The Fringe

Chapter 1

My dad always told me about his testing and how he just knew he would be in administration. Working at the Oakland Towers was everyone's dream. You were secured if you got a job working there, whether it was security, science, administration as long as you worked in the towers you had no problem. Mom worked as a nurse in the infirmary. Another place you wanted to be. With construction constantly being a problem with rebuilding new homes, new markets, somebody was always getting hurt.

                My parents just knew I was going to be safe and work in the towers with dad. My fate was yet to be determined.

                Testing day was tomorrow and already I was dreading being eighteen and needing to go through this. After testing, I receive my scores and then the graduation ceremony will take place where they announce our jobs to the entire city. It had gone pretty smoothly in the past, hearing the different places that people would be working at for the rest of their lives. Nobody seemed disappointed as there weren't very many people chosen to work the Border. That was a mystery to everyone. Some people claimed it was a blessing to work on the wall while others said it was a curse. I learned the pattern real quick. Any family who has had members working it before, considered it the blessing. The next generation to work on the Border, was looked up to in their family. If you had never had that "luxury" then it was a curse and everyone pitied you.

                The only thing I knew about it from history was that the Border was built due to some kind of war break out and a lot of major cities surrounded themselves with a border to keep the city and its occupants safe from the war going on outside. They became no-fly zones, nobody could exit or enter the city unless authorized. Everything just seemed so hectic then. The only thing the history books don't explain is what caused the war, or who won. To this day, we are reminded of the threat outside of the Border and how we are safe inside the city. All I could hope, was that it was something I didn't have to face myself.

                I had taken my time getting ready for school. The entire day was going to be dedicated to seeing which students went to what area for their testing. Every year they change the way the testing goes so there aren't any patterns. One would think they've ran out of ideas by now. Unless they've been recycling them every so many years. Which would seem logical.

                Mom knocked on my door just as I was ready to open it and walk out. I slung my bag over my shoulder and smiled at her. She smiled back and stared at me for a moment before speaking. "Remember, today you just find out how you are going to test. The test itself isn't going to come until tomorrow so you will have enough time to prepare yourself for whatever you may think will happen during testing."

                I nod. "Yeah. Just something I have to do I suppose. As of tomorrow, I'll be thrown into the whole of society and left to make my own decisions. Being an adult sure sounds fun."

                Mom smiled and dad walked over chuckling. "It can be when you meet new people and you find someone you love." He kissed mom on her temple and she closed her eyes then looked up at him and her eyes just sparkled as she stared at him.

                "I'm going to go to school before I'm grossed out." I tell them and walk between them and wave good-bye to them as they wave to me.

                I try to hurry as the everyday hustle begins to hustle to get to work and do what they were supposed to. I made it to the doors just before they closed and squeezed in and let my feet lead me through the halls to the auditorium where I was supposed to meet up with a few friends for the lecture on the testing.

                I walked in and thankfully nobody was speaking so I quickly searched to find where my friend Alex was sitting.

                "Finley! Over here!" I look to my left and see Alex waving her hands back and forth with her brother Adam behind her doing the same. I sighed with relief then quickly walked over and hopped over a few seats and plopped down next to her. "Jeez, you are always late. You should really start waking up a lot earlier." Alex said and stared at me.