The Tests

Four

I open my front door and my mother grabs my arm and pulls me inside.
"Hurry up! You don't have much more time to get ready!"
I slowly walk down the hallway towards the wash room. I step inside and see a large metal bin with water in it. My bath. I take my clothes off and slip into the ice cold water. I grab the bar of soap and begin to scrub myself from head to toe. The water soon turns a light brown color and I know it's time to get out. I walk into me and Lynn's room with a thin towel wrapped around me. I see Lynn observing herself in the cracked mirror sitting against a wall. An outfit has been laid out on the bed for me by my mother. It looks like something I'd wear to church. It's a white button down shirt and a black dress skirt with black flats and pantyhose.I put it on and laugh when I see myself in the mirror. I don't look like myself.
"I look like the Mulan of the business world!" I say to Lynn and we both begin to laugh.

Me and Lynn head down the hall hand in hand ready to go. We see our mother in a black knee length dress. My happiness fades. We aren't happy. We shouldn't be.
"Are you two ready to go?" My mother asks. Lynn and I both look to each other and nod. Time to go.

We hurry along through the streets filled with people walking to the square. It's almost five o'clock. Lynn squeezes my hand harder and harder the closer we get to the square.

Soon enough we're standing on the front steps of the auditorium in the square. Everyone's calm and quiet. It would be peaceful if we weren't waiting to hear who's getting sent to die. We all step inside and sit in the velvet seats and wait for the mayor to call the names. Once everyone is seated the Mayor stands up behind a podium.
"As you all know today is the ceremony in which four families names are drawn and four champions will join us here on stage." He says. The mayor waits for applause but it doesn't come so he continues.
"The tests were designed all but twenty years ago. Every year four champions from each city will be sent to take these tests. Some may score high enough on the academic part. Others who don't will be sent into the survival part of the test and so forth-"
Everyone looks more nervous now.
"Alright it's time to draw the names. Ah the first family is... The Andrews family." Lynn's face goes red. I began to walk towards the stage and my mother grabs my arm.
"Well I don't see either of you ready to go up there!" I hiss. I yank my arm free and walk up to the stage. I completely zone out for all but the last name. The last name is the Davidsons. Matt's family. I look around in the audience and see Matt's older brother approach the stage. I look at Matt and he mouths the words, "He'll keep my promise for me." I shudder with relief.
"I present this year's four champions!" The mayor shouts. Still no applause.
"You will all be escorted to a car. Two to a car please. Thank you and goodnight!"
"WAIT! I DIDN'T GET TO SAY GOODBYE! LET ME SAY GOODBYE!"
Guards begin to escort the girl who's yelling out of the auditorium. Another girl on the stage is crying so I assume whoever's yelling was a loved one. Pretty soon guards are escorting us out to the cars as everyone else files out of the auditorium.

I sit in a car with Matt's brother Damon. I don't know what I'm feeling right now so I keep my face blank. We're not being broad casted in here so it's ok if I cry. Damon starts to talk but I tune him out and stare out the window. I blink a couple of times and sure enough a couple of tears slide down my cheeks. I wipe them away quickly though. I don't have time to and and be sad about the fact that I might not make it home. Over and over I review what I've learned academically so far in my life. That's what's important.

We sit in the car for another few hours before the driver stops to refuel and we can get out and use the bathroom. Our instructor Charlotte Dupree is walking around in her elegant dress and tall heels. By the look of it she isn't much older than I am. I walk over to her.
"So where are we going?" I ask nonchalantly.
"The rulers utopia!" She exclaims exitedly.
"Oh-"
"It's very beautiful there. I think you'll like it."
"Any chance they'll send me home for a head cold?" I joke.
"Not even. If you have a high enough score on the academic half then you'll go home. I think you might even make it out of the survival half. You have a strong build. You have actual muscles. And you like you know a thing or two About survival." Charlotte said.
I nodded just as it was time to leave again. I said back into the seat of the car and thought about every single thing I ever learned. I sure as heck was gonna be tough to beat!