The Test. Please Read, Posting welcome

[emblo]

I love the story, very interesting.^^ I hope you continue it.

[hazelnut]

Index-
X Prologue
X Chapter One
X Chapter Two
X Chapter Three
X Chapter Four
X Chapter Five
X Chapter Six
X Chapter Seven

Sandro

I ran my fingers through my short brown hair, feeling them catch on the knots seemed oddly reassuring. When it was my turn, I had passed the test. I had been thirteen at the time, and part of one of the first groups to take it. At that time the test was very new. The horror stories and rumours had not yet spread, so we hadn’t been scared when we went to take it. We hadn’t even been worried. Now I was worried, I was really worried.

The wind dragged the approaching buses acrid fumes into my nose. Rubbish danced around the ground stirred up the winds presence. Thick musty smog caused the weaker of those gathered to wheeze and cough. Sometime during the overpopulation crisis people had given up worrying about global warming and saving the planet. The only thing that now mattered was saving the human race, in a way it had always been like that.

I welcomed the smell because it brought the possibility of seeing my sister again. I prayed that she was on that bus, her blonde haired little frame ready to be smothered in a hug. Her bright green eyes full of their normal hope and giddiness. I missed the way she smiled, how it always added that touch of mischief and rebellion to her face. It had only been two days, but it had been the longest two days of my life. Now more than anything, even more than I wanted to be breathing tomorrow morning, I wanted my sister Sophie back.

I was not a rich man. In possessions I owned little more than the clothes on my back, but I was still luckier than some. For I had a home to go to, to hide from the harsh storms of the winter and the fierce rays of the summer. Some of those who had gathered clearly didn’t have such luxuries, but others clearly had even more. This particular bus stop was in a zone where both rich and poor villages resided, so both areas of life gathered as the bus rolled in.

The bus squeaked like a nervous school child as it stopped. The doors hissed after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. Drawn like metal to a magnet, the crowd surged forward leaving me at the back. Try as I might, I couldn’t see anything. Cries of relief echoed through the air followed by cries of anguish as it became clear no one else was getting off the bus.

I pushed my way roughly to the front yelling my sister's name. The air had quickly become a tight storm of emotions. There was the soft rain of relief, the dense fog of shock, the thick clouds of grief and the hot lightning bolts of anger. At the moment I felt like a desperate wind, but I turned to a hurricane as I realized that Sophie was not there. She hadn’t come home, and now she was as good as dead.

I reeled back as if a bullet had struck my chest. The air was forced out my lungs. All I could do is watch as a few angry people gathered their senses and threw a couple badly aimed rocks at the bus as it fled, but it was gone before my body allowed movement. Those who had recovered their children quickly left the scene. Some who had lost children collapsed in dysphoria. Though I simply turned on my heel and started the long, lonely journey home.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t sad about losing Sophie, I felt heartbroken, but one clear thought allowed me to move. It was the same thought that had unfrozen me at the bus stop like a microwave melts ice, revenge. Revenge burned like a wildfire in my heart. Charged with thoughts of vengeance it ran through my veins faster than speed of light. I would not rest until I had crushed each and everyone of their puny heads under my boot. I would do whatever it takes to avenge Sophie, if I died so be it.

As I wasn’t rich, my house wasn’t much to look at. It was a simple shack beside sandy dust road. I stepped through the door and recoiled at the stench. Sophie and I were kind of like the local butchers. We would hunt the woods hoping to strike lucky at its barren bounty, Then we would take it home, butcher it, take what we need and attempt to sell the rest. It wasn’t a bad life but it really stunk after as short an abandonment as two days.

The walk had done little to cool my anger and I smiled with satisfaction at the thundering slam the door made behind me. I scanned the house and was unsurprised to find several possessions stolen. Relief flooded me as I saw Sophie’s things remained untouched. Even if they were robbers, they still had respect. No one would steal a child’s stuff while they were away taking the test. Or perhaps the thieves were superstitious, it was commonly believed to do such a thing would bring horrible events on you and those you loved. I shrugged, it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered any more, Sophie was gone. But I planned to get her back.

Sorry this one took so long, I blame my homework. I'll admit this ones quality kind of slipped.... Sorry.

[hazelnut]

bump. Will try to get chapter three up soon, sorry have been flooded with homework :L

[hazelnut]

Index-
X Prologue
X Chapter One
X Chapter Two
X Chapter Three
X Chapter Four
X Chapter Five
X Chapter Six
X Chapter Seven



Bryce

I tried not to think about those who didn’t pass as I walked to the bus. The handcuffs hurt and my wrists bled where they had cut the skin. I tried not to think about that either. All I wanted to think about was how I was going home. I would see my family, and I would laugh and play again. I would live worry free.
Except I wouldn’t. I knew I would spend the rest of my life wondering about the horrors all the children who didn’t pass had been subject to.

I was a coward. I had grown up with those kids. Yet I still walked away and tried to pretend I couldn’t hear their screams. Tried to trick my mind into believing I hadn’t just seen Jessica get shot, but it didn’t work. Those screams wouldn’t get out of my ears and the memory of Jessica’s death stood firm in front of my minds eye. Even though she was dead I could hear her voice the loudest. She howled at me to do something, that by walking away I was just as bad as the guard who shot her. Somewhere deep in my brain I knew that these were not Jessica’s harsh words. Even so they ripped through me sharp as a diamond blade.

I shouldn’t have passed the test. Something had gone wrong. At any second I expected a guard to walk up and tell me I was with the wrong group, that I needed to step into the first torture chamber to my right, but no one did.
It didn’t make any sense. I was a rag-boy, from one of the poorest slums in the country. I could barely read, let alone write. As for genetic potential? Unless they’re looking to make a world of ugly, pig-nosed, acne-plagued, and boring brown haired people then I must have failed that category too. Something was definitely wrong.

The screams faded away and my footsteps seemed to grow louder. A scowling guard gave me a rough shove and growls me to move it. I struggled to regain my balance then scramble a head like a startled bug. The guards all roared in laughter as if scowling guard had made a hilarious joke. I clenched my fists in anger, but not because they were laughing at me, because they were laughing. This was not a place of laughter. This was a place of horror and of sadness, but comedy? No, that just seemed offensive.

I moved closer to the other children, hoping to find sanctuary from the bully guards in numbers. As I examined my companions I find that my silent prediction that the majority of them are richer children was correct. The children were wearing far posher gowns than I was. Compared to one of the boys, my simple rags looked like a loincloth. He wore a smart yet casual suit along with brown loafers. As I tried to examine his haircut though I realised he had spotted me looking at him, so I quickly turned my head.

On our cheerful little march to the bus, we were only outside for less than a second. I managed a short glimpse at the surroundings though. In the small area I could see that was not blocked by the bus, my eyes showed me chainlink fences that were at least two stories high. Past the vast amounts of heavily armed guards lay a large rocky desert, that I guessed it must have been a dried up lake. Mountains lined the horizon to finish a postcard worthy landscape.
“This ‘aint no scenic tour kid.” A guard barked as he hit me roughly with the back of his rifle, ”Move your butt!” I winced as I fell onto the stairs of the bus. It hurt heaps and I felt tears push at my eyes, but I refused to give that scum of a person any satisfaction. A thousand curse words came to my head but I bit my tongue as I found a spot on the blacked-out bus.

The ride had an eerie silent atmosphere. We were left in our thoughts, but my own felt too painful to face. Instead I allowed my eyes to travel. One child seemed happy, presumably about passing, but the smile on his face still sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t even imagine ever being able to smile again after that horror show.
Another child looked on the verge of pulling their hair out. Her hands grasped clumps of her honey locks in a vicious tug as she slowly rocked back and forward. I worried that the girl might be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but with her next actions she diagnosed herself as insane.
“Monsters!” She screamed at the guards as she leapt to her feet, “Monsters! You stand here, not even caring even though you know those kids were just ordered to their deaths! Their slow, horrible deaths! You might even be helping conduct their tortures tomorrow! But you don’t even care!” Guards stormed towards her but she seemed to care as little as they did about the failed children.
“Monsters!” She repeated, her voice breaking. “Monsters!” She cursed obscenities, that your grandmother would have fainted at, as they pulled her to the ground. Then they injected her with something and she ceased to move, ceased to breathe, for the rest the trip.

The bus only made two stops. At the first stop every child other than me got off. The music we drove off to was a melody of mournful cries with the sound of bouncing rocks as drumbeats. The guards mostly ignored me, but throughout the lonely ride they turned to give me disturbing looks. Their eyes were daring, as if wishing I would make an outburst like the poor girl whose body lay a crumpled wreck on the floor. One might have thought they enjoyed killing children.
I spent the trip with only the company of the dead girl. Though I didn't dare speak out loud, I spoke to her through my mind. So? I would ask her, Is it peaceful when you die? Do you meet your friends again? Have you seen Jessica? My eyes never left her limp body, and not once did she show signs of hearing me.

“Last stop!” The bus driver called, in a voice that suggested he was joking. I stood and tried to avoid standing on the poor girl as I made my way to the front. Think positive, I scolded myself, Put all this behind you. Remember, now you can continue your life! Happy thoughts! But all my inner eye saw was scenes that belonged in nightmares.

[hazelnut]

Index-
X Prologue
X Chapter One
X Chapter Two
X Chapter Three
X Chapter Four
X Chapter Five
X Chapter Six
X Chapter Seven



Maria

The seat was even more uncomfortable than the last one I was chained to. It was a plain wooden chair that threatened to give me thousands of splinters. There wasn’t much to look at either. My wrist was once again stuck in the unreasonably sharp handcuffs, that were now attached to the chainlink fence door. Out of the door I could see no more than the occasional passing guard, nothing interesting. Blocking my view in all other directions was black walls made out of a seemingly indestructible material, so my only source of entertainment was the chatter of the other prisoners.

The guards had given up the battle to silence us, but as time passed the noise had slowly died. Some had been crushed into submission and lost all hope, but most could manage a curse or two at every view of a staff member they got. I figured the other children were in the same sort of cages as me, and I even got the impression that some had been drugged into an unconscious daze. All of that resulted in the chaos being subdued, but it wasn’t yet dead.

A particularly lively girl was imprisoned in the cage next to me. She told me her name was Annie, and she was by far the loudest shouter when the guards walked past.
“I can’t believe these people can do this! Don’t they have a conscience?” Annie said, as much to me as to the world.
“Maybe it’s not so bad,” I say quietly, “Maybe it’s really quick.”
“Sorry to break it to you kid, but these people are not pleasant.” Annie replied bitterly.
“It’s Maria.”
“What is?” Annie asked.
“My name, my name is Maria, not kid.” I state annoyed. I know I shouldn’t have been angry with Annie, it was just hard to hear someone say your father is a monster.
The whole time I had been battling my emotions. Gradually I had come to acceptance with the fact that the man who had brought me into this world was about to kick me out of it. Reluctantly I admitted to myself that my father had done this for years. He had authorised the torture and death warrants of so many children my age. My father was a monster.

The conversation ending rather abruptly after that. I was once again restricted from the sound of Annie’s voice, hearing nothing except for her lively as ever threats at the guards. The shouts grew stronger as the first child was snatched from a cage and paraded past the rest of us like our own personal death row.
“Die well!” A child called from further down the line.
“With courage!” Another added.
“I plan on it!” The child called as he was dragged away, I tried not to pay attention to how his fear broken voice drowned out his brave words.

That new development in events inspired the chaos to begin again. Doors rattled around me and the shouts deafened all ears. Screams of terror were weaved into the blast of noise as well as the outraged bangs of fist on the walls. A single voice though rose above the rest, it screeched about injustice, inhuman behaviour and the screwed up world. It took me awhile to realise the the voice was my own.
I could hear a harmony of voices in addition to my own, and it brought me confidence and pride. Here we were facing fate, but it felt as if even deaths icy touch could not silence our shout. We were united, and united we were strong. Strong, but not invincible.

For the second time the sound of hissing silenced us. I waited for the choking fumes to invade my lungs again, but nothing happened.
“It’s just the door!” A boy called from further down the line of cages. His voice was full of an odd mix of relief and pure terror. I could only guess what he was seeing. Clearly others were curious as well, and the silence quickly diminished into a sea of hushed, then loud, questions.
“Who is it?”
“What is it?”
“What’s happening?”
“Is it bad?” All the questions seemed to silence the shocked boy, and I was about to call for order when another more gruff voice did the job for me.
“Quiet!” The voice called and for the first time in ages we actually listened. I could hear the heavy thumps as his boots hit the ground. They advanced stepping confidently and intimidatingly through the fear filled fog of our heavy breaths. Then, in perhaps the scariest gesture all day, the man stopped right outside my cage.

My eyes traveled up the man’s black leather boots, camo patterned trousers and clean blazer that was decorated with various badges and medals. His jaw was set in a tight scowl that looked anything but kind. His pale face was accompanied by military style grey hair that was tipped in a snow white. I stared into his dark eyes defiantly when he looked into my own grey eyes with disgust.
He turned to look at the guard standing nearby and flicked his head in my direction. The guard rushed over nervously and opened my cage door. My heart started thumping. This was it, the end of the line. Now they would take me away and torture me mercilessly.
“Up.” The man ordered, but I kept my rebellious gaze on him. A low growl sounded from his throat menacingly. “Up!” He ordered again this time gesturing with his rough finger. I stayed still. In all honesty I refused to move less because I was trying to make a stand and more because the most basic part of my brain feared death.

It didn’t take long though before I had no choice about when I would meet my fate. Two guards grabbed me by my arms and hauled me down the corridor. In my panic I neglected to take notice of my surroundings. One thought buzzed through me, get away. I twisted my weight and dug my heels into the ground, but the guards were stronger. They hardly reacted to my futile attempts at escape.
Then I was thrown into a dark room. I landed hard in the ankle deep water. I could see nothing, but upon feeling around I determined the room was the size of a walk in closet.
“This isn’t so bad.” I whispered to myself, the sound of my voice helped to calm my panic, “A little cold, but I wasn’t expecting...” I don’t get to finish my sentence, because then the pain starts.

The water brightened in a horrible display of light. My brain had a split second to say ‘electrified’ before the pain became too much and it all but shut down. The burning sensation took over my whole body and I became useless to stop the dance of jerks and kicks it began. My head fell to the ground and the pain intensified. I begged for my unresponsive body to respond for a single order so I could tell it to drown myself, but I remained staring at the starless ceiling.
Then when I had started to believe the pain might never stop, my body ceased to twitch. I wondered whether I might be dead as I was once again plunged into the suffocating darkness, but seconds later light attacked my eyes and told me otherwise. I stayed still for a long time more until I finally recalled how to move. Then, I sat up ever warily and studied the beams of light. It was a digital clock counting down, no doubt til the next shock. My knees drew up and I wrapped my arms around them tightly. I sat there watching the clock tick down and waited for madness to claim me.

[TPDebate]

How are all of these children related? Are those that did not pass going to escape together and meet up with the boy that passed?

This one of the best stories on CS. You might enjoy A story called TIAJNAD (this is a journal not a diary)

[hazelnut]

How are all of these children related? Are those that did not pass going to escape together and meet up with the boy that passed?

This one of the best stories on CS. You might enjoy A story called TIAJNAD (this is a journal not a diary)

Thank you! As for what is going to happen... That is a secret :3

Sorry for my hiatus. I was kind of being a stupid procrastinator cause I knew this chapter would be boring to write. Spell check and google are arguing so sorry if some stuff is spelt wrong xp

Index-
X Prologue
X Chapter One
X Chapter Two
X Chapter Three
X Chapter Four
X Chapter Five
X Chapter Six
X Chapter Seven



Bryce

As I attempted to dismount the bus carefully its driver decided to get one last kick out of me. The bus roared to life and my sense of balance ceased to exist. The marshy ground raced up to meet my face, greeting me with a painful blow to the nose as my hands failed to break my fall. Mud and water rained down of my back as the bus drove through a large puddle that I was sure hadn't been in its path before.

I rose to face the small community where I lived. I suppose we were a prime example of the ‘positive’ effects of the testing program. At one stage our little mud-town had been home to at least 300-400 people. After the first tests our home had to be the one of the worst hit places. More than the majority of people weren't educated past how to skin a rabbit, so barely anyone returned home. Now our population dwindles at a grief-wrecked forty, but there still isn't enough food to go around.

The larger part of the community had gathered. They wore the most respectful clothes they could find, but they were still little more than rags. I didn't hold anything against them though, I looked no better.
They all looked upon me as if I were a mirage, a trick of illusion. None of them could believe I was standing there any more than I could. Though the older generation knew better, the children couldn't keep from whispering disbelief amongst themselves. The excitement stirred throughout them and soon not even the strictest of adults could silence them.

“Move!” A confident familiar voice called over the rapidly raising noise. Her bossy voice caused my heart to swell with happiness. I perched on the tip of my toes in attempt to catch an early glimpse of her, but I could only see the scowls of indignation that formed on each face she pushed past. Finally Sara emerged from in between two particularly stubborn children and stampeded towards me with that crazy grin on her face. The air was knocked out of my chest but I managed to keep my feet as she conducted her trademark tackle hug.

“‘Sup.” Sara said as she stood to attention in front of me, bringing a smile to my face. My sister was them most erratic and batty kid I knew. At nine years old she stood at the height of my chest, but even with her age I wouldn't bet against her in a fight against a pitbull. It seemed the girl was always on her feet. She had energy that bounced off her, and sometimes I had to wonder whether someone was keeping her heavily caffeinated.
Sara had the same family traits as me (brown hair, pig-nose) but she wore it with a lot more dignity than I did. Her hair was tucked modestly into a ponytail and a thin spray of freckles helped to add to the character in her face. Electric emerald eyes completed the masterpiece that was her face. I supposed the best thing about her looks was that it was all natural. It was common for the rich to gain beauty through surgery, but Sara’s organic good looks seemed like a stand against them. Sara was rebelling by just being her.

“Dad said we have to go straight home.” Sara told me obediently, “He’s got some jobs for us.” She turned on her heel without another word and strode in the direction of home. I blinked in shock, that was it? No sympathy? Not even a ‘Welcome Home’? I had just seen my best friend shot before my eyes! Anger boiled inside me and threatened to take over, but I pushed it down with a deep breath. My dad had always been like this, it was like he was numb to feelings. When I was younger it had caused me to pity him, how horrible would it be to not feel love or happiness? But now I could manage little more than envy. I would love to not have to feel the emotions brewing inside me. I felt I would happily sacrifice some good feelings if it would take away all the grief, self-hate and nostalgia.

I scolded myself for sulking, after all I had gotten off easy. Dad’s jobs were nothing compared to the torture the failed children were going through. Not to mention a lethal injection like the girl on the bus, or a bullet through the head like poor Jessica. My eyes watered at the thought of my best friend, who I had never had the guts to confess the true level of my fondness towards her. I cast my head downwards and squinted in a futile war against my tears. A rough salty drop rolled into my mouth, and more threatened to follow as my eyes blurred. I stopped and wiped my face vigorously with my dirty sleeve, but without thinking I had stopped at possibly the last place in the village I wanted to see right now. As I raised my head to continue walking a large sob eluded my attempts to control my feelings when I found myself staring at Jessica’s hut.
“Come on.” Sara whispered in a kind voice. Her small hand grasped mine and she slowly led me away.

[lynettetan1]

This story is really cool! Keep writing!

[hazelnut]

Thanks :3 Chapter Six is on its way, but I'm going away tomorrow. So I might not have time to get it up.

[TPDebate]

ok. keep writing.