The Test

Prologue

Tomorrow was December 31, 2166 - the day of the Test - every person born in the year 2150 was to undergo the life altering event that most of them wouldn't survive. Hugging his parents one last time Tyler walked onto the telepad, it was set to teleport him to his hotel room in the capital, Perra. Dissipating into thin air, Tyler's atoms reemerged in the large hotel room forming Tyler perfectly. Walking over to his bed he laid down, not bothering to sleep underneath the covers. Closing his eyes he went off to a deep slumber, quite possibly his final slumber.

Drifting through a vast deep dark emptiness Tyler looked around for something, anything. There, just over there - something was there, a light. Maybe, perhaps not. But yes, now sure Tyler drifted forth. Reaching out Tyler grabbed the small hole emitting light in the vast empty void around him. His momentum pulling him forward, he felt his arm nearly wrench out of its socket. But with that pull the hole now grew, larger in size. Not a hole emitting light, he could see through it, it was a portal to... somewhere. With all his might Tyler tore the hole open, larger and larger - but suddenly the portal was growing on its own, pulling Tyler in.

He was standing among a crowd of people, disorientated he pushed forward - trying to see what everyone was staring at. Coming to the front he saw it - millions of people about to take the Test. Looking away, Tyler didn't want to see what was about to happen, but like a magnet his gaze was drawn back to the millions - standing shoulder to shoulder in the large 5 mile by 5 mile quarry dug into the ground, all dressed in white gowns, holding a syringe filled with a blue incandescent fluid. A sinister smile crept onto the face of everyone in the crowd as they began to count back from 10. Tyler looked around nervously - 9 - he had to stop this - 8 - he couldn't let this go on - 7 - "Stop it! They'll die!" - 6 - Jumping down he started pulling needles from the hands of the testees - 5 - as soon as he pulled a syringe out of their hands another one appeared - 4 - a smile was painted on their unchanging mannequin like faces - 3 - both hands full of needles Tyler fell to the ground helpless - 2 - he dropped the needles to the ground - 1 - another needle appeared in his hand, "No, please, not me..." - 0 - his arm involuntarily moved to inject his other arm simultaneously with the other millions surrounding him.

The world caved in around him, and just as everyone around him collapsed, the world was gone - replaced with an eternal black veil encompassing Tyler in its cold embrace. Drifting once more he found another portal, open and inviting. Landing gracefully on both feet Tyler turned around only to see the opening close behind him. Looking around he saw he was in Perra, tall spiraling glass skyscrapers, huge pathways for people to walk, cars flying above silently flowing through morning traffic, with the occasional person flying through traffic - the benefit of surviving the Test, your very own "super powers", as our ancestors once called our abilities. Now everyone older than 16 was genetically improved, but at what cost. The world once overpopulated now dwindled to one billion, not decreasing or increasing substantially. A man middle aged ran up to Tyler, "Help me!" he screamed grabbing Tyler's arm with the strength of a thousand men. Tyler tried to scream but nothing came out, in fact he couldn't speak at all. Tyler through tear filled eyes looked down at the man, begging, praying, hoping he would let go. The man's grip started to lessen, but as the man's grip became less and less his age became more and more. The man aged before Tyler's eyes until the man fell over, letting go of Tyler's arm. The mans eyes were wide open, along with his mouth, forever calling out in search for someone to save him. Looking around Tyler saw that this man wasn't the only one who died, the streets were flooded with old decrepit bodies.

Once more the world faded from existence until Tyler was alone, holding his arm to his chest, pondering, contemplating, thinking, deciphering, dissecting. What happened and why? Drifting along with his thoughts throughout the endless void he saw a portal, letting out a faint shrill beeping, growing in volume the closer he got. Trying to pull away, swimming, flailing his arms, kicking his legs, he was pulled in, speeding up faster and faster - stopping. Opening his eyes he saw his legs sticking up from underneath his covers. Sighing he pulled his covers off and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, heading into the bathroom the get ready for the Test.