The Test [Book One of The Test] (Watty Award Winner 2014)

Chapter Seven

The Test

Chapter Seven

I drew trees and mountains in the dirt using a stick I found on the ground beside the tree. I stopped to steal another glance at my arm. There the mark was, all caused by a glitch. I sighed and began drawing again.

When Natalie told me the big news, needless to say, I was shocked. She then began going on about how she found out, something to do with computer analyzing. I wasn't sure what she was saying half the time, she seemed to keep forgetting i'm not as smart as the people who built this place. She left awhile after that, saying not to discuss the information she shared with me to anyone else. She also informed me that anytime she came into the test I was welcome to ask questions and share things with her, that it was something she could help me with considering she could disrupt too.

That brought me to now. After she left, I started walking back only to stop again and sit under the memory wipe tree. The stick was just sitting there. That's when I felt this urge to just drawl my heart out. It was kinda liberating in a way, like the events of the day had been washed away by the power of art. And if I could say so myself, it wasn't that bad of a drawing. I got lost in it, adding what details I could, wiping out where I messed up at times, completely forgetting about what was around me. I completely lost track of time and eventually night fell. Since I couldn't see the drawing anymore, I figured I should make my way back to where everyone else was, probably getting ready to sleep. I put down the stick but didn't make a move to get up. Instead, I rested my head on the ground, the problems of this day invading my thoughts again, making me drowsy. Before I even had the time to process it, I was asleep.

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It was raining. People all around me were running into a white building with a blue roof, covering their heads to keep from getting wet. They were all dressed in suits and dresses. I followed them into the building and saw them each take a seat in one of the rows before me. Every seat was taken, so I stood over to the left in direct view of the scene that was about to take place. Doors opened and out came a man, I recognized him as the one from the picture. As he made his way up to the front of the room, I noticed he was wearing a black suit with a green tie. Noise went through the room as music began playing. The doors opened again to show two people come out, arms looped. More couples came in the same way and then out came a little girl, arms looped with a little boy. I noticed her as the one with the cast and him as the one comforting her, now they were about ten and she looked very annoyed. They made their way up to the front like everyone else. The music changed, people stood up from their seats and then out came a woman, with red curls. She was wearing a big puffy white dress and her arm was looped with an older man, tears coming to both their eyes. They made their way to the front followed by the older man giving her a big hug and her standing next to the man from the picture. The music stopped and someone else started talking, having the attention of the room. Everyone but her, the little girl didn't pay attention seeming more interested in her shiny pink dress than what was taking place before her. When the ceremony was over the two kissed, causing the girl to run out, attracting the attention of everyone in the room. She ran down the aisle and out the door, I followed behind. The rain was still falling but harder now. I wasn't much paying attention to that, though, because the girl was crying. I'm not sure why but I cried too.

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I woke up the next morning to the sun reflecting off the blue icicle leaves of the tree and shining in my eyes. I got up and began making my way back, not being able to shake off the dream. Correction both dreams. How could I forget about something like that?