I started pacing. I knew my name had to be called; had to have been. It wouldn't make logical sense for it to not be called. I had been training for this his whole life.

Yet, while the program began, all I could do was pace the worn in floorboards and pray that my name was called. It was my only escape from the worthless life I was already living.

"We are proud to inform you of the civilians joining our recruits this year! Now to Catherine Halloway for the reading!" The cheesy reporter chirped.

I had to be on that list! No doubt about it, I even put in a special request for myself! There couldn't be a world where I didn't make it.

"Greyson Armington, Lilly Ashlyn--" the voice droned on.

It wouldn't make sense for me to not be on the list!

"Mitchel Bennedet, Christopher Benson, Melony Berk--"

Calm down, they aren't even at the R's. So I took a seat on the couch and waited patiently. I would make that list.

"Kimberly Constance--"

"Crystal Flemmington--"

"Ashton James, Jessica Jones"

"Perry Kingston--"

"Franchesca Narry--"

"Peter Richmond--"

I took a deep breath, it had been half an hour and soon they'd be getting to the S's. Soon I'd hear the sweet words Flynnt Stenson, and I'd be free.

"Carter Silversteen, McKenzie Stanly--"

Flynnt Stenson, here we come!

"Johan Stewart--"

I fell off the couch.

"That can't be right. It's a mistake, that's all," I tried to reassure myself.

But it wasn't.

My name didn't make the list.

~~~~

It was my day to take out the trash. That didn't mean I had to do it nicely. So I flung the trashcans onto the street, and gave the recyclables a kick just for good measure.

"Hey, you got on the list too?" A blonde girl asked, she had shimmering blue eyes. I would've found her to be attractive, but today I just wasn't interested. However, something else caught my attention. It was the familiarity of the girl, and then her name surfaced.

"Crystal?"

"Yeah, are you on the list too," she asked, voice small.

"No, the problem is I wasn't on the list," I huffed in annoyance.

Her face was one of pure confusion, "Please tell me you're being sarcastic....?"

"Is it that insane for someone to want to be on the f*cking list? Or is this just a side affect from being blonde?" I glared at her, not really sure why I was suddenly so angry at her. I hadn't talked to her in years, and I somehow felt like I should take my frustration out on her. 

She looked at me in pure shock, "You know, people would kill to be in your shoes right now! That stupid list has affected my family, if you could call it that, in ways you couldn't comprehend! How could you be so---so selfish?"

"You just don't understand! But I wouldn't expect anyone to--"

The blonde interrupted me, "There isn't anything for anyone to understand. If you want to die so bad, just do it!"

I immediately started laughing, "I don't want to die. I want to live. I want to live far, far away from here. Far from this house, this easy lifestyle. I want to be where the action is, where the going gets tough. I want to feel the bullets almost piercing my skin. I want to be far away from this life where I have to wake up everyday knowing the next day will be the same. I hate the predictability of it all. Don't you get that? Anywhere is better than here!"

"Maybe for you, but not for me. I won't stand a chance out there. My parents know it, I know it, everyone knows it. Crystal Constance is a dead girl," she muttered to herself. "And the hardest part is, my death won't even be for anything. These 'missions' are just another form of population control. I guess that's why they call it a Suicide Mission. No matter what, you're going to die."

"Only if you want to, Sweetheart," I muttered, turning my back on the girl standing on the street.

"Count your blessings, before you loose them Flynnt! They're all humanity has left," Crystal called after me, but I was already walking up the driveway.

I shook my head. Stupid girl, she knew nothing of the real world.

~~~

I woke up the next day to a loud banging on my locked bedroom door.

"Flynnt!" The aggravated voice of my Father barked out.

My dark brown eyes glared at the door, and I let out a long groan. No one should be forced to wake up on the weekend.

I rolled out of bed and pulled the door open.

"What is it?" I demanded curtly, my eyes narrowing to slits.

"Some girl is here, try to make yourself look presentable? She's rich," my father sighed, looking like he had no hope for me. Looking at me like I was a lost cause, a look I had seen numerous times. 

I rolled my eyes and slammed my door shut. Now dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans, I stormed down the steps. Almost immediately, Crystal stood up from the velvet couch she was sitting on in the living room to the left of the staircase.

"What are you doing here?" I asked incredulously, stopping midway down the grand staircase.

"You weren't lying when you said you wanted to be on the List, right?" The blonde girl crossed the room, walking towards me.

"No, I wasn't lying! How many times do I have to say I want to be on the List for it to get through your brain?" I huffed.

She just rolled her eyes, "I'm just making sure. I-I can get you on that List--"

"Done," I said immediately.

Her blue eyes widened, "But--I haven't even told you what--"

"Done. I'll do anything to be on The List," I shrugged, turning on my heels.

"Wait! Flynnt, you need to know your name is Dylan, Dylan Sanchez!" She called out.

"Okay, are we done here?" I sighed, raising an impatient eyebrow.

"See you in the field," she mumbled numbly, before walking out of the foyer.

See you in the field, I thought. Hopefully she'd last more than a day, but I'd highly doubt it. However, what I thought didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that I was on the list.

I'd be leaving here soon, and then I'd begin to live my life.

And I couldn't help but smile at my luck.