5th

Cassidy crouched behind her metal bed, under stress.

Ring.

She yelled in pain, thrusting her head against the bed.

Ring.

Then she threw her bed sheets, and flung the furniture aagainst the walls.

It stopped.

The ringing occured every morning, and the only way she could get rid of it was to lash out her anger and frustration. Nobody could see her like this, not yelling when she heard ringing and when everyone else heard nothing. Besides, today was Forthcoming Day, and there was no way they would accept her into the building.

Cassidy's home was beneath the soil, where all the pipes were. When she was younger, she would beg her father so that they could move somewhere else. But then she had gotten used to it. "It's quiet at least," she reassured herself. But when the ringing noise came, there was no peace at all.

After pulling on her leather boots, she flung on her bag and locked her door. There was a typical path known for being a short cut, but her father preffered her to take the "safe way".

"Dad's not even here," Cassidy scowled. "And I'm not a baby."

So she decided to take the faster way. In front of her was a long, metal pipe, which stretched to a ladder where the latch was. Carefully, she angled her feet and crossed slowly. "So much for a short cut," she whispered to herself. She was already halfway there, so what was the point in going all the way back. "I could crawl," Cassidy thought, her arms shaking left and right. However, sharp chunks of lead lined the pipe. Cassidy nearly slipped off to her death when she felt the needles pluck her delicate skin.

Almost there.

She was nearly there, and could feel beads of sweat trickle down her forehead.

As she grabbed the ledge, she pulled her tired body up. She grabbed the railing, opened the latch, and-

Fresh, earth air. But her worries were set on being late for Forthcoming Day.