Elite || Marhinki

•Chapter Two: The Train•

Back when I was ten, before I started working and school was every day, they'd taught us about the Dark Ages.

Before Escana was created, the world had been split up into smaller nations called "countries." These countries had their own governments, their own societies. Some even had systems called "democracies," where people could choose their leaders.

But the people couldn't be trusted. Back then, everyone hated each other. They had people called racists, sexists, homophobes, transphobes, and xenophobes. People who hated minorities, small groups of people for their sex, gender, who they loved, the colour of their skin, and even for what country their family came from.

And when those people who hate minorities decide who rules them, they choose rulers who hate them too.

Therefore, this system was broken. It was made most apparent by the constant wars, suffering, and hate. The Dark Ages were terrible times. What made them even worse was the Great War, which ravished the lands and killed billions of people.

But, like a phoenix, Escana rose out of the ashes of this broken world. The Sui's, along with other powerful families like the Grossman's, came together and made Escana. They brought the entire world together, and made people from other countries stop seeing each other as separate, but as a whole family. They organized them into the ranks, to make sure everyone had an active, equal role in society and everyone was cared for. They saved the world. Queen Olivia Sui the first, granddaughter of the first Sui's to start working on Escana, was crowned queen.

I remembered little ten-year-old me raising his hand, "If everyone is cared for, then why are we starving?"

I had gotten ten hits on the knuckles for that, and a long lecture about respect and gratitude.

I didn't know why I was thinking of this now, as I stared at the dark ceiling of our apartment. Our fire had long since burned out, leaving us in darkness. One day.

I still couldn't believe it. Only one day until my Tests. One day until my entire future would be decided.

I closed my eyes, but I knew I wouldn't sleep for a long time.

• • •

There had never been a time in my life that I was sad about missing work.

Those days, days where you weren't required to work, were scarce; Rations Day, and an hour every Sunday for school. Usually, I looked forward to these days with joy, relieved that I would get a break from the endless torture that was working at the factory, making technology that I would never get to use. But not today.

Because today, I left for the Tests.

The Tests were optional, and only counted as a work-free day for eighteen-year-olds. My parents and Jon had already wished me good luck and left, leaving me alone in our apartment.

The train would be leaving at 12 pm sharp, leaving me two hours to get there. I sat on my bed clutching a glass of water.

Well, five-year-old me, I thought to myself. Here we are, on the day you dreamed of. Are you excited?

I drank my water. We were almost out. One of us would have to go back to the well later today. I wondered what was going through my family's mind when they said goodbye to me, and what they'd be thinking while I was gone. Probably worry, and fear.

I sat there for a while, imagining all the horrible things that could happen to me if I failed. Eventually, mainly because I was worried about missing the train, I brought myself to my feet and walked to the Train Station.