Companion

Chapter 1: Companion

Chapter 1:

In my life, I have always struggled with who I want to be.

I'm an above-average student who succeeds by default—who has no passion for her studies, but always does considerably well.

I'm a daredevil with a strong stomach, but who needs a little bit of hand-holding and threatening to get her through.

I have the mental capability of pushing myself past my physical and mental boundaries, but I need a good reason to try in the first place.

That's why nobody can even predict who my Companion might be. I'm not saying that I'm any exception to the rules, there are a lot of us who are this way.

For example:

I have a wide variety of friends. I have some who are huge daredevils. They're the type that won't let an electric fence stand in their way. That's when my brainy friends come in. They devise a way to get over, under, around, or through this fence. They then try their best to explain it to the daredevils, and help them to carry this plan out. At least, that's the way it is for most people.

There are the people like me, who are in between. We're the kind of people who see the fence, devise our own plan, then follow through with it.

Then, there are the people who think that they can find a way past the electric fence themselves, so they just try to, like, get a running start and jump over or something, thus ending up either bald or dead. Needless to say, there aren't many of these people. Darwin's theory.

There are also people who think they're smarter than they actually are, and end up getting a Venturer killed. These people are mostly found in prisons. There are the people who think they're Venturers. Obviously, nothing really happens to them because they're too afraid of it when it's actually staring them in the face.

In one week, when I turn fifteen, I will receive my Companion. If I am a Venturer, I will get an Intelligent. If I'm an Intelligent, I will get a Venturer. Simple enough. These titles are based on the sessions with a psychologist I've been required to see once a week since I was thirteen. Her name is Astrid. She's the one in charge of bringing my Results to the City Council, who will match me with a Companion. That's all done and over with. I will never have to talk to Astrid again for as long as I live.

These next few days are reserved for waiting, contemplating, predicting, and, as the case may be, betting. I guess I'm pretty excited to get my Companion. I'm just hoping we get along. After all, we'll be stuck with each other until we're eighteen...and even then, we'll still have to work together.

+++++

I receive my slip in the mail that Sunday. In bold, there is written a name, and below it is a meeting place. I pack a bag with everything I own, and set off.

Intelligent: Hunter. Venturer: Edge.