[ IP ] Humanity survives only in Towers . Tell any story that takes place in this world .

`` It's not like I even wanted to go to the Top anyway, of course. But when you get called up all personal, you've got ta go.'' There was nothing Ria loved more than telling other people things: things about how the world worked, things about her day, things that were n't true, it did n't matter. She loved to hear herself talk, and the larger the audience the better. At the moment, she had just returned to MT112 after being the first from 112 to see the Upper Levels in four generations, and she had a crowd. 
 
 `` You take a lift at first, same as here,'' Ria explained to her eager audience, `` all creaking and smoking, so you know it's moving proper. But they got us out at 150! We all wondered if they found out they made some mistake,'cause we been that high before, no problem. Midi Market's on 150, anyone over 10's been for at least some errands. And the lift can go to at least 185, and you know those higher numbers all fell off or something. 
 
 `` Anyway, we get out on 150, they look us over, and march us out to this old lady. And she starts to talk, tells us this whole thing'raising up,''promising youth,' all that you know? Typical Uppo speak. Takes us through this door, and it musta been another lift, because I felt it start to move upward, but there was no solid machines moving, no smoke, and it was way too quiet. Just unnatural...'' 
 
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 Ria looked around, timid for probably the first time in her life. This was like no lift she had ever seen. The letters for each Floor were shiny, like they had some kind of light behind them. The lift seemed to only stop at one Level on each Floor, and she had n't even heard of most of them. She'd been out of Midi once before, down to Metra where her father had worked. But here, on the long panel of illuminated numbers and letters, those familar nicknames were nowhere to be seen. MT was Midi of course, and ME was Metra. Her brother had gone down to Morro once, and when he returned made her promise never to do the same. But other than that, she was at a loss. 
 
 Two Floors were lit with a soft red instead of white: MAL right below Morrow's MC and UCL right above MI. Above UCL, all the floors began with U: UR, UG, US. The Upper Levels. Everyone knew about the Upper Levels, in some vague way. Uppos came down sometimes, like they felt like they were being charitable by just letting lower Floors even see them. They always wore long clothes and bright colors and smelled weird. Most of Midi would flock around them, trying to catch a glance. She never did though. They should be flocking around to see *her*! 
 
 More fascinating, however, was below MAL: the first was LH followed by LS, LR, and more. There were as many L's as M's, and there were F's even below that. People spoke sometimes of the `` Lower Floors,'' as a threat for bad children or a potential punishment for the worst criminals, but she'd never seen proof they existed before now. She'd never really believed it. She looked around, a little worried the Boogeyman would be real too. 
 
 Everyone else looked anxious too, except the Uppos of course. Ria edged closer to Nor, nudged his side, and shrugged toward the panel of Lower Floors. Nor was from 115, so in terms of the tower they were practically neighbors, especially considering there were only twenty kids here, from all of Midi. This fact had made the two fast friends in the 5 or so minutes they'd milled around, waiting for the Uppos. Nor's eyes widened and he turned to meet her glance. 
 
 Before either could say anything, the old lady Uppo cleared her throat, smiled, and pressed a button Ria had n't noticed. T. 
 
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 `` I do n't know how anyone can live up there. There's no good solid ceiling holding you in. It feels like you'll just fall right out.'' 
 
 
 
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 My first writing prompt response... I'm actually going to write more later, but I felt like world building instead of Essay-ing, so I should probably get back to that. Also, not really enough plot happening in here yet.: P
