Exodus - The Khiara Banning Series Book Two

Twelve

Placing it gently down where I found it, I instead choose a picture of a pretty mountain scene, figuring that it'll be soothing calming to look at.

The notes of a guitar startle me, and I'm filled with a sadness that takes my breath away. I turn, and Unity is strumming a guitar, smiling to herself. "I can't choose this, it appears red to me, but I can play it while we wait. I chose everything I need already, since I don't need much. Do you know how to play?"

I shake my head. "No, sadly, my musical abilities are limited to playing the radio."

"Can you take it?"

It's marked red for me as well. "I can't actually. I see it as red too."

"Bummer," she replies. "Bet you knew somebody that played. You have a look on your face of nostalgia."

I do? I put a hand up to my face, absently. "Oh," I say.

She puts the guitar down and says, "Let's go pick out a dresser for you."

I follow her, my sadness lingering behind with the guitar.

"You're a good friend Unity," I tell her.

She grins. "Thanks!"

Together we settle on a trunk instead of a dresser. There were many options I could have taken but the trunk called out to me.

I wonder if I had a trunk like this where I'm originally from. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I just liked the trunk.

Once everybody has chosen their bedroom items, Miss Adephagia rounds us up in the middle of the room in the designated chair area.

"Take a seat, then," she says.

We all find a chair to sit down on. Unity and I choose a loveseat.

"Today's tests were about your levels of greed," she announces. "You were graded based upon many factors."

The Teacher and Principal appear and stand silently behind Miss Adephagia.

"I'll get right down to it then. Those who passed are Khiara, Unity, Sophia, Hannah, Marcus, Liam, and Kyle. The rest of you unfortunately did not pass."

Shelby makes a sound of irritation in the back of her throat. "What's the penalty for not passing?"

Miss Adephagia's face falls and she says, "You cannot remain here any longer."

Caleb shouts, "Where is here anyway? What's going on?"

The Principal takes this question. "You are in Limbo, the land between the living and the dead" he explains. "Your souls are, at least. On Earth I imagine you're in a coma of some sort."

We all gasp.

"Our tests," he explains, "are created to verify your merit as a human being. Follow the rules we give you and pass. Don't follow the rules, and you may not move on to the next round of testing."

"Why did you purge our memories?" I ask, feeling bold.

"You can earn them back," the Teacher says. "As long as you follow the rules. We purged them to make this experience easier for you. Without your memories in the way, you have to make choices based on how you feel about things now."

"Now stand, children," Miss Adephagia says. "Those who passed follow the Teacher and those who failed come with myself and the Principal."

We do as we're told. We follow the Teacher back the way we came and we end up in the hallway that leads to the room the girls all stayed in last night.