Monsters In The Making

The final buzzer went off, and the room fell silent.

I put down my pencil, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension was suffocating, the air heavy with the weight of ambition and expectation. Around me, the other contestants began to shift in their seats. Some sighed in relief, others slumped forward as if the competition had wrung every ounce of strength from them. I tightened my grip on the edge of the desk, willing myself to stay calm.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Isla. She was the picture of composure, her posture straight and her lips curved in a slight, knowing smile. It made my blood simmer. Isla always had a way of making her confidence feel like a dagger aimed at everyone else in the room.

The announcer's voice crackled to life over the speakers. "Contestants, the results have been finalized. Please make your way to the stage."