. "I'm another Shadow Child.  I follow the Population Police around and help the Shadow Children of the house escape.  Your mom...."

"Call her Fee," I whisper.

"Fee told me to go through here.  She said that the can't tell you'er a Shadow Child in the library."

The Population Police start in the tunnel.  Knowing my luck, I trip...

Liberty—

Voices, steps above me. My heart thumped so loudly, I thoughtthey would find me. Then I heard the door open.

“What’s this?” A gruff voice demanded.

“For guests and a play room for the kids.” I heard Dad mutter.

I heard grumbling and steps coming closer. I saw the knob turnon the door. I held my breath, blood rushed through my ears. I tried to becomesmaller and hide behind some hanging dresses and pants.

Light flowed into the closet as it was opened. I caught abrown eye that looked as if was peering at me. A boy from the few facialfeatures I could see.

“Here!” The boy yelled.

I almost fainted with fear. “There’s a girl in here!” Heyelled again.

I couldn’t move or leave. My heart stopped.

A hand pulled me out.

“Who are you?” The man demanded.

“Violet.” I used my middle name, hoping for a cover up.

“She has blond hair and blue eyes like her siblings.” Anotherofficer said.

“We have a shadow child.” The man holding me hit me with thebutt of his pistol. My head hurt and I gasped in pain. Mother’s eyes werefilled with tears.

“We won’t kill her now.” The man continued. “Gather theneighborhood together to show them what happens to traitors.

The police dragged me out of the apartment against my will. Myfamily was left behind with directions to stay there.

I was caught.

Jezebel-

Jace helps me up.  We run to the end and away from the tunnel before they can tell we came from that way.  The Population Police come over to me.  "Ma'am, can we see your library card?" one asks.  I take out Kaylinn's old one.  Thank goodness she looks like me.  He frowns.  He had thought he had got me.  "Thank you, ma'am," he says.

Jace looks at me from the sports section.  I smile at him and gesture for him to come to me.  "I have one question," I whisper, "Why did Fee lead you to me?"

"Believe it or not, Jez," he says, "she cares for you."

We talked, and when I left the library, I knew we would be best friends.  Or as best as a shadow child can have.

hey, I know you guys already started the RP, but could I join? I really want to and I love this series.