Chapter 1

40 4 2
                                    

My mom was brushing my hair.
I don't know why I can't brush my own hair, but apparently? I can't. The reason she's brushing my hair is that today's Choosing Day. Everyone who's 16 picks what district they want to live in.
"Are you ready, Beterce?" asked my mom.
"Not really..."
"Fantastic! I know you'll do well!"
"Mom, are you even listening?"
"I love you too, sweetie."
I stood up for breakfast. As I hobbled out to the kitchen, I realized- gruel again?!?
"Really? Gruel? You guys had waffles wrapped in bacon!"
"Now honey," said my dad, "when you're old enough to embezzle, you can eat whatever you want. Until then, you have to pretend to be selfless."
Our district was the Abnormal, the selfless group. Nobody actually was selfless- everyone stole money and said we were giving it to charity.
"Are you ready to pick a district?" asked my brother, Cube. He was also picking this year.
"No," I confided. "I like Abnormal, but I want to leave." The Erupting were the smart district, and though I'd fit in, I don't wanna go there. Candle is the honest district and Lamety is the peaceful district- I wouldn't enjoy it there. Daunting is the brave faction- that place sounds pretty neat.
We went off to the tests. Basically, machines told you why faction you might want to try.
One little computer glitch can ruin you entire life till the day you die (presumably very soon).
What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

ReversentWhere stories live. Discover now