Author's note: Please keep in mind that this is a complete work of fiction. In no way do I mean for the things in this piece to happen to anyone. Any resemblance to other works, people, places, things, etc is purely coincidental (except for similarities to Battle Royale, an awesome movie that everyone should watch, which are intentional).
Chapter 1: Off to See the Wizard
"Congratulations, Class of 2007!"
A massive cheer filled Toyota Center as hundreds of graduation caps filled the air. Mike Leach, principal of Stephen F. Austin High School, waited for the hubbub to die down. Surveying this year's graduating class, he paused before making his next announcement.
"This year's graduation is a special one. The district has arranged for an all-expenses-paid study trip to meet with America's brightest young minds for 42 of these intelligent young men and women gathered here today. The first 20 spots were allocated to the top 20 in class rank; the remaining 22 were chosen by random drawing. These are the lucky individuals:
Alice Li
Mehwish Ismaily
Dhvani Shanghvi
Yolanda Han
Megha Kansra
Laura Bloomer
Khushbu Shah
Joseph Hicks
Tian Ong
Robert Newberry
Carissa Camellia Huq
Ge Yang
Quan Zhang
Lina Lu
Edwin Wu
William Meyers
Justin Yip
Melissa Lau
Helen Fu
Connie Chen
Bradley Awodu
Jill Gandhi
Stan Staton
Deepika Mutyala
Thomas Creegan
Kelly Danielle Chan
Lloyd Thurman
Karan Ravji
Christopher Castagno
Lauren Reddish
Trevor Templeton
Yu-Heng Wei
Rusi Yagnik
Rushi Dave
Justin Ly
Cheryl Montejo
Randell Boochoon
Xuejian Yu
Grace Tran
Chao Tian
Vlad Catoi
Christopher Nabzdyk
We will notify your families that you have been selected for this great honor. You may go home and gather your belongings; a helicopter will pick you up at 2PM tomorrow."
The trip was set up quite professionally. The 42 students were divided into three groups and promptly sent on a bus to George Bush International Airport. Kelly Falligant, Christina Krueckl, and Chuck Brownson would each act as chaperone over one of the groups.
From his vantage point near the middle of the bus, Quan Zhang could see the three engaged in casual conversation in the front seats. Quan was a boy of Chinese descent, about average height and, in his own words, too strong to be a nerd but not strong enough to be a jock. Next to him sat Chris Nabzdyk, "Nabz" for short and to distinguish him from the fifty other people in his class named "Chris." He was a Polish boy whose size, girth, and facial features made him resemble a jolly polar bear.
Looking around, Quan could see students engaged in their own diversions, jamming to iPods, playing cards, gawking at the so so sooo hawt guy in the BMW that just drove by.
"Oh my God, did you see him? I think he just winked at me," Deepika Mutyala squealed in excitement. She was a well-proportioned Indian girl who seemed to have never realized it, as she was always thinking of way to slim down.
Bradley Awodu, an African-American football player who had a fondness for mixed martial arts and anime, turned away from his poker game and stared at her. "What? Deepika looks at a guy and the first thing out of her mouth is not 'I wonder if he's rich?' Wow, I'm surprised."
Khushbu Shah, who had been sitting next to Deepika, shot Bradley a dirty look. "Oh shut up and turn around. You're so annoying!"
"You know what? Go kill yourself," came Bradley's retort as he focused his attention back on his hand. "I raise."
Elsewhere, Randell, a tall lanky Indian boy, was putting the moves on Connie Chen, much to Connie's chagrin. "I never would have come if it wasn't for C-Chen. She's like a lovely lotus blossom. Isn't that right, O-Lan-da?"
Connie rolled her eyes and turned up the volume to her iPod, attempting to block out Randell's constant chatter.
Even some who normally would not be caught dead on a school-sponsored activity were present.
"Books, my only weakness," sighed Megha Kansra as she shook her head. "It made me go to prom, now I'm on a bus to – YAH!"
There was a flash, followed by Melissa Lau's giggling. "Gotcha!"
Quan turned his head and looked at the preview screen of Melissa's camera. "Crikey! Ain't she a beaut!" he quipped in a rather bad impersonation of Steve Irwin. No one noticed, however, that even though it was only 3:00PM, they were getting groggy. A few minutes later, the bus was quiet.
The bus driver turned to survey his passengers. "Sweet dreams," he muttered through a gas mask.
42 Students remain.