Young Writers Society

If there was a chance to become perfect, would you take it?

Every day, thousands of people push at the gates of The Perfection Trials, a series of experiments claiming to destroy imperfection and erase all flaws. However, you're only allowed past the padlocked gates with a letter of invitation.

A letter of invitation Alex and Sadie just received in their mailboxes. Now, they have the chance to solve their problems, and all they have to do is show up. No consequences, no price.

Right?

To say that Alex's life was a mess would be the understatement of the century.

The wallpaper was peeling, the ceiling stained with water damage, and the table covered with mail, their life-ruining pink slip among the envelopes. Xe thumbed through a new stack of envelopes, constantly having to push their unruly hair out of their face.

They glanced at the eviction notice crumpled on the coffee table. Then, just when xe was about to toss the mail into the ever-growing pile, they spotted a pale yellow envelope with a handwritten address.

"What is this?"

It couldn't be xer parents since neopronouns sent an already shaky relationship over the edge. So who would send them a handwritten letter?

Quickly tearing the envelope, they looked over the letter.

Dear Alex Garcia,

We are sorry to hear about your situation. We would like to remind you that there is hope in the grimmest situations.

This is your formal invitation to participate in The Perfection Trials. So far, we have led over nine hundred people into better lives by allowing them to conquer and eliminate our flaws. You could be our next success story.

Please arrive at our nearest facility at nine am sharp tomorrow if you accept our invitation. We hope to help you reach your fullest potential.

Become the light in the thickest dark,
Emily Fischer

Alex shook their head. An invitation to one of the most famous experiments in the nation, no, in the world? What kind of mad man would turn that down?

Alex sent down the letter and went to start packing. Perfection would be theirs soon.

Sadie was sleeping in her car. Again. What else was new?

It wasn't so bad, really. As long as she could get access to a shower every couple of days, she didn't mind sleeping in the car. At least this time of year. She felt like she was going to burn to death in the summer, even with the windows down; and she felt like she was going to freeze to death in the winters, since she obviously couldn't leave the car running when she was sleeping. Because carbon monoxide. Or whatever.

She sat up, shoulders cracking her back and shoulders as she tried to stretch the stiffness out of her body. She knocked aside the privacy blanket she draped over the door and crawled out of the backseat, stretching more. She noticed an envelope tucked under the windshield wiper.

It wasn't a ticket. At least, it didn't look like one. It was in a pale yellow envelope. Man, they'll stop at no ends to reach me about my car's extended warranty.

She grabbed it and frowned slightly as she realized it was addressed to her. That was a bit more concerning. Who had found her? Maybe she'd need to start moving her car when she was sleeping. If it was a friend, they would have just texted her or -- let's be real, her jerk friends would have just knocked or started shaking the car. Which meant it was someone who knew her -- but wasn't a friend -- which meant she didn't like that they'd been at her car when she was sleeping.

Sadie ripped the letter open and sat down in the front seat of her car to read it.

Sadie Lovett,

This is your formal invitation to participate in The Perfection Trials So far, we have led over nine hundred people into better lives by allowing them to conquer and eliminate their flaws. You could be our next success story.

Sadie snorted and popped open her water bottle to take a drink as she read on.

Please arrive at our nearest facility at nine am sharp tomorrow if you accept our invitation. We hope to help you reach your fullest potential.

Meyer L.

Sure, okay. She was going to participate in The Perfection Trials. This was such an oddly specific scam. Why had someone taken the time to bother to track her down to trick her? It didn't make sense.

She took her phone out and started Googling The Perfection Trials. It didn't take long for her to decide that it -- might -- be legit. And the nearest facility wasn't too awfully far away.

Sure, why not? She'd humor them. It'd give her something to do tomorrow anyway.

A day passes by fast when you find yourself ripped out of your distress and into a strange new situation. In a flash of time that felt like a blink of an eye, Alex found themself standing at the gate of a Perfection Facility. The usual hustle and bustle were starting to gather, but xe could tell that the Trials invited none of these people. None of them had the right stains on their shirt, the uneven haircut, or the characteristic eyebags of life in flames. No, they wanted in on society's next big thing.

And who can blame them? It felt like a dream standing there, invitation in hand. Xe rechecked the time: 8:55. So close to a new life. They distantly wondered if anyone would be joining xem, or would they take this journey alone?

Sadie came bopping up to the address at 8:59 the next morning. Perfectly on time. That should suit them. Hah. She pushed her way through the crowd, realizing that there was absolutely no order here whatsoever. She couldn't tell who was in charge. Or where she was supposed to go. Or what she was supposed to do.

This was stupid. She probably shouldn't have come.

Oh well. She was here now.

"Where do we go?" she asked the nearest person, but got cold-shouldered. She pulled out her invitation but it didn't say anything about there being a mob here. "Who am I supposed to talk to?"

She kept repeating her questions but no one was answering her, and she was quickly running out of patience.

"ANYONE KNOW WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE?" she shouted, cutting through the crowd with the letter held above her head. "IT DOESN'T SAY AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE MY LIFE!"

Alex turned at the sign of the commotion. Ah, someone like them finally. Someone who the experiment took pity on.

"Hey, you! Are you here for the trials?"

Xe waved their invitation letter.

"I'm Alex. Come over by me."

"Finally!" Sadie managed to make her way over to the person who'd waved her over. She took a deep breath and tugged her clothes straight then squared her shoulders, trying to get oriented. They didn't look like they were in charge of anything, either. But, maybe... "Sadie. Sadie Lovett. Are you in charge?"

"No, sorry. Same situation as you. No other instructions other than-"

"Alex Garcia and Sadie Lovett?"

A tall woman with an impeccable ginger bob and a small half-smile approached the two, each step seeming calculated and almost robotic.

"My name is Emily Fischer. I'm Alex Garcia's caseworker."

Emily stood there, arms straight by her sides as if waiting for something.

"Uh, hi. I'm Alex."

Xe held out their hand, only for Emily to ignore them. They lowered it after a few beats, cheeks noticeably reddened.

Well, she seemed stuck up. Sadie lifted an eyebrow. "Where's my caseworker then?"

"Here!" A man rushed towards them. He was about 6' tall and muscular, but not freakishly so. He had close-cropped dark brown hair and sharp brown eyes. "Sadie... uh...?" He fumbled with a folder in his arms, flipping it open as he closed the distance between them. "Lovett? Sadie Lovett?"

Sadie looked him over. "That's the name, don't wear it out."

"Hah!" the man grinned at her and held out his hand for a fistbump. "Meyer. 'sup?"

"'Sup?" she echoed, fist-bumping but still looking him over as she tried to get a read on the man. He had a certain chaotic energy to him that was vaguely endearing. "You're my caseworker, huh?"

"The one and only." He flashed a playful grin.

"Get ready for a basketcase."

"Hah!" Meyer grinned. "Can't wait to see what ya got, Sadie Lovett."

Emily looked at everyone with blank eyes and the same, unchanging half-smile.

"Alright, now that Meyers is here, let's go inside, shall we?"

She immediately turned in one fluid, flawless motion and walked off, the same calculated steps. Alex sighed.

"This'll be fun."

They hurried after her, tapping xer fingers on their thigh in an obvious sign of anxiety.

"You see that?" Meyer nudged Sadie, gesturing with his chin for her to follow him. "Thank your lucky stars you got me instead, eh? I'm a lot more fun."

"But are you as good? That's the real question," Sadie said with a smirk as they followed Emily and Alex towards the building.

"Girl's a s-a-a-a-vage, eh?" Meyer laughed. "God, you'll be a fun one to push through the trials. Can't wait."

Emily and Alex were already waiting inside the building; Alex hunched over themself, looking around what must have been the lobby. Emily was waiting for Meyer, standing perfectly straight and perfectly still.

As soon as Meyer and Sadie passed the threshold, she began speaking, not bothering to grab anyone’s attention.

“Welcome to The Perfection Trials, where you’ll be allowed to become the light in the thickest darkness. Your trials will be completed in three stages.”

She looked at Meyer, once again donning what must’ve been her waiting face.

"Oh, uh, yeah-- yeah! I got this!" Meyer said, clearing his throat as he turned back to Sadie and Alex. Then he got distracted. "Alex, right? Nice to meet you." He offered him a fistbump as well.

Alex hesitantly returned it. “Yeah, Alex. They/xe pronouns.” Their voice slightly cracked at the end. Years of coming out still wasn’t enough to eliminate the worry.

Emily cleared her throat.

"That's what's poppin' my... dude?" Meyer said, hesitating on the last word. "Is dude chill or nah? I'm a he/him personally. And Sadie is...?"

"Uh... she/her," Sadie answered.

"That's what's up!" Meyer offered another fistbump. "Dude?"

"Dude," she agreed with a slight laugh. He was ridiculous. She liked it.

"Duuuuuude." He turned towards back to Alex. "You chill with dude? Or is there a better dude-bro word for me to use for ya?"