“There are many different types of Officials. Patrol Officials, Meal Officials, Renewal Officials, and Control Officials. The Profession Exams determine which of these four you will do in your future. You will have five days of Exams, and on the sixth day we will announce your profession.”
She strides off the stage, an Official taking her place. “We will now go to Circle Room 3, where you will find your seat and enter in your number. Your schedule of the upcoming Profession Exams will be on a hologram. You must memorize what room your Profession Exams will be in the next three days. You cannot forget them.”
She dismisses us. We file out and walk to Circle Room 3. My stomach churns. What if I make a mistake that ruins my entire future?
I sit down at my seat and tap the counter in front of me three times. The hologram pops up with the first three days of my schedule.
Day 1 – Circle Room 5
Day 2 – Circle Room 2
Day 3 –Circle Room 7
I repeat the numbers in my head. We start tonight.
Where are the last two days going to be?
“You are dismissed back to the Lecture Hall, where your History Teaching will resume.”
We rise and stride out of the Circle Room. I numbly take my seat back in the Lecture Hall.
I doubt anyone remembers anything that is taught throughout the History Teaching. How can they expect us to focus? Our results on this test will determine our entire future.
Everyone else also has the matching bandage. The right arm. Crook of the elbow. Why? I slip away into my thoughts for the rest of the Teaching.
˚˚°˚˚
I walk with Piper at Free Hour, the questions bursting inside of me. What if she doesn’t want to sneak out with me at night? Do I have the courage to go by myself? I did the first night. Could I do it again?
Instead, I’m trapped in the mindless praise to Ellen with Kate and Piper, my P.O. watching me.
My palms dampen as my first Profession Test creeps closer. I clench my teeth together and try to push the anxiety out, but it settles in my stomach.
The Bell rings and I march on to the escalator. Instead of going down the Sleeping Room hallway, we veer back to the Teachings section of the Complex. I reach Circle Room 5, and I realize that we are all going into different rooms. We have all our Teachings together, but I suppose for the Exams we need to be separated. What will the Exams involve that we can’t be put together?
I sit down at my number. A hologram already floats above the counter. I read the text floating in the air.
Answer the questions to the Exam One. When your answers a finished, wait silently in your seat until the Teaching Bell rings.
A question sits below the words.
What are the full names of the Heads?
Easy. Ellen Jane Windsor and Derek Allen Windsor. I quickly type my answer. I’ve known the answer to that question since I was a six year.
What has Ellen and Derek saved you from?
The Disease. Simple.
The Exam continues throwing questions at me, all about the Windsors. It becomes a little harder as it continues, but I always know the answer. After reading several autobiographies, memoirs, and biographies about them in Literature, I know more than I want to.
YOU ARE READING
986 (Complex Series, #1)
Science Fiction-first book in Complex series- In the Complex, where everyone is emotionless perfection, a young girl discovers through forbidden friendships the frightening truth behind her seemingly flawless world. (the lovely cover was created by @clarkethevirus)
Chapter Fifteen
Start from the beginning
