[ WP ] You 're referred to as a number until age 18 , where you recieve a name based on your personality . On your 18th birthday , you receive far more than just one name .

`` Mom, I do n't understand why we have to do this. I love being 243789493890498478.'' 
 
 Mom, just shook her head. `` Darling, there's nothing like getting your name! It's.. It's...'' 
 
 She gestured expansively. Probably meaning something about all the stuff that was out there in the world, like rainbows and puppies and volcanos and random acts of kindness. 
 
 I followed her through the door, shaking my head. `` Yeah, yeah. I just do n't understand why everyone has to make a big deal out of it. It's just a name.'' 
 
 `` It's *your* name. It's yours and only yours.'' 
 
 I laughed under my breath, a little winded. `` You're not the only Reia Sakoda.'' 
 
 She grinned back at me. `` Yes, but I'm the only one that is your mother. Now, look! He's here!'' 
 
 The dark-skinned gentleman tipped his hat, as he walked up the steps. The shiny briefcase had envelopes in it. Dozens of them, maybe even a hundred. Today, this man was going to deliver names to people who were old enough to finally know who they were meant to be. 
 
 `` Hello, 243789493890498478.'' He knelt an opened the case, pulling out one crisp, white envelope. `` I believe this is yours.'' 
 
 `` Thank you.'' 
 
 -- 
 
 > *Dear 243789493890498478, * 
 
 > *Congratulations! * 
 > *Your name is Alex Sakoda. * 
 
 > *The International Bureau of Names* 
 
 -- 
 
 `` Alex!'' Mom hugged me tightly. `` That's a beautiful name.'' 
 
 I crumpled the letter in my hands, trying to breathe evenly. Alex. My name was Alex. Nice. Useful. 
 
 `` Mom, it's time for my dose.'' 
 
 She glanced at her watch, gasping in surprise. `` Oh, right!'' 
 
 She scurried back inside as I turned my wheelchair around. 
 
 `` Alex.'' 
 
 The man's voice was surprisingly high pitched, with a slight tremor. 
 
 I spun my chair around, all of waist high and annoyed. `` Yeah?'' 
 
 `` We at the bureau wanted to give you this, off the books.'' 
 
 A small box. He placed it in my hands and turned away. His shape receded in the distance, past the gate and into the street. Hundreds of envelopes. Hundreds of them. 
 
 `` Alex! Hurry!'' 
 
 -- - 
 
 My parents slept in the room above mine. Sometimes they would talk into the night. Sometimes they would yell. I heard something breaking once or twice and I did n't know if they were objects or voices that were crashing into each other. 
 
 When their noises stopped and their creaking ceased, I pulled the package out from under my pillow. Small. Plain white paper, maybe even printer paper. Actually, definitely printer paper. It broke away easily. 
 
 Inside was a small toy. The kind that you could look through and see pictures in. it was old, that was easy to say. Definitely older than the Oculus Rift Dad had in the garage and refused to let go. 
 
 I held it up to the face and in the dim light of the room, I could make out nothing. It was empty. 
 
 Inside was a small card, more like a scrap of the same paper they used to wrap the paper in. 
 
 `` To reset the game, pull the lever.'' 
 
 I pulled the lever. 
 
 -- - 
 
 ETA: Formatting
