"Come on, Mo! Pass the damn ball!" That's me, Skye Castillo.
"Alright, alright! We can't all be pros like you, Skye."
I smirk and hold my hands open, ready to intercept the ball he throws. Sure enough, when the football is thrown, I snag it out of the air. "Holy shit, man! You're like a freaking beast!" My best friend, Mo exclaims.
"I am a beast." I reply smugly. Our conversation was interrupted by a portly woman who walked up to Mo.
"Mosby Taylor! Shouldn't you be getting ready for your Revealing?" Mo sighs. "Yes, Mom.."
He walks back to his house, which was right next door, calling back over his shoulder, "But why bother? I'm not gonna get picked anyway..."
Ms. Taylor snorts and turns to me, trying to smooth the disheveled blond hair on my head. "You should be getting ready too, Skye..." she says, patting my shoulders worriedly.
"Will do, Ms. T." She smiles at me. "Go on, then." I smile at her and walk inside.
The Revealing was a special occasion that all kids who turned 18 that year had to attend. It was a big deal, because when you drank a special potion, the Waisse, it determined whether you were a Chosen.
Chosens are people with animal parts, such as ears, tails, and wings. It doesn't choose based on genetics, but something else. No one knows what.
The most common morph is a bunny, mouse, or other stuff like that. Felines are pretty rare, with arctic foxes being ultra rare. Dragons were legendary. Basically, the smaller, the more common, except for birds or flying animals. Those were all rare. However, it was really rare to get chosen in general.
Our town hasn't had any Chosens in more than a decade. Supposedly, being around animals improved your chances of being chosen.
If you were chosen, you got sent to Anthro Academy, the school for the Chosen. Everyone wanted to be a Chosen.
I headed to my house, and took of my clothes to shower. I sniff them experimentally, then wish I hadn't. It reeked of grass stains and sweat.
I examine my body, thankful that I hadn't gotten injured in the football match. I liked to think of myself as muscular, which I was. I was ripped, actually. No wonder I was football captain and the best athlete in my school.
I thought back to my graduation, and the lingering words of my principal, "For some of us, this is goodbye. But for now, good luck where your journey takes you."
I sigh, then step in the shower and take a hasty bath. When finished, I take a pair of cleanish clothes and rush down the stairs, not wanting to be late.
I stop at the old picture of my family, Mom, Dad, and my sister Sally.
I pick up the picture and kiss the frame. "I miss you guys..." I set the painting back and swipe at my eyes.
My family had died our truck had crashed because of a stray deer that had leaped in our path. I was the only survivor. Now I was the only family I had.
Well, if you didn't count Ms. T and Mo. Shaking my head a little to clear my thoughts, I head outside to catch up to Mo, whose hair had been tamed enough to look like a senior valedictorian.
I snort and punch his arm. "You graduating, man?" He scowls. "At least I look decent."
I shrug. "You think you're gonna get Chosen?" Mo laughs. "Heck nah. I'd be lucky if a bird even chirps at my Choosing."
I nod. "Same. What would you want to be, though? Like, if you could choose?" Mo thinks for a moment, then answers, "I dunno. Maybe a dog? They're nice, I guess."
I nod. We travel the rest of the way in silence, finally arriving at the town square. I check my phone real quick, then set it down.
It was time for the Choosing.
