Young Writers Society

“I like that. Who needs to make us perfect?”

Alex glanced back at the door. “So, do you want to go back in there? We’ll have play along if we want to figure anything out.”

“I suppose we may as well,” Sadie agreed, pushing herself to her feet.

Emily stepped outside. “If both of you are well, we can advance to the next step of Stage I.”

Alex sighed. “I’m fine now. Sadie?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Sadie rolled her eyes. “Back inside, I guess?”

Emily leaned into the room. “They’re ready to move on, Meyer.”

She decided to wait, this time, and stood there beside the door.

"Ayeee, we love to see it." Meyer bopped over to the door and smirked at Sadie. "Knew you had it in ya, kid."

Sadie narrowed her eyes at him. "I could still leave."

"Yeah, yeah." Meyer waved a hand. "C'mon then, stage two."

“Part two of Stage I, Meyer. We haven’t fully labeled all flaws.” Emily gestured to the notes tucked against her chest.

“How many parts are there?”

Emily began walking, looking over her notes again. “We can get you two labeled in three stages.”

"If you're so smart and supposedly know everything about all of us," Sadie said, striding after her. "Then shouldn't you already know my 'flaws'?"

“It’s important for you to know them as well. We can’t eliminate your flaws for you. Labeling is a journey for you. From our previous stage, what would you say your flaws are?”

"Being bored enough to come here," Sadie muttered.

"And your tiresome sarcasm," Meyer commented.

"Pot-kettle don't you think?" she scoffed.

He smirked. "I'm just saying a bit of self-reflection wouldn't kill you."

"I reflect all the time," Sadie said sourly.

"Deflect, more like."

She glared at me. "You haven't proven to me that you deserve to know me."

“We already know you, Sadie Lovett. You don’t know yourself.” Emily stopped in front of a door.

“And how do you know us? We were just invited yesterday. We haven’t told you anything.”

“You didn’t need to. Meyer?” Emily gestured to the door.

Meyer patted his pockets, then produced an ID card and scanned it on a little box by the door. There was a beep of the door unlocking, then he pushed it open and held it for the rest of them.

"Alright, then, smarty pants," Sadie said. "How about you prove it?"

“You were kicked out of your home after you were found kissing you best friend. Since then, you’ve been switching between ‘couch surfing’ and sleeping in your car. When you received your letter, you had been sleeping in your car in a Semi-truck parking lot. You deal with your trauma through anger and deflection. Now, do you two want to be partners for the next part?”

"I told you all that," Sadie scoffed, crossing her arms. But she hadn't. Not really. She hadn't admitted she'd been couch surfing. And there was still the issue of how they'd found her in the first place. "But whatever." She looked back at Alex with a shrug. "I mean, up to you."

"I don't see why not. I mean, we've been together this far. What is this next step, Meyer?"

Alex really didn't want Emily to explain. Whenever she spoke, everything got all twisted and a little too much like one of those TED Talk riddles for their liking. What experiment focused on perfection would allow someone so confusing?