Well I do have a lot more to that story, and I actually had a majoy breakthrough a few nights ago with it. But I think I'll start writing about my life again, since people seem to respond to that more. If you'd like me to keep you updated or email you the rest of what I have then email me or comment on this and I'll send you a copy.
Wow, it's been quite a while since I've written about my life. Too bad I wasn't writing about my life this summer because I was working at the Utah State Developmental Center and there were a lot of funny stories there haha. For those of you that don't know, USDC is a place right across the street from the Mount Timpanogas Temple in American Fork and it's a place where they house over 200 handicapped individuals and take care of them. It was a very very hard job, but I had some pretty good laughs along the way.
Also this summer Andrew left on his mission to the New York City, New York South Spanish speaking mission. He's been there for over a month now and he's been gone probably almost 4 months. It's actually gone by relatively fast, for me anyway. So he's in Long Island right now teaching those people and his apartment is about a 5 minute drive away from where my dad's office is located. Poor Dad! He says that he sees missionaries around all the time and he's always afraid that he'll see Andrew. Oh by the way, for those of you who didn't know, my dad flies over to New York about every other week for his job. Then when he's home for a week or so he just works at his office he has in American Fork or at home. Anyway, so that's been hard for him but he'll be ok.
Another exciting thing is that it's my last semester of school! Woohoo! Graduate in December baby! Really it's not as exciting as it sounds. I mean don't get me wrong, I am terribly excited and proud to be graduating from college but that means that I have to deal with real life now. It's been nice being able to say, "Yeah I'm just going to college right now," and not have to think much farther in advance than that. But no I have to decide what to do. I've thought about trying to get a teaching job at a charter school (I'm an English major with an emphasis in creative writing), going back to school and getting a degree in nursing, going to grad school in either human resources or literature, etc. I don't know, there are a lot of options here. The trouble is that I'm just too good at too many things and I'm interested in too many things. But for now I just keep praying and reading my scriptures and such, waiting for the Lord to direct me in what he wants me to do. Who knows, maybe I'll end up dating somebody and get in engaged, HAHA! Yeah I know, that would be crazy!
Well anywho, I have to study for a test in my Natural Disaster class. It's my first test of the semester actually. I've been pretty lucky indeed! I'm only taking 3 real classes: Natural Disasters, Family Finanace, and a Jane Austen class (LOVE THAT CLASS!). Anywho so this semester has probably been one of my easiest so far. That's nice for my last semester, especially when comparing it to my previous spring semester where I had to write hundreds of pages in my writing classes. So when I have only 2 papers in my Jane Austen class that total 13-15 pages, I'm pretty thrilled. So yeah there you go. :) I will update some more later, and I'm excited to start writing about my life again! Woohoo! I hope you all have a fantastic week!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Next part! Sorry it's taking so long!
Ariana and her friends barely said a word to each other once they were in their barracks. It was painful for Ariana to see the worry and fear in their eyes. Even Sarina and Aiden were just as frightened as the rest of them. After they got dressed in their night clothes, they all said goodnight to each other and crawled in their beds.
Ariana had a hard time sleeping that night. When she was awake she would just stare at her friends, wishing she could protect them somehow from what they were about to go through. When she fell asleep, she dreamed of moments of all of her friends wrestling with agony while she was forced to watch. The entire night was filled with relentless torture and the band on her wrist seemed to slowly tighten all night.
Waking up in a cold sweat, Ariana heard the familiar beep of her wake-up call. Her eyes darted across the room at her friends, and it was obvious that their night hadn’t gone much better than hers had. No one looked at each other. Everyone just went to their lockers for their clothes then to their dressing rooms to change. As they were getting ready, the female voice came over the loudspeaker.
“Attention all teams. Please put on your provided uniforms and wait in your barracks for your instructions.”
Moving at a slow pace, they hoped to put off the time of their instructions as long as possible. Once they’d done everything they could do they all wandered aimlessly to different parts of the room. Hoping the scenery would take her mind off of things, Ariana walked toward the window. The trees were all black, as if the shadow of the night never left them. The black mist from the previous night was now a grey fog that filled the sky and crawled across the ground.
Ariana didn’t know how long she was standing there, but she snapped out of her trans when the door swung open and Steinblik yelled, “Everyone in a line NOW!” He caught everyone off guard but they formed a line as quickly as they could. Ariana and her friends stood there, and Steinblik flashed Ariana a crooked smile. Ariana merely rolled her eyes as she stood in line.
“Alright,” Steinblik said calmly, “Galina will be here soon with her instructions. She and I were up for a while discussing how we should test you today, whether we should start easier or just go straight to torture. Unfortunately, protocol doesn’t allow me to share with you what level we picked for you today. On the bright side, you will soon find out.” He chuckled softly to himself. “Now, everyone stand up straight when Galina comes in and listen carefully to what she has to say. You will need every bit of information you can get your hands on for this task. Now shut up and stand there!”
Suddenly their door quietly opened and Galina quietly entered the room. Everyone stood up straight with pits in their stomachs. Galina spoke in a soothing voice. “I understand your fear, but take courage in the friendships you have here and take comfort in the arms of your friends. You will all suffer; such is the way of everything. But these friendships will lift your team up higher than you ever thought possible. Do not seek peace in solitude; it will surely lead to your downfall. Seek peace with your companions as you are all tried together. If you pull together you will not fail.”
They stood there sheepishly, embarrassed that she had to inform them of why they were friends and why they needed each other. She continued in a voice with a tone of authority, “Your task today will be a difficult one. It will be your first taste of what you will experience here every day. Captain Steinblik and I have been talking about who your team leader will be. He or she will have a very difficult job. In the end of your discussions it will be his or her job to make the final call. When the days come where your team is tested person by person the team leader must watch each of their teammates suffer through their tasks to see how their strengths and weaknesses could help or hinder the team. They will carry the weight of the team on their shoulders.” She paused to let them all take in the new information she had given. She then took a deep breath and said, “After discussing this with Steinblik, we have both concluded that…Ariana should be the team leader.”
Ariana felt her heart drop to the floor.
“Ariana,” Galina rescued her, “I know you are overwhelmed with this new responsibility. But I will be here to help you, as well as Captain Steinblik.”
“Right,” thought Ariana. “Like a fox after a wounded chick he’ll help me.”
Galina continued, “You will receive separate instructions from your teammates and you can only share this with one person when absolutely necessary. We’ve chosen Merric to be your second in command.”
“Well,” thought Ariana, “At least I’ll have some help. Merric is better at all that tactical fighting stuff than me anyway.”
Galina stood up straighter, looking more solid. “Today for your first task you will need to make your way through a castle, facing whatever you find there. Then you must find the secret way out and go through to the next challenge. You will receive more instruction there.” Galina glanced over at Ariana. “Stay close to each other and take direction from Ariana. She will have more knowledge and understanding of what is occurring than the rest of you. Trust her.” She paused for a moment and then turned to Steinblik. “Alright Captain Steinblik, they’re all yours.” Then she turned and gracefully left the room.
Once Galina left the room, Ariana felt discouraged and hopeless. Maybe if she wouldn’t have been so sarcastic to Steinblik at first she wouldn’t be in this terrible position right now. But something inside told her that she probably would have been chosen anyway for some other reason.
“Ariana! Do you intend on standing there all day?!” yelled Steinblik. “I said to go get into your uniforms!” Ariana jumped at his harsh yelling, and then hung her head slightly. “Sorry sir, I’ll get right to it.” She started to walk to her locker, wishing she could just crawl into her bed and cry until she could go home. Ariana started taking her clothes out of her locker. She turned to go to the dressing rooms only to find Steinblik in her face.
“You know,” he said “for a team leader you’re really starting off with a crappy first step.” Then he snickered, “I’m going to love watching your team crash and burn all because their team leader can’t even stand up and get ready without nearly crying. You won’t last more than a day in this test. You can’t even take charge of yourself let alone your friends.” Ariana looked away, but Steinblik quickly grabbed her jaw and pulled it right to his face. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a human being,” he spat out.
Ariana looked into his dark eyes. A sudden rage boiled up within her. She could feel her face getting hotter and hotter. With one swift move Ariana smacked his arms out of her way, grabbed his shirt by the neck and shoved him against the wall. She pointed a finger right to his face and said with a dark tone in her voice. “If you ever touch me again I won’t hesitate one second to break your neck.” She held him against the wall a few more seconds then let him go.
Ariana started walking off when Steinblik yelled, “Seeing as I am your leader it is my right to touch you whenever I darn well please!” Ariana stopped where she was, turned around and said, “Do you want to bet your life on that?” With that she turned and walked into her dressing room.
Ariana had a hard time sleeping that night. When she was awake she would just stare at her friends, wishing she could protect them somehow from what they were about to go through. When she fell asleep, she dreamed of moments of all of her friends wrestling with agony while she was forced to watch. The entire night was filled with relentless torture and the band on her wrist seemed to slowly tighten all night.
Waking up in a cold sweat, Ariana heard the familiar beep of her wake-up call. Her eyes darted across the room at her friends, and it was obvious that their night hadn’t gone much better than hers had. No one looked at each other. Everyone just went to their lockers for their clothes then to their dressing rooms to change. As they were getting ready, the female voice came over the loudspeaker.
“Attention all teams. Please put on your provided uniforms and wait in your barracks for your instructions.”
Moving at a slow pace, they hoped to put off the time of their instructions as long as possible. Once they’d done everything they could do they all wandered aimlessly to different parts of the room. Hoping the scenery would take her mind off of things, Ariana walked toward the window. The trees were all black, as if the shadow of the night never left them. The black mist from the previous night was now a grey fog that filled the sky and crawled across the ground.
Ariana didn’t know how long she was standing there, but she snapped out of her trans when the door swung open and Steinblik yelled, “Everyone in a line NOW!” He caught everyone off guard but they formed a line as quickly as they could. Ariana and her friends stood there, and Steinblik flashed Ariana a crooked smile. Ariana merely rolled her eyes as she stood in line.
“Alright,” Steinblik said calmly, “Galina will be here soon with her instructions. She and I were up for a while discussing how we should test you today, whether we should start easier or just go straight to torture. Unfortunately, protocol doesn’t allow me to share with you what level we picked for you today. On the bright side, you will soon find out.” He chuckled softly to himself. “Now, everyone stand up straight when Galina comes in and listen carefully to what she has to say. You will need every bit of information you can get your hands on for this task. Now shut up and stand there!”
Suddenly their door quietly opened and Galina quietly entered the room. Everyone stood up straight with pits in their stomachs. Galina spoke in a soothing voice. “I understand your fear, but take courage in the friendships you have here and take comfort in the arms of your friends. You will all suffer; such is the way of everything. But these friendships will lift your team up higher than you ever thought possible. Do not seek peace in solitude; it will surely lead to your downfall. Seek peace with your companions as you are all tried together. If you pull together you will not fail.”
They stood there sheepishly, embarrassed that she had to inform them of why they were friends and why they needed each other. She continued in a voice with a tone of authority, “Your task today will be a difficult one. It will be your first taste of what you will experience here every day. Captain Steinblik and I have been talking about who your team leader will be. He or she will have a very difficult job. In the end of your discussions it will be his or her job to make the final call. When the days come where your team is tested person by person the team leader must watch each of their teammates suffer through their tasks to see how their strengths and weaknesses could help or hinder the team. They will carry the weight of the team on their shoulders.” She paused to let them all take in the new information she had given. She then took a deep breath and said, “After discussing this with Steinblik, we have both concluded that…Ariana should be the team leader.”
Ariana felt her heart drop to the floor.
“Ariana,” Galina rescued her, “I know you are overwhelmed with this new responsibility. But I will be here to help you, as well as Captain Steinblik.”
“Right,” thought Ariana. “Like a fox after a wounded chick he’ll help me.”
Galina continued, “You will receive separate instructions from your teammates and you can only share this with one person when absolutely necessary. We’ve chosen Merric to be your second in command.”
“Well,” thought Ariana, “At least I’ll have some help. Merric is better at all that tactical fighting stuff than me anyway.”
Galina stood up straighter, looking more solid. “Today for your first task you will need to make your way through a castle, facing whatever you find there. Then you must find the secret way out and go through to the next challenge. You will receive more instruction there.” Galina glanced over at Ariana. “Stay close to each other and take direction from Ariana. She will have more knowledge and understanding of what is occurring than the rest of you. Trust her.” She paused for a moment and then turned to Steinblik. “Alright Captain Steinblik, they’re all yours.” Then she turned and gracefully left the room.
Once Galina left the room, Ariana felt discouraged and hopeless. Maybe if she wouldn’t have been so sarcastic to Steinblik at first she wouldn’t be in this terrible position right now. But something inside told her that she probably would have been chosen anyway for some other reason.
“Ariana! Do you intend on standing there all day?!” yelled Steinblik. “I said to go get into your uniforms!” Ariana jumped at his harsh yelling, and then hung her head slightly. “Sorry sir, I’ll get right to it.” She started to walk to her locker, wishing she could just crawl into her bed and cry until she could go home. Ariana started taking her clothes out of her locker. She turned to go to the dressing rooms only to find Steinblik in her face.
“You know,” he said “for a team leader you’re really starting off with a crappy first step.” Then he snickered, “I’m going to love watching your team crash and burn all because their team leader can’t even stand up and get ready without nearly crying. You won’t last more than a day in this test. You can’t even take charge of yourself let alone your friends.” Ariana looked away, but Steinblik quickly grabbed her jaw and pulled it right to his face. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a human being,” he spat out.
Ariana looked into his dark eyes. A sudden rage boiled up within her. She could feel her face getting hotter and hotter. With one swift move Ariana smacked his arms out of her way, grabbed his shirt by the neck and shoved him against the wall. She pointed a finger right to his face and said with a dark tone in her voice. “If you ever touch me again I won’t hesitate one second to break your neck.” She held him against the wall a few more seconds then let him go.
Ariana started walking off when Steinblik yelled, “Seeing as I am your leader it is my right to touch you whenever I darn well please!” Ariana stopped where she was, turned around and said, “Do you want to bet your life on that?” With that she turned and walked into her dressing room.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Next part
Hey guys! Sorry this took me so long, but I'll post this up right now. Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me in my writing and tell me what you think. I love you guys!
They all got there gasping for breath and looked at the scene surrounding them. Surprisingly, there were not as many people as they thought there would be. There were still hundreds there, but not the tens of thousands they'd expected. The stadium seats wrapped around an open stage at the front of the room. They saw their team leader, Steinblik, and hurriedly sat by him. They started chit-chatting for a little while, but they were hushed as someone walked across the stage.
He was older than any man Ariana had ever seen. His eyes had a grey glaze over them. His hair was silvery white with hair down to the middle of his back and a matching beard that flowed close to his navel. He had boney fingers and his nails were sharply pointed. He had surprisingly fair skin for his presumably old age. That is, other than the scar that swept across his right eye. He wore an old, pale blue cloak down past his feet. He walked slowly and shakily to the center of the stage with a staff in his hand. When he got there, he turned to face the audience and stood straight up. It was easy to see that he was tall now that he wasn’t hunched over. He opened his mouth to speak and everyone leaned in to hear.
“Welcome my young warriors,” he said with a loud, raspy voice. “Today is the beginning of a new life for all of you. Everything in your life will change. You will see others around you change when faced with experiences they’ve never had before.” While he paused to prepare for what he was about to say, Ariana thought how much more fascinating it was to hear this coming from him compared to everyone else she’d heard it from over the past few days.
“This test is not for the light hearted. It will test every aspect of your souls. You will face your worst fears imaginable. It is imperative that you learn to work together as a team and help each other survive. I have seen many suffer and die because of the lack of support and teamwork. Let us avoid having problems of this sort at all costs.” He paused again, and then vaguely pointed his finger out to the audience.
“You may have noticed that those in your groups are your close companions throughout your lives.” Everyone exchanged looks of encouragement and smiled. He continued, “You may think this will make your test easier, but in thinking this you could not be more mistaken.” Murmurs were heard throughout the auditorium. How could it possibly make things harder? Friends know how to work together. Everyone had the same expression of confusion and they were all talking to their friends.
When the noise continued the old man yelled, “SILENCE!” and pounded his stick on the stage. A yellow, icy mist spread throughout the auditorium that shocked every into silence. As Ariana breathed in it felt as though her vocal cords had been frozen.
The old man cleared his throat and spoke again. “I can see that none of you believe me. But let me ask you something and I want you to really think about it. Have you ever seen a friend suffer beyond anything you can imagine? What do you think that would do to you to see all of your close companions suffer in such a way?”
A silent feeling of fear and dread instantly filled the auditorium. Pictures of all kind of torture played through Ariana’s mind. There was no way to know what inexplicable horrors awaited her and her friends, or how it would affect her to see them happen to her friends. Not only would she suffer on the individual scale but those closest to her would suffer the same amount if not more. She slouched in her seat and got that sickening pit in her stomach again.
The old man smiled slightly. As he paused, his eyes gazed off somewhere into the distance, as if his mind was seeking as escape from the mental burdens he must carry. He looked at everyone with his heavy eyes. “Unfortunately, I can tell you no more of what to expect. There is no way you can prepare for what is coming any more than you’ve already done. This will be an unforgettable experience for you, in positive and negative ways.” He then stooped over and shuffled across the stage. “Good luck to all of you, and may God watch over you.”
Everyone sat there, too shocked to move a muscle. Ariana’s mind infected itself with terrifying images. She had a deep, foreboding feeling inside that she would soon learn for herself what true suffering was.
Ariana wasn’t left alone with her thoughts for long. Soon a young woman softly walked to the center of the stage, almost gliding it seemed. She had fair skin like the old man. Her eyes were bright blue, almost bright enough to be luminescent. She was tall and thin with a long, silky white dress on that flowed beneath her as she walked. She spoke with a clear, angelic voice. “You have just met Gerick, one of the greatest men in the universe. My name is Galina, and before you leave, I need to give you some information on this test.
“You are no longer on your planet, Earth. You are on a different planet, light years away from Earth called Crotela. We have been in an alliance with your people for hundreds of years. When Earth’s population was nearly overflowing your planet, we suggested to your people that some of them be moved to another planet, the one you call Valtino. With Earth’s resources depleting, your people had no choice. Once it was decided to move some people from Earth to Valtino, we then had to decide how to choose who would go to Valtino and who could stay on Earth. We could have done it through random selection, but we needed to make sure that those who were on Earth were worthy to stay there. Valtino is not the most terrible place to live, but you will definitely have a higher quality of life on Earth. Valtino is a large planet not unlike the planet. It is dry, dusty, and has severe temperature differences between its coldest and hottest temperatures. Unlike Mars, however, the air there is definitely breathable. But because you were not raised on Valtino your bodies will react strongly to the differences between it and Earth. I don’t want to go into too many details about what will happen to you if that’s where you are sent, but suffice it to say that your life expectancy will not be quite as high as it would be on Earth.
“So you can see clearly it wouldn’t be fair to send random people to live at Valtino and then another random group to stay on Earth. After long discussions with your leaders, we had the idea for this test. It took us many years to design, but for several generations now your people have been taking this test and we have been successful in our quest ever since.
“Now that you are here, there is no turning back. If you stop now you will have no hope for a future and you will be sent to Valtino or be killed with no hope of returning to Earth for any reason. There is no way of escaping. You’re on a different planet, so where would you go?” She paused for a while, allowing what she had said to sink in, and then continued.
“You will begin your testing tomorrow. You and your teammates will be asked to complete a task. There is no time limit on these tasks, but you will want to get them done as quickly as possible. Some shouldn’t take more than a day while others will take up to a week or more. You will be given instructions on what you are to accomplish, but nothing more. There are no hints or secrets to get you out of your task faster; you will be completely on your own. Your group leader will be with you but only for observation and nothing more. Every night I will discuss with your group leader how you did on tasks and what positions you will have. I have no say in what goes on, but I will see you every morning to get your instructions for the day.”
Galina then looked seriously at us, as if she was staring each of us individually in the face. “This is not a game,” she said in a dark, looming tone. “Your lives will be at stake every day. The things that will be after you are real, and just like any other animal they will attack you. They will not use pity or mercy. Nothing will stop them other than the actions you take to defend yourselves. Your survival depends entirely upon you and your group members.” She paused and pulled back her dark voice. “Now, you must go to bed. You’ll need your rest for tomorrow. Best of luck to all of you.” With that, she walked gracefully off the stage.
They all got there gasping for breath and looked at the scene surrounding them. Surprisingly, there were not as many people as they thought there would be. There were still hundreds there, but not the tens of thousands they'd expected. The stadium seats wrapped around an open stage at the front of the room. They saw their team leader, Steinblik, and hurriedly sat by him. They started chit-chatting for a little while, but they were hushed as someone walked across the stage.
He was older than any man Ariana had ever seen. His eyes had a grey glaze over them. His hair was silvery white with hair down to the middle of his back and a matching beard that flowed close to his navel. He had boney fingers and his nails were sharply pointed. He had surprisingly fair skin for his presumably old age. That is, other than the scar that swept across his right eye. He wore an old, pale blue cloak down past his feet. He walked slowly and shakily to the center of the stage with a staff in his hand. When he got there, he turned to face the audience and stood straight up. It was easy to see that he was tall now that he wasn’t hunched over. He opened his mouth to speak and everyone leaned in to hear.
“Welcome my young warriors,” he said with a loud, raspy voice. “Today is the beginning of a new life for all of you. Everything in your life will change. You will see others around you change when faced with experiences they’ve never had before.” While he paused to prepare for what he was about to say, Ariana thought how much more fascinating it was to hear this coming from him compared to everyone else she’d heard it from over the past few days.
“This test is not for the light hearted. It will test every aspect of your souls. You will face your worst fears imaginable. It is imperative that you learn to work together as a team and help each other survive. I have seen many suffer and die because of the lack of support and teamwork. Let us avoid having problems of this sort at all costs.” He paused again, and then vaguely pointed his finger out to the audience.
“You may have noticed that those in your groups are your close companions throughout your lives.” Everyone exchanged looks of encouragement and smiled. He continued, “You may think this will make your test easier, but in thinking this you could not be more mistaken.” Murmurs were heard throughout the auditorium. How could it possibly make things harder? Friends know how to work together. Everyone had the same expression of confusion and they were all talking to their friends.
When the noise continued the old man yelled, “SILENCE!” and pounded his stick on the stage. A yellow, icy mist spread throughout the auditorium that shocked every into silence. As Ariana breathed in it felt as though her vocal cords had been frozen.
The old man cleared his throat and spoke again. “I can see that none of you believe me. But let me ask you something and I want you to really think about it. Have you ever seen a friend suffer beyond anything you can imagine? What do you think that would do to you to see all of your close companions suffer in such a way?”
A silent feeling of fear and dread instantly filled the auditorium. Pictures of all kind of torture played through Ariana’s mind. There was no way to know what inexplicable horrors awaited her and her friends, or how it would affect her to see them happen to her friends. Not only would she suffer on the individual scale but those closest to her would suffer the same amount if not more. She slouched in her seat and got that sickening pit in her stomach again.
The old man smiled slightly. As he paused, his eyes gazed off somewhere into the distance, as if his mind was seeking as escape from the mental burdens he must carry. He looked at everyone with his heavy eyes. “Unfortunately, I can tell you no more of what to expect. There is no way you can prepare for what is coming any more than you’ve already done. This will be an unforgettable experience for you, in positive and negative ways.” He then stooped over and shuffled across the stage. “Good luck to all of you, and may God watch over you.”
Everyone sat there, too shocked to move a muscle. Ariana’s mind infected itself with terrifying images. She had a deep, foreboding feeling inside that she would soon learn for herself what true suffering was.
Ariana wasn’t left alone with her thoughts for long. Soon a young woman softly walked to the center of the stage, almost gliding it seemed. She had fair skin like the old man. Her eyes were bright blue, almost bright enough to be luminescent. She was tall and thin with a long, silky white dress on that flowed beneath her as she walked. She spoke with a clear, angelic voice. “You have just met Gerick, one of the greatest men in the universe. My name is Galina, and before you leave, I need to give you some information on this test.
“You are no longer on your planet, Earth. You are on a different planet, light years away from Earth called Crotela. We have been in an alliance with your people for hundreds of years. When Earth’s population was nearly overflowing your planet, we suggested to your people that some of them be moved to another planet, the one you call Valtino. With Earth’s resources depleting, your people had no choice. Once it was decided to move some people from Earth to Valtino, we then had to decide how to choose who would go to Valtino and who could stay on Earth. We could have done it through random selection, but we needed to make sure that those who were on Earth were worthy to stay there. Valtino is not the most terrible place to live, but you will definitely have a higher quality of life on Earth. Valtino is a large planet not unlike the planet. It is dry, dusty, and has severe temperature differences between its coldest and hottest temperatures. Unlike Mars, however, the air there is definitely breathable. But because you were not raised on Valtino your bodies will react strongly to the differences between it and Earth. I don’t want to go into too many details about what will happen to you if that’s where you are sent, but suffice it to say that your life expectancy will not be quite as high as it would be on Earth.
“So you can see clearly it wouldn’t be fair to send random people to live at Valtino and then another random group to stay on Earth. After long discussions with your leaders, we had the idea for this test. It took us many years to design, but for several generations now your people have been taking this test and we have been successful in our quest ever since.
“Now that you are here, there is no turning back. If you stop now you will have no hope for a future and you will be sent to Valtino or be killed with no hope of returning to Earth for any reason. There is no way of escaping. You’re on a different planet, so where would you go?” She paused for a while, allowing what she had said to sink in, and then continued.
“You will begin your testing tomorrow. You and your teammates will be asked to complete a task. There is no time limit on these tasks, but you will want to get them done as quickly as possible. Some shouldn’t take more than a day while others will take up to a week or more. You will be given instructions on what you are to accomplish, but nothing more. There are no hints or secrets to get you out of your task faster; you will be completely on your own. Your group leader will be with you but only for observation and nothing more. Every night I will discuss with your group leader how you did on tasks and what positions you will have. I have no say in what goes on, but I will see you every morning to get your instructions for the day.”
Galina then looked seriously at us, as if she was staring each of us individually in the face. “This is not a game,” she said in a dark, looming tone. “Your lives will be at stake every day. The things that will be after you are real, and just like any other animal they will attack you. They will not use pity or mercy. Nothing will stop them other than the actions you take to defend yourselves. Your survival depends entirely upon you and your group members.” She paused and pulled back her dark voice. “Now, you must go to bed. You’ll need your rest for tomorrow. Best of luck to all of you.” With that, she walked gracefully off the stage.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Next Edition
Ariana jumped out of her bed the next morning when she heard a loud beeping noise over the loud-speaker. Everyone shot up in their beds and held their ears tightly. The noise was loud enough where they thought their ears would burst. Then, the noise stopped and a female computer-like voice came on:
"Attention all teams: report to the auditorium immediately for your orientation. Your new clothes are available in the locker with your name on it. The lockers are located at the back of your rooms. You may put your other clothes in the incinerator slot. You have fifteen minutes."
As soon as the message stopped, a big, burly man stormed into the room. All the faces turned sharply towards the door. His face looked stone solid, and Ariana didn't know what to expect. They all stood there and stared at him. After several long moments passed, he spoke in the same voice Ariana recognized as the one she'd heard the night before. "My name is Captain Steinblik. I am your leader for your long and painful test. I am merely here to watch you. I seldom offer help, if at all, and I am not here to solve the problems you will face. I have all authority to do what I want with you. I am not your care taker, I am your superior and I WILL be treated with respect no matter what the circumstance. If anyone even begins to question my authority they will be punished severely." Captain Steinblik stood and paused, still solid in his stance. "Now, you have thirteen minutes left to get ready, so I suggest you do so. If I do not see you in the auditorium in precisely thirteen minutes there will be sore consequences to your actions."
He then glared at Ariana and said, "And unless you would like to see what hell on Earth I can give you, I would get ready quickly."
Ariana gave Steinblik a look of sympathy that he couldn't threaten her better than that. Steinblik’s face turned red at my sarcastic gesture, and then a slow smile crept across his face. "Oh I'm going to have lots of fun with you," he said. Then he looked around at everyone else in the room and yelled, "Get going!" He then left the room and slammed the door.
Everyone in the room scrambled to get to their lockers to get their clothes on. Ariana wasn't really paying attention, trying to get over the slight homesickness she felt. She sighed as she got out of bed and turned towards the lockers. She began to take her new set of clothes out when she heard a familiar voice call to her. "Ariana! You can't just walk away without saying 'hello.' How dare you?!" A huge smile came to her face as she turned and saw her best friend's face. "Merric! I didn't know you were on my team! I didn't think we'd even see each other."
Merric smiled and laughed with her. He gave her a big hug and said, "But I'm not the only one here, you know." He stepped aside revealing Ariana's little group of friends. Marcellus stood there with his red hair and usual baggy clothes. His freckled face smiled at her as he stood there with his hands plunged into his pockets as usual. Then she saw Aiden with his curly black hair and sarcastic manner just waiting to make a joke. Kendra stood next to Aiden, her short stature painfully obvious. Her dark brown hair made her face look pale and she smiled weakly. Last of all was Sarina, and her bright smile outshined everyone else’s by a mile. Sarina giggled to herself and gave a quick wave. Tears slowly appeared in Ariana's eyes. She wouldn't be alone after all, and they could all help each other. She felt hope and courage spring into her body, and she laughed with excitement.
"Hey, this is all fun and everything, but I'm thinking we should get dressed if we don't want our heads on a plate," said Aiden. With that, they all got their clothes and went to their dressing rooms to change. Then they all headed towards the auditorium, running to make sure they were on time.
"Attention all teams: report to the auditorium immediately for your orientation. Your new clothes are available in the locker with your name on it. The lockers are located at the back of your rooms. You may put your other clothes in the incinerator slot. You have fifteen minutes."
As soon as the message stopped, a big, burly man stormed into the room. All the faces turned sharply towards the door. His face looked stone solid, and Ariana didn't know what to expect. They all stood there and stared at him. After several long moments passed, he spoke in the same voice Ariana recognized as the one she'd heard the night before. "My name is Captain Steinblik. I am your leader for your long and painful test. I am merely here to watch you. I seldom offer help, if at all, and I am not here to solve the problems you will face. I have all authority to do what I want with you. I am not your care taker, I am your superior and I WILL be treated with respect no matter what the circumstance. If anyone even begins to question my authority they will be punished severely." Captain Steinblik stood and paused, still solid in his stance. "Now, you have thirteen minutes left to get ready, so I suggest you do so. If I do not see you in the auditorium in precisely thirteen minutes there will be sore consequences to your actions."
He then glared at Ariana and said, "And unless you would like to see what hell on Earth I can give you, I would get ready quickly."
Ariana gave Steinblik a look of sympathy that he couldn't threaten her better than that. Steinblik’s face turned red at my sarcastic gesture, and then a slow smile crept across his face. "Oh I'm going to have lots of fun with you," he said. Then he looked around at everyone else in the room and yelled, "Get going!" He then left the room and slammed the door.
Everyone in the room scrambled to get to their lockers to get their clothes on. Ariana wasn't really paying attention, trying to get over the slight homesickness she felt. She sighed as she got out of bed and turned towards the lockers. She began to take her new set of clothes out when she heard a familiar voice call to her. "Ariana! You can't just walk away without saying 'hello.' How dare you?!" A huge smile came to her face as she turned and saw her best friend's face. "Merric! I didn't know you were on my team! I didn't think we'd even see each other."
Merric smiled and laughed with her. He gave her a big hug and said, "But I'm not the only one here, you know." He stepped aside revealing Ariana's little group of friends. Marcellus stood there with his red hair and usual baggy clothes. His freckled face smiled at her as he stood there with his hands plunged into his pockets as usual. Then she saw Aiden with his curly black hair and sarcastic manner just waiting to make a joke. Kendra stood next to Aiden, her short stature painfully obvious. Her dark brown hair made her face look pale and she smiled weakly. Last of all was Sarina, and her bright smile outshined everyone else’s by a mile. Sarina giggled to herself and gave a quick wave. Tears slowly appeared in Ariana's eyes. She wouldn't be alone after all, and they could all help each other. She felt hope and courage spring into her body, and she laughed with excitement.
"Hey, this is all fun and everything, but I'm thinking we should get dressed if we don't want our heads on a plate," said Aiden. With that, they all got their clothes and went to their dressing rooms to change. Then they all headed towards the auditorium, running to make sure they were on time.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
And We Continue On
Ariana’s eyes opened gradually, adjusting to the light. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was exactly. Before she could come to any conclusions, she noticed someone standing by the door. "Mom?" she asked in her croaking morning voice. The voice she heard next she didn't expect at all. She heard a deep, foreboding voice chuckle. Then he said, "You won't be seeing your mommy for a long time. You've been laying there for two days, and you'll be here a lot longer than that. And you won't have anyone like ‘Mommy’ the entire time you're here." He then slowly walked up to her in the bed, and got within inches of her face. He gruffly spat out, "So I suggest you suck up whatever you're feeling because it doesn't matter to anyone down here, understand?!"
Ariana sat up in her bed and looked straight into his bloodshot eyes. "Whatever, Sarge." She responded coldly. He glared back at her, as if he was trying to warn her she was messing with the wrong person. Then, he turned around and walked out.
Now that he was gone, Ariana had time to look around at her surroundings. The room she sat in was small and similar to a hospital room. It was filled with a few other beds with people who appeared to be her age in a similar state of mind. Some of them were still sleeping, while others were sitting up looking as confused as she must have looked. Now that Ariana had woken up, she realized it was dark outside. The sky wasn't twinkling with stars, or even black with cloud cover. There was a looming black mist throughout the sky that she could feel just by looking at it. The trees on the ground looked like they were trying to crawl closer to her room as the dark wind blew across its branches.
Allowing her eyes to browse the forest, Ariana stopped when she saw several pairs of beady red eyes. She had no idea where she was and therefore couldn’t possibly know what sort of wildlife could be out there. As she sat there watching, a massive black wolf came out of the wood a few feet from where the eyes sat. He went slowly, as if he was stalking a helpless animal. His eyes looked hungry, and his teeth were sharp and dripping with fresh blood. His snout was long and thin, which added to his freakish face. His body was bulky, while his forelegs were surprisingly scrawny. He chillingly crept across the open grass. As Ariana tip-toed to the window to get a better look, the wolf snapped his head right in her direction. She gasped not at his sudden movement, but his hypnotic yellow eyes. The window was at ground level, and the wolf must have been no more than one hundred feet away from her. He bore his teeth at her and Ariana saw drool slowly dropping from his angry mouth. She froze where she stood, too terrified to move. She scrunched her eyes tightly, preparing for whatever she could. She had to be brave, no matter what happened. Ariana decided to open her eyes just a sliver, and as she gradually opened them she saw that he was gone. Ariana looked everywhere she could but didn't find him. Not even the little red eyes she had seen in the forest were there now. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly a huge wave of exhaustion came over her and she lethargically shuffled to her bed, rubbing her hair band.
Ariana sat up in her bed and looked straight into his bloodshot eyes. "Whatever, Sarge." She responded coldly. He glared back at her, as if he was trying to warn her she was messing with the wrong person. Then, he turned around and walked out.
Now that he was gone, Ariana had time to look around at her surroundings. The room she sat in was small and similar to a hospital room. It was filled with a few other beds with people who appeared to be her age in a similar state of mind. Some of them were still sleeping, while others were sitting up looking as confused as she must have looked. Now that Ariana had woken up, she realized it was dark outside. The sky wasn't twinkling with stars, or even black with cloud cover. There was a looming black mist throughout the sky that she could feel just by looking at it. The trees on the ground looked like they were trying to crawl closer to her room as the dark wind blew across its branches.
Allowing her eyes to browse the forest, Ariana stopped when she saw several pairs of beady red eyes. She had no idea where she was and therefore couldn’t possibly know what sort of wildlife could be out there. As she sat there watching, a massive black wolf came out of the wood a few feet from where the eyes sat. He went slowly, as if he was stalking a helpless animal. His eyes looked hungry, and his teeth were sharp and dripping with fresh blood. His snout was long and thin, which added to his freakish face. His body was bulky, while his forelegs were surprisingly scrawny. He chillingly crept across the open grass. As Ariana tip-toed to the window to get a better look, the wolf snapped his head right in her direction. She gasped not at his sudden movement, but his hypnotic yellow eyes. The window was at ground level, and the wolf must have been no more than one hundred feet away from her. He bore his teeth at her and Ariana saw drool slowly dropping from his angry mouth. She froze where she stood, too terrified to move. She scrunched her eyes tightly, preparing for whatever she could. She had to be brave, no matter what happened. Ariana decided to open her eyes just a sliver, and as she gradually opened them she saw that he was gone. Ariana looked everywhere she could but didn't find him. Not even the little red eyes she had seen in the forest were there now. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly a huge wave of exhaustion came over her and she lethargically shuffled to her bed, rubbing her hair band.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Second Part :)
Hey guys! I'm so excited you liked the first part of the story. I will now post the second part right before I head to my fiction class haha. Enjoy!
Ariana’s eyes opened gradually, adjusting to the light. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was exactly. Before she could come to any conclusions, she noticed someone standing by the door. "Mom?" she asked in her croaking morning voice. The voice she heard next she didn't expect at all. She heard a deep, foreboding voice chuckle. Then he said, "You won't be seeing your mommy for a long time. You've been laying there for two days, and you'll be here a lot longer than that. And you won't have anyone like ‘Mommy’ the entire time you're here." He then slowly walked up to her in the bed, and got within inches of her face. He gruffly spat out, "So I suggest you suck up whatever you're feeling because it doesn't matter to anyone down here, understand?!"
Ariana sat up in her bed and looked straight into his bloodshot eyes. "Whatever, Sarge." She responded coldly. He glared back at her, as if he was trying to warn her she was messing with the wrong person. Then, he turned around and walked out.
Now that he was gone, Ariana had time to look around at her surroundings. The room she sat in was small and similar to a hospital room. It was filled with a few other beds with people who appeared to be her age in a similar state of mind. Some of them were still sleeping, while others were sitting up looking as confused as she must have looked. Now that Ariana had woken up, she realized it was dark outside. The sky wasn't twinkling with stars, or even black with cloud cover. There was a looming black mist throughout the sky that she could feel just by looking at it. The trees on the ground looked like they were trying to crawl closer to her room as the dark wind blew across its branches.
Allowing her eyes to browse the forest, Ariana stopped when she saw several pairs of beady red eyes. She had no idea where she was and therefore couldn’t possibly know what sort of wildlife could be out there. As she sat there watching, a massive black wolf came out of the wood a few feet from where the eyes sat. He went slowly, as if he was stalking a helpless animal. His eyes looked hungry, and his teeth were sharp and dripping with fresh blood. His snout was long and thin, which added to his freakish face. His body was bulky, while his forelegs were surprisingly scrawny. He chillingly crept across the open grass. As Ariana tip-toed to the window to get a better look, the wolf snapped his head right in her direction. She gasped not at his sudden movement, but his hypnotic yellow eyes. The window was at ground level, and the wolf must have been no more than one hundred feet away from her. He bore his teeth at her and Ariana saw drool slowly dropping from his angry mouth. She froze where she stood, too terrified to move. She scrunched her eyes tightly, preparing for whatever she could. She had to be brave, no matter what happened. Ariana decided to open her eyes just a sliver, and as she gradually opened them she saw that he was gone. Ariana looked everywhere she could but didn't find him. Not even the little red eyes she had seen in the forest were there now. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly a huge wave of exhaustion came over her and she lethargically shuffled to her bed, rubbing her hair band.
I'll post the next bit soon, I just have to run to class. Thanks for the comments! I love hearing what you think. :)
Ariana’s eyes opened gradually, adjusting to the light. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was exactly. Before she could come to any conclusions, she noticed someone standing by the door. "Mom?" she asked in her croaking morning voice. The voice she heard next she didn't expect at all. She heard a deep, foreboding voice chuckle. Then he said, "You won't be seeing your mommy for a long time. You've been laying there for two days, and you'll be here a lot longer than that. And you won't have anyone like ‘Mommy’ the entire time you're here." He then slowly walked up to her in the bed, and got within inches of her face. He gruffly spat out, "So I suggest you suck up whatever you're feeling because it doesn't matter to anyone down here, understand?!"
Ariana sat up in her bed and looked straight into his bloodshot eyes. "Whatever, Sarge." She responded coldly. He glared back at her, as if he was trying to warn her she was messing with the wrong person. Then, he turned around and walked out.
Now that he was gone, Ariana had time to look around at her surroundings. The room she sat in was small and similar to a hospital room. It was filled with a few other beds with people who appeared to be her age in a similar state of mind. Some of them were still sleeping, while others were sitting up looking as confused as she must have looked. Now that Ariana had woken up, she realized it was dark outside. The sky wasn't twinkling with stars, or even black with cloud cover. There was a looming black mist throughout the sky that she could feel just by looking at it. The trees on the ground looked like they were trying to crawl closer to her room as the dark wind blew across its branches.
Allowing her eyes to browse the forest, Ariana stopped when she saw several pairs of beady red eyes. She had no idea where she was and therefore couldn’t possibly know what sort of wildlife could be out there. As she sat there watching, a massive black wolf came out of the wood a few feet from where the eyes sat. He went slowly, as if he was stalking a helpless animal. His eyes looked hungry, and his teeth were sharp and dripping with fresh blood. His snout was long and thin, which added to his freakish face. His body was bulky, while his forelegs were surprisingly scrawny. He chillingly crept across the open grass. As Ariana tip-toed to the window to get a better look, the wolf snapped his head right in her direction. She gasped not at his sudden movement, but his hypnotic yellow eyes. The window was at ground level, and the wolf must have been no more than one hundred feet away from her. He bore his teeth at her and Ariana saw drool slowly dropping from his angry mouth. She froze where she stood, too terrified to move. She scrunched her eyes tightly, preparing for whatever she could. She had to be brave, no matter what happened. Ariana decided to open her eyes just a sliver, and as she gradually opened them she saw that he was gone. Ariana looked everywhere she could but didn't find him. Not even the little red eyes she had seen in the forest were there now. She stood there for several minutes, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly a huge wave of exhaustion came over her and she lethargically shuffled to her bed, rubbing her hair band.
I'll post the next bit soon, I just have to run to class. Thanks for the comments! I love hearing what you think. :)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
First Little Part of a BIG Story I'm Working On
Well, I've been looking at a few blogs and I guess people like to post things that they've written. So, I've decided to post the first little part of my "novel" or whatever. I mean there's a lot that needs to be done with it and I haven't even written half of it (only the first 18 pages) but I've gotten more motivated lately to write more in it. Anywho, I don't want to overwhelm you guys or anything so I'll only post the first little itty-bitty bit for now. More will come later, but I'd just like to see if you guys like it or not. Also, the title for now is "The Test" but that will definitely change. Anywho, here it is! Let me know if you'd like me to post more! (And yes, I've always loved Ari's name so I used it as the name for my main character, only altered the full name slightly. I hope that's ok :) ).
"Ari, it's time to go," her father says, watching Ariana brush her hair. "We don't want to be late; you don't want to miss your instructions. It’s no way to start your test." She wiped a tear from her already tear-soaked face and picked up her bag, the only thing they allowed her to bring.
As they drove, she couldn't help but wonder what the next little while would do to her, how it would change her life and the way she lived. She had been training rigorously for the test ever since she could walk. Would she become a completely different person after everything was over? Would she be better or worse that she was before? What would she learn from the test? And, the most important question, would she be able to survive? These were questions she’d been asking herself her entire life, but they held more significance now that she was merely hours away from the beginning.
Ariana and her parents arrived at the place everyone was told to meet. It was a strange building she had never seen before. Shaped cylindrically and made of brick, the building appeared to be spiraling upward, reaching towards the sky to escape. She'd never seen a building made of brick before. The architecture didn’t particularly amaze her other than that, though; just a plain building with doors. Ariana expected something that was slightly more elaborate in its design than this seemingly boring building. Nevertheless, her parents assured her that this was where they were supposed to be. So, reluctantly, she followed them in.
The inside was nothing spectacular either. The walls were plain brick with no pictures, posters or windows of any kind. Her parents slowly led her to an elevator. But instead of approaching the entrance of the elevator with her, her parents stopped about five feet away. Ariana looked to see how many floors there were, but there were no numbers, only an arrow pointing down. She turned around and asked, "Aren't you coming with me?" Her mother's eyes misted as she said, 'No, Ari, we are not permitted to go any farther with you. We will see you soon, but from here until you are finished you must continue on your own." Tears poured freely down Ariana's face. She couldn’t leave them, not yet. She thought she'd at least have an hour or so with them. Ariana felt a knot in her stomach as she looked at her parents for one last time, and wondered if she would ever see them again. She leapt into her mother's arms, "You'll be home soon," she said. "This test will be hard for you, but it is for the best. We are so proud of you for your willingness to take this test." Ariana quickly shot a, "Thanks, Mom," as a tear trickled down her cheek.
She then turned to her father. He took her in his arms, and whispered in her ear, "You'll be back before you know it. We will pray for you every day." Then he pulled her away and looked her in the eyes. "This test is very rigorous, and will change your life. I've seen you in your training, and I know you will succeed. Never lose faith in yourself and what you're doing. You will survive if you just remember that and how much we love you. It will be hard, make no mistake about that. But the experience and knowledge you will gain will be irreplaceable. Your mother and I couldn't be more proud of you." Then he slapped her on the behind and said, “Now go out there and show ‘em what you’re made of!” Ariana laughed at the butt-slap. Her dad was always knew how to put a smile on her face. They all embraced each other for the last time in a long time. "I love you so much," Ariana sobbed out.
"We love you, too, Ariana," her father said. "Oh, before I forget, I brought you something.” He pulled out a dark brown hair scrunchy and put it around her wrist. “I thought you might want at least one of these,” he said, “in case you get sweaty. I know how much you hate that. Stay strong, and remember why you're doing this. We will see you soon." He gave her a quick wink, put his arm around his wife, and walked out the front door.
Slowly, Ariana stepped into the elevator and pushed the down button. The doors slid closed, and the image of her parents holding each other was seared on her brain. It was then that she broke down. She slid down the walls as the elevator glided downward. Then she let herself cry without any shame or refrain. Her entire body shook with each sob, something she had never experienced before. But no more than ten seconds later, the elevator started to slow down. Then it felt like it was going sideways. She stopped crying out of confusion. An elevator going sideways? Then it seemed to go back up. What? What on earth was going on?! After about two or three minutes of all these direction changes, the elevator finally stopped. Ariana sat as still as she could, preparing herself for whatever came next. Then she saw some sort of bluish gas leaking into the elevator. She panicked and tried desperately to get higher. It was no use, there was no way out. The gas climbed up. Ariana’s blood left her face. Was she going to die right then and there? She tried to hold her breath, but soon found herself breathing in the fumes. Oddly enough, Ariana couldn’t really smell anything like she had expected. After a few breaths of it, she started feeling dazed. She found herself losing focus and control. The walls appeared to be moving before her eyes, even though she knew very well they weren't moving. Ariana found herself feeling more and more tired, and the last thing she remembered was the flickering ceiling light of the elevator.
Alrighty well, there it is. Hope you enjoyed it! That was only like the first 2 pages or so, so if you'd like me to keep posting this story let me know! I hope you guys have a great week! Love you all!
"Ari, it's time to go," her father says, watching Ariana brush her hair. "We don't want to be late; you don't want to miss your instructions. It’s no way to start your test." She wiped a tear from her already tear-soaked face and picked up her bag, the only thing they allowed her to bring.
As they drove, she couldn't help but wonder what the next little while would do to her, how it would change her life and the way she lived. She had been training rigorously for the test ever since she could walk. Would she become a completely different person after everything was over? Would she be better or worse that she was before? What would she learn from the test? And, the most important question, would she be able to survive? These were questions she’d been asking herself her entire life, but they held more significance now that she was merely hours away from the beginning.
Ariana and her parents arrived at the place everyone was told to meet. It was a strange building she had never seen before. Shaped cylindrically and made of brick, the building appeared to be spiraling upward, reaching towards the sky to escape. She'd never seen a building made of brick before. The architecture didn’t particularly amaze her other than that, though; just a plain building with doors. Ariana expected something that was slightly more elaborate in its design than this seemingly boring building. Nevertheless, her parents assured her that this was where they were supposed to be. So, reluctantly, she followed them in.
The inside was nothing spectacular either. The walls were plain brick with no pictures, posters or windows of any kind. Her parents slowly led her to an elevator. But instead of approaching the entrance of the elevator with her, her parents stopped about five feet away. Ariana looked to see how many floors there were, but there were no numbers, only an arrow pointing down. She turned around and asked, "Aren't you coming with me?" Her mother's eyes misted as she said, 'No, Ari, we are not permitted to go any farther with you. We will see you soon, but from here until you are finished you must continue on your own." Tears poured freely down Ariana's face. She couldn’t leave them, not yet. She thought she'd at least have an hour or so with them. Ariana felt a knot in her stomach as she looked at her parents for one last time, and wondered if she would ever see them again. She leapt into her mother's arms, "You'll be home soon," she said. "This test will be hard for you, but it is for the best. We are so proud of you for your willingness to take this test." Ariana quickly shot a, "Thanks, Mom," as a tear trickled down her cheek.
She then turned to her father. He took her in his arms, and whispered in her ear, "You'll be back before you know it. We will pray for you every day." Then he pulled her away and looked her in the eyes. "This test is very rigorous, and will change your life. I've seen you in your training, and I know you will succeed. Never lose faith in yourself and what you're doing. You will survive if you just remember that and how much we love you. It will be hard, make no mistake about that. But the experience and knowledge you will gain will be irreplaceable. Your mother and I couldn't be more proud of you." Then he slapped her on the behind and said, “Now go out there and show ‘em what you’re made of!” Ariana laughed at the butt-slap. Her dad was always knew how to put a smile on her face. They all embraced each other for the last time in a long time. "I love you so much," Ariana sobbed out.
"We love you, too, Ariana," her father said. "Oh, before I forget, I brought you something.” He pulled out a dark brown hair scrunchy and put it around her wrist. “I thought you might want at least one of these,” he said, “in case you get sweaty. I know how much you hate that. Stay strong, and remember why you're doing this. We will see you soon." He gave her a quick wink, put his arm around his wife, and walked out the front door.
Slowly, Ariana stepped into the elevator and pushed the down button. The doors slid closed, and the image of her parents holding each other was seared on her brain. It was then that she broke down. She slid down the walls as the elevator glided downward. Then she let herself cry without any shame or refrain. Her entire body shook with each sob, something she had never experienced before. But no more than ten seconds later, the elevator started to slow down. Then it felt like it was going sideways. She stopped crying out of confusion. An elevator going sideways? Then it seemed to go back up. What? What on earth was going on?! After about two or three minutes of all these direction changes, the elevator finally stopped. Ariana sat as still as she could, preparing herself for whatever came next. Then she saw some sort of bluish gas leaking into the elevator. She panicked and tried desperately to get higher. It was no use, there was no way out. The gas climbed up. Ariana’s blood left her face. Was she going to die right then and there? She tried to hold her breath, but soon found herself breathing in the fumes. Oddly enough, Ariana couldn’t really smell anything like she had expected. After a few breaths of it, she started feeling dazed. She found herself losing focus and control. The walls appeared to be moving before her eyes, even though she knew very well they weren't moving. Ariana found herself feeling more and more tired, and the last thing she remembered was the flickering ceiling light of the elevator.
Alrighty well, there it is. Hope you enjoyed it! That was only like the first 2 pages or so, so if you'd like me to keep posting this story let me know! I hope you guys have a great week! Love you all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
