Spectralite

Chapter 4

Once the physical tests were done, I had a 15-minute break to decompress before facing the final and ultimate assessment. Surprisingly, the physical evaluation had been relatively easy for me. Standing at 5 foot 6, I've always had somewhat of an athletic figure, though not visibly muscular, making me doubt my abilities. However, the ease of the physical test made me realize it was a result of my hard work.

Deciding to take a short walk, I was informed by my escort that I did not have the authorization of going outside the church. Furthermore, she emphasized that talking with other participants was strictly prohibited. I originally had the intention of going to the small park beside the church, but it seems I'm confined here for now.

As I walked past a few individuals, I kept my eyes open, hoping to spot someone I knew. I recognized a few familiar faces from work, waving silently at them. It was reassuring to see people I know n this unfamiliar setting.

"Bee" I heard a faint whisper. Scanning my surroundings, I found nothing. It had to be Josh, he was the only one I knew who called me Bee, and that could be here.

I glanced around, inspecting each seat in search of Josh, but still nothing.

"Psst, over here." I heard the whisper again. This time, I turned my head in the direction of the sound and finally spotted him. His beard had been trimmed and his brown skin had a radiant healthy glow, likely thanks to his sister. He was seating in a chair with his name inscribed on it too. The woman next to him was only gazing in front of her, her eyes unblinking.

While I approached Joshua and crouched down, he whispered," Don't worry, I think she's bugged or something." My eyes widen in realization, he, too, had an android. I wasn't the only one. I sighed with relief, putting my mind at ease.

"You also have an android?" I asked him, "I was scared I was the only one. It seems only those with their name on the chairs have a robot escort, isn't that quite odd?" I continued, peering deeply into his captivating deep green eyes. They were almost brown, but sometimes, when the light hit just right in his eyes, a beautiful green tint was perceptible.

For some reason, he dodged my interrogation and gently grasped my chin, locking his gaze with mine. His eyes seemed to burn with desire, causing my cheeks to flush more than I intended. Feeling a bit flustered, I attempted to avoid those eyes.

"You know you look stunning today?" He told me, feeling his thumb stroking softly on my lips. In response, I reflexively bit my lower lip, and I remained silent as he leaned in closer to my face.

I don't believe I ever truly fell out of love with him, even though he was the one who suggested we stop doing our little game. He claimed that he got caught once while going to meet me in the forest, and his father disapproved of our relationship. From that point, our connection was mostly platonic, but the bond between us never really faded away.

His face drew even closer to mine, and for a brief moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. But instead, his lips brushed against the side of my ear, making me shiver.

"I don't have much time to explain, but I think we were assigned androids because they are scared of us." He hurriedly began, "Mine have started acting strangely before I even realized she wasn't human. I think it's because of our bir-"

Suddenly, Josh was pulled away from my ear. Speak of the devil... His companion had just now regained consciousness, and she was clearly displeased to see us talking.

"No talking allowed. Please get back to your seat." She sternly instructed me, her eyebrows furrowing as she directed a disapproving glance at Joshua.

I obediently walked back to my seat, stealing one last glance behind me. Joshua was now completely immobile, his eyes wide open. Even if that part of the test looked undeniably terrifying, all I wondered about was what he was trying to tell me. They were scared of us, but who exactly? The elite class? No way.

As soon as I settled back into the chair, the screen materialized back in front of me. The woman on the screen appeared and said, "Now, Miss Anderson, we will begin the final exam. Please put these in your eyes."

My escort handed me a pair of contact lenses to put in my eyes. It all made sense, that explains why people were all staring into space. The lenses must be connected to some virtual interface.

I carefully placed them in each eye, blinking a couple of times. Suddenly, it felt as though I had been transported to a different place. When I looked down at my body, I was wearing a completely distinct uniform from the one we were provided. I found myself standing in the middle of a vast field, surrounded by an unfamiliar landscape.

A voice emanating to my ears, explaining, "This is a simulation designed to evaluate your personality and mental capacities within the next hour. You will be presented with a series of scenarios, challenges, and ethical dilemmas."

The field gradually became a confined, gray-walled space, revealing itself to be a tiny conference room. Soon after, five men entered the room, making me startled. Their expressions were marked by tension and urgency.

I found myself in a time-sensitive scenario, I faced the daunting task of making rapid and crucial decisions that would hold the key to the fate of the orange's situation. A devastating natural disaster had left them without homes, and they were slowly dying of hunger.

It seemed that the situation was designed to test my ability to maintain composure under pressure and assess what I valued the most. Additionally, it could be to test my capacity for empathy, integrity, and moral judgment.

Of course, my choice was saving those in dire need. However, one of the men in the group strongly opposed my decision, citing concerns about our limited resources. It was apparent that he had never experienced the hardship of starvation, as evidenced by his well-fed appearance, with buttons nearly bursting from in shirt.

I stood firm in my decision, if necessary, we would stretch our resources by cutting rations in half to provide a chance for those in need.

Suddenly, the scenery shifted once again, and I found myself standing in a vast auditorium, with a sea of people stretching as far as my eye could see. This time, it was more complicated, I had to give a conference in front of thousands of attentive faces. While it's nothing overly complex, I knew from past experiences I tend to freeze in place.

Setting my anxiety aside, I reminded myself it was just a simulation. At first, my voice trembled with nerves, but as I began speaking, I gain more confidence and I eventually became more natural and composed.

In the midst of speaking, the room abruptly spun, and I found myself face-to-face with a man. His gaze was gentle and tender, and he had striking black hair that resembled the darkness of the night. His eyes, in contrast, were a captivating shade of blue, akin to the boundless sky. He seemed to be around my age, perhaps slightly older.

As his full pink lips moved, I strained to hear any sound, but none reached my ears. Confused, I frowned and locked my gaze with his. His eyes were shining, and the unspoken emotions within them held my attention. 

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the fourth chapter :3 How do you find it so far? I always enjoy reading comments :P