The Selection

Chapter 1

  I walk down the dark hallway into the auditorium. My twin sister, Saige, is holding my hand. We sit down next to each other and tell each other that we are not going to get picked. Our principal, Mrs. Crawford, walks onto the stage. She looks about the age of twenty-eight, she has blonde hair, cold gray eyes, and she is wearing a striking royal blue knee-length dress. She proudly walks up to the microphone.

"It is my honor to announce this year's winners to be picked for The Selection."

"Skylar Shields."

I wake up almost shooting myself out of bed and knock over some books on my nightstand. In the bed next to mine Sage wakes up startled by the noise I made. She tells me that it was only a bad dream and to go back to sleep. I try to go to sleep but I can't. I look over at Saige and whisper her name a couple of times, but she doesn't answer so I grab some books and start to study. I don't want my name to be drawn in The Selection. If you are drawn in The Selection you most likely die, and a few years ago, when Saige and I were only ten and our older sister Olivia was thirteen, our older brother, Brian who was sixteen, got picked for The Selection. Brian went to a party with his friends the night before The Selection test and he had a lot to drink, the next day he woke up and he had such a bad headache that he failed The Selection test. His funeral was sad me, Saige, Olivia, and our parents all cried. After that no one in my family drank or talked about drinking. Our mother cried for weeks while our father was sad and we all felt lonely. Brian was everyone's friend he had been friends with everyone at school and he was very popular.

After about an hour of studying I go back to sleep, and when I wake I get up and our mom has made us pancakes and waffles. After we eat I take a shower and then get dressed I am wearing a light blue dress with flowers on it and I am wearing light blue ballerina flats to match my dress. I brush my teeth and blow dry my hair and then brush it. My hair falls down into natural brown waves.

We all walk out of our house and into my moms dark blue minivan. We drive to school and there are already students lined up ready to go into the school while FBI agents, DEA agents, and a SWAT team are there herding kids like sheep. Mrs. Crawford is talking with one of the FBI agents. I'm guessing the FBI agent that she is talking with is the head FBI agent. I can never remember his name.

Saige and I get out of the car our mom begs to bring us inside and we remind her of the rules. The rules state that on the day of The Selection parents cannot walk children to the doors because it is a distraction to the children.

Saige and I walk up to the school doors. When we get inside of the school we walk into our classroom, Saige and I have the same schedule, and walk over to the corner of the classroom with our friends, Hannah, Kyle, and Jacob, who are all watching cat videos. Hannah has been my best friend ever since we were six, Kyle has been my best friend for about three years now, and Jacob has been my best friend for about a year now. Hannah and Jacob were friends and I became friends with Jacob through Hannah. We talk about who we think is going to get picked for The Selection and we come up with Brooklyn Richter, Natalie Evans, Nathan Evans, Benjamin Miller, Spenser Jackson,Cole Baker, Cameron Hayes, Rachael Scott, Mackenzie Torres, and Eric Woods.

Every year ten people from each school have to participate and it is world wide so about 10,501,189 kids die just because of The Selection while 10,501,190 kids get selected for The Selection so only one kid lives. The Selection is based on The Hunger Games and The Thinning. Kids that are from first grade to twelfth grade are to participate in The Selection.

The bell rings and students start to flood in. The teacher takes attendance and once everyone is here the teacher makes an announcement like most of the teachers.

"I wish you all the best of luck in this years test. This years test will be harder than the other tests you have taken. If any of you are to be selected I wish all the best of luck in the tournament." She then handed out our computers for the test.

When I finished the test there were still two minutes remaining for everyone else to finish their test so I decided to turn in my test. After two minutes the timer went off and everyone turned in their tests, and then we were free to wander the class for a few minutes while the test results came in. I walked over to Saige and we reassured each other that were were not going to be picked. We were both one of the smartest kids in the school and it is rare for Seniors in high school to get picked.

After a while we are told to walk out of the classroom and into the auditorium by our teacher. We walk into the auditorium and the class sits down a row of seats the our teacher assigns us. We all wait impatiently to see if we passed the test. Soon Mrs. Crawford walks in and like every year she looks the same. Still looks about the age of twenty-eight, has blonde hair, cold grey eyes, and she is wearing a striking Royal blue knee-length dress. She, as always, walks proudly up to the microphone in the middle of the stage.

"As your principal I am pleased to present our ten lucky winners for this years Selection."

"Natalie Evans." Called it.

"Nathan Evans." Nailed it.

"Benjamin Miller." We are on fire.

"Spenser Jackson." Sad. I used to have a crush on Spenser and now he is most likely going to die.

"Cole Baker." For some reason he has always been the depressed teen. I wonder if he failed on purpose? He used to be smart.

"Rachael Scott." How do we get this far on getting everyone right.

"Mackenzie Torres." She and I used to be friends, she also had a crush on Spenser.

"Eric Woods." Next I bet you is going to be Cameron Hayes.

"And last but not least, Skylar Shields."