Page 62 of The Commons

I read, “In The Commons, everyone is average and shares equally.” I think to myself, but that’s not true. How can we all be average, but some are higher in rank. How is that an equally shared resource? I flip to the next page. That’s when I realize, oh my God, it’s not.

I flip through the book for the next hour. I push it away, frustrated because I am not able to find anything on The Seventh Zone. I rise up, pacing and panting. I think to myself, how can you be rewarded unless one person is depleted? I can’t advance unless someone else is depleted. Oh my goodness. But how are they depleted? They can’t possibly be killed. Can they?

I don’t know how to answer this. But I hope it is not death. Especially since I overheard Patron Suzandrick say that Patron De Londe told Patron Brik not to kill me. I assume the worst they can do is hurt a person, right? Maybe they hurt Levon, but maybe she’s still alive. I really hope she is.

I continue to read in the book that The Commons will have a hundred percent graduation rate, and that is what will set it apart. Satri DeVeechi said this over fifty years ago.

That’s insane.

How could he know that? Unless, it was pre-planned in their curriculum to send those who don’t pass the test somewhere. Somewhere like The Seventh Zone.

In this moment, I realize… There is no escape from The Commons.

And since that is the case, there is only but one way to move forward in this plan: Get sent to The Seventh Zone.

CHAPTER 14

Fighting To Lose

The air feels ice cold. I tug on my golden sweater to cover my jittering hands just as a wall of crisp yellow leaves comes crashing down on me. I dust the leaves off my face onto the bone white floor. I can hear deer clattering around the mountain and beyond the river next to us as a gust of mist surrounds us.

My body touches the wet wooden board that reads, Roars and Cheers allowed in Nature Classes only when done collectively.

A deep voice echoes from the woods surrounding us: “Nature versus Nurture! The question that has haunted humans since the beginning of time. There are two Natural Tests. The first is surviving creatures (nature). The second is surviving creations (nurture, human nature, humans or whatever we pick). This is the first test, as you all know: Nature.”

We turn around and see no one. But. Just as my eyes squint beyond the yellow leaves, I see a stiff, yellow pale body camouflaged among the dancing grass.

He jumps out, and we all exclaim, falling back in shock. “Synch. You must be in synch with nature and with your partner, or you stand no chance at victory. I’m Patron Colo. Stop standing there like fools! Get into your selected groups,” he says, hovering over us with his pine-colored eyes.

I find Zia, and we jump into our assigned boat.

“Ready to win?” she asks.

Before I can respond, Patron Colo shouts, “First team to reach the other side wins. You will be graded based on how fast you are and your ability to beat your classmates, yet remain common. First group of students, your race starts now!” He blows a horn.

Splooosh! Cheers erupt from the students who are on the sidelines. The race begins. Zia’s and I’s paddles hit the water a second faster than the group beside us.

Within moments, we take the lead due to Zia’s intense paddling. Before long, Zia stretches her arms as they begin to ache. “Hey, Shantavia, how are you doing?” she asks between breaths.

“I’m doing great,” I respond, but I am not trying at all.

To get sent to The Seventh Zone, I can no longer win anything. Being tagged as prey, I now have to change their perception of me and become a nuisance. If I cannot conquer The Commons, I have to confuse The Commons. And for that to happen, I have to “naturally” perform poorly on these Nature Tests.

“Not bad, but… isn’t it getting a little wet?” Zia shouts.

Wet? What is she talking about? I look down, and immediately it all made sense; the gradual slowing of our speed, the growing puddle that only seemed to increase, and the strange belief that this race seemed to be going better than I hoped all pointed to one thing—a leak on the boat. And it was probably planned by Patron Colo. Within seconds, my suspicions are reaffirmed as I hear the cries of the other six teams.

“What do we do?” Zia shouts out to me.

I know exactly what to do to win this race. Jump into the water. Duh? The rules said, get to the end. But it did not say how. Just because they gave us the boat doesn’t mean we are restricted by it. But I can’t tell Zia that. I feel bad, but I can’t.

I can’t afford to win. So, I simply continue rowing the boat. “We can make it, Zia! We’re almost there,” I scream.

That would turn out to be the wrong choice for the test. But the right choice for my plan. I look behind us to see Team Five, led by Ciaro and Zavish, emerging from last place, swimming to victory.

“Crap! Shantavia, why didn’t you think of that?” Zia asks.

“I don’t know. They said stay in the boat,” I naively respond, shrugging my shoulders.