Hey sorry! I just wanted to ask if you guys thought this sounded good: Blaire’s alarm broke the dead silence of the night. She looked at the flashing blue numbers on the digital clock. The Selection ceremony was in four hours. She jumped out of bed and changed into her plain white polo and khaki dress pants. Pulling her wavy brown hair into a tight ponytail, she ran downstairs. On the table was the small breakfast that the government allowed them. She ate her tiny portion of dry rice cereal and rushed out to the tram.
The early morning sky was gray and matched the chilly weather. The Gravity Express was full of passengers that morning, but usually there were only three or four people. The tram bumped along, until she could see the lights of Albrea, the capitol city of the government, appearing in the distance.
When she entered the dress shop, she was greeted by a perky, Promatic in their usual gray button up suit jacket and gray pencil skirt, her incredibly light blonde hair pulled into a high ponytail in the back. The pony tail swayed as the chatty Promatic led her to a rack with glittering gowns of all colors possible.
“Excuse me?” she asked the Promatic. “I am looking for a Selection dress?”
“Ah, yes right this way!” the Promatic replied, grabbing Blaire’s wrist and leading her towards the back of the shop, past rows of gorgeous dresses, into a small, very pink, room.
She finally stopped at a row of brightly colored dresses. Blaire looked around through the rack of dresses, not finding a single one that caught her attention. She looked up at the Promatic expectantly. The Promatic gestured around the room, and Blaire smiled thankfully. She searched through the room, holding up all sorts of dresses up to her chest. Each dress was a different though they all met the governments requirements. Finally, just as she was about to give up, she found the dress that was definitely her. It was a light turquoise blue with sparkles like stars that were scattered through it. The sparkles gathered at her ankles, where the hem of the dress was. A midnight blue sash gracefully ran down the side. The material was practically see through with a silk blue underdress underneath.
“Um, I’ll take this dress please.” Blaire said to the Promatic.
The Promatic flashed her pearly white teeth at Blaire.
“Oh, why yes, of course! Now, if you can come over here so we can get you fitted, we will have your dress in no time!”
Blaire wandered over with her, watching other half-naked spoiled girls be praised by Promatics. One of them seemed to be throwing a temper-tantrum because of the color of her dress. Blaire looked away disdainfully at the vanity.
The Promatic picked out a slimmer version of the dress and pulled her away to the changing cubicles.
Out of the corner of her eye Blaire saw a camera. It followed her every move and as she looked around, Blaire noticed another camera. And another. Following everyone. Blaire shrugged and then realized it must be to make sure no one steals anything.
They walked into the gray fabric covered room. Shutting the door, Blaire shrugged off her clothes, and struggled on the tight blue dress. Looking in the digital mirror it was just the right length, and followed all the dress requirements of the ceremony. Her eyes rose up to look at her face. Her skin was fair but looked very pale because of the brown hair that framed her small features. She pushed her hair out of her face and stood up taller, which only made her bony collar bone that was peeking out of the collar more noticeable. She sighed and walked out
As she walked out the Promatic met her with another dazzling white smile.
“It’s beautiful! Especially on you!” she said, in a sing-songy voice, “Here’s the bill.”
She said this so eagerly, as she handed Blaire the small slip of paper that Blaire couldn’t help but think that it was more about the money and less about the dazzling figure in the dress.
Blaire looked at the bill. It had more zeros than she could count. She hoped her parents could pay for it. They usually settled for things that were important.
They walked over to the computer.
“Now what is your last name dearie?” the Promatic questioned.
“Hill.” Blaire replied.
“Let’s see, the Hill family has… enough to pay for it!”
Blaire’s mom had always told her that most Promatic’s aren’t exactly the most trustworthy people. Blaire made the Promatic turn the screen around so she could check to make sure.
Seeing that they had more than enough she ordered the dress to be sent to her house and then went home. There were about two and a half hours till the ceremony, and she still needed to pack.
She rushed upstairs. She stumbled in the door and started packing. She was surprised she could fit all of her stuff in one case.
She packed a fuzzy, navy blue blanket, a purple long sleeved shirt, one orange, simple evening gown that went from a shade of light orange at the top to a dark orange at the bottom, a Suitux, her midnight black dagger with the silver blade, a blue silk and pink silk nightgown, a blue jumpsuit, gray workout pants, multi-colored T-shirts, artificial brown leather boots, a yellow raincoat, a green coldcoat, canteens full of water, canned food that won’t spoil in the sun, one stick of butter in a cooler, thanks to her mother saving up butter rations for over 10 months, a metal blue helmet, white fuzzy ear warmers, a tooth brusher and tooth gel, pink sandals, makeup, and jewelry. She must be ready for any circumstance considering she didn’t know what mission she would have to complete.
“Blaire!” her mother called from downstairs, “A package for you!”
Blaire ran downstairs to retrieve what must have been her dress. She grabbed it, thanked her mother, and raced back upstairs.
She slid on her dress with more ease than the first time, and quickly applied a blue green eye shadow, black mascara, and a light crimson layer of lipstick. She had been saving this for a long time because make-up was very rare and only to be afforded by The Walxers who were very rich and often doctors or Government officials, or jewelry and cosmetic shop owners. Jewelry was also very rare. After all, like sugary treats, they were hard to make and process so they were almost never available. Blaire decorated her wrist with a diamond and sapphire bracelet and walked out of her room.
“Mother, I’m ready to go!” Blaire yelled as she ran downstairs.
Her mother smiled approvingly at her look. Blaire slipped on crystal blue shoes with five inch heels. She tripped her way towards the Tram and her mother helped her up the steps. They took their seats. Blaire twisted her bracelet anxiously. Who knew what awaited them.