Rey sat near the pond, watching the dance of ripples on sparkling emerald water. He fell into a relaxed state of bliss. Everything around was beautiful. The sun, colorful flowers, the lush foliage of tropical plants. The small waves produced bright flashes on the crystalline surface of the pond.
A combination of mild drugs produced in young men and women living in Paradise a mixed feeling of cheerfulness and tranquility. It wasn't addictive, so everything was fine.
One thing concerned Rey. There was a rumor, circulating in Paradise, and today his friend told him about it once again. This time, he seemed to know that for sure.
"Yes, those are a difficult kind of exams, I don't even know what's going to be there."
"And you are saying those, who flunk the exams will die, right?"
"Yes, so we sort of need to start preparing. The earlier, the better."
"Will the death be painful?"
"No, it'll be like when you fall asleep. Just like that."
"Is it worth the hustle then? We are all kinda sleepy here anyway."
"I think, it is not. I don't even know what the questions are going to be anyway."
Rey sat near the sparkling pond, enjoying the warm sun and breeze lightly touching his skin. The sunlight played beautifully on the petals of flowers. Leaves on the willows slightly shimmered, like restless schools of silvery fish.
He reminisced about his short life and how pleasant and enjoyable it was. Although, it was quite short, only seventeen years, trying to make it longer - it wasn't worth it. It meant breaking through the exams, and nobody in the Paradise could even comprehend the level of distress it implied.
Later, some of them took the exams and made it through.
They made it through endless sleepless nights when their brains boiled and disintegrated, trying to memorize and understand things. Their eyes became scarlet with the burst blood vessels.
Those who passed got the right to continue living after the age of seventeen. It was a different kind of life, another endless chain of hardships and tests, but still.
Rey sat near the sparkling pond, thinking about his approaching birthday and that he was going to die. It didn't concern him because it wasn't painful.
"Like, when you fall asleep." And Rey lived his whole life in this dreamy state of tranquility and bliss. It was the same thing. He knew about some fanatics who decided to take the exams and continue to live, but he couldn't understand their motivation. Like, they were obsessed with life, so.
This thought about them slipped from Rey's mind, and he continued to contemplate the serene beauty before his eyes, enjoying the warm sun, dance of sparkling ripples, and the light breeze touching his skin.