The Test: Are you ready

Training

        "Up!" A murmur of pain went around the room as we all went into our hundredth and twelfth push up. "Up!" I breathed out slowly; i wasn't sure i could do this anymore. The directors of the Fear Test told us that to be able to pass the Test, we needed arm strength. "Up! And that is it for our arm strengthening. Go get some lunch and then come back for round two, leg strengthening."

        For a couple of seconds i lied down on the ground. My vision was foggy. "Come one Miss Weatherfield! Get up!" I tried getting up, but my arms shook and I fell back down, gasping. "Weatherfield, get up!" I felt a kick against my side.

        "I-can't-t."

        "NOW! You will not be able to pass like-"

        "Leave her alone!"

        That was a new vioce. I turned my head slightly and saw a boy with blue eyes and dark brown hair. "She's hurt!"

        Our trainer, Grant, didn't seem to happy, "Help her get some lunch, Mr. Long. And don't ever interrupt my training again. Oh, and Weatherfield? You will be the first one to die during the Test. Your actions today have proven that."

        I let out a small groan, "No, sir- i'll do bet-"

        I felt a hand against my side, "It's okay Emma. Get up." I felt pressure against my hip and slowly pulled my self up. I turned and faced the boy, "Thank you. For helping me back there. What's your name?"

        "My name is Luke. Hey take care okay? Be careful out here. No one will care if you get hurt, it will only make their chance of passing and earning more training better."

        "Sure. I'll try."

        He smiled and left. I watched him walk away. He was super nice. I wonder if he lost his match. But what a horrible thought that would be. I took back what I thought immediatly. He doesn't like me. He must feel sorry for me, thinking how weak I am.

        I slowly made my way to the cafeteria. The whole place was filled with people, but since yesterday, the group got smaller. Rumor was spread that some of the people left camp. And once you leave camp, you will never be accepted  ever again. I walk to an empty table and sit down. I look around the room and the people sitting at the many tables. There are three rows of tables, six tables in each row, seven chairs at each table. The walls are all black, save for the one in the corner filled with papers and what looked red like blood. I get up and walk over there. The papers are old, you could tell by the brown edges and the dirty smell. I picked up one of the papers that read "attention". It's date was 2025. That was over a thousand years ago, because the year now is 2245. I read it eagerly.

        "Mars mission completion. After one year of experimentation and work, it has been concluded that life on Mars is successful. The plants we put are growing and oxygen levels will rise greatly in another three hundred years. Till then, we will stay on Earth. The population has yet to know of our loss of oxygen. They must never know, until we are able to go to the Red Planet.

        General Kript"

        The paper slowly drifted to the ground.

        We were lied to.

        Life is possible on Mars.

And it has been for over a thousand years. The Test was of no reason. Ever human being that died during this Test was innocent. Every soul that was given up could have been saved. The Test was not the only option.

        And the TC knew.

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        "Welcome back from lunch folks. Now we will work on lower body strength. To begin I would like everyone to run two laps around this room and stretch out a little bit. Then we will go into full out training. MOVE!"