They had two hours to answer twenty questions, and given the difficulty level, that much time wasn't truly needed. Steve read the questions twice and began to write. As they worked, the invigilator roamed the room like a hound. He constantly checked to see if everyone was writing correctly, ensuring no malpractice occurred in his presence.
Meanwhile, John was writing as fast as he could, his goal being the first to finish. The invigilator in his room was a woman who sat relaxed in a chair, scrolling through her smartphone. However, she frequently raised her head to keep a sharp eye on them.
"This exam is very simple," Steve thought with a smile. This written test had actually been introduced just this year, so Steve hadn't known exactly what to expect. However, he had received a notification from Betasphere regarding the new format along with the syllabus, so he was prepared for a written challenge.
As he intended, John finished before anyone else and left the hall. Outside, it was quiet except for a few birds. They were perched in a tree near the building, making a noise that wasn't annoying, so John watched them curiously for a moment. He eventually decided to take a seat. Numerous garden chairs painted green dotted the grounds, but John chose one under a tree to shield himself from the sunlight and heat. He sat there like a stone statue, waiting for Steve.
In the other room, Steve was still thinking and writing. He rechecked his answers, trying to make them perfect. When he finally finished, he glanced at the paper one last time before handing it over. He wasn't the first to finish in his room; two others had already left. As Steve handed back the paper, the invigilator gestured toward the door with his left hand and said calmly, "Now you can move out".
"Thank you, sir," Steve replied and left.
He found John still under the tree, gazing at the building. When Steve approached, he asked, "So, how was your exam?".
"It was easy, man. What about you?" John replied.
"Same. I thought it would be much tougher when I saw the syllabus," Steve said.
"Yeah. Now let's wait for the results".
Steve looked confused.
"What results?".
"The results will be out within half an hour," John explained. "Only 500 people will be selected for the next round!".
"How do you know this?" Steve asked.
"It was mentioned in the booklet they gave us".
"Oh shoot, I didn't see it," Steve said, beginning to worry.
"Don't worry… if you're selected, you move up".
Steve gave him a weird look. "What the hell?".
Suddenly, the speaker on the tree crackled to life again. They heard the same tapping sound as before. The announcer began, "Oh, hello… I hope you all wrote the exam well. Now, listen. The results will arrive within half an hour. Only the top 500 can move forward; the rest may go home". He spoke emotionlessly and straight to the point.
To Steve, the announcer sounded like a cold beast who didn't care about their feelings. The next thirty minutes felt like an eternity. The weight of expectation felt like it was crushing his head. His heartbeat increased and his breath became heavy.
Steve stood up and started walking away. "Where are you going?" John asked.
"I'm going to take a pee," Steve replied, walking as if he were freezing in the cold. He headed toward the toilets, his mind filled with dread about how he would face his family if he failed. He wiped sweat from his upper lip, And he was walking like a rusty robot.
When thirty minutes passed without news, Steve complained to John out of frustration. "Yeah, they're lagging," John agreed.
"Why can't we go and ask them?" Steve suggested.
"That's not a good idea," John countered. "They'll announce it anyway. I guess we just need to wait".
Impatient, Steve gazed toward the building, trying to locate his specific exam hall from the distance, but he couldn't. Suddenly, a bell rang and the speaker turned on. The same voice spoke: "Ok everyone, the results are now on the notice board. If your name is there, you are selected. If not, you can go home".
Steve's heart raced again. Sweat covered his face. He felt as if he were standing near the sun. "Come on, let's go," John said. John's usual cool demeanor was gone; he was also tense. They walked toward the board as if walking on ice, Steve repeatedly glancing at the sky as if expecting something to fall.
A large crowd had gathered at the notice board. They saw joyful faces mixed with sad ones. Some were crying, and Steve couldn't tell if it was from happiness or grief. Others sat on benches with their heads bowed to their knees. Steve hated imagining himself in that position.
John drifted silently toward the board. The crowd was packed like a school of fish surrounding food. Steve pierced through them and searched the list. He found his name—7th on the list. He jumped for joy. Then he checked for John and found him at 10th.
Steve smiled, escaped the crowd, and found an open space to stand happily. John approached him, also smiling. "So we both passed," John said.
"Yeah," Steve replied. He felt the "rock" in his heart melt, and the breeze suddenly felt cooler.
"So what now? Do we need to go somewhere?" Steve asked.
"I don't know," John replied with a smile.
A new announcer's voice came over the speaker. He cleared his throat and said, "Everyone who passed this first round, please assemble at the hall in the main building. For the rest, the bus is parked at the front gate for your departure".
Steve watched the tired, sad faces heading for the gate. He felt sorry for them, but internally, his heart was dancing because he wasn't among them. As the announcement ended, John started walking, and Steve followed.