Page 50 of The Commons

The shark smells my blood and diverges in its tracks, heading toward me while the mother and child drive off to safety.

Enclosed in the mouth of the shark, terror stabs my heart, and I gasp in shock. Before I can blink, my vision turns to black, and I see nothing but darkness.

I’m dead—virtually.

But I am still alive. In real life.

Beep… Beep.

The test ends. Frantic, I scan my body to see I’m unharmed. That felt so real. Why did I even do that? How did Ciaro force herself on my boat? What if that was real? I don’t know if I can trust myself. If I keep moving like this, I’m gonna get myself killed. In real life.

Alone in the dark room, I see the small table appear with the gun in place. Then the table transfigures itself into a kiosk.

This is the final portion of this test.

“You have ten hours to answer ten thousand questions.” Ten thousand questions in ten hours? That isn’t possible. I’m certainly not going to be able to get through all of them. “You may begin,” the automated voice rasps.

I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that I just killed myself to save others. Virtual or not, I cannot have blood on my hands. The things I did should not even be possible. I have to push for more to see what I’m capable of doing. This venture has given me a new mission—Test the Tests.

The questions begin rotating around me. My hands race to respond.

“Save a child or save a government?” the Beatrice-sounding voice asks.

“Save them equally, according to the rules of the government.”

“Religion or Meaning?”

Again I select C and write meaningful religion.

“The Commons or The Common People.” C again, The Commons for The Common People.

This test continues asking me hundreds of questions. Do these questions ever end? My hands shiver and my legs quiver. I don’t know how I’m gonna keep doing this. I am beyond exhausted.

Ten hours later, I step out the door and slam into something.

It is Patron De Londe.

I recognize him from the pictures on Zia’s wall. Dread consumes my chest. There is an aura to his presence, an eerie cloud. I don’t know what the rules of seeing him are. I am terrified of his red-green eyes that look all too familiar to the Commons dragon reptile; My body is growing icy cold, from my numb lips to the soles of my feet.

“Shantavia—Isn’t it?”

“Yes si- Patron De Londe.”

“You recognize me. That’s good. Do you also recognize anything else about me? About my voice? Have we ever spoken to each other before?”

This is a trick question. I take a moment.

“You have spoken to me in everything that I have learned here at The Commons. That it is your vision coming to fruition—yours and Satri DeVeechi’s vision.”

“Right. You’re very smart.”

“Just a simple Commoner.”

“Simple Commoners don’t do what you just did in that test. Why did you do that?”

“I just… instinct?”

“Instinct?”