Elevatia

2. I am maybe special?

I stood with the other children in the Sizing Hall, trembling with nerves. We were all dressed in formal Sizing outfits as befit this solemn occasion – barefoot, polka dot dungarees, sunglasses shaped like hot dogs.

The Sizing Hall was filled to the brim with an expectant audience. Most of the spectators were of the Medium Class, wearing their lime green tracksuits. Up at the very top of the auditorium the High Class sat impressive and austere in their traditional long vertically striped purple gowns and pointy yellow hats.

To be honest, the government of Elevatia didn't employ a great costume designer.

"This is it," whispered Jayla, my closest female friend, "the Sizing ceremony. For 14 years we children have lived together without families in the Unmeasured Compound. But now we have come of age, our heights will be measured in the Sizing ceremony to determine which of Elevatia's three factions will become our new homes." She paused. "Was any of that new information to you?"

"Not really," I admitted.

"I mean we live here," Ace offered. "We're kind of familiar with how it works."

"Oh man," Jayla groaned. "You guys have got to stop me when I do that! I'm trying to kick this habit of explaining obvious things to people."

"I hope I join the High Class," piped up another kid named Flynn. "The people in the tall faction get all the wealth and power in this dystopian state."

"Well I wish I join the Lowlies," Ace commented. "I've always wanted to be given menial tasks and live in constant fear of my life."

"Really?" Jayla asked.

"No."

"I just want to be Medium." I sighed wistfully. "I long to be an ordinary child like everyone else. While I care about the suffering of other people, I mostly have extremely strong bonds with my closest friends. I sure hope I'm not secretly a chosen one who is destined to perform a heroic role to liberate all the people. That would be such a drag."

"Shhh the ceremony is starting!" Jayla hushed me.

The hall fell silent as the large screen in the Sizing Hall lit up, broadcasting a live feed from the palace of supreme ruler of all Elevatia: His Highness Miles Vyle.

"Greetings people of Elevatia." Vyle smiled creepily.

Vyle had a face like a fox, who had eyes like a hawk, who had a nose like a weasel. He had white hair and was stroking a white hare. Sitting down behind a desk in his office we couldn't see his whole body but it was obvious how extremely tall he was. I mean there were tall things all around him in the background of his office - a lamppost, a traffic light and a palm tree - they all looked tiny compared to him. Also, there was a sign on the wall that said "Miles Vyle is really tall, honest". His Highness was clearly the highest of us all.

Vyle gave us the traditional Elevatian greeting. He held his hand up to the camera, palm facing us. "High five!" He boomed.

"High five," we chorused back, returning the customary salute – hands outstretched, palm facing him.

"Down below," Vyle boomed, laying his hand out flat now.

We returned the salute as fast as we could. One poor Medium in the audience took a little too long.

"You're too slow," yelled a keen-eyed Upright.

"No please! Let me try 'round the face' I promise I'll do better," screamed the man as he was gunned down in his seat. "Tell Martha I love her. Aaaargh!"

"Godsdammit," groaned a woman, apparently named Martha, from the other side of the auditorium. "That's three this week."

"People of Elevatia," Vyle continued, stroking his white hair, "Today is the highest of days. The longest of wonders. The tallest of moments. Welcome to this year's Sizing Ceremony!"