PROLOGUE

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by harryswonderwall

by harryswonderwall

America

I woke up at 7:35. The time my alarm has been set to every day since I started grade school. Only today was different. It was my Graduation Day. As I've read in my history textbook, most people my age used to be very excited for this time in their lives, where they could move on from the world they knew and pursue their interests at a University. It isn't like that anymore.

On this day every other month, a group of newly turned 18 year olds enter the Justice Building of their division, and take the test that will determine their future. The test will tell you if you get to keep your physical features, because they will produce optimum offspring, or if they need to be altered. If something needs genetic altering, such as the shape of your eyes or the removal of freckles and other skin “blemishes”, you would be taken to a center, where the process will be complete before the day is done.

The Test isn't meant as a test of knowledge or physical ability, but of attractiveness. The government wants to create an ideal race; a genetically flawless breed of human. After you take your test, you are pooled into a group of people that you would produce the most attractive offspring with. The night of your Graduation is the Selection Ball. At the Ball, everyone who has taken the test will sit in the center most ring of the Justice Building Ballroom, where they will anxiously await the Unveiling.

The Unveiling is the ceremony at the end of the night of the Selection Ball, where the list of ideal mates is read aloud to all of the Graduates. Most of the time, the Committee (the group of people who determine the Selections), are able to narrow down your pool to your most ideal mate.

If you are in a large Selection pool that cannot be narrowed down, you will be given an option of who you believe is the most physically attractive of your pool. The downside to this is whoever is not chosen will become a Zero, or an Undesirable. Most Undesirables become homeless and never produce any offspring to carry on their family line.

Everyone in the Commonwealth fears our government. Nobody is safe from the cruelties that come along with not being “perfect enough”. If your name is not read out alongside another at the Unveiling, you have failed the test, and you are an automatic Zero.

The dark, shallow nature of this society is enough to control us all. But we must bring our ownlight to the darkness if we ever wish to overcome it.

A/N: Ahh! I've been so excited to start this since I got the idea in my head a while back! Can't wait to get it rolling! Thank you for reading (: please comment any feedback you have and vote!

xoxo, S