Test

Today is finally the day, the day I go through the testing. My mother dresses me up in my nicest clothes I own and has tears shining in her eyes. But instead of pride and happiness in her eyes, she drowns in sorrow and is shrouded in fear over the coming of my seventeenth birthday.

"Look at you," said my mother, "in your Sunday best." After that there was a pregnant pause. "No matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you from the day I first saw that rosy face, to all of eternity."

"I know mom," I say in a hushed, cracking voice; showing just how close I was to breaking. "I love you, to all of eternity."

The clock chimes, signalling that it was now midday.

"Come now, if we don't leave the house now we'll be late."

We exit the house and my mother tries to lock the front door, but can't because her hands are shaking so much.

The drive was quiet since the radio was turned off and I just stared out the passenger window, the bright sun blinding me as I watch people live their day to day lives. I ponder what it will be like for the children who are to young to know or understand what will happen to then someday. I look at the adult and winder if u will live to be their age.

I glance at my mother and her eyes are swollen and red from crying. I look down to where my hands are laying in my lap and I feel tears building up in my own eyes and clench my fist. I feel my nails digging into my palm, not caring if it's deep enough to bleed. No I can't cry, I have to be strong, for mom.

After twenty long minutes that seem to last an eternity we arrive. There building is about the size of large clinic, it was very bland building the outer walls were a dark grey color that was starting to fade with glass double doors and big red letters on the front dubbing the building simply as TESTING SITE. There was no need for more elaboration. Everyone knew what the testing site was. Everyone.

Clinging to my hand both my mother and I open the glass doors and enter the building. The interior of the building was strikingly similar to the waiting area of a doctor's office. The chairs were cushioned on both the seat and back with a plastic frame. In the center of the partial circle of chairs, there was a simple all black table with magazines lying on top of it that had a thick coat of dust on top. I was sure that if you move them, you would be able to see a cloud rise up. This was understandable, no person in their right mind would treat this as a simple check up. At the reception desk, there was a woman who had her hair in a neat bun at the top of her head and was wearing a solid navy colored pants suit and was working diligently at the computer. She looked at us and said in a calm voice " I assume you are for the testing"

My mother looked like she wanted to answer but would burst in tears if she did so I did instead"Yes ma'am I just turned seventeen." She nodded and looked at me with a sad smile.

"Well, sit down and you will be called when we are ready"

I nodded and grabbed mom's hand to guide her to a chair. Her grip was like steel as if I would disappear into thin air and she was trying to stop me. Though to be honest I just might. I look around the room and see two other families there.

One was a girl, she wore a light purple dress going nicely with her light skin. She wore only the faintest hint of makeup, it was only noticeable if someone were trying to find it. Her lips were covered with a light pink colored lipstick and she had blush on her cheeks and wore mascara. Her hair fell down her back like a water hall in smooth, loose curls that framed her heart shaped face perfectly.

The other a boy he was wearing a simple black suit and tie, his shoes shined to perfection and his hair falling in loose strands on his face, giving him a style that makes it look as if he hadn't done anything to his hair but was too perfect. Both of them had their parents holding on to them as they were wispered to softly.

I could hear the ticking of the clock so loud that it was like thunder. tick, tock, tick tock, tiCK TOCK, TICK, TICK, TICK TOCK TICK- I was so lost in that I didn't notice the receptionist calling my name,forcing my mom to get my attention. "They will see you now in room 116."

As we enter the door to the rest of the building the smell of disinfectant wafts into my nose and we walk down the hall and watch the numbers go by 103,104, 105, all the way up to 110 where the hallway stops and we turn to the left 111,112,113,114,115 finally we reach 116. Just behind this door is what will determine my future. "Let's go inside, yeah mom?" I ask and try to give her a smile which turns into a pathetic lip quiver. Just like that I twist the handle and open the door.

'Welcome, take your seat and the testing will begin shortly.' The voice came from a free roaming robot, the voice was robotic and that of neither a man or woman. The robot had no clothing, and the different panels were visible because they were all varying shades of grey. The room itself was underfurnashed with only three chairs, a control panel, and a large screen on the wall where the door was. Two of the chairs were similar to those in the waiting room and made their home in the far back corner of the square room. The third chair was on the center of the room and unlike the other two was made of metal and had a contraption that was mentioned to go on your head along with shackles at the arms and legs to tie you to the chair.

Before I could move to sit, my mother pulled me into a hug squeezing me tightly, not wanting to let go. "I love you so much." She was crying on the brink of sobbing. "You don't have to do this you know we can walk out, and never come back again. We can go home and I'll make all your favorite foods and we can do whatever you want."

"We can't, you know we can't." I hug her and kiss her cheek "I love you mom, I love you so much." I'm so sorry that I have to do this to you.

'Take your seat. We will begin shortly.' The automated voice had said again. I sat down and instantaneously the shakes on the chair locked into place around my limbs. 'Locks secure.' the contraption rested itself on my head. 'Testing will now commence.'

Suddenly I'm somewhere else, the image is faded and blurry around the edges, but even then I can still clearly make out what is happening, I'm in a hospital room and there's someone crying. I look up, and I see mom. She looks to be in her early twenty's and she is covered in sweat. It's then I realize what's going on, I'm seeing my birth.