Preface       

                Bethany's dress. The slippery fabric, the color of the inside of a blue berry. A greenish color, like spring, with pounds of white silk and

beaded  pearls cascading down her back. Bethany's hair has been cut so short that her soft auburn curls don't even brush the back of her neck

anymore. I miss her long hair that would get caught in the gears of her bicycle and make us both late for whatever job we could get our hands

on. She smiles at me sadly and even though this should be a joyful event, I have to fight the lump in my throat from showing on my face.  "If I

could choose..." she starts, but then her voice trails off and tears fill her own eyes, and she looks away.  A painful silence passes and my mind

screams at me to say something.  You'll never see her again! This is your last chance to say good bye, why are you just standing here!

                The trumpet blows. That means it's time for Bethany to leave. She stands up and I run and wrap my arms around her waist. I do cry now,

all the tears that I have held back for years come out all at once on Betta's shoulder. The trumpet blows again. They are getting impatient.

Bethany softens her hold on me, letting me know it's time for her to go. She holds me at shoulder length and stares into my eyes, all trace of

tears from her face gone and replaced with that powerful, brave,  expression she wears when an angry dog crosses her path while cutting

through the alley by our house. "It's time to be brave, Bluren." She whispers. There is a powerful chorus of raps at the door. "I'm coming!" she

calls in a voice to match the expression on her face. She gives me a final kiss on the forehead and I know it's time for me to leave.

                Moments later, I am sitting on a bench in a church-like building waiting for Bethany to come out of the gargantuan double doors in the

back of the of the room. The doors dramatically open and Bethany walks slowly down the aisle, her magnificent dress dragging on the ground

behind her. Her face still looks ready to take on the worst of challenges. Bethany walks slowly, but it seems like seconds before she is on the

small platform standing next to the thin, clear, tube that will take her away forever. A boy about my age opens the door and stale air comes out

in a puff. My heart races as Bethany takes a last defiant look at the crowd in the benches, then she ducks inside the tube and two more boys

come onto the platform. they seal the door to the tube with a red jelly-like glue. My heart pounds, I can't let this happen. I look down and realize

 that I am standing. Run! Get her out of there! I pass by children in benches, they are waving goodbye to Bethany with smiles on their faces. I am

on the platform now, Bethany is still inside, it's not too late, but she looks pale. One boy tries to grab my arm as I run by, but I rip free and slam

into the tube as hard as I can. Again. Again. The tube cracks, but before I can try a third time two of the boys grab me and hold me back. I'm not

strong enough to get past both of them. The third boy is franticly pushing buttons on the side of the tube. Everyone in the benches are shouting

numbers, counting down until Bethany is gone. Five! I bite the boy on my right and he releases my arm-Four!- the other boy is struggling to keep

me back by himself-Three!- the boy with the buttons has his hands on the lever-Two!-  Bethany stares out of the tube at me-One!- with a

sickening screech the lever is brought down and like some sort of black magic Bethany vanishes before everyone's eyes.