Chapter 2 #2
The monstrous red tosh flying around begins to tick louder.
One second… I push my feet, but I can’t move.
I exhale, tense. Two seconds… The door opens.
But I still can’t move. But something else is happening.
Something within me stops me. A feeling telling me that I have to fight it.
The Commons mascot—something about it makes me think Levon is within it, like conquering it would somehow retrieve her.
This sounds so strange and borderline delusional, but something in me is pulling me toward that monster and my feet are gravitating toward anything but the door.
I now realize I can move.
No, I should run, this is stupid.
My feet rise to sprint to the door, but just as I do, the door slams shut. Pesh’s eyes collide with mine from the distance. Crap. This was stupid. I should have escaped when I had the chance.
The dragon stomps on every light switch, making it darker with every step. It picks me up and throws me to the floor, slamming me against the wall, my armor banging to the ground. Yeah, there’s no way I can fight this beast. I have to think. Fast.
But this place is so dark. I need to turn on the lights in order to see, while the animal seems to see in the dark.
Before I can get back on my feet, it charges at me.
I dive under it, running to strike the light switches on the floor with my feet.
The light shines, but the monster does not stop.
The dragon reptile charges again, its mouth wide open.
Its dagger tongue and spiky teeth cover my vision. Then suddenly, a splash.
“Rraagh!” it roars as a sudden flash of light flusters it.
I can see the door clearly now... and it’s open. Just as I sprint toward it, Pesh raises his hands, stopping the fight.
My eyes widen in confusion.
Suddenly, he walks into the stadium, whispering in my ear, “I thought you knew better.”
“I—”
“I thought you were smart.”
“P—”
“Why didn’t you run?” He stops in front of me.
“I did. I… It didn’t let me.” I catch my breath.
“It didn’t let you?” He draws close, edging up on me, examining me, somewhat puzzled.
“No.” I exhale, keeping my eyes down, fingers falling back to the wall.
“Must have been a glitch,” he says, casually drawing back. Then suddenly, he looks at me again. This time, his figure covers my view completely. His voice lowers. “You can’t tell anyone what happened today with the Common Dragon. Everyone will assume that it picked no one, as it always does.”
What does he mean? All the Patrons saw it.
“Why did it pick me?” I look up, confused.
“Like I said, it was a glitch. Something about the system, something about your brain made it want to fight you, defeat you, crush you.” He eyes me as though trying to read me.
“No one can know that you faced the Common Dragon even for a second and escaped without a scrape. The proctor usually translates the dragon’s desires into words.
She must have made an error in translation this time.
If anyone knows, I’ll have to fire an innocent civilian. You don’t want that, do you?”
I shake my head.
“Good. The one who the dragon reptile chose. Yet the question remains, why?”
“Why what?” I deflect on his doubt. What is he talking about? I thought he said it was an error.
“Why would anyone want to fight such a thing?” he says, stern, as though commanding me to expose myself. “The proctor usually says one will be picked. It says that to test reaction speeds. No one has ever wanted to fight the dragon reptile. Until you.”
“It must have misread me.” My voice flusters. “Like you said, there was a glitch.”
He looks at me as though doubting me. His whisper echoing in my ears. “Shantavia Lerogaski. There are no glitches in The Commons.”
My heart sinks. “But you just said—” I open my mouth to speak, confused.
Just as I do, he closes in. What the freak… I’m sure he is going to eliminate me now. If I ever had a chance, I’m sure that’s all gone now.
“You’ll do anything?” he whispers.
I nod. He signals, and the proctors approach me.
Patron Lenon stares with eyes that look like blue thunder, narrowed like he has power that makes power itself hunger.
The proctors grab my hands and shove me inside the cell.
Oh gosh, has he disqualified me? Pesh flicks his finger like a rifle, and everyone leaves.
I’m alone in this empty golden jail cell.
My eyes close, defeated. And the test seems to proceed without me.
I wait in pitch darkness wondering what will happen as silence looms around me like an impending threat bound to unfold, crashing into me and smashing me to the floor.
But. That’s not what happens. A creak sounds.
Another creak, and a door opens. Steps follow, thumping to the floor in succinct strides, somewhat familiar but strangely spectral.
I exhale, wondering what it is. I push my feet to move, and that’s when I realize—I can’t move.
Not again! This is bad. This is very bad.
I swallow my stinging spit, wondering what’s approaching.
The figure covers the dim light nearby. Before my eyes can see, the shadow swallows me completely.
Is that a human?
It’s a human. I feel a hot finger part my hair, tracing down, almost scratching my skin. The hand grabs the side of my neck completely.
The hands are rough and strong and fiery hot. What on earth. Who is this? My feet try once again to move, but nothing. Yep. I’m stuck.
Oh gosh.
The breath lingers on my skin and that’s when I feel it. I exhale, petrified. It’s Patron Pesh.
His face goes down to my neck. And he almost takes a bite of my neck. I open my mouth to speak, or call out his name or something, but I don’t.
His fingers almost linger on my skirt, and I’m sure I’m imagining it, as he is barely even touching it with a finger.
I try to draw back, but I can’t move. Crap.
I remember this once again, and my legs are getting warmer by the second.
Just act normal. He’s probably just examining me or something—I try to tell myself.
And just as I do, hands grab my waist.
“Hmh!” I shut my lips to stop myself from failing. I’m not even sure if I’m still in the test. But. I remember the rules. I’m not supposed to talk. I exhale. This can’t be that bad… right? Maybe he’s just testing my diaphragm or breathing or something… I don’t know.
Now, his hands slide behind me. I know I said I was willing to do anything, but perhaps I lied. I’m so scared right now.
I hear a clink, a metallic sound. My hands reach to discover that the added armor has been taken off me. See… Shantavia! No need to freak. All in my head. All in my head. Suddenly, he leaves, his feet thumping out.
The door opens, and I am thrown out of the plane by militant proctors, surging down the skies to my death. God Almighty… Splat. No. Not splat. I land on a foamy substance. Oh my… he didn’t want to kill me. Oh my. Thank God. But how did I do? I have no clue.
Panting, my head hits the foam. Oh my gosh. That was a close call. The Common Application waiver mentioned there would be a possibility of death on this selection. I thought it was a joke. Well, joke’s on me.
This is where I boarded this selection Common Application plane. I find my backpack still on the stall in the corner. I put my headphones into my ear and blast some vibey classical music to distract me from what I just experienced. I sprint out and ride my bike home as the rain drums wildly on me.
I arrive at my gate, walking to my front door.
My eyes glance up to see a trail of gold dust flying across the sky.
I notice a child rushing out, along with a flood of neighbors shouting and pointing to the sky, whispers trickling.
The rain barely stopped. How are they already outside?
I suppose I understand. I would look too if something like this happened.
This is how The Commons instantly notifies us of their decision.
I remember peeking in our previous house when they first came for Levon.
The bird figure flaps its wings, surging toward my house.
Something about the eye of the figure in the sky above looks like a lens.
I know they must be watching my reaction, my every action.
It’s most likely going to be a rejection anyway.
I don’t have the time to feign a smile before it splashes gold dust right in front of my face, the pressure banging me back against the door to my surprise.
Before I can catch my breath, my eyes open to see that it has disappeared.
Everyone stares in awe, cheering. Nothing like this has ever come to this neighborhood before.
Behind my door, I see a golden box. I take a huge breath in before picking it up.
I grab it and lock my doors, panting profusely.
Chattering surrounds my house. I shut all the blinds and windows just as thunder strikes.
I take a moment to be still. Thankfully the rain begins again. I peek to see everyone running back into their houses.
I try to open the box, but I can’t! There is no opening. I try to think outside the box (no pun intended), so I run and grab a magnet from Levon’s room. I place it on the box’s surface until I hear a click. Voila!
I see the letter inside. I am nervous, but I rip it open. I look at the note.
Common.
Oh my God.
How in God’s green earth did I get in?
Oh my world. I made it.
I am in utter shock.
Wow.
I should be happy like the other ninety-nine elites, but I am instantly terrified. Fear fills my chest. I suddenly feel like I have done something bad. Like I am about to lose myself. Like I just submitted my soul to the devil.