Ah Friday. Here already. Those four day weeks always go so fast. Still here we are at the final prompt of the week. Let’s see what comes of it shall we? Timers set and off we go.
I need to figure out the details of this world, but I really like the character of Toby. I just need to find him a story.
Friday, May 31st: It will be challenging.
“It will be challenging,” he said as he strutted in front of their group. To Toby he looked like some sort of military commander reviewing his troops. With a start, he realized that is exactly how Mr. Masterson thought of himself.
‘As a commander.’
Toby had never thought of himself as any form of soldier. He never thought of himself as a warrior. He never played war with other children even though his brothers liked to run around with toy pistols and water guns. He was always collecting and drawing the plants that he found growing. Many of them were just weeds. He was told that many times, often with the plant he was in the process of sketching being smashed under someone’s foot.
To him that made them even more special somehow. The world around them was often filed with varying shades of gray and brown. Everyone had their place and everyone was expected to stay in it. Yet here and there around the edges were these weeds. Pushing up from miniscule bits f dirt and cracks in the side walk. They grew where they were with no regard for order or planning and shot up with stems often in vibrant shades of green with leaves and flowers in glorious colors. sometimes they had leaves that blushed crimson in places or tiny little purple flowers. The yellow ones were his favorite. they seemed to grow on the weeds with tall leggy stems that swayed in the breeze. Their bright little flowers hidden by their thick leaves until the wind shifted and they flashed out at him.
Mr. Masterson had continued talking while Toby daydreamed and Fred elbowed him as their would be commander rolled to a stop. Toby snapped his attention back to the present.
“It will not just be your bodies that will be tested, but your minds as well,” Masterson said. He nodded. “I don’t expect all of you will pass, but I expect all of you to try.” He gestured to the long low building behind him. “Your first test awaits,” he said. “Get to it.”
There was a slow shuffling as the entire group started forward. Masterson turned and walked away and they b=moved faster towards the open door to the building. Toby knew that he was expected to put forth an effort. He knew that if he deliberately failed his tests, there would be dire consequences. He knew that there was a very good likelihood that he would foul up some if not all of the physical components to the testing in the coming weeks.
‘So I’ll put forth the effort in the mental tests so it looks like I am trying when I fail the physical ones.’ As he knew that he couldn’t pass unless he aced both components, Toby felt good with his decision. ‘And once they decide I am not worth keeping they will let me go.’ Where he would go, Toby hadn’t decided. He just knew it wasn’t going to be home, not anymore. He was told the same thing the others were told. If he didn’t pass, he would have to find his own path elsewhere. He knew it was meant to be a threat to encourage them to do better. Toby found the thought of being cut loose an exciting one.
Ten til Midnight 