The System

Chapter I

I sat up on the tree branch, relaxed. The grid above me looks beautiful than ever, blue lines crossing to show that we're here. In two weeks I will enter the System's Power Source. Since I turned 18 last week, The System's Makers decide my future, in a test of my strengths, beliefs, and smarts.

"Haha, I can't believe this forest is the only thing they haven't touched. It's... Peaceful." Luke, my best friend says to me, careful word for word.

I look at my datapod on my wrist and grimace. "We get to enjoy it so shortly."

"It's worth it. Promise." He stares at his datapod too. "You ready for your Test?"

I sigh back at him. "I wish. Of course not." Silence. "I wish there was a change in the rulebook or something." I say finally, staring longingly ant the trees past the one i had just climbed on. "Trust me. I believe this could be... different." Luke says knowingly. All of our words are sent into the datapod as we speak. The words are entered into our system Test. Everything we do is sent there ever since i turned 18 last week and he turned 18 two months ago.

"Well, I have to go. I can't miss training again..." I say quickly to him and he nods. I already did that on accident, The Makers might think its part of a Insurrection. I sigh back at the forest and see Luke already running. "Are you sure what you said?" I wonder about what Luke had said. I look at my datapod on my wrist. "Great." I sigh to myself. The Meeting to see a preview for my future is gone. Like that. I read the memo on the xscreen on the door. "Meeting canceled. Momentarily error." It reads. But I know already. Hackers. Nothing big they said. " No. Its different." I think to myself.

I go into my room, reading the rest of the memo. The System this, Construction electric improvement that. "And hey look! An update to our datapods. Hor-ray." I groan as a stare at my wrist. The datapod is already blinking red.

My Test the Makers make for me is next week. It scares me. I trudge back to my room and open the chip that my father gave me when i was little. Of course i didn't understand. Now I know why. "If only I can understand everything..." I thought to myself as i opened the file saying my father's name.