The Thinning 2

Testing Time

[Terri's POV]

As I walked into my classroom, my friend Bianca tapped my shoulder. "So ready for test day, Terri?" She grazed my eyes with a smile. "Why are you smiling Bia? You know test day is a bad thing every year." She started laughing. "My father is the Governor this year. He promised me that even if I did really bad, I would never go to the Thinning." I don't remember rules like that at all...aren't we all supposed to be treated as equal individuals?

Miss Cartwright, my teacher, called out to us. "Girls, the rest of the class has taken their seats, please follow their example." Bia and I sat next to each other. I ended up having her on my right, which was not a good thing. She had always been on my left. If she was on my right, it was bad luck.

I also had June Ditz on my left. She was the smartest person in my class. Even though her gray hair cut off the fact that she looked old and her unshapely glasses fell off every 3 minutes, she seemed to be the hero of her own story.

Miss Cartwright handed out tablets to each person and said her yearly speech. "These questions are hard, but they are not meant to trick you. Take your time, and focus on the equations that will put your brains to the test. You may begin." With those final words of justice, my tablet awoke, giving me the opportunity to begin the test.

I carefully scanned the first 3 questions.

1. How many sides does an octagon have?

2. What is 45/5?

3. What is 3*3?

I answered the three as best as I could. After an hour, Miss Cartwright told us to put down our tablets. She read a list while Bia crossed her fingers at me.

"Dorian Gibeon, Lisa Steiner, Randy Fret, Kara Miller, and Terri Woods." I jumped at my name. How could this be? I normally do really well on these tests, something has gone wrong. An officer came and dragged me out into the hallway where a bunch of other crowded and sad faces stood.

I had multiple tears run down my eyes. I wanted to say goodbye to Mother, Father, my siblings and my best friend, but I don't think I can.