The Thinning AU

1

"Ellie! Wait up! How can you be so eager to get to school, I mean you know that the tests are today don't you?" I said as I ran to catch up to her. I swear if this school doesn't kill me, she will. "What do you mean? Max, you are probably one of the smartest people in school, you don't need to worry. And I have studied every day for two months for this test, I have all the possible questions memorized like the back of my hand." She said without looking back at me. "I know, I know. But doesn't it scare you, even a little bit?" I stared at my feet as I walked a couple of steps behind her. "Well obviously," she started, "But I'm kind of pumped knowing that I'll make it through this one." Ellie is the kind of person that is adventurous and daring, where as I am kind of the opposite. I am introverted and scared if a lot of things. But I still didn't want to think about it any longer even though I knew that she was right, we were both fully able to ace the test like had done every year until now, but my nerves were still through the roof. And when I say through the roof, I mean I am at the bottom of a skyscraper and my nerves have gone through the ceiling of the top floor and I into space.

We got to school and saw the huge sign outside that said,
"Renne Highschool For The Intellectual. TEST TODAY!!" I am in 10th grade with Ellie and as the sign said, today was test day, but it's not just any test.

We walked to the auditorium where we had all the lectures from our principal Mr. Sarden. People call him Mr. sardine behind his back because of how salty and mean he is. He is the most strict principal you will ever meet. And I know your thinking right now, Oh well I had one teacher that was really bad, she gave me double homework blah blah blah... But NO don't even get me started on him. He is our towns mayor, the school principal, and he's a real asshole. I am not going to explain him to you I'll just let you hear his speech that he does every single year when we have these tests.

"Hello students," he started in a monotone voice with no facial expression whatsoever, "as you know, today is the thinning. And I know that there are some newcomers in the crowd out there, I'm looking at you 7th graders." He looked at the front row of 7th graders and ignored the back row of 11th and 12th graders that were mimicking his speech that that had heard every year. "Let me explain it to you. Every year we have the annual thinning, where each person takes a test depending on their age and grade. There is only one test and no retakes, to pass you need to get a 75 or higher. If you don't pass you get eliminated." A gasp went over the newest people in the auditorium and from two sides of the podium Mr. Sarden was standing at a line of intimidating guards came out. They held sticks that zapped you if they touched you, some had small pistols, and the leader had a large gun that shot out various forms of plasma and can be deadly if set correctly. I knew all of this because I had seen it happen multiple times before to people that have gotten up and protested against the thinning. It was traumatizing, to see your friends and for some even family, fly through the air like a ragdoll from the impact. He continued his voice with a little more power now, "Yes, our society shall only be open to those who have the greatest intelligence and determination to succeed. Our society shall not accept ignorance, that is why this test will, in fact determine life or death. So students, I wish you the best of luck." He stepped down from his podium and left with lines of guards at his sides.

We live in an extremely small place that is sealed in with a giant indestructible barrier. Mr. Sarden is said to be the most intelligent person in our small knowledge of the outside world. He came one day and appeared when our town was on the verge of death, scavenging anything we could. None of us had been properly educated at all. He came in and talked about new technology and education and made our town the most advanced town so far in history. He made the dome, he made the weapons the guards have, but where he messed up is the thinning. He got frustrated at the ignorance some of the people that lived here and he decided that they were slowing our further advancements down. He created the tests and the thinning shortly after the schools were made. The tests start at grade 7, which he says is the appropriate amount of time that our brains need to have enough knowledge that we can learn. This, was 172 years ago today. Mr. Sarden had injected himself with one of his tests in the very beginning, giving him an added life span of an unknown amount. But looking at it now makes his chances of surviving for a lot longer very good. So I have to cut him some slack for saving our town and making it possible that I am alive today, but I still didn't like the guy.

Each student went into small white rooms with nothing but a desk and chair, the test, a #2 pencil, a sharpener, and a clock. They are escorted to their rooms by a guard and are locked in for 4 and 1\2 hours even if they finished the test sooner or didn't finish the test. Each grade was final and there was no way to change it.

I got escorted by a feminine looking guard and I thought about how good it would to be a guard, without the tests. I went into the white room and sat down at my desk. The guard said in a prerecorded voice, "Your test will begin in 5... 4..." Each number made me that much more anxious as I stared at the pencil ready to pick it up. And then "1.... START!" I frantically picked up my pencil and started the test.