Things in my life were finally starting to shape up. I had always had dreams about another city, but deep down, I never thought I would ever live to see it with my own eyes. From then on out, I had convinced myself that me finding these instructions was fait. They were meant to be in my hands, and my hands only. I had visions of stores full of food, bright blue skies, large spaces of land that weren't occupied by an empty building. But more importantly, I could now raise Poppy in a town that had a full supply of canned goods, and there weren't constantly blackouts every other day. She could be raised in a healthy town that gave her opportunities to accomplish what she thrived.
Doon and I returned to the desk in my room, however, this time with more hope than ever. We knew there was a way out, and we were going to find it. No matter the obstacles we faced, the time limits we ran into, or any trouble along the way. In no time, our eyes will not be looking at a dark, lonely street. They will be looking at an alive, bright new world.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Entry 5: If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try, Again
I woke up the next morning with my head on my desk, rested on multiple slips of white paper. Something about these instructions gave me hope. I knew that there had to be a way out of Ember, I just knew it. I walked up to my side table and pulled out my drawing of the unknown regions that i had been working on for the past few years now on the back of a chicken noodle soup can. There had to be some way to get here. My day dreams are too vivid for this to not be real.
It was Thursday, which meant I didn't have to work today. I took this time to go visit Clary, a close friend of mine that worked in the greenhouse. We caught up for awhile, sharing gossip stories, hopes, dreams, and experiences from our new occupations. I told her about the instructions laying on my desk, and surprisingly she was eager to help.
Later that night, Doon showed up and we put all three of our brains together, determined to fill in the missing blanks. Clary's eyes got ten times wider, and all our hearts started to beat quickly, hoping she had figured something out. She put two slips of paper together, forming the word "egress". Doon and I shrunk back into our seats, for neither of us knew what that meant, or even knew that was a word. However, the expression on Clary's face still gave me a little hope. She was stuttering she was so excited. "Exit!", she exclaimed, "egress means exit! These are instructions for the exit from Ember!"
Jaws open, speechless, Doon and I made wide-eye contact. The smile on all of our faces were just as long, and the thoughts running through our minds were all the same. We found the way out of Ember.
Later that night, Doon showed up and we put all three of our brains together, determined to fill in the missing blanks. Clary's eyes got ten times wider, and all our hearts started to beat quickly, hoping she had figured something out. She put two slips of paper together, forming the word "egress". Doon and I shrunk back into our seats, for neither of us knew what that meant, or even knew that was a word. However, the expression on Clary's face still gave me a little hope. She was stuttering she was so excited. "Exit!", she exclaimed, "egress means exit! These are instructions for the exit from Ember!"
Jaws open, speechless, Doon and I made wide-eye contact. The smile on all of our faces were just as long, and the thoughts running through our minds were all the same. We found the way out of Ember.
Entry 4: Time to Decipher
All I could think about for the next few days was the mysterious instructions. I decided I couldn't take it anymore, and i walked over to Doon's house after my messenger shift was over. I told him i had something important to show him, and we both walked home discussing the different possibilities the instructions could be leading to. The unknown regions? Another supply of food? A new world? Or maybe even just a recipe for a cake. The probabilities were endless. We rushed up to my room, and i quickly pulled out the slips of paper and rested them on my desk.
We tried to decipher as much as we could, but there was so much missing it was hard to piece even a sentence together. Even though we spent the next hour trying to put it back together, Doon and I both knew it was hopeless. Besides, the only thing both of us could think about was what the intsructions lead to in the first place.
It was almost 9:00 PM by now, and the lights would be turned off in about fifteen minutes, just enough time for Doon to get home if he sprinted. Though even after he left, I hopelessly continued trying to put together the puzzle.
We tried to decipher as much as we could, but there was so much missing it was hard to piece even a sentence together. Even though we spent the next hour trying to put it back together, Doon and I both knew it was hopeless. Besides, the only thing both of us could think about was what the intsructions lead to in the first place.
It was almost 9:00 PM by now, and the lights would be turned off in about fifteen minutes, just enough time for Doon to get home if he sprinted. Though even after he left, I hopelessly continued trying to put together the puzzle.
Entry 3: Instructions
I know I haven't written for a while, but I've been spending most of my days now caring for Granny, delivering messages, and drawing images of my dream city with the new beautiful colored pencils I recently purchased for Poppy and me. I haven't used colored pencils since I was a little girl, and they are now all warned down into a nub not even Poppy can manage to write with. We don't have paper, so I've been trying to save can labels for a while now, even though they only give you so much space.
However, I have much more interesting news to share with you other than some new colored pencils. Recently, as Granny has gotten more ill, her memory has been slowly fading. A few days ago I came home from work, shocked to see pillows thrown around the room, drawers lined up along the floor, and every closet door open to its greatest extent. She told me she was looking for something that her grandfather has lost a long time ago. Remembering her grandfather was the mayor of the city, I assumed it was something important.
I know that "something" is a very broad term, but I honestly believe that i have found that "something" my grandmother has been looking for.
I walked into my room, surprised to notice that Poppy was sitting in front of a beautiful metal box chewing on a large piece of white paper. I quickly snatched it from her mouth, and immediately noticed the perfect print on the mysterious paper. There was no way that anybody could write so small, so precisely.
I tried to put the paper back together, noticing the word "instructions" at the top. The first thought that popped into my mind was that they were instructions to get out of Ember. Then i reconsidered, decided that idea was silly, put the ripped paper back into the box, and slid it under my bed.
However, I have much more interesting news to share with you other than some new colored pencils. Recently, as Granny has gotten more ill, her memory has been slowly fading. A few days ago I came home from work, shocked to see pillows thrown around the room, drawers lined up along the floor, and every closet door open to its greatest extent. She told me she was looking for something that her grandfather has lost a long time ago. Remembering her grandfather was the mayor of the city, I assumed it was something important.
I know that "something" is a very broad term, but I honestly believe that i have found that "something" my grandmother has been looking for.
I walked into my room, surprised to notice that Poppy was sitting in front of a beautiful metal box chewing on a large piece of white paper. I quickly snatched it from her mouth, and immediately noticed the perfect print on the mysterious paper. There was no way that anybody could write so small, so precisely.
I tried to put the paper back together, noticing the word "instructions" at the top. The first thought that popped into my mind was that they were instructions to get out of Ember. Then i reconsidered, decided that idea was silly, put the ripped paper back into the box, and slid it under my bed.
Entry 2: First Day As Messenger
I hoped out of bed early this morning, even though I barely got two minutes of sleep throughout the whole night. I was so eager to start my job as messenger, all i could do was come up with different scenarios in my mind of how my first day of work was going to go.
My first message was sent from an odd looking man, long neck with large teeth, but the name of Looper. I was expected to deliver the statement, "delivery at 8:00 PM" to the mayor of the city.
My attitude was totally different this time I saw the mayor, I was much less nervous and much more joyful. As I read Looper's report loud and clear, and the mayor responded with a mumble. I took this as an okay, and slowly walked out of his office. I didn't see any guards, so I started walking around and exploring the place, soon to find myself on the top of the roof, looking out over all the City of Ember. As i was trying to take it all in, I heard the slam of the door and three guards came bolting at me. Only soon after i was facing the mayor with, once again, a more nervous vibe. He told me this was my one warning, and i responded by telling him that it would never happen again, and I walked out of the large building determined to deliver more messages.
My first message was sent from an odd looking man, long neck with large teeth, but the name of Looper. I was expected to deliver the statement, "delivery at 8:00 PM" to the mayor of the city.
My attitude was totally different this time I saw the mayor, I was much less nervous and much more joyful. As I read Looper's report loud and clear, and the mayor responded with a mumble. I took this as an okay, and slowly walked out of his office. I didn't see any guards, so I started walking around and exploring the place, soon to find myself on the top of the roof, looking out over all the City of Ember. As i was trying to take it all in, I heard the slam of the door and three guards came bolting at me. Only soon after i was facing the mayor with, once again, a more nervous vibe. He told me this was my one warning, and i responded by telling him that it would never happen again, and I walked out of the large building determined to deliver more messages.
Entry 1: Assignment Day
My palms are sweaty as I walk into the same classroom I have been stepping into for the past twelve years of my life. However, I have never felt so eager to hear the tapping of my shoes on the tile floors, and sitting in my desk with a 'B' deeply carved into the surface from a few years back. Today was assignment day, where the strip of paper we draw from the mayor's hat determines our occupations for the next three years. I was up all night, hoping, wishing, praying, that i would see the bold words 'messenger' on my thin white sheet of folded paper.
When the mayor walked in, i quickly perfected my posture, and outlined the 'B' on my desk with my shaky fingertips. Everybody exchanged nervous glances, and you could feel the tension in the room.
After a few people were drawing green house worker, tunnel works, paper works, and electrician, nothing really effected me much until i heard my best friend, Doon Harrow, read out the word 'messenger' with slight depression in his voice. My heart stopped. Did this really happen? Did my best friend really just draw my dream job from the hat?
When it was my turn to determine my career I walked up to the mayor, hopeless. Sure enough, I chose one of the worse possible occupations out of all the tiny slips of paper; pipe works laborer. I read the words off of my sheet, my throat choked, and then i returned back to my seat.
Later after the mayor made is exit and everyone was gossiping about their new careers, some happy some sad, I walked over to talk to Doon. I couldn't imagine how he could possible feel upset about being messenger, for I have been dreaming about that for ever since I could remember.
To my surprise, Doon offered to trade me. I didn't even hesitate before snatching the rectangular piece of paper. I was so happy I couldn't even think straight.
On my way home that night, I took a look down all the streets of Ember, just imagining myself sprinting through them tomorrow delivering messages for all the people in the city. These next three years will be just as I had wished for.
When the mayor walked in, i quickly perfected my posture, and outlined the 'B' on my desk with my shaky fingertips. Everybody exchanged nervous glances, and you could feel the tension in the room.
After a few people were drawing green house worker, tunnel works, paper works, and electrician, nothing really effected me much until i heard my best friend, Doon Harrow, read out the word 'messenger' with slight depression in his voice. My heart stopped. Did this really happen? Did my best friend really just draw my dream job from the hat?
When it was my turn to determine my career I walked up to the mayor, hopeless. Sure enough, I chose one of the worse possible occupations out of all the tiny slips of paper; pipe works laborer. I read the words off of my sheet, my throat choked, and then i returned back to my seat.
Later after the mayor made is exit and everyone was gossiping about their new careers, some happy some sad, I walked over to talk to Doon. I couldn't imagine how he could possible feel upset about being messenger, for I have been dreaming about that for ever since I could remember.
To my surprise, Doon offered to trade me. I didn't even hesitate before snatching the rectangular piece of paper. I was so happy I couldn't even think straight.
On my way home that night, I took a look down all the streets of Ember, just imagining myself sprinting through them tomorrow delivering messages for all the people in the city. These next three years will be just as I had wished for.
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