Carla

My name is  Carla my nametag says. I walk briskly to the selection room, stopping briefly to check that my pressed uniform hadn’t suddenly sprouted a wrinkle. I hear footsteps behind me hurry to get to me before I hit the entrance button. My finger pressed it just as my twin sister caught up to me.

“God, Carla,” Artemisia says, “Ya couldn’t of waited a moment?” Mistakes that my sister has made in the last thirty seconds: she hurried, she said “god”, she used slang, she and she emphasized a word, which is dramatic, which is outlawed in common tongue.  “Helloooo…? Earth to Carla.” Two more mistakes.

“Shh…” I hiss. She knows we aren’t supposed to talk now that I hit the button. I’m slightly relieved though, the more mistakes she makes the better chance I have. Just look at her: her uniform is slightly ruffled and her hair is slightly askew. I can see in the reflectively shiny, metal doors that I look at pristine as I can get with my wild hair and long zip-ride.

The light above the door turns green and the robotic guard opens it with a slight whisper of a swishing noise. He inclines his head to us as we walk in through the now open doorway. We’re wearing the same outfit with our legs moving at the same rhythm.  They wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. What if they picked the wrong one?

Then I remember the nametags. Of course. The have thought of everything, every little issue or bump in the road. That is why we need to put our trust in them and not believe that we know best. They are of superior minds so we must follow their lead.

I reach for Artemisia in a nervous impulse. I remember myself and subtly yank it back before it is noticed. Not subtly enough because my twin sister notices the gesture. She raises her eyebrow but doesn’t speak. At least she’s not that much of a fool. Even she wouldn’t dare now as we reach to ebony table of the high judge.

I feel like hiding in a corner. The moment of truth has finally come. Sixteen years of waiting and wondering. Artemisia looks calm and regal despite her windswept appearance. Her shoulders are relaxed and there is even a peaceful smile on her face. Is it possible that she knows something I don’t? How else could she be so calm?

“As you know,” a voice directly behind us makes us start, “Only one of you can be chosen.” The head judge pauses. “So let’s begin with the testing.”

I shiver with cold, yet I’m sweating. Exhaustion. Exhaustion and power. I am worn to the breaking point, to the point at which my thoughts are incomprehensible. And yet I’ve never felt more alive. I’ve woken from the dream that I’ve been living in for the past sixteen years. And now I’m determined to stay awake.

I can’t stay still. That always was a weakness of mine. Artemisia sits there like a perfect angel�"whoops! I wasn’t even supposed to think about angels, they give us hope�"while I pace. I can’t help it.  The judge is inside making her decision that will decide our fate. You’d think that it would be done by now.

Please choose me. Please choose me, I plead silently.  

Author's Note

Reviews please! I really want to know how to make this better

Reviews

[Sylvana]

There were a few grammatical and spelling errors, if you just reread it slowly I'm sure you would catch them, they were nothing big.
This chapter has you wondering what the heck is going on, and I like it. You have to guess, it doesnt tell you straight forward. I'd like to see a chapter 2.

[Wild Willow Blue]

I don't usually read and review stories, but this one is going somewhere I like. Well written.

[Odayin]

This has potential. Should be interesting to see where it goes. Your expanded moment is quite impressively developed...always a good place to start and end
Detailsare also nice.
Good job

[Abbie]

hmmm, I like where this story is going. I think it has real potential! The characters have some very unique and interesting names. they don't seem very common, but seem to fit. I want to know more on what they were tested on, and why Carla wants to be picked so bad. very interesting! :)

[heartbreakqueen]

You pick weird names for your characters. But it's really good, you should think about coming an author instead of a teacher! Good job little sis (: