Central USA

Andy woke suddenly, startled by the image he had seen in his sleep of his dead parents, shot to death on the kitchen floor. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his face with his hands exhaustedly.

Whelp. He certainly wasn't getting back to sleep tonight.

This happened all too often, nearly every night. These nightmares haunted Andy to no end. Nightmares of the Multichrome trials, his back-breaking forging job from which he was never paid, the sinister faces of his owners. And then there were always his parents. He missed them so much. They had probably been the best parents anybody could ask for. They were just gone all of a sudden.

Of course, this all happened three years ago. When Andy's parents were killed, it hadn't felt real. Sure, he had caught a glimpse of them, but he was quickly taken away. The death of his parents never fully sunk in. He kept feeling like he'd come back from captivity and they'd be there to welcome him home. But when it finally happened, they weren't.

Instead of attempting to find sleep again, Andy turned on the light and pulled out his laptop, continuing his term paper for school. Might as well. Besides, he found history interesting. He often absorbed himself into reading about all the failed societies that had been and which groups of people were mistreated for what reasons. And then he would contemplate that no group of people was ever mistreated for a legitimate reason. Just like his people, the Multichromes. They were mistreated constantly, even post-Trials. If they took one step outside the gated Multichrome Village, they'd be risking their lives.

But on the outside, school awaited. Life awaited. They couldn't stay here forever. So a difference needed to be made. Andy felt as if that was his job. All he needed was for some people to back him up, Multichrome or no.

Markus

Markus was too restless for sleep. After all the trials he refused to close his eyes when he is alone. His headphones were in his ears and he was blasting loud while looking out his bedroom window. It was completely empty and peaceful. It made him nervous. He was always worried that he would be put back in the hands of scientist. That people would start to hate them again. Realize that they were still different. Markus still carried scars from the trials. He couldn't get rid of them.

For a brief moment he took out his ear buds to check to see if he could hear his sister next door. He heard movement and rummaging so he knew she was okay. Markus put his ear buds back in and indulged himself in a textbook that needed to be read for class the next day. History wasn't his favorite or best subject, but if he didn't read than he would fail. And it was better than doing nothing.

---

Madeline

Madeline was going through her closet and things to find an outfit for the next day. Her brother woke her up when he accidentally blasted music from his radio. She was used to it, but not while she was in deep sleep. Now she couldn't sleep and Markus was going to face the consequences when she left her room. Doing anything now would be pointless since he couldn't even here her. After picking something out she sat down on her bed and thought about the days when things were normal.

Her mother would cook them dinner while her father would spend all day at work just to come home and spend it with his lovely kids. It is hard to believe that the perfect parents would give up their kids. It was devastating and it changed them both. Now Madeline doesn't know if she would ever be normal. She doesn't make physical contact with anyone. Her dream is to live a normal life, but she can't even be normal. All of it was her parents fault and she was going to have to go to school tomorrow with everyone else and pretend to be normal. Sometimes she thinks her brother is right. There is nothing for the Multichromes, but she puts a smile on her face and moves on and prays everyday her dream will come true.

Colette woke up with a start. She was cold but sweat made her shirt stick to her skin. Collie had dreamt of the trials yet again. She shivered and got out of bed. She grabbed black tank top and some jeans along with underwear and walked to the shower. She set her stuff on the counter and continued to have a shower. 20 minutes later she was out. She quickly dressed and walked out of the bathroom, quickly glancing at the clock. She still had a little while before school. Collie grabbed a maroon beanie and placed it on her hand and she grabbed some sunglasses to hide her eyes...

Colette walked into the living room, spotting her backpack. She unzipped it and pulled out a textbook. She couldn't remember if she had anything due but why not read a textbook? And besides, Collie had some time to blow. Collie walked over to the couch and sat down, flipping the textbook to a random page. Collie read the title of the unit. "Well then... This should be interesting..." Collie said, trying to amuse herself. She started to read. Minutes later she was bored... She didn't even pay attention to what she read and it was too boring to re read. Collie glanced at the clock. It seemed like life was in slow motion because time was barely passing.

Abigail hadn't meant to stay up all night, really she hadn't. Though it would be dishonest to say that she hadn't foreseen it as a possibility. She hadn't slept at all last night, having been far too busy reading all her textbooks front to back. Again. She, like most Multichromes, had not received much in the means of education during the Trials, and she wanted to make sure she was caught up with the rest of the class, or at least as caught up as she'd allow herself to think she could get. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that the others had all studied even harder, and would be far more knowledgeable than herself, so she'd have to try her very best just to keep up.

It was then that Abigail glanced up from the text before her, and saw the time on the clock she kept on her wall. It was later than she had anticipated, but thankfully not so late that she didn't have time to get ready for school. It was however, late enough that she'd have to forgo the short amount of sleep she'd planned on catching.

Dismissing this as a direct result of her own actions that could not be changed now, an assessment that was actually fairly accurate for once, Abby began preparing for the coming schoolday. Quickly, she showered, threw on her clothes and jacket, grabbed her school supplies, and left the room, taking care to lock the door behind her. Because she left early, Abigail arrived at the school early. In fact, she was the first person there that she could see, not counting a few teachers. Seeing this as an opportunity to review the material they'd be studying today once more, she took her seat and retrieved her history book.

Lilliana was tired. Sure, everyone else in the entire village was probably tired, well who wouldn't be after having to wake up at six in the morning. She resembled a zombie raising from the grave as she dragged her sleep deprived body from her warm, comfy bed. Rubbing her eyes, she gingerly crossed the cold, unforgiving floor. Escaping several instances where she almost slammed into a few walls, she finally made it to her bathroom. Turning the shower facet, the water poured down, creating steam. After deciding that the water warm enough to suit her needs, she peeled off her pajamas, and stepped into the wall of cascading warmness. The water was refreshing, and seemed to open her eyes much more then before. Her lemon shampoo filled the air with its pungent aroma. After making sure that no more suds were in her hair, she stepped out, only to be greeted by the chilling air.

When her body was warm, she walked over to her closet, and began to look for a suitable outfit. She finally decided on something casual, a button down shirt, some jeans and sneakers. She tamed that tangled mess of wet hair that sat upon her head. Running her ringers through her hair, she blow-dried it quickly. Grabbing her iPod and wallet, she shoved them into a purple backpack, which held all of her books, and walked out of her room, locking the door behind her.

Lilliana was rather hungry, so she headed for the dinner. When she entered, Lilliana took a seat, and got a bagel and some milk. She could absolutely, in no possible way, have coffee. Caffeine to her is like giving a three year old soda. She'll be bouncing off the walls for hours. When her food was given to her, she ate it graciously.

Katheryn wakes up with a start. Her alarm clock has been ringing for about an hour and Kathy hits it with her fist. She stands up, pops her neck and rubs her temple.
"Fucking trials."
Katheryn picks up a knife from her table and throws it at the picture of one of her trial tormentors on her door. Bullseye. Kathy pulls on a black t-shirt and pants and snaps on her choker. She walks to the bathroom, dragging her face down to look like some demented freak. As she reaches it she tugs at her ebony black hair and lazily puts on eyeshadow to cover her rainbowness and puts in black contacts to compliment her black lipstick, black eyeshadow, black- everything. She grabs her skeleton bag and slings it over her shoulder, throwing a knife over her shoulder at her bedroom door. Bullseye.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

As Kathy walks down her stairs toward the pool, she sees a pale girl with crimson hair and a white hoodie smoking and doing homework. Haha, she thought, she looks like a girlier version of me when I was thirteen. She's definitely fatter though. As Kathy walked by her she tossed her an extra pack of cigarettes that land on the middle of the girl's keyboard.
"Enjoy it before the monsters get yah." Kathy walks out of the gate and plops down at the bus stop that goes to Blue Sabbath, a venue that is hosting her favorite punk band today. She doesn't even look across the street, where the school is. She just keeps her head down and her profile low, as always.

Markus

Markus finally strolled out of bed and into the shower before Madeline beat him to it. She likes to take forever in the shower leaving him with cold water. He quickly locked the door and heard her bang on it for a couple of minutes and then storm away angrily. He didn't have time to deal with her attitiude this morning, but what could he do.

The shower was hot and he seemed to massage his skin as he washed his body. He ran his hands through his wet hair and then he stood under the hot water for a little while longer. He dreaded his school. He was away from his sister and he couldn't take that. He tried texting her throughout class, but she stopped texting him back. She was clearly getting annoyed with him. But how else was he supposed to make sure she was okay. He let out a sigh and turned off the water and wrapped a towel around himself. He looked in the mirror and frowned. He could see the scars from when he was in the trials. They were ugly.

He walked out of the bathroom into his room. He didn't want to look in the mirror anymore. They were just reminders. "You can have the bathroom." He shut his bedroom door and blasted music from his ipod. He couldn't handle the silence. He picked out a simple t-shirt and some dark blue jeans to wear. He logged off his laptop and put it in his backpack. He put the text under his bed and he grabbed his ipod. He walked to the kitchen and could hear the water running meaning his sister was in the shower. They had some time kill before class, but he wasn't one to be late.

---

Madeline

Madeline had picked out her clothes for the school day ahead and she was about to go an shower, but Markus had beat her to it. She heard the click of the lock and she banged on the bathroom door and went back to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and looked at her laptop that was open and on. It was a picture of their parents. She stilled missed them and cared about her even if they gave her away. She didn't deserve that, but she quickly got over it. Madeline has been trying to find her parents, but it has been hopeless when Markus confines her within these walls. The shower was off and Maddie stood up. "You can have the bathroom."

The door to his room shut and music blasted. Madeline just shook her headn and waltzed into the bathroom. It was full of steam from his shower and it was comforting. She turned on the water yet again to a lower heat. She can't take the high heat pains like her brother can. She stepped into the shower and allowed the water to soothed her mind. She allowed the water to massage her head as the water ran through her hair. After bathing she turned off the water and stepped out wrapping a towel around herself. She looked in the mirror and smiled. She ignored the ugly scar on her shoulder and continued on her merry way.

She went back into her bedroom, dried off, and put on the clothes that set out for herself. She dried hair and ran a brush through it. She pushed up her hipster glasses and laughed. She thought she looked ridiculous, but she grabbed her backpack and left the room. Markus was already in the kitchen making them breakfast. She grabbed an apple and ate the eggs he set out for her and then walked towards the front door. "Let's go Markus." She said walking out of the house.

Collie seemed to have dozed off and woke up not long after. She glanced at the clock and she had not a lot of time to get to school. "Crap!" She exclaimed and jumped from the couch. She rushed around the room, gathering her backpack and coat and pulling on her sneakers.. She didn't want to be late... In the trials.... There were bad memories linked with being late. Collie shivered at the thought and opened the door. It was a nice day outside, barely a cloud in the sky.. The sun was high up and shining bright so Collie had to hold her hand up to shade her eyes. She started off down the street.. She started to think about the other multichromes she'd be meeting today... She wondered what they were like.

Kathy looked up as the dust settled around the bus. She was super excited but contained herself and put a passive expression on. "Oi! You getting on or not?" Kathy checked the number on the bus and sighed. She shook her head and the bus rolled away, Kathy looking down again and clutching her bag nervously. She hoped she didn't get caught.