A Chance.

My heart was pounding wildly in my ears. I could hear shouts and curses behind me.

''Get her! She must be caught.''

I pushed my poor exhausted body on, towards the blue. If I could only reach the sea, I stood a chance. Max had taught me how to swim when I was five; ten years before 'they' took over, with the promise of a better life, a future, equality. Since then, no-one on this small island was allowed near the ocean. We couldn't stray from the perimeters of the electric fence. Anyone who did manage to escape was shot on sight. After months of planning, and with help, I was now running.

A gunshot! Another. I was fast, but I couldn't avoid them like this for much longer, and the throbbing pain in my left arm and up my neck were really starting to affect me mentally and physically.

I had no choice. I had to do it, just like they said, or I'd never make it.

I saw my chance. A dense copse of bushes was up ahead. I needed about 20 seconds, I guessed. I grabbed my penknife from a hidden pocket on the inside of my arm and a shoelace I had managed to take unnoticed. While I ran, I used my teeth and my right arm to tie the lace as tightly as I could around my upper arm, just below the shoulder. I ducked behind a small shrub, landed on my knees and before I think about it, jabbed the sharp end of my knife into a point between my shoulder and the shoelace. Fire exploded through my shoulder as the steel made contact with another piece of metal. I slid the tip of my knife under the device and pushed up. I was seeing stars, and my vision blurred with the pain, but I had to get the tracker out. The tracker also set off painful electric pulses if the 'host' passed the fence.

'They' had planned for this, and the damned thing also contained a long wire that was inserted into a vein in the arm, making it harder to remove. I grabbed the end of the shoelace in between my teeth and pulled it as hard as I could, to stem the bleeding, and to try to numb the nerves.

I flipped the device out of the slit in my flesh as much as I could and I pulled. A stream of pain like hot lava zipped up my arm and I retched with the shock. But still I pulled until the wretched device and its 'rat's tail' were free of my body. I hurled it into the forest and I listened.

I could hear a voice. ''She's headed towards the forest. Go!''

The voices became more distant, but I knew that they'd soon find the device, and begin looking for me once they knew what I'd done.

I began jogging, and then running towards the sea. I only had about another hundred yards to go. A drop came into view. And I jumped.

The sea hit me like concrete and then I began to sink in panic. I had never actually dived into such a large body of water, and for a moment I lost control. ''Kick'', I thought. ''Push up!''

I gasped for air and quickly began swimming the short distance over to 'Island B'. My light cargo pants, vest and tennis shoes didn't hold on to much water, so I soon made the distance.

Hands grabbed my upper arms and quickly pulled me into a nearby wood. I was told someone would meet me, I was not to talk to them, and that they'd lead me to the cottage. The man had hidden his face with a black scarf. He marched me silently towards a glowing light in the distance.

'Island B' had more liberties than we had on 'Island E'. The residents here were 'useful' and more important to 'the cause'. They were mainly medical professionals and highly qualified people in general. They didn't have rationing like us, and they did not have to have a tracker enforceably inserted. Land was extremely scarce, and until humans grew gills, we had to obey the people who claimed it. Food, as a result of the lack of land, was also scarce, and the seas had been destroyed and over-fished by our ancestors. We lived on simple lab-grown protein and a porridge like substance. Chemically produced vitamins kept us as healthy as we could be without a varied diet. Medical care was unavailable for the likes of us. I had risked my life getting here to come to see my sister, Elle. She had trained as an emergency doctor. I was desperate. She knew I was coming.

The 'cottage', had a beautiful country garden and a low white fence. It was early evening, and a small lamp was in the window. Electricity was not rationed here, either. I had become used to lying on a bunk in the dorm in the dark, wishing for sleep to take me, when I would have given a day's rations just to have a nightlight. The images in my brain became worse in the dark. Nightlights and torches were forbidden.

Elle stood at the door looking much as I remembered, except she was thinner. She looked tired. Her once jet-black hair had highlights at the front. Our mother would have hated those.

Elle silently pulled me inside, closed the door, and looked at me. She was wearing mother's silver heart shaped locket. I knew if I looked inside, there'd be two miniature photos of my mother and father. I felt tears prick my eyes. I hope the rumours were true, and that they had escaped to the 'Colonies'. They were islands a few hundred miles away where 'they' didn't rule. People lived in peace, much like life before the 'Great Melt.'

''Go and change. There are dry clothes in the bathroom. Don't as any questions. I will help you, but then you must go.''

I nodded, and did as she said, changing into more cargo pants, a t-shirt and dry hiking shoes.

''Aren't you coming with me?'' I stared at her, but she wouldn't look back. Her eyes instead stayed on the tiled floor.

''I can't. I am useful here. You know that. You can't ask this.''

I didn't respond. She was right. Her skills could save so many lives. The 'Island' residents needed as much medical help as they were allowed.

''I know. But there's no way back after this. No way for me to see you.''

Elle reached for the silver locket, grasping it between her finger and thumb.

''I know.'' She said softly. ''But this is for the best. Go and find them. Please. I'll know if you do. I will feel it. Now, come on, the boat arrives in one hour. They won't wait.''

********************************************************

As I sat huddled up in a woollen blanket on a bench on the small vessel, I felt fear and excitement churn up the nerves in my stomach. Would I find them? Would they know me after all these years, and would I know them? Elle had given me the silver locket so that I could use the little photos to try to trace them. To see if anyone recognised them.

The full moon shone amicably down on the simple little vessel. She seemed to bless me, and I needed her blessing. I rocked with the gentle waves, keeping my eyes on the horizon.