My eyes blink open only to see a bright white light. After what seemes like minutes, I can finally see again. I see the stadium walls rising above me.

"Sam? Sam?" I hear someone ask.

"Y-yeah?" I stutter.

"Are you okay?" they ask.

"I-I don't know. I guess so." I reply.

"Here. Why don't you stand up and come on stage. You need to go up there because you were just called." I hear a woman say. When I look, I see it is Mom. She sticks her hands out, I grab them and pull myself up. I look into Mom's eyes and she fakes a smile. I turn and walk down the aisle. People stick their hands out, and I high five them. I reach the stage steps and I hear a ringing in my ears. I hear my heartbeat loudly thumping in my chest as everything in sight slows down. I continue climbing up the steps, and as soon as it came, the ringing and thumping is gone. The President waves me over to him and I hesitate.

"Go on." someone whispers from behind me. I slowly walk toward him and he puts his arm around me.

"This young man, granted he passes the Trialing, will be a bright shining light for our country. He will excel at what he is assigned to and will help RCS. Thank you Jeanine Lolands for raising such a fine young man." he says. The crowd cheers and chants "Lolands! Lolands!" over and over again. The President takes his hand off my shoulder and turns to face me, away from the microphone. "Samuel, whatever you are told, you can survive the Trialings. I believe in you." He turns back to the microphone when the crowd's roar quiets down. "Thank you Sorn City for having me this special evening. I will now hand the microphone back to Marion!" He turns and walks off stage as Marion comes back on. Someone tugs on my arm and motions for me to go offstage. I follow that person offstage to find a guy waiting for me.

"Hello Samuel. Is there anything you prefer to be called by?" he asks.

"I would like to be called Sam. Who are you? If I can ask." I reply. The man smiles as his hand goes up to his ear.

"All I am cleared to tell you is that my first name is Jonathan. I need you to follow me." He leads me out of the back doors of the stadium. He gets into the back seat of a car and I follow. "Please don't be alarmed that this is all of a sudden, my coming to see you, but I couldn't come any sooner. I have been ordered to tell you something very important."

"What?" I ask.

"The Trialings are not just paper and pencil tests. They are mainly physical tests. Barely anybody survives the tests."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask. He looks into my eyes, seemingly searching for something.

"You really don't know?" I nod my head, feeling super confused." Wow, the President may have exaggerated your smartness. I'm telling you this because you were chosen by the President. You wouldn't have been chosen if it wasn't for him."

"Wow. Thanks for the boost of confidence." I say.

"Yeah well, I'm doing my job. I only have a few more things to say. The Trialings will be very difficult. You will not survive."

"What makes you say that?" I ask.

"Because I have watched you. You don't have what it takes. But that is all I have to say to you." He starts to get out of the car and I follow. "Oh, it was nice to see you, especially since you won't remember any moment of this conversation." he says. Someone grabs my arm from behind and something peirces my skin. I fall to the ground.