Watch Your Words

Chapter 1: Wrong Answer

I was sitting in history staring out the small window. I absolutely hate history, I could never remember anything chronologically which is most of the curriculum.

I was not exactly paying attention to the time. Or the date. Or the month. Which was a horrible thing really seeing as every human in this school was waiting for November 31st at 10:30. Which isn't a real date except for 2052, this year. Essentially, today. In about ten minutes if I was actually paying attention to virtually anything.

Last November we submitted our choices. Every person in the school has to create a would you rather type option and in approximately nine minutes one of those options would be randomly drawn by The System.

Last November we also submitted our names. The System only applies to high schoolers and high school staff. In around eight minutes, one person is going to have to make a choice.

Normally the questions are very simple. It may provide the chooser with an ability of sorts or a life changing decision.

In seven minutes, the chooser will either pick an option or opt for a poll. The polls were almost worse. Everyone had to make a choice and majority always rules.

In six minutes, a voice will repeat the same thing we hear every year this happens. Everyone hears it. Everyone hates it. Welcome to the choosing. Remember, you cannot receive your own option and you must pick one or the other. And then it would fade out again.

In five minutes, everyone would start to get antsy. Having the entire schools eyes on you and just you is terrifying. Listening to see if your option was picked is very exciting.

In four minutes, everyone would be muttering about what they just felt. They would call it teleportation but it wasn't that. Teleportation wasn't the right word. But they had moved.

In three minutes, certain people with good memories would realize they don't recognize where they are. The surroundings aren't like any of the ones they've seen before. A very large group of people would realize they are lost.

In two minutes, people would randomly start disappearing. They didn't need to be there and the goal was to get it from some hundred people down to a small group with a few teachers. Friends. People the person would know more than an every day peer. Less than a friend. Old friends.

In one minute, the person standing in a small glass box and a button in front of them would have to make a very large choice. The two screens would light up with their options. A smaller button would appear for the choice of a poll. A group decision. They'd have to cooperate.

In thirty seconds, twenty-three other people would stare at a person in a glass box. Their face illuminated by something in front of them. The people watching could only do just that. And wait of course.

In fifteen seconds, the person in the box would hit the button that says poll. The other people in the room would get to see the options. The room would be divided in half.

In ten seconds, Ivy would struggle to choose and in the end, would feel bad hitting the poll button. This was unfair to the others.

In five seconds, the room would divide and people would scramble to discuss and figure out what to choose.

In three seconds, the words would pop up on a large screen for all to see. Their options. This was difficult. It was wrong. This shouldn't be possible. They should get to skip it. These were lies. It was too easy to pick one.

In two seconds, students would start gathering on one side. Much too quickly. This was all too easy.

In one second, the words would read;
Take another four years of high school,
Or,
Start the apocalypse this very second.

In zero seconds, the decision had been made.