Today’s the day. My eighteenth birthday. Today i become an adult and get to leave the government insitution i’ve called home my whole life.

When caring for a child became too expensive for the average person, the government created a program for kids to be raised in the insitution.

I used to think about it a lot. How my family was able to give me up and hand me over to the government. But i try to remember they had no choice in the matter and having never met my parents was probably the easiest option. Ive heard horror stories of families trying to keep their children and having them physically tore from their hands.

The insitution wasnt so bad. Modelled after the best boarding school in the world, the insitution focused on traditional education, and expected us to continue our learning through university once we left our “home”.

I however, had other plans. I was going to become a tattoo artist. I had no idea how to go about this career path and had only seen tattoos in old photos, as they were forbidden at the insitution. I used to get caught drawing on my skin with markers until i realized i had to keep my art hiden under my uniform. From then on i always had something decorating my thighs.

“Its time” our floor attendant said as she poked her head into my room.

I was ready to go. With my packed bags by the door, i looked around the room. This was where i had spent the last 18 years of my life and now i was leaving it forever. I expected to feel sad, but sadness never came. I was too excited to get out and experience the real world.

After signing my release forms and collecting any documents i would need, i was out the door.

The sun was shining and as i took a deep breathe in, i could smell the ocean. It smelled like freedom.