The Test

Excellence Award in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition

Red, blue or yellow. Fire, water or weather. The colour imprinted on my wrist is the power I get. When an inking turns 16, they go through the Sorcerer’s endurance to determine their power. The Sorcerer's endurance is a test that all the people in Roser take at 16. Nobody can speak about the test, so every inking gets an even chance. My sister is strong in weather sorcery and now she is a leader. My mum controls water and my dad controls fire. As a result of my family's different powers it is almost impossible to predict mine. I want the power that best suits me, but I don't know which one I'll get.
I take a deep breath as I enter the waiting room. When I get nervous I rub my knuckles, even though it usually hurts nothing does at the moment. The instructor calls out, “Lily Ways.”
I stand up and walk out into the hallway. I look down to see bright red skin on my knuckles, is everyone is this nervous. I walk into an empty room with blank concrete wall and floors and an old metal door. The calm voice of the instructor projected around the room “3, 2, 1, begin,” the test started and I began the one thing I dreaded for my whole life.
I come out of the test shaking with sweat. The obstacles I faced pushed me to my limits. When you pass one obstacle, you move on to the next one so that the computer can figure out your limits. My test had more obstacles than ever recorded and the computer still can't find my power. The instructors let me go out for some air. On the way I look down and see a green pattern on my wrist. I wipe my wrist in a panic but no, my colour is green and it's not leaving.
Green? Nobody's ever gotten a green power. What does this mean? I try to replicate a simple gesture my mum showed me. I finish with a click and a small plant sprouted out of the ground. Surprised, I tried another gesture, this time I finished with my hands cupped and a bird was sitting in them. As the bird flies away, I sit down. I can create living things?
I walk back to the testing room. What if they make me a prisoner? I start to rub my hands again as I enter the room full of people staring at me. “You’re a Scamand!” one of them say bewildered.
“I'm a what?”
“A Scamand is a Sorcerer of life but there hasn't been one for years,” My instructor Julie says. I stare at them. ‘My power is rare, is this good?’ I think. “Lily, you are going to be able to help lots of people.” She says amazed. Yes, this is a good thing. A very good thing.

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