Tested

By: Sarah Graf and Mia Chester

When I wake up, it is before Rising, which is illegal but I just cant sleep. We cant
leave our rooms or we will be arrested or maybe executed. I start to clean, I only clean
when I am nervous. The LEP Tests, Life Eligibility and Preparation Tests, are coming up
for the sixteen year old girls this year. That means I am going to take six tests. But, I'm
not nervous if I will pass, I'm nervous for my best friend Lena. We've been friends since
before I can remember, but she has a disability. She has heart problems, and she can
talk. When she got her shot it didn't take effect, because she was on a certain
medication to help her heart. The government will kill her before she even can start the
Tests. All of the newborn babies had to get shots that cause them to not be able to
speak until their 16th birthday. They also think that if you have a disadvantage, then
you aren't useful to the city. Even with her heart issues, she is the one I should be afraid
of competing against in the Tests. It's finally time for Rising, so I begin to get dressed. I
stop in front of my mirror, and my eyes sweep over my long, curly red hair, blue and
gray eyes, my angled face, and my annoying school uniform. I can't afford new clothes,
especially now that its just the two of us. I take care of the house and my little brother
Jonah. My mom ran away to search for my dad after he went missing in the
Unrecovered. That was a year ago.

My dad was a spy for the government, he would go into the Unrecovered. It is a
place that never recovered from the war and didnt want to. He went one day to do his
normal job as a spy and never came back. My mom went to look after him. She never
came back either. I have never told Jonah what really happened, as far as he knows our
parents passed away. I go to the kitchen and start making breakfast for Jonah and I.
Jonah comes in and he is already dressed and ready for school. Even though he is five,
he still insists that he dresses himself even though I like taking care of him. I smile at
him and write on a piece of paper How did you sleep and Are you ready to eat? Once
we both have finished eating, I walk him down the street to the elementary school.
From there I walk a couple blocks down to my high school. When I get there I see Lena
waiting for me on the bench outside. She gets up and smiles at me.

"Hey Anabell. I can't believe how fast the Tests have come," she says in the
accent of President Andrews. I shoot her a look and write You cant talk Lena, you have
to be careful.
I already checked Im fine, I glare at her anyways. Yeah, I know how much
every girl loves them. I write obviously being sarcastic. She laughs and I try to laugh
but I cant make any sounds so I smile, then we head into the school together.
Somehow every year we manage to never get any classes together. When we get into
my first class, everything is chaos. People are writing on the desks, throwing paper at
each other, and the cheerleaders are making out with their boyfriends in the back of the
class. Lena rolls her eyes at me and mouths "good luck," like I'll need it. Nobody ever
notices me anyways. Every girls dream guy is Brennon Sanders, the star soccer player,
who just also happens to be dating the prettiest girl in school. The one and only, most
mean and obnoxious cheerleader Kara Andrews. Yep that's right the Presidents
daughter. She gets to skip the tests and gets to choose her husband, and we all know
who that will be.

I sit down next to my other best friend Brian Kessler and roll my eyes at him. The
bell rings and the teacher, Mrs. Whitney, walks in. In a matter of seconds, the room is in
order and school has started. Even though this has been the daily pattern for three
years now, it still amazes me how it happens. I am one of the five Juniors that hasn't
turned 16 yet, and out of those five, I am the youngest, after me is Lena. My 16th
birthday is in about three weeks, right before the Tests, which works out perfect. The
day flies by and before I know it, I'm sitting in my last period class watching the clock.
As soon as the bell rings, I walk out to the courtyard. I quickly walk a block away from
Mountain High School to the elementary school. There I find my brother waiting for me
with a piece of paper. I smile at him and read it. He is asking me if I can take him out to
ride our horse, Mable, behind the house. Using the piece of paper he gave me, I write
him yes. He reads it, and begins jumping up and down. I smile and start walking home, I
know that he will follow.

When we get home we change out of our uniforms, and into our work clothes. I
put a note on the counter telling Jonah to eat a snack, and that I would come back in to
get him when I had the horse ready. After that I went outside and did the barn chores
that were too dangerous for Jonah. Things like cleaning the stalls and feeding the
animals. Jonah has chores such as feeding the chickens, collecting the eggs, and picking
the fruits and vegetables. I walk to the back of the barn, and get the tack for Mable.
Then I head out to the fenced in field where she spends all day with the cow Belle, the
bull Donny, and the goats and sheep. I call her to the fence's gate, and she reluctantly
lopes over. To avoid getting searched for treats by the other animals, I quickly lead her
out, and get her ready. I tie her up to a tree, and then go to get Jonah. He comes
running out of the door before I even reach the back porch. Then he hands me a paper
that says "I'm ready!" and grabs my hand. I lift him onto the back of Mable, and he gets
an ear to ear smile on his face. He kicks her gently so that she walks forward. I know
that he can control her, plus she wouldn't hurt a fly, so I go back to cleaning up the barn.

Its been three weeks and nothing important has happened. I have been counting
the days until my test. 7...6...5...4. I have three days left and its my birthday today ,
which is very important. I dont want to do anything special for it but as soon as I wake
up I know it wont go by unnoticed. I go downstairs and find my little brother sitting on
the floor crying holding his hand. I run to a cabinet and pull out a piece of paper and
write as fast as I can What happened?! I can tell he injured his writing hand so he writes
with his left. I tried to make you breakfast but I turned on the stove and it burned me.
A tear drop hits the paper. I then notice that the stove is still on so I lean over and turn it
off before sitting down. I pick him up and put him on my lap. I grab his hurt hand, kiss it
and smile at him. He stops crying and I pick him up and put him on the counter, then go
to get a care kit. I wrap his hand in bandages and show him how to make breakfast.
Three days later his hand is starting to heal, but it is time for my first test. My physical
test. Im not worried about it though, because Ive been living on a farm for my whole
life and training horses isnt the easiest thing to do. I hear sirens and I start to get ready.

I will be picked up in a government but I dont know whats after that. Theres a
knock at the door and I know its time. I leave Jonah a note telling him I will be gone two
days for my test. I open the door and I walk out to the waiting car and the driver opens
his door. He doesnt say anything, so I just get in the back seat. A gas is released as
soon as I get in the car and I instantly pass out. When I wake up there is a shadow
standing over me and as soon as I see him he disappears. I see about seven figures
behind trees and realize the trees are all in a perfect circle. The figures step out and
slowly walk towards me. They have no whites in their eyes its all black and their mouths
are formed in eerie smiles. Their teeth are filed into spikes making them look like shark
teeth. I turn around to look for any weapons or anything that can help me. I see small
sticks and rocks but nothing big enough to hurt anyone. Then I see a branch about five
feet away from me, so I raise my hands over my head and sink to my knees. I stretch
out as far as I can and feel the large stick with my fingertips. They are coming closer now
and faster too. I grab the stick and pop up as fast as I can.

Its heavy but I can work with it. All in unison they start running towards me and I
dont know which one to take out first. They run until they are about five feet away and
stop. All of them are growling and snarling their shark teeth at me. I lung and try to hit
one of them in the head with the stick. It goes right through and the beast is perfectly
fine. None of them move still. I go around the circle hitting them with the stick and it
goes right through all of them. However, on the seventh on it makes hard contact and
doesnt go through. He grabs his stomach and stumbles back a few steps. The rest do
the same.

Clones. I gasp. I realize this is the first word I have ever spoken. I will never
speak again if I die in this place. All I have to do is get the real one and they will all fall.
Now it is hard to tell which one is the controller because they are all huddled together.
Before I can think of what to do they charge me and I swing at each one of them to
attack. All my swings go through and I dont see it coming. I get punched in my left
shoulder, hard. I try moving it but I cant, it is dislocated. I am fine temporarily, because
I dont need my left shoulder, I need my right. Then it hits me. They can touch me.
Those beasts can touch me. I cant touch six of them, I can only touch the controller.
So I throw my stick high into the air to distract them and then run with my arms
outstretched until I find the controller. I tackle him but since I am so light he easily
throws me off. The clones follow all his movements but they dont move closer to me. I
pick up a handful of pebbles and throw them at the beast. While he is distracted I grab
his wrist and twist it behind his back and I realize because it is hard to fight with only
one shoulder. He tries to pull away from me but I pull his arm harder behind his back
until it dislocates. He falls to the ground, giving me the perfect advantage. I kick his
head and all the beasts black out. Then another gas is released and I pass out as well.
When I wake up again, I am back home and Jonah is standing over me with a
worried look on his small face.
Whats wrong? I ask him forgetting that he cant speak. He grabs a piece of
paper and writes You were gone for 2 days. I mean I know you were in testing and
everything but the man carried you in and put you on the bed. He hugs me after I read
his note.
Oh. Im fine I think I passed it, I smile at him, but I have another test
tomorrow so dont be surprised. Ok? He nods. I love you. Me too. He writes.

When I wake up, it's a little after Rising but I'm fine. I get up and change, then
head out to the kitchen and make Jonah a special breakfast. Due to the test I will have
for the next few days, I have completely lost my appetite. I still eat a little snack just to
keep my energy up. Today is the Physical or Health test, they have to see if I can stay fit
and eat healthy food. They also have to make sure that I don't have any disabilities.
Then I think of Lena. I suddenly feel like I'm going to throw up, so I walk outside, and
then sprint to the barn. When I feel that I'm safe, I go to Mabel's stall and start to
groom her. She was my dad's horse before he left, but he said that she was mine if
anything ever happened to him. Mable is the main thing that reminds me of my
parents. As I braid her mane and tail, I talk to her to relieve stress. Somehow I end up
crying against her soft, warm, white shoulder. I check my watch and see that I need to
clean myself up and get ready for the government car to come get me.

It seems like I've been on the steps forever, when I finally see the car drive
around the corner of my block. When it reaches our house, I'm already waiting to open
the door to the back seat. After I've gotten settled in the back seat I realize that there is
somebody in the passenger seat and no glass divider. The passenger turns around, but I
don't recognize him.

"I apologize for the stress that yesterday's test may have given you. Today, I promise,
will be nothing like that. You will be taken to a facility where all of the other tests will
be held. There will be some of your friends there, but I highly advise that you not speak
to them whatsoever, but if you are given permission, then youre fine. But, unless you
want to be excluded from the Tests, I would follow the rules. And, of course you know
what that would mean if you were excluded," he stated calmly, but sternly. He turned
around and without waiting for an answer, he says, "By the way, I am Dr. Patrick
Mckinley. You will probably see a lot of me for the remainder of the Tests." I just nod
and stare out the window. The rest of the short car ride is very quiet. When we reach
the building, I can't help but stare. It is huge. The top isn't even visible from where I am
on the ground. Then there is the amount of people. They are everywhere, coming in
and out of the main building and the many side buildings which look like small dorms.
Most of the people are doctors and nurses, there are a good amount of government
officials always being followed around by guards. Then there is the occasional test
subject or students from the Tests. I don't recognize any of them, and I can't tell if that
is a good or bad thing.

The car comes to a stop at a parking lot near the main building. From there, Dr.
Mckinley leads me to what looks like an office. Inside there is a desk with a man on the
phone working the receptionist desk. I look around and see five uncomfortable looking
chairs, some fake plants, and a very poorly kept up fish tank filled with algae and other
unspeakable things. Outside is hot, so I take advantage of the cool air as well as the
peace and quiet. As soon as the man hangs up, Dr. Mckinley tells me to sit in a chair,
and then goes over to the desk. The two men have a quiet five minute discussion that
involved a lot of pointing in my direction and the direction of the building. Eventually
they smile and shake hands. The receptionist goes and gets a file from a huge cabinet
behind his desk and brings it back to the doctor. Dr. Mckinley thanks him and then turns
to me. He motions for me to stand and walk outside. As we walk back over to the main
building he talks to me about my next test.

"Here are copies of the files from all of your doctors visits," he explains, "The other
doctors working with you will view these and discuss your health record so far. Then
they will give you a few shots and talk to you about what you must do," he explains. I
nod and continue to follow him into the building. We walk over to an elevator, which I
have never been in before, and he swipes a card hanging from a lanyard around his
neck.

A light turns on and the doors open. I am scared to walk into such a strange
contraption, I have never been in an elevator before, but I step in to show that I am
brave. The doctor presses a couple of buttons and then the elevator starts to ascend. A
Ding sounds, and the doors open. The hallway that we walk into is basically empty. Dr.
Mckinley leads me down the hallway to the right, he stops at the third to last door, and
knocks loudly three times. The door opens and there stands a tiny older woman, who is
probably in her late fifties, almost the age for her Exiting. When you reach 65 years of
age, the government forces your family to hold an Exiting. You are sent to a facility at
the edge of the city. This is where some rich people with disabilities go to work. They
can pay a large amount of money to be kept in the city instead of being sent outside to
the Unrecovered. If they choose this option, then they go to work at the Exiting facility.
Every once and a while I think about what it would be like to be rich, to buy my way out
of the Tests and to choose my own husband. But, I can never think about it for too long,
Jonah always keeps my on my toes.

The woman is plump, and reminds me of what they say grandmas look like in
storybooks. She has a sweet face and wrinkles around her eyes. This makes me relax a
little more, because that means that she smiles a lot, so she must be nice.

Come have a seat Anabell, she says in a sweet voice, Its a pleasure to meet you, Im
Mrs. Hadley.

Hello, I respond quietly, even though she is nice, I am still shy for some reason. She
motions for me to sit in the chair. As soon as I sit down, I want to fall asleep, I didnt
realize how tired I am. Then Mrs. Hadley walks over with a glass of ice water, as if she
read my mind. I take the glass and gulp the water until my throat feels frozen. By then,
Mrs. Hadley has set up for my next test. On the counter lay three syringes filled with a
variety of liquids with different colors. There is a fourth syringe that is a little bigger and
kind of odd shaped, that is empty. Mrs. Hadley then pulls a stethoscope and a blood
pressure maschine out of the cabinet. She sets them next to the syringes, and then
walks back over to me.

Alright, are you ready for your health test? she asks.

I think so, I say in a hushed voice. Strangely I am nervous, even though I wasnt
before. She wishes me good luck and tells me that the official doctor will be in in a
minute.

I wait wondering what the doctor will look like. Man or woman? Brown hair, or
blonde? Blue eyes or hazel? I have gone through almost every combination, when the
doctor walks in. Its a woman, she has gray eyes, and a mix between my hair and
brown. She looks young, maybe in her mid twenties. I read her nametag and it says Dr.
Lauretta Smith. She is very pretty, and I notice that she has a ring on the fourth finger
of her left hand. Her ring finger. Dr. Lauretta is busy writing on her clipboard. I start to
wonder if she had to go through the tests like me, if she understands how I feel right
now. She finally looks up from her clipboard, and smiles at me. It doesnt seem forced,
which is a good sign. She walks over and reaches out her hand. I shake it and and
return the smile.

Hello, Im Dr. Lauretta. Ill be running your test for the today. Let me check that my
equipment is ready, and then we can start, she says kindly. She walks away without
waiting for a response. At the sink she washes her hands. Once she dries them, she
puts on some gloves, and then inspects each syringe individually. Then she grabs her
stethoscope and the blood pressure maschine, and walks back to my chair.

Alright, can you lean forward a little for me sweetie? she asks. I obey and move just a
slight bit, Perfect, now can you take a deep breath in for me? she asks, putting the
stethoscope on my chest

I do and she smiles like a proud mother. She tells me that I am a great patient, and then
asks me to lift my right arm. She slips on the armband, and tightens it. Then she
squeezes the pump several times and stops. Quickly, she writes down the results on her
clipboard, and then takes the band off. She puts the equipment back and grabs the
syringes. Then she walks back over to me and pulls up a built in tray from the arm of the
chair. I must look surprised, because she says,

Nobody ever seems to notice this. They think that its an illusion, but its just very well
hidden.

I laugh and then relax so she can get on with the injections. She rubs antiseptic
over the area of my arm where the needles with go in. She throws the wipe away, and
then picks up the first syringe. I look away just as she inserts it in my arm. The pain is so
bad that I have to bite my lip hard to keep from crying out. As quick as it went in, the
needle comes out. Now my arm just throbs, the original pain is gone. Before I am even
ready, another needle is in my arm. This time I can just feel the foreign object in my
muscle, but without the pain. The second needle comes out just as fast. Finally the
third needle goes in and I dont even realize it until the doctor says its done. She takes
three circular bandages out and puts them over the injection sites.

Okay, this part might be a little painful or uncomfortable. I will try to be as quick as
possible, but I cant make any promises, she says trying to lighten the fear that is
swelling up inside of me. Now I know what the strange empty syringe is for. The doctor
is going to draw my blood. I stick my left arm straight out so that the crook of my elbow
is facing up. It feels weird exposing that part of my arm. I look away and squeeze my
eyes shut. Then I tell Dr. Lauretta that Im ready. Within seconds I feel the
uncomfortable needle in my veins and try to keep from crying or panicking. Even
though it seemed longer, it only took 30 seconds according to my watch. The doctor
grabs the three now empty syringes and the one full of my blood and heads back to the
counter. She throws the used ones away, and then puts my blood in a container filled
with ice that I didnt notice before. In the cupboard she finds a cotton swab and some
medical tape, then brings them over. She places the swab over the injection site and
secures it with the tape.

Im so sorry for the inconvenience. I hate getting blood taken too, she says in a truly
caring tone. Then she takes her clipboard and leaves. Now I am getting hungry and I
feel dehydrated. I finish the rest of the water, but it doesnt have ice in it any more.
After about five minutes, Dr. Mckinley opens the door and walks over to my chair. He
smiles down at me and offers his hand.
I take it, and he helps me stand up. The blood drawing took a lot more of my
strength than I expected. Outside is a wheelchair that I am lead to. I sit down with a
sigh and almost fall asleep. Dr. Mckinley gently shakes my shoulder.

Dont fall asleep yet, I have to show you to your room for the night, he says softly. So
I wait for about five more minutes, when we come to a stop at my door. Dr. Mckinley
takes a key card out of his coat pocket and slides it through a slot in the wall. The door
swings open to a dark room. He turns on the light and the sight is amazing. The bed is
covered in a luxurious and beautiful bedspread. The floor is bamboo, and there is flat
screen television. Next to the bed is a table with a lamp, a phone, and a big bowl of
varied candy. On the wall that we are facing is a huge window with a great view of the
city, and beautiful curtains that match the bed. In one corner there is a desk with a big
comfy looking chair, and a very expensive looking computer. Too bad that I can only
stay for the tests. I wish Jonah could be here with me. Him of all people deserves to
stay here. I start to wonder if Lena is staying in a room like this. When I am wheeled all
the way into the room, I see that there is also another table by the bed with a huge lava
lamp and a unique and beautiful fish tank that is actually taken care of. There is also
another door that leads to a mansion worthy bathroom.

This is beautiful, I murmur. I am really in awe of this room, I guess this is what being
poor and basically having to be an adult at 16, does to you.

It really is, and I know you are probably thinking that this is just for one night, but its
not. You will sleep here every night between the first and second day of each test. So,
you will be seeing this room a lot, Dr. Mckinley says with a small laugh, Also, if you
can afford it, your brother will be allowed to stay here with you. It is $150 for the whole
duration of the tests.

I am breathless, the option that I was just dreaming of has become real. But, I cant
afford it, well I can, but I need to save money. We arent getting as many clients as we
used to, so money is scarce for us. I could never ask Lenas family, theyve already done
enough coming over every day to check on Jonah and help with the chores and cooking.
I bite the inside of my cheek briefly, and then look up at the doctor.

May I tell you my decision in the morning? I ask quietly.

Of course, Im not trying to put pressure on you, I just thought you would like the
option, he says calmly. He walks out of the door, but stops and points to the
phone,Call me if you need anything, the number list is in the drawer.

I ease myself out of the wheelchair and start to walk towards the bed. A sudden rush of
nausea hits my stomach, and I start to feel dizzy. I feel like Im going to pass out and
start falling, but a pair of strong arms catch me and then carry me to the bed. Once Im
laying down, and my vision clears, I realize that its my friend Brian.

What are you doing here? Dont the boys have their test at another time? I ask him
weakly.

No, we just have to take a personality test but its much more intricate than yours. It
lasts for six days, and we have to stay here the whole time. They ask us questions, we
have to take paper and electronic tests. We also have to get hooked up to these wires
and they test us on what we answered to see if we are telling the truth, he explains.

Oh, is all I can say. I run my eyes over his almost black hair that is combed to the side,
and gray eyes. As I look at him, I feel something in my chest. Something like a longing.
Longing to be hugged, for this all to be over, to have somebody love me. I look away
from Brian, and hope that he cant see that I am blushing.

Who do you want to be matched with? I ask. Instantly I want to take it back. I look at
Brian but he isnt laughing. He looks at the floor and wrings his hands. Hes done that
for as long as we have known each other, it means he is nervous or uncomfortable. It
makes me feel like hes hiding something.

What? I know that when you do that with your hands something is going on. Tell me
whats going on, I demand, getting a little irritated. I stand up and walk to him. He just
turns his head farther away from me. Then I see that he is crying. I feel bad for pushing
him too far, I didnt think that what was going on would be that important. So I wrap
my arms around him and stay silent. I know he just needs to cry it out. In a couple of
minutes hes fine, and I lead him to sit on the edge of the bed. I sit next to him, and ask
him whats bothering him. He looks up at the open door and I get up and close it. I sit
back down on my bed, and repeat my question.

I overheard a conversation between the President and one of his associates. He said
that they are changing everything. As you knew before, the boys had to take a
personality test to be given a list of girls that would make a good wife for them. Well
now, they are choosing for us, he says just barely choking the last few words out. It
takes a while to sink in. I cant believe why they would want to change the rules or why
they all of a sudden want to play matchmaker for teens. Brian gets up to leave, but i
quickly reach up and grab his arm. He turns around and looks at my hand. I stand up,
trying to keep myself from crying, and tell him to wait.

Why? he says quietly, WHY?! Brian is now yelling and crying. Now I cant keep the
tears from spilling down my face. It may seem like a stupid thing to be crying over,
having the government choose your spouse. But, Brian and I know what the result of
forced marriage could be. It was about seven years ago. Our birthdays were really
close, so we had just had a combined birthday party at a park in the Recreation Area
with a bunch of our friends and family. The just for kids party had just ended, so he
was walking me home. When we were walking past the Millers house, when we heard
gunshots. Brian grabbed my arm and we started running. We ran all the way to my
house. It was too dark outside for Brian to walk back by himself, so my parents said he
could sleep downstairs on the couch. I woke up the next day to a loud knock on the
door. It was the NSF (Neighborhood Security Force). They asked to speak to my parents
alone outside, so Brian and I waited at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Later, we
found out that Mrs. Miller had shot her husband in self defence. He had been beating
her and threatening to kill her family for forcing them to get married. Brian left quietly,
and after he closed the door, I whispered, It will all be ok.

The next day an alarm goes off by my ear. I look around but I cant see a clock
anywhere. Then I see this little black device sitting on one of the dressers. I turn it off,
and then start to get ready for todays test. Last night, I thought about having Jonah
stay with me, and I decide to pay the money. It will be worth it. I dont even know if
the boys get to stay in rooms like this during their test, so I figured this might be his only
chance to stay somewhere nice. My hair is still soaked from my shower, so I french
braid it, and then wrap it in a bun. I walk out of the bathroom just as there is a knock on
my door, so I put my stuff down and answer it. Its Dr. Mckinley, ready to take me to
the rest of my test.

I assume that you feel much better, how did you sleep? he asks kindly.

Great actually, that was the best sleep I have ever gotten I think, I respond freely, I
decided, that I want my brother to stay with me during the test.

Thats great, you can just bring the money back the next time you come for a test, he
says cheerfully. We walk back to the same room, at least I think it is. He opens the door
and I realize its not. This room has a chair like at the dentists. There are all kinds of
machines and wires and monitors everywhere. Then wrapped all the way around the
room, is a mirror. But, I know better, I can tell that there are many scientists hiding
behind that glass ready to observe me and make sure I meet their standards. Dr.
Mckinley leads me to the chair and motions for me to sit.

They are going to take some X-rays and MRIs of your body to make sure that there is
nothing wrong, but first they are going to have to get some samples from you, he says
pointedly. It takes me a second, and then i realize, they need my pee and a DNA
sample.

They want to make sure you are eating right and that you dont have any undesirable
traits, he says. I nod. It make me a little uncomfortable that they will be monitoring
me so closely.
The machine beeps over me and it takes everything to keep myself from jumping.
Finally one of the nurses comes over and moves it out of the way. She pushes a button
on the side of my weird chair, and it moves me back into sitting position. It makes me
feel a whole lot more secure. The nurse leaves just as a man walks in. Hes a doctor
which make me feel a little nervous. In his hands he holds a clipboard, on which he is
writing furiously. When he reaches my chair, he looks up and smiles. For some reason
he looks familiar. Then I realize that he is the father of a boy at school that I
unfortunately know all too well. This doctor is Brennon Sanders father, they look like
futuristic and past versions of each other.

Hi, Im Dr. he starts.

Sanders, I interrupt,Dr. Sanders. I go to school with your son Brennon, I say. He
looks surprised at first and then laughs.

Yes, I am Dr. Sanders, Brennon's dad. Nice to meet you... he says, obviously forgetting
my name.

Anabell. Nice to meet you too, I say in response.

Well lets get started, he says putting his clipboard down on a table on wheels. I get
up, and he leads me to the door. He opens the door and then walks down a few doors.
At the third door down we stop. He uses his key card to open the door, and walks
inside. I follow, and realize that it is a sort of workout room.

Ellen, can you please go back to the other room and bring the heart machines and the
lung machine? he asks a nurse in the room. She obeys him, and leaves.

Now what we are going to do, is have you jog and then sprint on the treadmill. We will
hook you up to a machine that will monitor your heart rate first, just to make sure it is
normal for when you are running or jogging. You will have wires taped to your chest,
upper back, neck, and wrist, all of the places where your pulse can be detected, he says
checking to make sure that I understand.

Okay, is all I can say.

Then you will be hooked up to a machine that will monitor your breathing, and it will
see if your lungs are functioning properly. There will be two wires on your chest, and a
mask through which you can breath, dont worry. The mask will make sure that your
breathing is normal, he explains. Then the nurse, Ellen, comes back with the machines.
She also has a set of workout clothes. After putting the machines in the right place, she
walks over.

Hi, my name is Ellen, I will be running the machines that the doctor told you about.
Here are some clothes for you to change into. You can change in that room right there,
she says pointing straight ahead.

I go into the room and change. Then I walk back out to the treadmill. Ellen puts
some wires on me, and informs me about how we will run the first part. After she is
sure that I understand, I step onto the treadmill. It starts slow so i start walking. When
it starts to speed up, so do I, until I am jogging. After about five minutes, Ellen says that
she is going to start speeding it up. Eventually I am sprinting. After a minute or so, she
says that she will start slowing it down. I nod, and keep getting slower until the
treadmill stops. Ellen steps over and takes off the wires. Then she attaches two new
ones and puts the mask over my face. I find it easier to breath through the mask than I
thought it would. Once she is done, I step back on the treadmill. We go through the
same process, and by the end, I feel like I am going to puke. I am given a bottle of cold
water and an apple. Ellen tells me that I did good, and wished me luck. I eat my apple
and drink my water as I wait for Dr. Mckinley to come. When he does, he has a smirk on
his face.

Guess what? he asks me in a mischievous voice.

What? I ask getting excited.

Come to your room and you will see, he says. I run to my room, and swing open the
slightly ajar door. There sitting on my bed with a huge smile on his face is my little
Jonah. I squeal and scoop him up in a huge bear hug. When I put him back down, Dr.
Mckinley walks in.

Thank you so much Dr. Mckinley. So are we staying here then for the rest of the tests?
Dont I need to pay you? I ask, now confused.

We will drive you home to get the money after you get some dinner with the rest of
the 16 year olds. Unfortunately he cant come, he will be served dinner in this room,
he says gesturing towards Jonah.

Are you okay with that Jonah? I ask my brother. He nods, and smiles at me.

Okay, will you be picking me up form here after dinner? I ask.
Sure, if that what works for you, Dr. Mckinley says. So we agree that this is where I
will be picked up. After he leaves, I take a shower, and put my hair up the same way it
was before. I choose a pair of dark jeans, a big gray sweatshirt, and some sneakers. Just
as I am about to walk out, I look at the mirror by the door, and decide to just have my
hair french braided. Once I undo the bun, I say goodbye to Jonah and leave to the
dinner hall. Dr. Mckinley called with directions. I walk into the cafeteria, and
surprisingly it isnt crazy.

As I look around, I see that Brian and Lena are both sitting at a table with some
other people that we know. I walk over to them and sit next to Brian. Neither of us say
anything about the conversation that we had the night before.

Which people do you think will end up getting married? Lena asks us.

Well obviously Kara and Brennon, I say.

I think that you and the Brandon guy you always hang out with, will get married, Brian
says to Lena. She just sits there blushing and glaring at Brian.

Well I think that you and Anabell will get married, she says and stalks away to get food
from the now open cafeteria.

Well, I better go get food, I say blushing. I get up to leave.

Wait Anabell, Brian says. I turn and he looks uncomfortable. I sit back down.

What? I ask softly.

Can you meet me at my room after dinner? he asks slipping me a piece of paper. I
look at the paper and it has a room number on it. I look up at Brian, smile, and nod.
Then we both get up and get in line. The food here is great. Tonight, dinner is BBQ tri
tip sandwiches, with sparkling cider. Then I remember that I have to go pick up the
money for Jonahs stay. I nudge Brian with my knee and he turns to me.

I have to go home to get some money for Jonah staying with me in the room, so can I
come to your room a little later? I whisper in his ear.

Sure thats fine. Thats cool that they are letting you have him stay with you, he
whispers back. After dinner, I say goodbye to my friends, then walk back to my room. I
wait for Dr. Mckinley and explain to Jonah where I will be going. He makes me promise
to bring back some of his toys and to tell Mable that he said Hi. Finally the doctor
comes, and we drive home. It doesnt take that long to get there. He waits outside
while I get the money out of the safe in my parents room. Then I grab some games for
Jonah, and go check on all of the animals. I give Jonahs message to Mable and I tell her
that I will be back soon. Then I give the doctor the money and we head back.

Before I even have my door all the way open, Jonah is bombarding me for the
games. I get him settled, then I change into cute clothes. Then I head into the
bathroom and undo my french braid. I twist two pieces back on each side and pin them.
I put on some perfume, and then sneak out of my room to Brians room. It is a lot closer
to my room than I thought it would be. I knock and look around nervously. He opens
the door and smiles. I walk inside and he closes the door.

Here you can sit down, he says pointing to his bed, so I do. He sits down on the end
of the bed.

What did you need to talk to me about, I ask nervously. He turns away blushing.

Well, you know what Lena said about us? he asked.

Yeah, I say.

Um...I like you Ananbell. A lot, and maybe you dont feel the same way, but I just
wanted you to know, he chokes out. Brian looks away when I dont respond. Tears
start rolling down my face, and I walk up to him.

Me too, I whisper and start crying. He wraps his arms around me and I cry into his
shoulder.

Thats why I was so mad about them changing the rules. I dont want you to end up
like Mrs. Miller, and I was going to pick you, he says solemnly. I look up at him and he
wipes the tears off my face with his thumb.

Anabell, he asks.

Yes? I respond.

Will you dance with me? I want to dance with you, because if we dont get matched,
then I wont get the chance, he says shyly. I smile and accept. We dance for what
seems like forever, when I look at his watch. I pull back and gasp.

Whats wrong? he says frantically.

Oh my goodness, its almost 10:00! I exclaim. Brian looks sad, so I walk back over to
him.

Dont worry. Maybe I can come back tomorrow after dinner, I suggest. I tell him
goodbye and we walk to the door. Then he holds onto my shoulders and turns me
around. He looks into my eyes and then kisses me. When he pulls away I realize Im
crying again. He smiles weakly and then I go.

When I get back to my room, I see Jonah still playing games. He looks up at me
and smiles. Jonah gets up and hugs me.

Its getting late, go take a shower and then get ready for bed, I tell him. He nods and
runs off to the bathroom. I am exhausted, so i flop down on the bed without even
changing. Before I know it I am asleep.

When I wake up, its 3:41 in the morning. Cuddled up next to me is Jonah, sound
asleep with a slight smile on his face. It makes me happy that he for once, in I dont
know how long, isnt having a nightmare. Since mom left he has been having
nightmares a lot more frequently. Eventually I fall back asleep and wake up with the
alarm going off again. Jonah sleeps right through it, so I turn it off and start getting
ready. I leave a note for him and then wait for Dr. Mckinley. When he arrives he has
company with him. Ellen is standing by his side smiling. She isnt in her nurses uniform
so I am confused. I walk outside and they close the door.

Ellen is going to be staying with your brother today and keeping watch over him, Dr.
Mckinley says cheerfully.

Oh thank you so much. I was worried about leaving him alone, he has some board
games that I brought back from our home, I say, extremely thankful. They both smile,
and then we leave Ellen with Jonah. Today my test is on cooking and cleaning. The
government wants to know if I can clean the house and cook for my family, and that I
can provide for them. Women dont have rights here in The Mountain , we cant vote,
we cant work, we dont even get to choose our husbands. So we have to stay at home
and cook and clean. We are only allowed to leave the house if we are shopping for
necessities, taking our children to school, doing chores outside, or if there is an
emergency. Once we get married all of these rules are put in place. Of course we stay
engaged until we finish high school, and then we get married after we graduate. We all
start out in Neighborhood Two, unless you can pay your way out and go to live in
Neighborhood One. The people who cant pay, move to Neighborhood One once we are
married. If you dont pass or if you dont choose a spouse or get picked, then you are
sent to the Unrecovered. The government only wants people who can rebuild the
population.

The room for this test is on a different floor of the building, so we have to use the
elevator. Once we are on the right floor, we walk down a series of hallways, finally we
get to the correct room. This room is small and empty. The walls are white, and
everything is nice and clean. There are two chairs in the middle and a door on the left
wall.

Wait here. I will be right back, Dr. Mckinley says quietly. I dont say anything, I just sit
in one of the chairs and wait. He leaves, and I am alone. The room is boring and bland
with everything white. I wonder if its symbolic because todays test is on cleaning.
Hopefully this is not how they expect me to keep my house, because I would feel like I
was trapped in an insane asylum. The door opens and I turn to see who it is. A short
young woman walks in with an apron and bandana on her head. Right behind her is Dr.
Mckinley. She smiles and waits at the door.

Alright, this is Megan. She will be overseeing your test today, he says walking over to
me. I get up and walk towards her. SHe sticks her hand out, so I shake it and smile
back. We go through the door that they both came from. This room is refreshing after
the pristine room I was waiting in. It looks very much like a home, but it is a mess.
There are dirty dishes in the sink, dirty clothes everywhere, sports gear lying around,
and everything looks disheveled. It is divided in small sections by walls with open fronts.
All of the sections are the same size. There are five sections with each having a big
mess. In the middle is a table. It has a large variety of cleaning supplies.

You must clean each section and reorganize it. There are two bins under the table that
you may use to put trash. Any other supplies that you will need are on the table,
Megan explains carefully. I already know that I will not like this test. On the table, there
are gloves and an apron. I put them on, and then I start with the kitchen. The dishes
are the biggest part of the mess, so I do those first. I grab a small cloth and dish soap,
and then get to work.

It takes me three hours to clean everything, and it meets Megans expectations
apparently, because then she tells me that we are going to a different room. I replace
all of the equipment like it was when I got there and then follow Megan into the next
room. This room is just a kitchen. It has a sink, a fridge, a pantry, drawers, and several
cabinets. On the counter is a paper. I walk over to it and realize that it is a recipe.

You have three hours to cook this meal. Follow the directions on the paper, and when
you are done, other than me two people will be tasting it. You better get to work, she
says sternly. She is most definitely the only rude worker that I have met here. I wash
my hands and start getting out the ingredients and utensils that are listed on the recipe.
Today I have to make a stuffed and baked chicken, with mashed potatoes, and corn
bread. My mom has had me make all of these things before, so it should be really easy
for me. I finish just in time I have just finished dishing everything up and making it look
fancy, when Megan walks in with a man and woman in tow. The plates of food are on
the counter, but I dont know where they are going to eat. It wouldnt make sense for
them to stand up. As if they read my mind, a group of workers bring in a large table and
three chairs. Once they set it up, I bring the plates over and ask them questions that a
hostess would. Would you like anything to drink? and Would you like some more?
They say no to both. It makes me nervous, because they dont say anything to me, they
just whisper amongst each other. I smell something weird coming from near the stove,
so I walk over and try to figure out what it is. As soon as I get close, I get a rush of
nausea and feel light headed. Suddenly, I fall to the ground and my vision blurs, and my
hearing becomes non existent. I start thinking that I failed my test but I cant even bring
myself to cry, then my brain goes numb. Then everything goes black.