“My name is Ben, and I’m seventeen years old. I’m from Albany, where I lived with my mom and dad. My mom is a caregiver, and my dad was a scientist. I say was because he passed away five years ago when The Event happened. I think I heard that a third of the worlds population was gone when it happened. Anyway, I hope to go to NYU next year, to study theoretical physics. I’m grateful to find out I’m one of the Metalloids that won’t die, silicon to be more exact. I like science, music and car wrestling. It’s a new sport a started watching on YouTube. Basically, it’s exactly what it sounds. Trans people, the metals, nothing to do with gender, get in the arena to incapacitate their opponent which is a car driven by someone else. My favorite wrestler is Tung-Stan, I’m sure you guys know what he’s made of. I think that’s about it. Oh yeah, I’m a runner, or I like running as you can tell from my Goodyear’s. All my other shoes would get destroyed within a mile on a slow jog. I think my top speed is about forty-three miles an hour, not quite olympics speeds, but I’m looking to add another fifty pounds hopefully by the end of the year, which could really help my grip and increase my speed, so fingers crossed. That’s it.”

“Thank you, Ben. You can sit down. Who’s next? Felony, how about you?”

“Do I have to…? Hello, my name is Felony. I’m seventeen. I live here obviously. I’m origanally from LA, but my parents forced me to move here. They’re both writers or something. They don’t write books or anything cool, so don’t ask. I don’t know where I want to go for college. Ms. G, do I have to…? Fine. This suit cools my body down to subzero temps, so I don’t… melt. I’m mercury—there! Can I sit down now…? Ugh. I like books and music. I don’t watch sports, I don’t play sports. I’m not really cut out for anything —okay, I’m done.”