Banish

CHAPTER 2

I jolted awake, my recent night terror coursing through my head.

I hugged my knees to my chest and rocked back and forth until I finally realized what day it was.

July 2.

The day of the Oral.

I flopped back onto my bed, waiting for Shar-A-Lynn to come and get me. Why did I have to turn sixteen this year?

A few minutes later, my older sister opened the door.

"Lauren!" Shar-A-Lynn said. "You have to get ready before the Oral! It's only in an hour!"

I groaned and forced myself onto my feet. The world was dizzy for a moment, so I leaned against my closet door until the dizziness passed.

"Hurry up! Lucia has your dress downstairs!"

"Wait." My head shot up. "I have to wear a dress?!"

"Uh...yeah!" Shar-A-Lynn said like I was stupid.

I sighed and followed my sister downstairs. Lucia was holding up a black dress about knee-length. It had straps that crossed in the back and was covered in roses.

"I really do have to wear a dress," I grumbled.

"Hurry!" my older sister said, shoving the dress into my hands. "You don't have long! And I have to do your hair, too."

I groaned and grabbed the dress. It fit perfectly. I threw on my white Converse hightops, hoping my sisters wouldn't notice.

I walked downstairs again. Lucia made me sit in a chair in front of the mirror as she curled my hair and braided one side back. It was a dutch braid that started at my part and wrapped around the left side of my head, pulling the hair out of my crystal eyes. Lucia tied it off almost to the back of my head with a clear elastic.

When she finished, it was time to go. Neither of my sisters had said anything about my shoe choice. I don't think they even noticed.

When I was walking to the door, the rest of my siblings came downstairs.

"Where are you going?" Annalee immediately asked.

"To the Oral, remember?" Adan said, elbowing his twin in the side.

"Ow!" 

The seven-year-olds took off, Annalee chasing Adan. But right before they rounded the corner into the hallway, Annalee came back and hugged me.

"Don't fail," she said.

"I won't," I promised her.

Then she took off after her brother.

Cetare, my seventeen-year-old brother, came up and hugged me.

"Good luck," he whispered. "And I love the shoes."

I smiled at him as he pulled away.

All eyes shifted to Jayce.

The rebellious thirteen-year-old was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and smirking.

"What?" he asked somewhat innocently.

I rolled my eyes and turned away, but right before my eyes left his, he gave me a thumbs up.

Sander was my escort, and he led me out into the streets where all the other kids my age were gathering. The Testing Rooms were a few small metal buildings on the outskirts of the Rift. Not eye-catching in any way.

A bunch of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds were gathered in front of the three buildings, and five Luminaries circled the crowd, one standing in front of the middle Testing Room.

"Citizens of the Rift," he began, scanning the crowd. "We welcome you to the 178th annual Oral!"

There were no cheers.

"Let us begin," he said, clearly annoyed by the peoples' lack of enthusiasm. "Rio Abernathy!"

A black-haired boy stepped forward and the Luminary directed him into the left Testing Room.

"Salem Amnite!"

A brunette girl in a teal dress stepped into the middle Testing Room.

The Luminary continued to read off names in alphabetical order. I would be almost last.

I stared off into space until a pair of wings caught my eye. A mockingbird fluttered by, so quiet no one looked up but me. The bird hovered in the air and watched the crowd, quickly glancing my way. Then it flew away into the city.

To pass time, I untied and retied my shoelaces, something I did a lot. Sander pulled out a piece of paper and wrote jokes on it since there was minimal talking allowed. We talked through that.

After a half-hour or so, I'd completely lost track of time.

But I wished it'd stayed that way.

Because when I returned to reality, the Luminary had reached the Vs. 

I bit my lip as two other people went in, fully expecting my name to get called.

Maybe they'll have to stop before they reach me, I hoped. Maybe they'll skip my name. Maybe--

"Lauren Velanite!"

Or not.