Selection Book Novels & Stories

"You exposed critical flaws that no one else could have found." It hit me then that we had all been pawns from the beginning. Patrick, Rita, and I were just pieces moved for the sake of a perfect system. My anger flared but soon faded. Being angry now was pointless. He pulled up another interface. "From that data, we built SkyShield II. It needs a commander, someone who's been through hell and emerged unbreakable." He slid an appointment document across the desk. "Mary, our country needs you." I looked down at my once-shattered hand and smiled. "Alright."

So this was just a stranger with unfortunate similarities. Grief messing with me. Again. “Dad?” Luca tugged my arm. “You okay? You look… weird.” “I’m fine.” I shook it off. “Let’s go find your brother.” But no matter where I looked, my attention kept drifting back to Selma. The confidence in the way she moved. The way she scanned the area like she knew exactly how kids think. “A boy who loves books wouldn’t go far from places that have them,” she said, pointing at a bookstore. “And once something catches their eye, they tune everything else out.”

Every name called looked at the crowd at the Selection ceremony, watching who could be the perfect puppet and pawn. I watched as Caden's eyes immediately found Tyrion in the crowd, something dark and calculating flashing across his face. Gretchen was scanning the crowd like a predator looking for prey, probably trying to find someone desperate enough to be grateful for the opportunity. The other selected members were doing the same, weighing their options carefully. This wasn't just about friendship or loyalty - this was about strategy and survival. I was dazed, I needed to meet up with Riven and ask him why he chose me for this crazy Academy.

She picked a few out and moved to another section. She began to search through sections, checking the books, when her eyes caught a book in the corner of the shelf. The title of the book caught her attention as she pulled it out. Selene covered her mouth with her hand when she saw the cover of the book. Her eyes are wide with shock. It was a picture of a handsome young man, his chest bare, and a lady standing by his back. Her lips were kissing his nape. “Desires and Pleasure"; she read the title aloud and took the book.

p "Brandon." He smiled, a small, tiny smile, just a quick barely there lift of his lips, but I saw it, and I wanted to see it again. I sighed. "I'll be honest and say, I put off thinking about all of this as much as possible. You have to understand that this isn't normal–I mean, two boys fighting for me? I'm up for that. But two twins who look exactly alike that I've barely known for five weeks asking me to choose between them? On top of that, one them isn't even gay–It's a lot at stake here and I'm not talking about my job–just in general. I really don't want to waste my time, Brandon. This isn't some teen drama." His head fell forward when he nodded.

Of her. She flipped through pages drawn in charcoal—some with shaking hands, some with precision. One page showed a girl surrounded by flame. Her eyes were glowing. Her silhouette, familiar. “What is this?” she asked. “It’s the record of the Fireborn,” he said. “There’s only ever one in a generation. Sometimes none. It skips centuries. But when the world begins to change—when things grow restless—that fire finds a home.” She closed the journal, her heart thudding. “Why me?”

I’ve heard a saying that goes thus; if you want to make enemies, choose them wisely. I don’t believe I chose mine wisely. And I don’t believe there’s a saying like that actually… But it still makes sense because I could have chosen enemies who were less powerful and cruel so that my life’s predicament wouldn’t be as brutal. But I went ahead and did the opposite. But then again, sometimes, we are choiceless when it comes to selecting our enemies. Sometimes, it just happens naturally and we find random cruel people hunting us down and aiming to destroy our lives.

“Maya is just going to keep educating me like a child. And I need that. I get it. But while I’m doing that, I also need… I need to do something.” Rake turned his head, staring off into the trees, thinking. And when he turned back, he looked hesitantly hopeful. “What?” I asked. “There's a Selection coming up.” I blinked. “Selection? What's that?” “It's the ceremony where the powerful, unmated males who are ready to take a mate step forward and select from the group of presented females.” I frowned. “Like some kind of messed up beauty pageant?”

"I wasn't going to *ask*." "You were going to bribe a nurse." "I was going to bribe *several* nurses." The jar filled up with predictions anyway. Aunt Margaret declared for a girl because "the way she carries it is all out in front." Julian's godmother voted boy on the strength of a dream. Edmund, when pressed, wrote something on a slip, folded it twice, and dropped it in without a word, and no one could make him say which way he'd gone. The jar was sealed with wax and placed on the mantel inside the house, to be opened on the day.

ONE MOMENT IT IS RAINING THE NEXT MOMENT THE SUN IS SHINING, SOME PEOPLE SAY CAPE TOWN WEATHER IS LIKE A WOMAN'S MOOD, ALWAYS CHANGING. SHE WENT TO SIT DOWN AND PLACED HER CUP ON A COASTER ON THE COFFEE TABLE. SHE TOOK A DEEP BREATH IN AND SLOWLY BREATHED IT OUT AGAIN. SHE WANTED TO CLEAR HER THOUGHTS. SHE NEEDED TO DECIDE WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO. SHE COULDN'T KEEP THIS SITUATION GOING. SHE NEEDED TO MAKE A CHOICE. SHE KNEW SHE LOVED BOTH AND SHE LOVED THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THEY WERE BOTH SO DIFFERENT, SHE JUST COULDN'T BRING HERSELF TO CHOOSE.