The Oasis

Chapter 9

The pictures of four lost souls flash upon the screen behind him. I frantically search their faces , checking and double checking to make sure that Mika's face is not one of the four. I shrink a little back into the seat. None of the faces are his. There is one face I recognize. It's the girl from the hall, her name was Mckenna Walsh. The crowd's whispers elevate and there is a commotion in the back of the crowd. I look around and find a few classmates looking sad some wiping escaping tears. I'm not sure who Mckenna's friends or family are , but I can't help but wonder how they will handle this news.

I hadn't realized until this point that I had been holding my breathe , and I quickly release it. I still don't understand. There is no way Mika failed. He was far smarter than me, and I'm here. His absence weighs heavily, like a boulder between my shoulder blades. It takes everything I have to focus on the speech bellowing from the president standing at the podium.

"We next will announce those moving up to RING 1! Once I call your name, please stand and make your way to the stage. Before I continue I want to remind everyone that there will be a short reception for all moving on. Unfortunately those who have not passed the test have already been escorted to the transport and have already left RING 2. The family members of those who did not pass, will be notified after the ceremony. Alright now on to the results."

He begins calling names. I sit and wonder how my parents will deal with the pending news of Mika. They probably already know, based simply on the fact that he is not present. How will they deal. How will their neighbors and work colleagues handle it. Will they treat my parents as less than. We all know it's what happens. Your child fails and you fail. This will not end well for them. I can only hope that I'm called now, or with RING 2. Than at least they will not be a complete disgrace to society. If I test into RING 3 it could create major complication for them. They may lose their ranking in RING 2. They may lose their jobs. Panic is growing in me. I have no control over their lives. What's done is done. I try to focus on the President as he calls out more names. It's not long before I hear a name I know.

"Lizabeth Atwal!"

Lizzie stands and the few friends surrounding her shake her hand or give her a high five. She turns and looks back at me, giving me that beaming Lizzie smile. I want to rejoice for her, but the pit in my stomach refuses to let me enjoy this moment for her. I simply smile as best as I can and watch as she glides her way to her rightful spot on the stage.

"Lucius Atwal"

It's not a surprise that her brother was called as well. The two of them are exactly how you would picture the perfect set of twins. They are completely identical or at least as identical as they can be.

I continue to watch as another 30 or so names are called. Mine was not one of them. All the people I cared about had their results. It was becoming more and more obvious that Mika had failed. Lizzie and Luc were now the proud civilians of RING 1. Now all I had to do was wait for my pending doom. At best I would be in the next group called. Those would be the ones who stayed here in RING 2. I was secretly hoping this was the case. I could watch over my parents as they dealt with the grief of losing Mika to RING 4. I know it will eat at them. It would be good to have me here, supporting them. I could only hope that I would qualify for RING 2 and not RING 3. If i'm placed in RING 3 that would be the worst. Not only had my brother failed, but I was not good enough to even place in our own RING. The wait was killing me.

"Congratulation to these amazing citizens. We wish you the best of luck in the future, and can not wait to see what your endeavors may be. I would like to take this time to announce some very exciting news."

The crowd stirs and excited whispers spread like wildfire. What could the announcement be?

"It is with great honor that I announce that one of our students has Tested into The Oasis.!"

If the crowd was stirring before it was downright electrified now. I was hopeful and gleeful. My disposition once pitiful and bleek had been uplifted by a few spoken words. Maybe Mika is the student the president speaks of. Maybe he didn't fail, but excelled beyond everyone else. It would be more likely that Mika was the one who would go on rather then fail. The sound coming from the crowd was astronomical.

"Please ! Please! Everyone I know that this is very thrilling news but please everyone I need your attention. This is all very exciting. In my years of being President of the Education Center I have only had a handful of students make it to The Oasis. As you all know making it to The Oasis is an extreme feet and quite the honor. Not only did this student make it, but they scored a perfect score on the test. That is a first for any RING."

The crowd erupted with applause as the news hits. Never have I ever heard of a perfect score. I squeeze me eyes shut and hope amongst all hope that it is Mika. As the excitement builds within me, I can't imagine anyone else being capable of this kind of feet. I breathe in and out slowly concentrating on the president's words. Focusing, willing him to speak Mika's name. I no longer care where I am placed. If Mika places in The Oasis, the honor it would bring my family would be huge!

"Okay ! Okay! Everyone please stand and give a well deserved round of applause to Miss Magdalena Beckwith."

I stand and clap as hard as I can. As I clap the crowd turns to me. Their faces lit with excitement and honor. It's not till this moment that the name the President has spoken sinks it. I slow my clap as I realize that it is not my brother Mika, but it's me he announced. Me? How can that be? There is no way I scored a perfect score on this test. The rooms spins a bit as the reality sinks in. The President is saying something, and waving for me to come up to the stage but I can not move. I feel as though I might be sick. My fellow students surrounding me are pulling and pushing my lifeless body towards the stage, but shock has fully set in and there is no amount of force that could make me move. The rooms spins faster and the voices blur and a dark rim appears in my vision. Tiny white star like spots appear and dance across the faces of my peers. The blackness starts to take over as I feel my body get a little lighter. Before I can grasp what is happening, the room goes black and the noise is silenced.