The Trials

Today was the day that any woman my age would come to dread. Where we were poked and prodded until we became passable for beautiful. Our bodies would be scrubbed down to every inch, our hair shampooed three times to get rid of the dirt and grime, our fingernails carefully cleaned and polished, and our makeup done to perfection. Nothing less was acceptable. Not only was it vitally important for us to appear clean, but we had to wear our best gowns in hopes that we would be hand selected. For a hand selection from the men in power meant honor to our families and towns. If you were to ask any of us who were put in these positions, we would tell anyone who would listen that it was preposterous. We didn't have a voice, a word that was ours. It all belonged to Erick Barrett. Many worshipped the very ground that he walked on because he 'saved' us all from a vicious death. Some weren't as lucky, but according to Erick, there were necessary sacrifices. Before I was born, a war broke out between what was to be believed to be good and evil. We lived on peaceful land until an unknown enemy walked into our backyard. From some of the stories I've heard, Erick Barrett took the first shot, causing the war to begin. Others say that the unknown enemy that crossed into our land without permission started the war with that alone. If you ask me, I would tell you that I didn't give a s**t who started it first because all I know now is the women here are the ones that suffer. It became known quickly that our enemy had a power unknown to any human. Either they were inhuman or had technology far beyond our capabilities. However, it was quickly learned that our enemy preferred women to men. Men would be slaughtered on sight, but women were offered a chance in what is known as the trials. "There you are, Riven. As beautiful as ever," my mother commented as she tucked the last hair clip on the top of my hair to keep my bun in place. She had a tear in her eye, as I knew she would. My mother and I aren't very close, though I wish I had made an effort before now. My father died in Erick Barrett's army that he drafted to protect borders against the enemy. After his death, my mother became stagnant, as if she, in some way, had died along with him. It wasn't until a month ago that I got her somewhat back, which I can assume was due to the trials. "Thanks, mom," I said back as I grabbed her hand, giving it a slight squeeze. She knew what I was saying without words. It was all I could do at the moment, not knowing exactly what to say. She nodded her head and kissed me on the forehead. "Adan is outside asking for you. Be quick as you are expected with the other women in half an hour, ready for examination." Without saying a word, I ran outside, nearly knocking Adan back as I jumped into his arms. Adan and I were best friends, though it took some time to get there. He used to pick on me in school, and it took a fist to his face to finally get him to stop. I thought for sure that he would rat me out, and I would undoubtedly get a whipping in the middle of school as a lesson to any of those that fought, but he respected me after that. We have been inseparable ever since. My mom swore that there was something else there, but it was always just friendship. Maybe if we didn't live the way we did, there could be something more. Adan knew that I had feelings for him, as I'm sure he had them for me, but due to the trials, there was no point in making them known. We would eventually lose each other, and that was a heartbreak neither of us could take. Adan smoothed a strand of hair that had fallen out of my face, letting the palm of his hand linger on the side of my face longer than it should. "Hi, Riv. Sorry that I'm late." "You have never been one for being on time, Adan. That we both know all too well. Besides, I wouldn't have had time. Mom just got done making me look presentable." "I see that," he said while curtseying in front of me with a smile. "No. You look beautiful. It's unfortunate that the first time I see you in a gown is the day of the selection for the trials." I swallowed hard. Any mention of the trials got my heart thumping loudly. Five women would be selected from each town in Erick Barrett's district. There would be a total of twenty of us fighting on his behalf. The chances that I still got picked for my first year were at the lowest it would ever be but also at the highest. Not every first-year got selected, but they tended to go with more beautiful women, hoping it would be a sign of good faith to the enemy. It hadn't seemed to work thus far, but beautiful women in my town were hard to come by as we lived as poorly as any town could without entirely killing us all off. We got the minimum of everything, including food, water, clothing, and hygiene products. My mom made sure to prepare everything she had for me, while many other women turning eighteen didn't have the means. For the women hand selected, their families would be rewarded with riches far beyond anything they had ever seen before, which is why I had to look my absolute best today. Thankfully, I had no siblings, only my mom, but she was fading fast. Without those riches, she wouldn't make it another six months. We took a seat down on my front steps. The wood creaked beneath us, ready to fall through at any given moment. Adan just looked at me, remorseful, though this wasn't his fault. For years, he has been trying to find a way to fight back against Erick Barrett and his army, a way to get to the enemy for the chance to retaliate, but he hasn't been able to make it five feet into the fields that surround us without getting caught. He's had three public lashings in the middle of our town. After the third lashing, he suffered severe wounds, making him realize the importance of not stepping on the toes of Erick Barrett any longer, as there wouldn't be a fourth. Officer Stoll made that very clear. "I wish that we could run away together, Riv. That I could somehow take you far away from this so that you wouldn't even have the chance to be selected. I'm never going to see you again. You do know that, don't you?" I nodded. "Really? Because you don't seem too concerned with being picked. Aren't you scared even just a little?" The truth was that I was terrified, but my dad always taught me to never show fear, even when it's all that I had. "What is the point of being fearful, Adan? The chances of me being picked are high as it is. The only thing I can do is fight in the trials and try to survive as long as possible. The better I do, the better my mom, you, and your family will be rewarded." He shook his head, disgusted by what I said. "It isn't right or fair. You've just turned eighteen and haven't even had a chance to live." He grabbed my face again, inching his head toward mine. "If I could take your place, I would without question." I pulled my head away, scared to get too close. "You know that I wouldn't let you. I have no one but my mom, Adan. You have four siblings, and your mom depends on you. Besides, it isn't like we didn't know this day would soon someday come." Mom then walks outside and places a torn scarf around my shoulders. "It's time, Riven. Sorry, Adan, but I must take her to the selection now. I will find you when it's over." The walk to the largely placed tent in the middle of our little town seemed numbing. If my mom wasn't holding on to me, I'd be afraid of falling right on my face in front of everyone. As we walk into the tent, the first person I see is Erick Barrett himself. He made sure to show up for every selection to ensure that only the best was chosen. That was a task that he wouldn't leave to just anyone. All the women between the ages of eighteen to twenty-five were placed on the right side of the tent while everyone else from the town was on the left side. It was mandatory that men, women, and even children show to the selection to show everyone what Erick Barrett was capable of if you stepped out of line. "Welcome, everyone. I would like to take a moment of silence for the women entering this year along with their families. We know this is not something easy to digest, and if there were to be any other way, we would surely resort to other means. Because of these brave women, we all live to fight another day." I wanted to punch him in his round, wrinkly face. He hasn't known a day of what it's like to starve or to feel death knocking on his door. He got to live in the comfort of his mansion in the center of all of us. I despised him and could care less if anyone knew it. While everyone else bowed their heads as if in a praying motion, I kept my eyes glued to Erick Barrett. As if he could sense this, he lifted his head, and his gaze met mine with a smile. Our eyes stayed glued to one another as if we were in our own little battle, but after a few seconds, he looked away with that smile growing wider than before. A bell dinged, and everyone looked up. Erick then stepped down to each of us and began examining us all carefully. There were over a hundred of us, so it would take him some time to get to me as I was close to the end of the line. We stood in line based on our ages. The oldest women were first in line that gradually moved down to the women that were just placed in this year's selection. Erick had already picked three women before he got to me. I was feeling more relaxed. I had a much smaller chance of getting picked now because there were still several women left to choose from. "Well, hello there. What is your name?" "Riven Ellery," I announced proudly without a hint of fear in my voice. Erick grabbed the strand of my hair that had fallen from my bun, running it through his fingers. "Beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Tell me, Riven, what are some of your qualities, as I can see that respect isn't one of them?" Respect? He wanted to talk about respect to someone like me? The nerve of men in power was despicable. "I have admirable qualities, sir, ones I'm sure that you are quite acquainted with, seeing as how long you have been doing this." He knew as well as I did that my remark was a jab at him, but I did it in such a respectful way that he couldn't retaliate as he wanted here in front of everyone. So, he did the next best thing. "Well, Riven Ellery, congratulations. You have been selected for the trials." About the time I heard the shrill that belonged to my mom, my legs gave out from underneath me. My dad's words were now haunting me. "Never show weakness, Riven, never." Right there in front of everyone, I had just done that. My eyes scanned the room, searching for Adan. He was standing beside my mom, holding onto her. Otherwise, she would have dropped too. His pitiful stare left me feeling empty. I would never again see the man that I've come to cherish so much. "Take care of her," I mouthed to him. Adan would do nothing less, but I had to make sure that he heard it from me before I was scooped away and brought to Erick Barrett's mansion for a complete makeover before my trials began. Adan nodded his head with a glint in his eyes. "I promise," he mouthed back with so much emotion that my heart nearly broke in two.