The Parables

Siria - Precinct Fifteen

Siria - Precinct Fifteen

Rubbing the stick between the palms of my hands, I twist it back and forth over and over again. Blowing softly on the small pile of wood below it, I use my body to shield the pile from any incoming gales of wind. After a while, a small spark of light reveals itself, then turns into a hoard of flames, crackling from the source. Sparks are spat out and the heat warms my skin. I smile, picking up the stick and blowing it out.

"Nicely done, Siria," an Educator says. "Completed in just under two minutes. That's nine points."

"Thanks." I smiling warmly at the Educator before moving onto my next task, lining up in the queue for it.

Of the assessments that I am currently doing, we are being tested on five main aspects: speed, strength, stamina, skills and knowledge. At the moment, I am on the skills part of the test, and waiting to complete the next mini-task for it, which is building snares.

The tasks take place in special rooms with many special, advanced machines. The machines provide a realistic atmosphere of an actual scenario in many different circumstances. They produce special effects, different weather types such as rain, wind and snow, holograms of creatures that can be touched and felt as if they were real and many more hi-tech features. The room I was previously in had a machine creating strong blasts of wind, that I was struggling to prevent from reaching my fire.

In the room I am queuing to enter, I watch a young girl trying to create a snare in scorching heat. Beads of perspiration drip down her forehead and her skin is slowly turning a light shade of pink. Her shirt clings to her body, drenched in sweat and her fingers tremble whilst she attempts to set up a simple Treadle Snare. The structure is unstable and the rope is slowly slithering free. I sigh. She stands no chance.

Soon enough, the sweltering heat proves too much for the girl and she presses her emergency button, allowing her to escape back into the main building. Once outside the room, she collapses onto her knees, panting. Her skin is no longer white, but red and sore and scarred with burns. Blisters march along her hands and her bloodshot eyes bulge out of her face. Suddenly, her eyes lock onto mine.

"Don't let 'em burn you!" she screeches. "Don't let 'em burn you!" I turn away, shocked by her outburst. She's gone completely insane.

"They're gonna burn you!" she yells at the top of her voice. "They're gonna kill you! Don't go in there! THEY'RE GONNA BURN YOU!" I wince. Was that going to happen to me when I went in there?

I turn back around, to see the girl being dragged away by a couple of sentries. She's screaming, struggling to escape their firm grip on her wrists. She squirms, kicking out her legs wildly. She no longer looks like an average teenage girl, but a crazy, deranged old woman.

Turning my attention to the room, I notice the weather has changed to torrents of rain, soaking a poor boy inside. His hands shake uncontrollably whilst he tries to create a basic snare. I assume the rain has brought an icy air to the room, numbing his fingers until he can't use them. I start to panic, worrying that I won't be able complete this task. It seems, and probably is, impossible.

For what seems like hours later, the boy finishes building the five different snares and crawls out of the room. His skin is deathly white and he shivers uncontrollably, rubbing his hands together to try and create some warmth. An Educator passes him a blanket and mug of hot tea, then beckons the next person in. Me.

Taking a deep breath, I step forward, triggering the sensor on the door so it slides open. I step into the room. The minute I hear the door slide shut, I'm hit by a wave of tropical heat. The atmosphere is humid and the rain is minimal, slight drops pattering down onto the ground here and there. Five heaps of equipment are scattered around the room, all containing much or less the same things.