Flash Fiction Winner Ashlyn Brooke - 7th grade

Graduation day

They all thought that there wasn't going to be a future. "Nothing is more painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change". The war going on, threatened our existence, and it didn't help that the war was between the states. There was only so many people that believed we should build the USA back up again. We all split up into colonies. There was already barley any survivors, and there was a disease going around. People thought that it could possibly be the end of the world, especially when the monsters of the disease are lurking and waiting for their next victims beyond the boundaries.

"Oh great it's graduation day, another day from another year," I said sarcastically.


"Oh stop, you could be picked," Amy, my mom, replied.


By the way my name is Jake. I'm 19 and I get to graduate today. I live in a colony that's called Captive Colony. Graduation day is going to be happening in the other four colonies, as well. After everybody graduates there is going to be a representative from Tumbleback City visiting each colony to announce the winner from the graduates to be tested. Only one of the four candidates will pass and be relied on to carry the country, of course there are people from past years too. For the past 3 years they have failed, even with the help of each other. Hopefully this time, the person can do it with the help from the past candidates. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be picked.


As I'm walking up to get my diploma it finally hit me. I'm alone. I'm an adult and have to survive alone. I have to find a job, get my own house, pay for food, and pay bills. Maybe have a family, but I'm not sure. Of course that's only if I don't get picked.


"Hey Jake, sit next to me," Terra, my best friend asked me.


"No. I was just going to sit alone," I remarked.


We both laughed until the representative stood looking over everybody.


"Good evening ladies and gentleman. My name is Thomas and I am the representative from Tumbleback City. This year, one of the graduates will be coming back with me, as usual. Hopefully this year will be better than lasts. Okay, now drum roll please......the person that is coming back with me is Jacob Willis."


At first I didn't realize that he said my name until Terra pushed me. As I started walking it got louder and louder. People were cheering, I was getting high fives and hugs from people I didn't even know or recognized.


"Hello Mr. Willis," Thomas said shaking my hand.


"Hello, please call me Jake," I replied in delight.


"We will be leaving tomorrow morning, and your testing will be starting in the evening. It will give you time to meet the other four contestants," he cut to the point.


"That works for me, happy to see you then."


When I got home I went straight to my room and started packing. After that I went downstairs and had my last family dinner and my last family game night. There were a bunch of tears and hugs. Terra came over also. Even she was crying and she is the toughest girl I know because she never cries. The rest of the night was lonely. Everybody went to bed before me and when I did, it was hard to fall asleep.


The next morning I said all the goodbyes I needed to and left for our town square. Thomas and I got on a train and headed to Tumbleback City. It felt like forever to get there but really it was only like 3 hours. Okay, I guess you could say forever. We were the farthest colony from Tumbleback City. When I got there, there were two other boys and two other girls.


"Hi my name is Jake," I informed them.


"I don't care," the girl with the blonde hair said.


"Okay then," I replied.


"Anyways my name is Rachel," the girl with light brown hair said.


"My name is Luis," one of the guys informed.


"My name is Gage," the other guy informed.


"Okay so what's up with that other chi-," I asked.


"-I don't know but what I do know if she keeps that attitude up she won't even be able to have an attitude," Rachel interrupted.


"Whoa slow down," Luis and Gage said surprised, at the same time.


"Okay listen up!"


We all turn in shock to see that it is just one of the representatives.


"Your testing starts now. What we will be having you do is try to stay alive out of the boundaries for two days. You will get one weapon, one change of clothing, three food packets, and three water bottles."


"What happens if we get the disease?"


"Then you have to try to live on your own."


"Oh, c'mon you have seen what that disease does to you. It takes over your mind, makes you go crazy, makes you turn into a...a monster."


"Well, that's why you get a weapon to kill anything that has that disease."


As he walks away I start to say something.


"I don't know about you guys but that guy sounded suspicious when you brought up the disease. Like, they were looking for something inside us."


"I know. I regret asking him that." Luis announced.


"Well I guess we should go choose our weapon," Gage informed.


I chose the knife. Then, I got my clothes, my food packets, and my three water bottles. I hopped on the helicopter along with the other four and we headed beyond the boundaries. It's a total dead land. With bombs going off, monster looking people and animals walking around, attacking each other. It's all bare. Nothing to look at. It's a...it's no man's land.
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Minor formatting. Story appears as submitted by the author, unedited.