𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭

3

"How was it?" I asked as she stepped back behind me, still fiddling with her band.

"This thing is so cool!"

I choke back a giggle and let the lady undo my band, watching her put it into the box with wide eyes. I can't believe I never took that off for eight years.

"Smile!"

I grinned for the camera, hoping the lights at the back of the cubicle wouldn't wash me out. The lady tapped in a few buttons and handed my my band as an automated voice buzzed out,

"Congratulations, Maia S. McKnight, you are now a full citizen of Eden."

I was so happy as I was handed my watch that I didn't even notice the small prick as the lady pinned my new chip behind my ear.

Congratulations, Maia S. McKnight, you are now a full citizen of Eden. The mechanical voice rang in my ear. I can't believe I'm old enough to be a full citizen. I'm old enough to go to college. Old enough to get a job.

"It feels great, doesn't it?" Sandra commented as they skipped out of the building. "I've wanted to work in the hospitals forever- and now... I can finally apply as a medical intern! Maybe once I start working, my family will-"

I nodded along, feeling as if I was floating on a cloud. I could get a job. I could move my family out of East Division. I could...

Sandra's chirping was cut off by the beep of the loudspeakers on the street corner, and we all turned to listen, our shouts dissipating into whispers.

"All graduates celebrating their first Offering Festival, please come to the square for a short presentation before your selection."

Sandra beamed. "Maia! We get to watch the sunrise!" she grabbed my wrist and tugged pulling me into the square with her.

The buildings surrounding the square were all decorated with gold and green streamers, and the crowd was warm and alight with chattering. Sandra and I plopped down next to the fountain in the middle, which was tightly coiled with laurels in celebration. A marble bust of Governor Mason perched over the fountain, his hand pointing east. All town squares in East Division had the statue, and a similar one was probably mandatory for other divisions as well.

At one end of the square, a makeshift stage was set, embellished with green banners and colorful flowers. An image of Eden's flag was projected onto a screen at the back, shining in all its glory.

"Welcome, graduates!" a white haired- man shouted, holding out his hands as he addressed the crowd. "We have a short exhibit for you, straight from our beloved Governor Mason!"

"Straight from Governor Mason? I thought that the Chairman representing each division would announce their Offering," I whispered in Sandra's ear.

She shrugged and put a finger to her lips, and I had to bite my hand to keep from laughing. Normally it was me that shushed her.

The talking dimmed as all the lights in the square went dark, with only the pale glow of the rising sun to guide us. A collective gasp ran through the audience as a hologram of the governor rose up from the stage. From the sound, I figured that no one expected the presentation to be live,and the governor was even more intimidating as a ten- foot hologram.

"Greetings, citizens of East Division!" Governor Mason held out his hands, his thin lips curling into a forced smile. "I'm glad you could make it to this year's Offering Festival. As you know, the monstrous Tempests pummel against the border walls day and night, and it is only the yearly sacrifices and Sunday Patrol that keep them at bay." The governor frowned, as if expressing his disgust for the monsters, before continuing. "It is an honor for a citizen of Eden to be chosen to die for their country, so we can live!" there he paused, allowing us to cheer in unison. "We are working to establish a new patrol-" Governor Mason cut himself off as he let out a hacking cough. I cringed as I spotted something dark stain the side of his mouth.

Blood.