Today’s the day. Today’s the day I’ve been preparing for ever since I was born. The day I was trained for. The day I’ve kept hidden from everyone since I was thirteen. The day I’ve been dreading.

Today’s the day I’m supposed to die.

I rip the bandage off my forearm. October 21, 2048. The mark itches, and I know eventually it will start to burn. I roll down my long sleeve and rub my arm. Surprisingly, I’m not scared. I’ve been prepping myself with the Rebel orphanage for this day. After this day, I’ll either be dead or on the run. Though, no one’s ever lived past their expiration date, but the Rebel’s believe it’s possible. Well, believed, before the Society burned the orphanage down two years ago. The rest of the Rebel’s have since disappeared, most likely planning their revenge to the Society. But, the Society knows every move before you make one. If superhumans existed, that’s what they’d be. Super powerful superhumans.

Everyone has a mark. When you’re born, the Society gives you an expiration date that you mourn for the rest of your life. You can’t live past it. And I’m sure that if anyone ever has, the Society took care of it before anyone could notice it. There’s rumors that the Society members don’t have expirations, but the orphanage assured me and the rest of the kids that that’s not true. They just keep their dates hidden. Even from each other.

No one knows my date, except for my brother, Jake. Jake and I have been through hell and back, with our parents dying and our rebel family burning. I haven’t seen any of the rebels that lived since they fled the fire.

“C’mon Sarah, let’s get going,” my brother charges in my room, shoving things into a backpack. “We’ve got to get going if we want to get a head start.”

I sit up and reach for the bag next to my bed that I packed the night before. I stay quiet, not in the mood to talk. Leaving everyone and everything I know isn’t really something I’m excited about.

We head out the door and to Jake’s Ferrari F12. His car is way too fast and way too nice for us. I’m sure he stole it from someone---there’s no way he could afford this.

“You’re quiet today,” he starts the car and revs the engine. “You’re not normally like this.”

I shrug my shoulders, afraid if I talk I’ll choke on my own words---literally and figuratively---and die.

The rest of the ride is silent, except for the purr of the car when accelerating. He doesn’t tell me where we’re going, but the car ride ends up being five hours.

“Sarah, wake up!” He screams at me and slams on his breaks. Suddenly, a bullet shoots through the back window, causing the glass to break and I duck down.

“What the hell!” I shriek at Jake, trying to find some explanation as to what went wrong. There’s a car behind us, following our tail. There’s only one person in the car, a man in a black sweatshirt, and he’s in a black BMW.

A car from the Society.

My heart races faster as I turn back around to maintain my cool. I try to think of ideas on what to do but nothing comes to mind. Any option I think of could kill me if acted upon.

“For God’s sake, Jake, speed up!” I yell, seeing he’s going 80 and the Society member is right behind us.

“If I go any faster, we’ll end up wrecking and you’ll be dead.”

“He’s not gonna stop until I’m dead anyways.”

Jake takes a sharp turn down a street that runs into suburbs. There’s no one on the rads, so it’s a good chance for Jake to lose him.

He rams into the back of us and sends us into a ditch off the side of the road. The car crashes into a tree ad we come to a stop. My head slams against the side window, making my vision blackout for a few seconds.

“Jake?” I scream and as soon as my vision comes back, I see he’s passed out against the airbag. I throw my seatbelt off and check his mark.

April 16, 2053. Phew.

The Society member opens my door and grabs my arm. He yanks me out of the car, not saying a word. He drags me to his car and throws me in. When the door shuts, I try to open it but it’s locked. Damn Society cars.

He gets in the car and quickly drives off. He didn’t bother to hurt Jake, which makes me feel a little comforted.

“Are you going to kill me?” I ask, confused as to why he didn’t just shoot me right there

and leave me to rot. He doesn’t answer. Instead, he answers the phone that rings. There’s a pause.

“Tell her I won’t be home,” he holds his phone tightly and clicks the volume down button.

“I said tell her I won’t be home. I’m going on vacation. If she doesn’t like it, she can take it up with the Supreme.” He hangs up.

The Supreme. The most powerful of all Society members. The only person who can break all the laws and can get absolutely anything they want done. The Supreme has never been announced to the public.

“Can you answer me?” I raise my voice.

“I haven’t decided yet,” he rests his face on his hand while driving. He’s still driving like he was when he was chasing Jake and I. Jake…

“We have to go back! For my brother.”

“I’ve got someone who’ll take care of him… Don’t worry, no harm will come his way,” he checks his phone and types something.

“What are you going to do with me if not kill me? I’m gonna die today anyways.”

He rolls his eyes and grabs my arm. Suddenly, everything goes blurry. I look down, noticing some kind of bracelet he stuck on me. Everything slowly turns black and my eyes close.