The Test of Ten

Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-CRACK!

I yelp in pain and jump up out of bed in surprise, holding my scratched up hand. I turn and stare at my end-table. Laying sadly in the surface-as well as the floor- are the shattered remains of my alarm clock, never to beep again. What a shame.

Rubbing my eyes, I look at my back up wall clock. Okay, I'm safe. It's only-7:30?! I'll be late!

Running into the bathroom and out again, toothbrush in hand, I run it haphazardly over my teeth while trying to jump into my skinnies. Tripping back into the bathroom, I exchange my toothbrush for a comb and run it through my black bangs. I always keep the bangs straight and the back carefully messy. It gives the chicks the idea that I'm clean and smooth but don't care what others think. I truly don't of course, but it doesn't hurt to channel my essence.

I throw myself back into my room to grab a light blue tee and black hoodie as well as my red skaters. I snag my cell off the end-table where my alarm clock met it's demise. Swinging open the door, I speed to the top of the stairs and manage to fail down them. As in trip and fall.

Moaning, I look up from the floor to see my brother's wide blue eyes staring at me in concern. I jump up in a hurry and run into the kitchen. My brother, Michael, comes in after me to see me trying to put together a bowl of cereal while attempting to put on my shirt.

"Kick," he says slowly. "what're you doing?"

I answer from the inside of my tee, arms stuck up in the air and head struggling to poke through. "The interviews are today! Like, now! I can't be late, I wanna do this!"

Finally I get my head through the hole and see Michael staring at me. "How do you propose to get there? Mum's out."

I think for a moment. "I'll board."

He crosses his arms over his orange tee. "You're forgetting that I'm coming with you."

I face-palm. "Dang! Um, you can ride your bike, can't ya?"

"I don't have a bike, Kick."

"Right..."

I think hard. "Just ride on my back, a'right?"

He gives me a dubious stare before I glance at the kitchen clock and express my frustration in the form of colorful words. "If we're goin' on board, we gotta get goin'!"

I grab his arm and run to the door leading to the garage to get my skate board.

"Kick!" he yells. "You're gonna crash and kill me!"

I throw his arms over my shoulders and say before kicking off, "It's a chance I'll have to take!"

Many screams and one crash later, Michael and I reach the Ryot TV television station. I pick up my board and sprint into the building, little brother in tow. We run to the front desk and I say extremely out of breath, "I'm here for the Test of Ten interviews!"

The receptionist looks up at me with a slightly confused face. "Why so out of breath, Hun? They don't start for another half hour?"

I feel Michael's eyes burn holes into the side of my head. "Oh..." I say. "Well, where should we wait?"

"Oh, you can go in now. Go down the hall and and it's the first door on the right. When others start arriving, the interviews will begin."

We express our thanks and walk down the hall.

The room we enter looks like a conference room. A real boring one. Everything someone'd expect a typical business meeting to look like. Only, Michael and I weren't expecting there to be people in the room. We walk in and take a seat. I look at the other seven already sitting down and say, "What gives? The lady said we were early."

A real tough looking kid in all black answers, "She told me I was late. She told us all different things."

I scratch the back of my neck and contemplate the dude's answer. That's weird.

The door opens and someone walks in. I smile and wave. "Yo, Nix!"

My friend Nix smiles and nods and takes the last seat. He swipes his unruly red-streaked hair out of his face and adjusts his black wrist straps.

"Thought ya weren't comin', man."

He shrugs. "Thought I may as well. Not like I'll get in or anything, though."

I laugh. "Aw, c'mon. You have a wonderful personality!"

He scowls and flicks me in the forehead from over the table.

"Ow!"

Suddenly, a voice is heard over what seems to be intercom. It is a calm, smooth, woman's voice. "Welcome. You have all been invited here to be interviewed for upcoming television game show for Ryot TV Television Network. What you are not clear on is what the show is and what the rules are. Please turn your attention to the screen at the front so that I may begin explaining."

We all look at the wall that has suddenly lit up. It displays the image of a house plan.

"This game show will be called the Test of Ten. It is a show about ten adolescents living under one roof with no authority figure. This is a social experiment that will allow different scientists to determine whether or not young adults should be able to live on their own with other young adults in situations such as college and early adulthood. It will also be a source of media entertainment for your peers.

"The rules of this game are that you make your own rules as you go along. Since there is no authority figure, there are no consequences for unruly behavior. You, as a group, will create rules and consequences as you see fit. If any one of you do not wish to take part in this experiment please say so now."

It's dead silent. We're all trying to process this information.

"If no one wishes to back out, let the games begin."