Part 2
### Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Everyone knows about the Trials. Everyone watches the violence on TV. But only 12 people every year are chosen as participants, and this year, Lyra Macey is one of them. Lyra Macey grew up knowing about the Zodiac trials. She saw them on TV every year, worrying that the next year, it would be one of her brothers chosen to participate. When she turned 12, she worried her name would be called. Yet somehow, those Trials always felt so far away.
Even if she could solve the puzzles the participants fought through from the safety of her living room, she never really believed anyone in her family would end up fighting for their life. It was all just a stupid form of entertainment, something she didn't need to concern herself with.
Then she was chosen.
Lyra was intelligent, with a glare that could make even the toughest men shake in their boots, but she didn't know how to fight. The second her name was called on TV, she knew it would be her death sentence.
But she wasn't about to give up.
Follow Lyra in her trials with the other zodiac signs as she makes friends and enemies, all while uncovering one deception that will change the Trials for good. Along the way, she just might find a few people that change her life too.
Complete Chapters 30
Rating 5.0 ( 15 reviews ) Age Rating mature
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Chapter 1: A Boring, Average Life
Lyra Macey yawned from her place in line, letting out a breath that fogged up the chilly air. She grumbled to herself as she looked at the huge group of women standing in line with her, all set to get their pictures taken.
Lyra couldn’t help it if she scowled at the women who bothered to get dressed up. There was no point in trying to look nice, not for these pictures. The only way they would be seen is if the photo’s subject was chosen as a participant, a fate she wouldn’t wish on even the most annoying girls here.
She herself hadn’t bothered to change her appearance. As always, Lyra kept her long brown hair up in a low bun and out of her face, her bangs pushed softly behind her ears. Her boring brown eyes stared out over the falling white snow around her. She shuffled her feet on the ground, comfortably slamming her heeled boot into the pavement in irritation.
If she could, Lyra would have worn her lab coat underneath her fitted winter jacket. Maybe if she was chosen, the reputation of a mad scientist would scare a few people away. She snorted at the thought of her being intimidating in any way.
In reality, Lyra was only a graduate student working as a scientist. If that didn’t make people think she was nonthreatening, the lab coat, goggles, and thin body frame certainly did.
The only thing that ruined her pathetic image was her eyes. Her piercing eyes and intelligent glare were the only weapons she had that could frighten people off, along with her no-nonsense attitude. Combined with her analytical mind, lack of emotional displays, and shy personality, not only did she seem cold, but she cemented herself firmly as a Virgo.
Whether that was a good or a bad thing, Lyra could never really tell. She sighed again as she shifted in line, her heeled boots stomping against the snowy ground. It was a nervous habit.
She understood why pictures were taken in the last two weeks of December, since they would be needed on the first of January, but what she didn’t understand was why they were needed at all, and why they needed to be current. The Zodiac Trials apparently needed to be perfect, requiring every possible participant photograph to be current.
Lyra was pretty sure her photo would have the same un-amused look it had every year since she turned twelve. It would continue to have that same look for the next twenty-one years until she was free of the Trials.
She stepped forward to accommodate the moving line, her boots scuffing the ground. Voices were murmuring and chatting around her in a storm of sound, every single woman here sure it wouldn’t be them who was chosen. It was admittedly unlikely with the thousands of individuals out there in the United Nations of America, so unlikely that Lyra didn’t consider the possibility herself either.
She did, however, swallow at the chance of something happening to one of her five older brothers. They were in their designated line for the men a few blocks away, probably joking around like the idiots they were. The oldest of them was thirty-two by now, but Lyra felt more mature than any of them at twenty-four.
She allowed herself a small smile. She would be staying with them and her parents for the next two weeks for the holidays and the subsequent participant selection that occurred as part of the New Year. It was tradition to stay with family for those weeks, and she was just lucky enough to have a good one to go home to.
Lyra let out a breath of relief as the line started moving again, finally allowing her entrance into the school that was being used today for pictures. She sighed when the warm air hit her, taking her hands out of her pockets to rub them together firmly.
Lyra crossed her arms and popped her hip, glaring at the people who tried to catch her gaze as she moved forward. When she did get to the front of the line, she was greeted by the poor sap of a government worker who had been chosen for this pathetic job. The lady worker seemed much too excited about all of this though, practically forcing Lyra into a chair before eyeing her critically.
“Sweetie, why don’t we take your hair down and get that ugly coat off? We want your picture to look as good as possible after all!” the woman said, blonde hair bobbing behind her.
Lyra gave this woman her best glare, slapping her hands away. “I like my hair like this. Just take the picture so I can go home.”
The woman didn’t seem all too pleased with such a brusque answer as she said, “But sweetie, you’ll look so much better if—”
Lyra stood from the chair and crossed her arms, using the height she had with her boots to glare at the woman. “Take the picture or I’ll take it myself.”
At least Lyra could say she was intimidating enough for simple tasks like this. The woman gave no more argument as she quickly snapped the shot and let Lyra go, heels clicking on the linoleum flooring until she was outside once more.
She stood for a moment and looked up at the grey sky, watching the flecks of snow as they stood out against the shadowy background behind them. Her breath fogged up the air in front of her, painting the scene with droplets of white. It was quiet out here with no one around and only the snow for company.
It would soon be 2076, and the next Zodiac Trials would commence. Lyra had grown up with the Zodiac Trials, fearing the day when she would turn twelve and be forced to get her picture taken, entering her name into the pool of eligible participants. It had been twelve years since then, and even longer since she began to worry for the safety of her brothers.
In the society she lived in, in the newly created United Nations of America, these Trials commenced every year, with the participants being chosen on January 1st. They weren’t chosen based on what nation they lived in, or even based on their skills.
No, they were all chosen based on their birthdays. Birthdays were used for everything in society. As early as fifth grade, students were asked to put in their birthdays on standardized tests. When they reached high school, standardized state tests, SATs, ACTs, and college applications used birthdays. Then came applications for rent, credit, and bills as an adult. Everything in society was based off of one’s birthday, even if no one liked to acknowledge it.
Birthdays were the mark of when a person’s existence began, when they grew another year, but birthdays were more than just a day to exist. Birthdays determined the signs of the zodiac. They were said to determine pieces of one’s personality, although rarely was that completely true.
It was true, however, that there was once a time when people believed it was. People thought that something as simple as a zodiac sign determined who a person was, which people they got along the best with, and if people shared similar interests and desires.
That led to the Zodiac War. The reinstatement of government and order led to the Zodiac Trials.
Even though everyone was meant to be equal, even though everyone was meant to be represented under one societal flag, the Trials were just another mechanism of control and power. They were meant to keep everyone in line, quite literally as they had their pictures taken year after year, until the anger and false blame of watching loved ones and innocents die and kill eventually overtook them and they forgot who the real enemy was.
Lyra Macey had known how the system really worked for many years, but like many other citizens, she wanted to stay as far away from the Trials as possible. Those Trials got people killed, even if they weren’t meant to.
The only permanent way out was to get chosen for them and hope she made it out alive; then she would be guaranteed to live a life free of worry, with all of her needs, and her family’s needs, taken care of until death. The only problem was that once a person was chosen, that life they wanted so badly would never be the same. There was no real escape except one’s inevitable death.
Lyra stared at the sky again, lamenting on the own date of her birth. Her birthday was on September 5th, a day she used to hate. It was right when school started, so no one had ever paid her any attention. Now she hated it for an entirely different reason, eventually becoming indifferent to the day. It wasn’t worth it to celebrate; she wasn’t anyone special.
To her eternal surprise, not everyone thought she was so bland though.
“Lyraaaaa!” was the only warning she had before she was picked up and twirled around.
For her own self-preservation, she held on tightly, wrapping her arms around the other person before she was set down feeling slightly dizzier than before.
“Orin…” she groaned, looking up at her youngest older brother, Orin Macey, with his crazy smile and rambunctious personality. He was a Pisces: an artistic type.
“Don’t make her fall over. I’m surprised she can even walk in those heels.” Lyra looked to Orin’s left, eyeing her next brother, Benny the Taurus. He was only twenty-seven, a year older than Orin, but he acted a lot like the guy in charge most of the time.
Lyra sighed as she stood up straight, putting her hand to her head and pushing her bangs behind her ears. “You want to borrow them? If your feet fit, I’m sure we could have a good laugh about you falling on the ice,” she quipped with an amused smirk.
Orin laughed at Lyra’s expression, putting his hands in his pockets and exhaling. Benny just shoved him like he usually did, but Lyra broke it up before one of them really did fall on the ice.
“Okay, you idiots, let’s get home. Were you two the only ones sent to get me or are the other three dorks lurking around the corner somewhere?” she asked seriously. She’d been surprised by her brothers more times than she could count.
“Just us,” Orin said easily enough. “Anthony, Phil, and Corey are already back at the house.”
Lyra nodded. Benny nudged her as they began walking. “How much glaring did you do? Seems like you’re in a worse mood than usual, and that’s saying something.”
He was joking, but it didn’t improve Lyra’s apparently bad mood much. “You know I hate these things. I always get asked to look nicer or dress more provocatively or take my hair down. I’m perfectly fine with the way I look, even if I’m not all that pretty.”
She couldn’t help it if she pouted a bit. Lyra knew she wasn’t beautiful with the permanent scowl on her face, but she didn’t need a reminder of the fact that she was single and prone to die alone every year.
Both Benny and Orin put their arms around her, walking on either side of her as she plodded down the street with a hand on both of their backs. Benny hugged her close. “Aw, come on Lyra, that’s not true. You’re just… harder to get to know than most people.”
“Yeah!” Orin piped in. “You’re super beautiful and smart.”
Lyra smiled slightly at their efforts, but she couldn’t say they were all that believable. “Coming from one brother that’s in a committed relationship, and another who has no problem getting dates, your words don’t mean much to me.”
Benny would probably get married within the next year, and even though Orin was a free spirit, he didn’t have any problem at all getting to know people. It was only Lyra who couldn’t find the person who made up her other half.
“You sure it’s guys?” Benny asked after a moment. “Because it’d be fine if you were into girls. I mean we couldn’t intimidate her as much, but anyone who can put up with you definitely has some thick skin.”
That actually did get Lyra to smile. “Well, whatever gender person I bring home, I’m sure you’ll do a fine job scaring them away.”
They laughed at her comment, holding onto her as they huddled together on the way home. Normally Lyra would have had her motorcycle with her, but with the ice, she didn’t like her chances. Besides, there was no way she could fit both of these guys on with her.
That left the three of them fighting against the wind on that dreary day, snow slowly falling onto their heads and shoulders periodically. Lyra listened as Orin and Benny told her about their photographs, commenting on all the other guys who said they’d win the Trials if they were chosen.
Lyra could only roll her eyes at people like that; more often than not, those were the people who tried to run where their name was called on national TV. They were the same people that killed other participants out of panic to ensure their own life.
As they approached their parents’ home, Lyra wished the occasion for being home had been better. The only reason everyone went home at the end of each year was to spend time with family before the Acquisition. Every January 1st, the Acquisition guaranteed that twelve people would be taken from their homes to participate in the Zodiac Trials. For whatever reason, it was assumed that giving people the days off leading up to the 1st would make up for the possible deaths that could occur. It wasn’t a fair trade.
At the very least, Lyra was glad for the time spent with her brothers. Now that they were all grown up, they had all inevitably drifted to their own corners of society. It was nice to see them again.
She wasn’t exactly sure why she thought that when her next oldest brother, the middle brother Corey, ambushed her with a hug. He squeezed her so hard that the air left her lungs as his arms snaked around her waist. “A-ah, C-Corey! Too tight! T-too tight!”
Corey seemed to realize his mistake and set her down, holding her forearms to stop her from falling into the snow as she regained her breath. “Sorry sis. It’s just been a while,” he said. Corey was a Leo, and as such, had a tendency to get a little forgetful or overly passionate at times. His girlfriend seemed to love it, although Lyra would rather not think about why.
“It’s fine,” Lyra breathed out. “Inside, you idiots. It’s cold out here.”
Lyra had to admit that her parents had a nice home. It was a two-stories, but it had about five rooms so they each had to share with only one person maximum. Lyra had always gotten her own room for being the only girl when she wasn’t paired with Orin due to their close ages. To her left was the living room, the dining room stretched out to the right, and the kitchen was in the back. Two rooms were on the ground floor down the hall, while the other three sat upstairs.
Immediately upon entering, Lyra caught sight of her last two brothers. Phil was the second oldest, and also the only one with a boyfriend of his own. He was a Pisces like Orin, making him living proof that not all people of the same sign were exactly the same.
“Lyra,” he said calmly, walking over to wrap her in a hug. Lyra smiled. Out of all of her brothers, Phil had always been the calm one, and able to match her intelligence in some subjects too. Lyra wasn’t surprised his boyfriend married him so quickly.
“It’s been a while, Phil,” she said softly, pulling back to be greeted by her final and oldest brother Anthony. Anthony was a Capricorn, so his birthday was actually coming up at the end of this month. He was also calm and level-headed, with a temper that could frighten even the toughest men out there if someone threatened his family.
Anthony was a committed type of guy. He was someone Lyra had relied on since she was little, especially since there was a gap of eight years between them. If she ever needed help, she knew exactly who to turn to. It was no wonder he had found someone to marry early on. He even had a daughter seven years ago when he was Lyra’s age.
“Hey songbird,” he said, using an old nickname. Lyra supposed it fit, but she wasn’t a songbird by any means. She’d probably scare the birds away if she tried singing.
Lyra hugged her oldest brother tightly, reveling in his warmth. “Hey Anthony,” she said to him. She stepped back to look at all of her much taller brothers, wondering where her higher heels were. She would need them if she was going to spend her holidays with these giants.
“Where’s my niece?” she asked, referring to Anthony’s seven-year-old daughter, Naomi.
Anthony laughed a little. “With her mom. Naomi and Reyna will be coming later in the week after we go to see her parents.”
“But you’ll still be here for the Acquisition, right?” Benny asked seriously. They always liked to gather around to watch the Acquisition together, if only so that they could be with each other in case something happened.
Anthony made a face. “I’m not sure. If anything happens, it’s best if Reyna and I are together at the time with Naomi. We were here last year, so we might be over there with Reyna’s parents and sister.” He shrugged. “It’s important to Reyna.”
Lyra wished she hadn’t felt it, but she couldn’t miss the pang of loneliness that hit her heart when she heard Anthony’s words. This happened every year since her brothers had begun serious relationships. They usually stayed with Lyra every other year, but she was still selfish enough to want all of her brothers together in one place every time January 1st came around. They were all she had.
“If it’s any consolation, the rest of us will be here,” Phil said, his eyes flicking to Lyra. He must have caught the way her face fell minutely. He was always perceptive like that.
Lyra shook her head, shoving her disappointment away. “You all should get into the habit of spending the time with your significant others. You’ll all have families soon. Anthony and Phil are already married. There’s no need to worry about me.” Her voice fell softly as she shut her eyes calmly and crossed her arms. For a moment, she wished she was wearing her lab coat. That old white coat always somehow gave her the confidence she felt like she was missing.
She didn’t bother to look up, as she knew her brothers were staring at her with pity. What really hurt was the fact that Virgo in general didn’t have trouble finding romantic partners or people to love, so why was it just her? Knowing that she was the problem was perhaps the toughest pill to swallow.
“Oh, look how cute we are with all of us together again!” Orin said jovially in an obvious attempt to break the tension, grinning from ear to ear shakily. He patted Lyra heavily on the back, sending her forward a step.
Benny rolled his eyes and knocked Orin in the shoulder, but he was smiling again too. “I’m pretty sure Lyra gave the government worker a heart attack too.”
“As expected,” Phil said in mock-seriousness, causing Lyra to roll her eyes.
“I’m going to say hi to mom and dad,” she said instead, unbuttoning her coat and walking over to the kitchen. Predictably, her brothers followed after her.
Not only was Lyra the youngest, but she was also the only girl. Needless to say, her mother adored having another girl around, although Lyra often wondered if she had wanted someone who was a little more girly. Even if she did, she never loved Lyra any less.
Her mother, a woman by the name of Laura, with the same brown hair as Lyra, brightened up immediately upon seeing her only daughter. She put down the cookie dough she was mixing, by shoving it into her husband’s hands, and immediately came over for a hug.
“Sweetheart,” she said kindly, hugging Lyra closely. Lyra’s mother was the only one who matched her height, and after seeing all of her giant brothers, it was a satisfying feeling. Her mother was a Taurus like Benny, with a stubborn streak in her that made her quite the fighter. She still had this incredible warmth about her though, sparking a feeling like safety in Lyra’s chest just by being nearby.
“Mom,” she said with warmth in her voice. Her mother looked at her fondly, smoothing a hand over her hair before turning her to face Lyra’s father, a man with salt and pepper hair, glasses, and laugh lines all around his eyes and mouth.
He only had to open his arms for Lyra to lean in for a hug. Her dad, Steven, was the one person who made Lyra feel like she was special, even when she felt ordinary and emotionless compared to everyone out there. He was a Cancer, although when it came to her parents, Lyra didn’t need to think about their signs much anymore. Despite how young they still looked, they were over the age of 45 and therefore safe from the Acquisition.
Lyra smiled at her parents, taking her coat off fully and removing her heeled boots, lessening her height by a good few inches. “Hey dad,” she said happily, glad that she at least had him even if there came a day when all of her brothers weren’t home in the winter.
“Sweet pea,” he said by way of greeting, smiling down at her as her mother stole the bowl of cookie dough he’d been holding. “You’re going to have to tell me all about your research over dinner.” Her father never understood much, but Lyra always appreciated his continued enthusiasm and effort.
“But until then, would you want to help me out?” her mother asked with a smile. Most people would think Lyra hated girly activities, but she made an exception for baking. It was a lot like chemistry, which made it perfect to test her medicine-making skills.
“You guys think it’ll be someone we know this year?” Corey asked as they sat down for dinner a few hours later.
Lyra ignored the question entirely, not even allowing her mind to entertain the possibility. She could see some of the others tense up though, even her dad.
Her father was the only one who said something to Corey, his voice solemn over the clinking of forks. “With any luck, this year’s Acquisition will be as boring as the last,” he said, returning to his meal in silence.
Everyone followed suit. With a government as powerful as the one that watched over them, something boring was the best they could realistically hope for.
If only it had really turned out that way.
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2
There were never any New Year’s parties like in the history books, with the entire day spent in solemn anticipation. People stayed inside, usually glued to the TV as news coverage began to pour in from Central Hall about who people wanted chosen this year and what occurred the year before.
Lyra and the Macey family were no different. The TV was turned on early in the morning and remained on throughout the entire day. As much as none of them wanted to watch the games from last year or even hear about what was set to happen this year, they couldn’t help but to stare with morbid curiosity.
Lyra herself parked in front of the TV in the living room as soon as she woke, sighing as images flashed before her eyes. Last year, only six out of the 12 participants had been allowed to survive. Every year it was a different number, so as long as that number of people completed the puzzles, they would be allowed to live. The remaining people died either as other participants killed them off or if they didn’t complete the final puzzle in time.
The time limit was an integral part of the whole Trial. If people were unable to solve their puzzle within the limit displayed on their watches, they would be injected with a drug that put them to sleep for an indeterminate amount of time. This could mean that someone else completed the Trials faster than them, and they lost their place as one of the limited number of winners. Once that happened, the watches they wore would inject them with a drug that would kill them, signaling the end of the games.
Lyra had solved the puzzles herself multiple times just from watching, although she knew a person like her wouldn’t do well if the number of people who could win was two or three. People who were good at puzzles were eliminated early on as the stronger and dumber people killed them off to guarantee a spot amongst the winners.
These Trials weren’t necessarily intended to force conflict, but every year the strong took out the weak. It had gotten so bad that the weaker players thought up preemptive strikes, like electrocution or booby traps, just to keep themselves safe. Ultimately, it was now one big blood bath, all because people were forced to fight for a chance of survival. It was both amazing and horrifying how animalistic even the most intelligent human could become when forced into the right circumstances.
Lyra turned her head as Phil joined her on the couch. He was messing with his fingers, obviously wishing he could be with his boyfriend to be sure he was okay in case one of their names was called. If that did happen, the person called would only have half an hour to say goodbye to any loved ones before government workers showed up to collect them for the Trials. That’s why it was always better to stay together on the day of the Acquisition.
Phil was probably only here because Lyra had said something to Anthony. She almost wished she hadn’t opened her mouth at all, since it hadn’t changed the fact that Anthony couldn’t be with them today and was instead causing Phil stress.
She turned her gaze back to the TV, watching the Trials from last year. Last year, a group of six had won. The person who won first happened to be a Scorpio. He’d managed to kill two people to give himself that shot, eliminating a Virgo who was on the right track early on, and the Cancer who was working with him. Beyond him, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Leo, and Libra had won. The others ended up dead when they solved their puzzles too late or were killed before they even had a chance.
Lyra watched as the arrow by Scorpio killed the Virgo, eliminating him as soon as the game began. Her eyes lowered at the unfinished word puzzle that had been all but solved, missing the part where Scorpio sniped the puzzle right out of the hands of the Virgo.
She didn’t blame him. She couldn’t blame anyone really. The fact that they were forced to kill one another was no one’s fault besides the government that controlled them, but that didn’t mean she liked seeing blood painting the ground red. It didn’t give her a good feeling about things to come for the participants this year either. More than likely, the Virgo and Cancer would be dead first again, along with any younger players that got the short end of the stick.
“You could have solved that puzzle,” Phil said aloud, breaking Lyra out of her thoughts.
Her eyes snapped to the screen for a moment before returning back to him. “It was a simple crossword. Find the letters hidden throughout the forest and fill in the possible combinations. Virgo had it, but it’s not like Cancer or Taurus couldn’t solve it either.”
Phil gave her a little smile. “True, but I’m pretty sure you’d be even faster.”
Lyra smiled slightly at him, trying to break some of the tension. She lowered her eyes. “You should go be with Markus,” she said to him, lowering her voice.
Phil looked at her curiously. “I like being here. Markus will be fine.”
She didn’t call him on the obvious quiver in his voice. All of her older brothers were always trying to protect her, always trying to keep her safe because she was both the youngest and the only girl. Lyra appreciated it, but she sometimes wished she was stronger. Sometimes she wished she could happily fade into the background where no one would waste their time on her.
Lyra was glad the conversation dropped when the others entered the room. She sat even further into her chair, watching them all with hooded eyes. They all had the same subdued countenance that she did, talking in hushed tones and watching the television from the corners of their eyes. Her mother hovered around with cookies and other foods, using her nervous energy to bake and cook.
Lyra actually felt sorry for her parents, wondering what they must go through every year. They had six children to worry about, and if any one of them was taken, it would no doubt leave a hole that could never be filled.
Lyra lowered her eyes when she saw her mother’s sorrowful gaze sweep over the group of them, landing on her for just a moment. She offered her mother a sad smile. Sitting here watching the killings of other people’s children wouldn’t improve her mood. If only they could stop watching, but it was like watching a train wreck: it was impossible to look away.
She sighed, getting up from her position and joining her mother in the kitchen. “Mom,” she said, watching as the woman continued to cook little appetizers on the counter.
“Hello, sweetheart,” her mother said softly, giving her a smile that was obviously fake.
Lyra had seen the same smile often when she looked in the mirror, if she even smiled at all. Gently, she grabbed her mother’s hands, forcing her to stop preparing the bread slices on the counter.
“Mom, why don’t you go spend time with the boys? I’ll bring these out in the little while,” Lyra said calmly, keeping her voice low and level.
Her mother hesitated, saying, “Lyra, sweetie, it’s okay. You go be with your brothers. I’ll just finish these here.”
Lyra knew her mother was a headstrong woman, many Taurus tended to share that trait, but she also knew the woman couldn’t take much more of this. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who understood how thin her mother was stretched.
“Laura, go be with the kids. I’ll finish these up with Lyra,” her father said, startling Lyra slightly from his silent entrance.
Her mother looked at them and sighed sadly, the day obviously catching up to her. Lyra watched her father hug her mother, whispering something to her before kissing her hair and sending her off. Silence fell around them as her footsteps faded away.
Lyra let out another breath, suddenly missing her lab coat and boots. The clicking of the heels under her feet always made her feel powerful, like each step could instill another stab of fear in her enemies. The white coat around her shoulders was her armor, protecting her from everyone who made her feel inadequate. With neither of those things, she didn’t quite know how to act.
“You don’t have to wear your armor around me, you know,” her father said, as if he had been reading her mind.
Lyra gave him a soft smile. Her father had always been able to see right through her, even with her infamous glare. She stepped behind the island in the kitchen, getting to work on fixing up her mother’s snacks.
“You know, you’ve always reminded me of your mother,” her father said after a while.
Lyra raised an eyebrow, giving him a sidelong glance. “Are you sure? Mom doesn’t scare people away with just one glance,” she joked.
Her father chuckled and stepped up beside her, helping with the rest of the little crostini’s. “Oh, she definitely does, but she’s learned to temper it,” he said in a jovial tone. After a moment of silence, he grew serious again. “Your mother and I were so happy when we both finally hit age 45 and were exempt from the Zodiac Trials. We would never have to worry about leaving you kids alone again, but now… now we have to worry about what might happen to one of you instead.”
He grew silent. The only sound was the muted noise of conversations in the other room and the television still playing the Trials from last year.
Lyra let out a heavy breath. “I worry about it every year. Even now, the chance for any of us being chosen is low, but we all still worry.”
“Fear is a powerful weapon,” her father added, his brown eyes twinkling beneath the glasses he wore. “But hope is even stronger. As long as people have hope, they will throw their lives away willingly. These Trials make us all hope for victory, hope for ourselves, and hope for our loves ones. It isn’t always fear that destroys us.”
Lyra turned to look at her father, noting how old he suddenly appeared as the light reflected off of his salt and pepper hair. “Hope is a double-edged sword, but there are few things like it that allow people the strength act when they otherwise wouldn’t,” she responded, placing the little appetizers on a tray.
Her father nodded. “True. Hope can be your greatest weapon. Even over strength, intelligence, and fear, it inspires others. All you need are your words and actions.” He ran a fond hand over her hair, making her look at him again.
“Is something wrong, dad?” she asked. While she was used to conversations like this with her father, she couldn’t help but to think it was ominous.
The man looked over to her, taking the tray of snacks from her hands. “Not at all. I guess I’m just feeling a little philosophical today. And concerned.”
Lyra hit the heel of her foot on the ground, missing the heavy click of a heel that usually accompanied it. It didn’t have the same impact with just her bare feet. She crossed her arms. “You don’t have to be concerned about me, dad. I’m strong enough.”
If it was possible, it felt like his gaze grew sadder, his features softening. “I know, Lyra, but you don’t always have to be so strong.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond, instead gesturing for her to join him with the others. Lyra sighed, feeling as though she had missed something. She might have been smart, but she supposed she always had more to learn.
Over time, everyone had loosened up, but soon it was seven o’clock and Central Hall was preparing to announce the participants for this year. Lyra ended up in the living room with everyone else, sitting on the arm of a recliner while Orin took the seat. Benny, Phil, and Corey took the couch with her mother, while her father pulled up a chair from the dining room.
Lyra had put on her heeled boots as if she was preparing for battle, but otherwise she sat comfortably in her jeans and blouse. Her eyes were glued to the television in front of her, listening as the program began.
The first section went over the whole history of the Zodiac Trials like it did every year. People tried to rise against the government, they formed groups based on their Zodiac signs, they were killed, and then one person from each sign came up with the Trials to stop the bloodshed.
What wasn’t said was how people rose up because of rising prices of food and the famine that had been running rampant. They were tired of starving and dying, so they fought instead, using the Zodiac signs as a rallying point for people’s traits and strengths. It allowed them to recruit others before the government destroyed them. Then of course the Zodiac Trials began, but most people didn’t put too much stock in the story of the 12 initial signs that started the Trials.
Amongst the people in the 12 nations of the United Nations of America, covering all of what used to be North America, the general consensus was that such a story had been fabricated to shift blame. Once the government had someone else to blame, someone in history that couldn’t be reached, they were free and clear of all blame themselves.
So far, it was working. Now people cheered for their favorites like they were on a TV show and yelled curses at signs who failed. They hoped that their sign would win so their social stock would improve for the next year, even if it meant someone else had to lose.
Finally, some announcer appeared on the TV. It was the woman who made announcements for the figure-head president. The press liaison maybe? Lyra wasn’t exactly sure, as she didn’t normally pay much attention. The woman announced the Acquisition, but it was Harrison Healy, the game announcer and honorary member of the president’s cabinet, who did everything else once the Trials began.
“Hello all nations of the United Nations of America! As you know, I am Rose Cooper, and I will be announcing to you all the lucky participants with the chance to compete against one another for the sake of their sign.” The woman said it all with such a fake smile that it made Lyra scowl.
Beside her, Corey scoffed. “Good lord,” he mumbled under his breath, a sentiment that was mirrored by everyone else in the room.
“Okay,” Rose continued in her much too cheery voice. Her smiling face was already getting on Lyra’s nerves. “As always, we will begin with Aquarius and end with Capricorn. Those of you who are chosen will have half an hour before Central Hall Servants come to retrieve you for this very exciting chapter of your life!”
Lyra frowned. She had the misfortune of meeting Central Hall Servants before. The government dogs were like soldiers, although they kept the name “servants” to make them sound like public servants instead.
The shift in the room was palpable. It felt like the tension had risen at least ten levels. Lyra was sure her family would have heard her heart beating if not for the fast pace of their own hearts within their chests.
She took a deep breath, listening for the names of the unfortunate souls to come. Everything was computerized, so Rose the announcer had to wait a moment before the first name for Aquarius was read out. With a bright smile, she said, “For Aquarius, participant Sylvie Naeson will compete.” After the name was read out, the picture taken weeks ago was displayed on screen.
Sylvie looked to be slightly older than Lyra, maybe in her thirties. She had dark hair and eyes that were like a mask, completely keeping her thoughts under wraps. Like Lyra, she didn’t smile for her picture, but she wasn’t glaring either.
“Looks like she’s Anthony’s age,” Orin said with a shake in his voice. That shake was partly for everyone chosen, and partly for himself. The participant for Pisces would be announced next.
Corey and Benny each reached out to Orin, patting him to reassure him before returning to their seats and huddling around Phil, who shared the same sign. Lyra held Orin’s hand, feeling the tension that ran through him. Rose went on to announce Pisces. Everyone held their breath. “Pisces will have participant Basil Carter.”
They let out breaths of relief as the image of a young man was displayed on the screen. He looked sad almost, as if he didn’t know what expression to make. His brown hair and sad eyes made him appear young, probably around Lyra’s age.
For a second, Lyra felt guilty. She hated that they’d all been so relieved to hear that this guy, Basil, would probably get killed, but when it came to Orin and Phil, they couldn’t help it. “We’re fine, everything’s fine,” Lyra whispered to Orin, hugging him close to her.
There was no time to wait in between the participants in the Acquisition. Aries was called next, someone by the name of Akihito Arisato, an Asian man with an angry expression. No one close to them was an Aries, so they instead waited patiently for Taurus, Benny’s sign.
Once again, they were spared when Wesley Hunter was called. The poor kid looked scared even in his picture. He was probably only around seventeen or eighteen, with a penchant for black clothing and piercings.
Lyra watched her mother step out to take a deep breath during Gemini’s calling, needing a moment to get through the rest of this. She couldn’t help but to look on sadly when Faith Lynde was called. It was obvious that Faith was only twelve or thirteen, easily the youngest of the possible participants. She was smiling nervously, probably under the instruction of a parent or sibling. Her shoulder-length bright red hair made her stand out, more than the others.
No one ever liked it when one of the younger kids was called. Those kids barely had a chance to live, and they were highly likely to lose. The Geminis were no doubt disappointed too, probably wishing a better participant had been chosen for their sign.
Cancer came and went with a young woman by the name of Maia Allen, a girl with a sweetheart face and kind smile. Lyra was reminded of her dad just by looking at the young woman. Even though she was probably half his age, she had the same understanding eyes, but with some steel hidden underneath. The woman’s gaze sent a shiver up Lyra’s spine.
The calling for the Leo was another nerve-wracking one with Corey’s name thrown into the mix. Phil also looked to be on the edge of his seat, waiting to hear about the fate of his boyfriend Markus. “For Leo, we will have participant Nana Whit.”
Everyone let out a breath of relief again, and immediately Corey got up to call his girlfriend while Phil got up to call Markus. The others mumbled amongst themselves.
Lyra felt like she was the only one who took in Nana’s expression, a smirk that made her appear a little snarky and wild. The girl was young though, maybe in her early twenties. She’d probably appreciate Wesley Hunter’s aesthetics just based on the black streaks in her blonde hair.
Everyone was still chatting or on the phone, but Lyra’s heart beat even faster. Virgo was next. She felt like her chest was constricting, like a snake was wrapping around her, choking her slowly but surely. Every year she felt this way. This year was no different.
It may have been a chance in hell that she would be forced to join as a participant with thousands of other Virgos, but that was the problem: there was still a chance.
That’s why Lyra hadn’t truly anticipated the words that the announcer said next.
“Our Virgo will be represented by participant Lyra Macey.” Lyra’s picture showed up on the screen, without a smile or any hint of amusement. She only glared, looking angry and bored.
Around them, everything stilled. No one said a word. Lyra knew her mouth was open slightly, looking at the television as though she couldn’t believe that had really been her name. But there was no point in denying it. That was her picture. There was no mistake.
Lyra was officially a participant in the 52nd Zodiac Trials.
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