I Megan White, today I turn 16, my grandma told me when she turned 16 it was a big celebration, but now it’s a huge test of survival. My family and 4,000 other families live in the city. Here in Mathrus we have a giant marble and steel wall surrounding the city from the forest, no one knows what is beyond the walls except for the people who have past the test. The test only happens on the day of December 25, which is supposed to be Christmas, but not for everyone who turned 16 that is our gift. The only people that live in the forest are the ones that have survived the test. The only ones that are know to live there now are my older twin brothers. Mike and Lucas, they have been in that forest for two years and we haven't heard from them since. The president made a law that there shall not be any contact with people in the forest.

That happened about eight years ago, when we were aloud to talk to the people in the forest. The more contact we had with the people in the forest the more people started to disappear. What was happening was people were leaving the city with her family to go live in the forest with them.

The government didn't take that well. They ordered the magnets to go and shoot the family and the others in the forest. So they said that all of the family's and the people in the forest are allowed back into the city. When they all got to the gate the maggots started shooting the families and the other people who live in the forest. No one is know to live after they were all shot by the magnets.

My brothers were the only two that survived the test since the shooting. They are the only known people who are out there. There is a rumor that their was a set of people who is out there other than my brothers and they are out there hunting them down.

"Mom are okay?"

The house was filled with silence. The old wooden started to creek. When Megan spun around she could see her grandma was slowly walking to her. Her grandmother grabbed her old wooden cane. Her walk started to get slower as she got closer to Megan. She brushes her long curly grey hair aside, "You okay sweetheart?"

“I guess. I just don’t know about this test it just seems weird, I wish it was like when you were my age and there was no test to worry about.”

She shakes her head slowly, “There is nothing to worry about I promise, just know me and your mother don’t care if you pass or fail, as long as you come back home alive. Okay sweetheart!”

She puts her hand on my cheek and smiles, “I love you grandma!”

Her hand shoot away from my face and her smile grows across her face, “Don’t worry keep your chin up and get dressed you have a big day but not compared tomorrow.”

She walks down the stair as fast as she could. I can hear her can trying to skip some steps. I turn back to my bed where a baby blue skirt with a white dress shirt lay.

I get dressed and start walking down the stairs.

"Megan! Hurry up and get dressed the rest of the family is coming to see you and wish you a happy birthday before..."

"Mom are okay?"

The house was filled with silence. The old wooden started to creek. When Megan spun around she could see her grandma was slowly walking to her. Her grandmother grabbed her old wooden cane. Her walk started to get slower as she got closer to Megan. She brushes her long curly grey hair aside, "You okay sweetheart?"

“I guess. I just don’t know about this test it just seems weird, I wish it was like when you were my age and there was no test to worry about.”

She shakes her head slowly, “There is nothing to worry about I promise, just know me and your mother don’t care if you pass or fail, as long as you come back home alive. Okay sweetheart!”

She puts her hand on my cheek and smiles, “I love you grandma!”

Her hand shoot away from my face and her smile grows across her face, “Don’t worry keep your chin up and get dressed you have a big day but not compared tomorrow.”

She walks down the stair as fast as she could. I can hear her can trying to skip some steps. I turn back to my bed where a baby blue skirt with a white dress shirt lay.