Chapter 1: Anthony

I was dreading these next few months. I'd just turned 16, one of the last years that I would get to stay with my parents, according to my primary source, AKA, Mrs. Lamberti. Since you guys might be completely clueless to why this is happening, I'll go ahead and fill you in. So, back in 1930-something, there was a war, which threw the world into chaos, and after that, complete anarchy. Small societies have popped up since, but remember, it's been over six decades since that. The land is a wasteland from the nuclear wars. Now, the only thing left of humanity is the few societies which survive still. Now, as children, you undergo trials, tests of faith, teamwork, and perseverance, and that's just the ones I've gone through. They say it's to make sure only the best of the best survive, but I don't think they're doing a good job. In the last trial, you made a jump, a long one. It was pass or fail. I remember it like it was yesterday.

You stood on a cliff face, looking at a six or seven foot jump, a dark abyss at the bottom. Our escort challenged us to toss a rock down. The rock didn't hit the ground until the third person. In my group, there were what, thirty, forty something people? Our escort bridged the gap easily. The first person passed. Then the second. The third. The fourth. But the person in front of me? She didn't make it. I watched her leap, and time slowed as her fingers grasped frantically at the ledge we were jumping to. She fell. I heard her screams, and the crack as a rock, or something, cracked her spine and ended her. I was thirteen, scared out of my mind. Then I steeled my nerves and jumped. I almost didn't make it. One of my feet slipped, and I felt a hand grasp my hand and pull me up. It was Cassidy, a girl who I knew because she talked to no one. I was eternally grateful that she'd saved me.

The thing about these trials is you never know what you're facing. You don't get to prepare. You don't get to train. Nothing. That scared the living shit out of me. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. "Anthony, wake up. It's time for school."

"Ugh, but I'm so tiiiiiiireeeeddd," I whined. Because even decades, or even centuries into the future, people still whine about going to school. With the trial coming up blissfully out of my mind, I moped about and got ready for school. I reviewed my schedule in my head. Math, and then Science, then History, then whatever it's called with Lamberti, and what am I missing? Oh yes, uh, Languages. God, I really hope that Mr. Ylvsetter will not go ape on Math homework today… please, dear deities above…

"This year, the trials will be unexpected, however, you will be able to prepare for them, in a way anyway," Mrs. Lamberti explained. She was trials class, which you got before the most rigorous, mortally fatal trials. This was the first year I'd ever had this class, my first true life or death trial. Since this was the first one, they gave us slightly more training than the previous five trials.

"Anthony? Are you paying attention?" My attention was snapped back to cruel, cruel reality as Ian, my friend as of the year before, whispered to me. "Yeah. Yeah," I replied. "During the trials, you will be allowed all the items you have on your person into the trial," Mrs. Lamberti told us, her high clear voice ringing in the high-ceilinged classroom. "You will most likely want to pack some basics, like clothes, water, and food, in case of an" she paused, maybe for effect, maybe remembering something "extended stay." I gulped, and looked at Ian. He looked as scared as I felt, maybe more than I.

"I would also recommend a weapon, for the more physical side, a notebook, for a studious type test, though that one is unlikely," she continued. "Of course, you might also want to look at lights, and various puzzle techniques, because there will likely be puzzles of some sort." I did a mental fist pump. Puzzles had always been more of my strong suit. Ian on the other hand, looked white as a sheet. Sometimes, I really hated society. Not just now but always. Why? Well now is quite simple: they kill off innocent children, eliminate children, grandchildren. I hate past societies because they have reduced us to this. A survival of the fittest system which we went through, even in class. "Mr. Padilla?" Dammit. I was zoning out. Frick. "Will you please repeat what I said, AP?"

"Uh…"

"Will someone please inform Padilla what I just said?" God, Lamberti looked vicious. A hand behind me must've been raised, because the teacher pointed daintily to someone in back. "About half of us will be eliminated, through controlled or slightly uncontrolled methods, used by Trial scientists since 1960's. The rest of us will be taken to a different location where we will be given a more formal education, as well as recommended career paths."

"Very good, Cassidy. Class dismissed." We all got up and left with our books. "Smooth, Padilla," Cassidy drawled behind me, though her malicious sounding voice was offset by the slight knowing smirk on her face. "You realize that we take that class like," she paused to count "sixteen times before the coming Trials? Do you know how short that is?" I did, but Cassidy just put it in perspective. "Just three short weeks," I murmured, not to her necessarily, but more as a revelation. "See ya, Padildo," she whispered in my ear, using the teasing name Ian had given me back in 7th grade. It wasn't flirty, more warning. Being a shy kid, I was unused to attention, but I headed to class, thinking about what I would do when the time came to face monsters in the face. Or dick. Whichever was my height. I almost snickered, but held it in. "C'mon dude! We're gonna be late for class!" Ian yelled at me through the busy hallway. "You mean you are gonna be late to class!" I yelled back running catch up to him. Once I caught up, we both grinned and ran to our class.

So I was kinda having writers' block on my other story so here ya go. This is what happened. My writers' block on the romance story and the novels I've been reading turned into this actiony, dramatic, story.

So for now, know this is the realm of Outlast-y type stuff, just without major character death, cuz I wouldn't put you guys through that. Tell me what you think. Should I continue? Or should I allow this fic to sit here, wasting away. YOU DECIDE!

-pinnymph