Prologue

 I could hear the soldiers before I could see them. My Mother did also. She gathered us in the large kitchen My mother told us to run. Into the woods and to the old garden house.

"Justin watch over your sisters." She told my ten year old brother gesturing to me and Leila. Leila was cuddled up in blankets her short brown hair curled around her pudgy one year old face. 

"Calla, come on. We have to go!" My brother said, shoving me out the back door. "You remember where the garden is, right?" 

"Ahbiously." My three year old voice spoke. "I pway there evy day." It is true I like to play with the little garden fairies, so I walk the half mile every day.

"Good, let's go."

"MAMMA!" Leila yelled. We heard the front door open with a slam.

"GO. Now." My mother told us as Justin whisked Leila out the door.

"I don't want to leave you mama." I told her.

"Calla, I love you honey, but you have to go or else-" There was banging in the living room. My mother barely had enough time to hide me under the counter before the soldiers barged in.

I could see only feet from my hiding spot.

"Mam, it has came to our knowledge that your children have not been brought to an institute to be tested. We ask that you bring them to us and nobody gets hurt."

"Over my dead body."

"Okay Mam, I didn't want to do this, but you leave no choice." I heard a gun go off and a thump as a body hit the floor.

Even my three year old self could realize that was my mother.

I started to cry. Loudly.

The soldiers found me, and drug me out of my hiding spot. I couldn't see much through my blurry vision, but I figured the colorful blob on the ground was my mother.

"MAMMA!" I screeched to the figure.

Everything went still for the five seconds I had screamed. I cried harder at the silence.

"Oh look at the little baby crying." antagonized a soldier.

I made a vow to never cry again.

Chapter One

Sara and I were in the testing room. It is only slightly better than the dungeon, but that is mainly because there is no prison bars to this room, only simply a a guard by the door, and Testers scattered around the room with guns.

I was doing the usual, helping Sara to pass the next test that was set out for us this time. Usually the test were hard, and today was no exception.

"Stupid riddles, they speak of nonsense!" Sara exclaimed at the puzzle of words set before us. 

"What has an eye but cannot see?" I spoke. Looking at her sheet.

"There are plenty of creatures out there like that! A blind person for an example!"

"Sara, I can assure this is more complicated than a blind person."

"Whatever, your riddle is easier." It kind of was, this is what it was: If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I? Of course the answer was a secret, I mean what else could it be?

"I do wish that I had a needle to sew that mouth shut for you!" A girl yelled at a boy for asking help with his riddle. I know you probably think that it is mean, but she is just trying to protect him. The consequences for cheating are dire. Me and Sara are careful though.

"A needle! That's it!" I said.

"Calla, you sure?" Sara asked warily.

"Yes positive. Now write it down!" I told her. We had about one minute before time was up. If you did not answer the question on time, you didn't get supper. 

"Alright. Turn them in." The Head Tester Ordered. "And Prepare for your second test of the day."

Second test? This was a first.

"Wha?" Sara said.

I answered her with a shrug. The Testers led us out to the court yard where we usually did our physical tests. We stopped at The Hall. On the other side of The Hall was two troughs: one for food and another for water. I heard a snapping noise.

"Ca-Calla, a-are ya you sa seeing what uh I see?" Sara stammered. There was a small clear glass wall and on the other side were crocodiles. Hundreds of the things. I could see where this was going.

"Okay. You each get one bucket. You must cross The Hall and get your food and water if you want to eat. You have four minutes from the time the first person gets there bucket."the Head Tester announced. 

As people got their buckets the first thing I noticed was that there was monkey bars on the sides of the walls. Sara, I knew, wasn't very athletic, so I took her bucket and leaped onto the monkey bars.

I ran across the bars with ease, because unlike Sara, I was perfectly  balanced and coordinated.  I raced across the monkey bars until I reach the end of The Hall. 

I grab our food and water  and started to cross back.  I made it back to the courtyard without getting too seriously injured  by the crocodiles.Sara cheered when she saw me. I realize that I was only one had made it back so far.

I look back behind me and saw that people had fallen into to the crocodile pit. Part of me wanted to go back and help them, but I knew would be no use because there's nothing I could do.

 "Good job." The Head Tester spoke. I was startled."but I noticed that you have two buckets."  She turned to Sara and said, " Where is yours. I do believe you cheated.  You know what the punishment for cheating is."

" it wasn't her fault, I took it without her even knowing." I spoke up.

" Well then you cheated."

" Yes, I suppose I did." I wasn't  going to show any weakness to these people.

" Well then, come this way prisoner." The Head Tester spoke. 

I saw her grab out her whip. I was scared, but I dared not to tremble. She hit me across the face with it. I screamed as blood started pouring out of the gash on my face. No one in the room moved or made a sound. In that second I did what no one else dared to do. 

I grabbed the gun hanging in her holister.