986 (Complex Series, #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two

 It’s another Official. Dark eyes, thin lips, too large nose. She fiddles with the makeup supplies without giving me a second glance.

She yanks my hair back into a braid and applies my makeup. She does it with the same chilling blankness. She releases me to Morning Meal.

Where’s Dawn? Why isn’t she here? I can’t remember a single Renewals where Dawn hasn’t been here. What happened?

I walk into the Eating Hall. I grab my oatmush and take my seat. The Eating Hall begins to fill up. Piper and Kate join me. Sienna sits down next to me. She glances nervously at me, something unreadable in her eyes. Her eyes dart back to her oatmush.

What is it that’s bothering her? I notice one of Sienna’s roommates is gone. I count the chairs quickly. 990. I don’t know her name or what she’s like.  What did she do that got her taken to the Unknown?

Morning Meal passes and we walk to the Lecture Hall.

After all the seats are filled, an Official speaks into the microphone. “I will say your number, and the Profession you received. You must remember the Profession you are assigned today. They will be your Profession for the rest of your life.”

I tense at her words. A couple other girls do the same. Professions? We were supposed to take our final Profession Exam yesterday. Was it today? It couldn’t have been yesterday. I can remember anything about it. Unless....no. Not again.

The Official begins listing off the results. She starts with 836. She’ll be a Renewal Official. I allow myself to lose attention. It’ll be a while before my number is called.

I can’t remember anything from last night. They must have taken away my memory. Does Sienna remember? What happened that they wanted us to forget? Did they give the same test to everyone? What did I do last night?

I remember Free Hour, I decided I wanted to become a Renewal Official. I still do. I can’t remember leaving Free Hour though.

The numbers get higher. 956. 978. 983

984. Piper. She’ll be a Renewal official.

985. Kate. Meal Official.

986. The suspense builds inside.

Patrol Official.

I’ll be fighting against what I do every other night. I’ll be dragging kids off to the Unknown where I belong.

I force myself to listen to the rest of the numbers before I allow the horrors of my soon-to-be Profession. I’ll save my inward complaints for later. Dana’s number is skipped. The Official goes from 986 to 988, jumping smoothly over the supposedly forgotten.

988. Sienna. Control Official.

989. Meal Official.

The Official smoothly skips over 990, too. What did she do to get herself sent to the Unknown?

I stop listening. Patrol Official. Will I be able to do my own Profession?

The Official starts speaking in long sentences. I force myself to listen. “…tomorrow. Your Profession Training will take place of half of Free Hour. Renewal Official will meet in Circle Room 6. Meal Officials will meet in Circle Room. 3. Control Officials will meet in Circle Room 4. Patrol Officials will meet in Circle Room 8. You may now go to Mid-day Meal.

I blink at the bitter coincidence. Patrol Officials meet in Circle Room 8. The same place I first met Josh. We’ll be meeting to learn to stop the breaking of rules in the same room I started.