Young Writers Society

Christy tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair impatiently as they continued on the speech she had heard over and over again, since she had joined. She just wanted to get on with things so that she could get out of this crowded room that reminded her too much of home.

her fingers got faster and faster as Micheal tried to make it as dramatic as the first time she had heard it. It was tempting to raise her hand and request that he shut up and get to the real matter.

Jacqueline

Michael finally finished his proclamation and moved onto the more precise, detailed information. He read out a list of statistics including how many new victims the shards had claimed and an estimate of how large the forces of the rebellion had grown to.

"There's no chance they have that many," Jillian hissed. "They'd have taken over by now if they did. Wouldn't that be horrible?"

"At least we wouldn't have to listen to these boring speeches," I joked, my voice lower than a whisper. Afterall, I didn't want to be taken as a rebel. Jillian grinned trying to suppress a giggle and then I noticed that the meeting was over and seats were already being vacated.

Mary walked out of her room and out into the hall, towards the elevator. She was going to have to meet with the coordinator of state defense. They were supposed to be talking about the safe return of her father and his "other" family from the mirror world. She could honestly care less about her father and would much rather watch him rot in the depths of blackness in the mirror world, but since her rebel mission was to occur in the mirror world as well, it wouldn't hurt to take up the assignment without protest.

She stepped into the elevator, in her newly sewn, silk green gown and pressed the button to the 45 1/5th floor. The elevator immediately shot straight forward on to the rails and began it's twisting and turning path to the Hall. Mary held onto the rails in the elevator. Travel like this made her sick.

The elevator stopped just as abruptly as it had started. There was a ding sound and the doors opened into a large hallway full of glass. Mary walked straight towards the door. Before she could reach the handle on either door, they both flew open and people began flooding their way out of the hall. People bumbed into her, a few smiled, and a few others just walked by her like she wasn't there. She hated that. Those people had no respect for who she was.

Instead of letting her distaste for the ignorant states people, she smiled and waved back, letting them know, as a representative for the state, she cared deeply for all of them and their interests. On top of that elevator ride and the fake smiling, now she really wanted vomit. Once there was room for her to actually make her way through the doors, she did, and walked straight towards the stage, where several important statesmen stood.

As she walked by one of the tables, she saw two girls giggling to each other. She stared at the one for a second. She had such boyish mannerisms. Didn't anyone teach her how to be a lady? Mary decided to stop and say hello to them, just to amuse herself before she had to sit and listen to Senator Williams drag on about a group of unimportant shards.

"Well, hello ladies. How are you two doing this evening?"

They both looked at her, wide eyed with surprise, but the boyish looking one was the only one to speak.

"We're fine. Thank you miss."

"Good to hear," Mary gave her most charming smile, which suddenly went sour when the girly one of the two asked her, "Who are you, miss?"

Mary grinded her teeth, and then smiled... again. "I'm a very important stateswoman. I work with Senator Williams on the defense team for the dome and against the mirror world."

"Oh. But what's your name?"

"Ms. Tudor. Mary Tudor."

"Well, nice to meet you miss tudor."

With that, both girls got out of their seats and began to exit the hall. Mary called after them.

"Oh girls!"

The boyish one stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"I never got your names."

"I'm Jack Thompson. And this is my sister, Jill."

Mary nodded. "Well, it was really nice meeting you two."

The sisters looked at each other and then began walking towards the exit again.

Mary thought to herself. Must have tried a little too hard with them. Oh well. She shrugged and continued on her walk towards the stage and the few older men standing on it.

Christy stood and followed the rest of the crowd out. She reconized ms. Tudor, with a bad taste in her mouth, and she ignored her. Hopefully there wouldn't be any family resemblence between her and her brother.

*srry, all I's got. *

Jacqueline

"Why do you think she stopped to talk to us?" I wondered as Jill and I hurried towards the door, both a little shaken by our recent encounter.

"I've no idea," Jill replied flippantly. "And what does it matter? Hey look, there's Christy!" I turned to see the younger girl with her long, ash blond hair and soft, delicate features.

"Hello Christy!" Jillian called out. The girl paused and turned slowly before offering a small smile and waiting for us to catch up.

"Hey Jill, Jack."

"Hi Christy, how are you?" I asked.

"I'm great!" Christy answered, but it didn't really sound very enthusiastic. "I just wish we'd skip all the ridiculous meetings and wash out the State." That wasn't very enthusiastic either. She remembered playing with her older brother when she was little, and though he did always have a haughty air, he played fairly and came up with the most fun games.

*yes, it is most fun, NOT funnest!!! >.< *

Hehe. I never use funnest either. But usually it would be 'came up with the games that were the most fun to play'? Hehe. But then, I'm just picky...

Jacqueline

"Don't let the State hear you say that," I mumured under my breath.

"Oh don't be silly, Jackie, she's only joking. Come on, why don't we all go have a meal?"

"Good idea!" I declared, welcoming the change of subject.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Christy replied with a shrug and so together we set off towards a local cafe.

"You know, we should go shopping after this," Jill suggested enthusiastically.

*XD your write, it would sound better. drives me nuts when people say funnest....grr...*

Christy smiled and rolled her eyes. She never had enough money to waste on pleasure shopping, but window shopping was fun. "Sounds good to me," she said with a shrug. THen she lowered her voice and asked, "What's new with the Rebels?"

Jacqueline

"Oh yes, we can try on so many pretty dresses!" Jillian trilled and at the same time I whispered to Christy -

"Forces are expanding though not quite as fast as the state seems to think and there's a new base up at Oakley, the usual disguise."

"And jewellery, I'd love some new pieces of jewellery!"

"What's the password?"

"A diamond ring," Jillian mused, her eyes meeting with Christy. I nodded my agreement and that was the end of that strange conversation. Besides, we were approaching the shopping district and Jillian really did seem eager to spend our money on -

"A new dress, or perhaps this hat?"

Christy took a rose from the hair assecery rack and clipped it to her hair. It was a pale pink, and it matched very well with her hair and complexion. She gazed at herself dreamily into the mirror for a while, before smiling and putting it back down. She had very good self-restraint.

"Why don't you buy it?" Jillian asked, holding up a dress and pressing it against herself.

"There has to be a better use in money," Christy answered casually, picking a blood-red butterfly. She clipped it to the side of her head, then chuckled and put it back. that shade of red was not her color. The vibrant sillk bird-of-paradise didn't work very well, either, and she just ended up laughing.

Christy looked at Jack and smiled. "The butterfly would work very well for you," she said with a glimmer in her eye.

Jaqueline

"No way," I replied, shaking my head. "It's much too..."

"Feminine?" Jillian finished with a roll of her eyes.

"Go on. Try it," Christy urged, picking it back up and dragging me towards the mirror.

"No thanks," I refused politely but she was already threading it into my hair and tilting my head to the side so that I caught a glance of my reflection. I paused a moment.

"See, doesn't it look good?" Christy insisted.

"Oh it does! Go on Jack, you should get it!" Jill agreed.

"And what would I wear it with?" I scoffed but I could not say that I didn't like it and they were right. It did look good.

"A dress?" Jillian suggested timidly. I tore the clip from my hair. No way.

Clarissa walked through the streets barely seeing the people that walked past her.
She turned into an alley and walked to a door. Knocking twice she waited until a small man came to the door. He nodded once and let her past. Without saying a word she walked to the back of the house and chaged clothes. Instead of her usual black trousers and blouse she now wore a simple black dress and black shoes. Her hair flowed over her sholders, lose as always. Although she looked plain she had a switchblade strapped to her thigh and a small knife hidden up her sleave. She had to find some of the rebels.
She turned and left the small room and headed back out onto the streets passing women who looked at the trinkets that the stalls offered to sell. Now she just needed to see if she could spot any rebels by faces alone.

Mary walked up the stage steps and greeted each grey eyed man with a large, bright smile.

"Good day gentlemen."

Each of the men nodded politely.

"We are to have a meeting concerning the safe return of my father and his--" Mary gritted her teeth, "family. We should probably convene in my study.

The largest man of the bunch, with a thin mustache that curled at the ends, a bright red nose, and a chin that connected straight to his chest nodded. "We have agreed that there is to be a change in the meeting place." He coughed and then quietly said, "For the safety of you and the other members of this council."

Mary raised her right eyebrow. What safety would they need in the dome? And why didn't she know that there was some kind of threat around them?

"Of course good sirs."

All the men and Mary walked down the stage steps and right through the auditorium's doors. They glided past people walking through the halls. Everyone stared at them as if they were monkeys in a zoo. Have you never seen nobility you blubbering idiots? Mary tried to keep her charming smile on, but being the presence of these ignorant people made it harder for her.

The group suddenly came to a stop. They stood before a large glass door. This was the Defense Minister's office. The large man punched in a code in the code box next to the door. The glass doors slowly opend and a room with everything made out of glass glinted in the light.

Mary and the council members took their respective seats and the large man began to speak again.

"Mary, we would like to inform you that there are some people walking the streets that may be of interest to our department. A girl named Clarissa has been identified as a rebel. We would like you to go and find her."

Mary bit her lip. Why was she being sent to retrieve the girl?

The large man continued. "We are not sure of whether or not she is in the mirror world or if she is in the dome. We have sent out security to guard all mirrors."

Mary shook her head. "I welcome the idea of taking on this assignment gentlemen, but what does this have to do with King Henry?"

"We believe that she might be trying to round up a group of rebels to kill your father."

Mary's heart lept. Could this woman really have the guts to kill Henry? Mary's eyes glinted. "Of course, sirs. I will get on this right away."

Mary stood up, bowed to the gentlemen, and walked out of the council meeting with a true smile on her face.