01 A New Negative

I saw them all as I arrived black jumper suits, wetsuits almost, ski mask cover there features. I had one too but it wasn't because of my features rather because of my own ability, mmm, I should start from the beginning telling a story out of order is stupid and since I'm already dead I should at least give clarity. it was Wednesday, July 22, 2098 and the world no longer gives a rats ass about tech it's all about system integrated genetic magic archive or better know as S.T.I.G.M.A. I wouldn't be able to tell you who made it and why but the moment of it's inception around 78 or so years ago the world completely shifted, those with no power suddenly could have it all and those with all the power suddenly had none. The world no longer went based off money and prestige, it was based off stage, your magical stage based everything, living status, wage pay, bus fair, tax you name it your stage influenced it. worst thing about it was your stage is almost unchanging for that simple fact a lot of conflict between those of different stages happened and on this day in particular something no one expected came to be. 10:30 I was called up by the man at the desk "candidate 19-1-14-4-19 step forward and take your evaluation," I shake as I near the podium, cold sweet beads roll down my forehead chilling my body as it climbs steadily in temperature with each step, "please God don't let me be stage 10 anything but stage 10" I thought to myself. Reaching the podium the man speaks, "now reach out your hand and activate your STIGMA and focus it" activating my STIGMA was easy I've done it all my life seeing as I couldn't turn mine off looking back on it now I was foolish to think that was normal and ignorant for thinking it wasn't only me. As I focused my SIGMA to the BlackBox more commonly called the basilisk after the Roko's Basilisk it reads accurately to a point percent of what you stage is. Higher than a .9 and good job you at least stage 9, higher that 1.5 and your at least stage 7, 2.0 that will land you at most to stage 5, but from there on you become somewhat of a small platoon on your own. In STIGMA history there has only been 2 stage 0 and somewhere around 50 to 60 stage 1 and there all untouchable by governmental affairs or medalling considering they could destroy a country by themselves. As I deeply focus my power the screen lights up on the podium "5.99 stage 0 negative" I hear the speaker say as it reads off my stage, "um this has to be wrong surely, right!?" I said to the instructor hoping to God that there's been a mistake but what he said next role both my spirit and my hopes. "Son unfortunately this machine is the real deal federal issued and it's an updated motel it would not under any circumstances give a reading false and to such an alarming degree," see I said stage 0's and 1's where untouchable by government affairs and medalling because they are hunted severely by the government, every government wants to be on top again and which ever gets there hands on a stage 1 or 0 they'll be able to do that no issue. As for 0 negatives they have an immediate termination regulation put in place for them, well I suppose I hoped for to much wanted and I received asked and it was given just far more than I expected. "God, I hope my mother's going to be alright with out me," I look at the instructor with cold sweat running down my face trickling down my skin as if to tell me you need to run, "Son if you come with me we can set you up in a nice place to live and have your accommodations prepared." As if. I may be just 17 but I'm not stupid, looking around I see men in black security uniforms "No patches or names identifying them so they must be GMDO, damn I might be screwed" as I bite my lip hard I see a window 2 feet above the man, shit all I know of the GMDO is that if they take you. Well it's goodbye to say the least the last time the General Magic Defense Operation took someone she was found flayed and in a river floating upstream. "They can't catch me," as soon as the crowd tightened up to so they could see what I looked like being that I got 0 negative I made a dash for the window, I can't jump to high what do I do, my magic how do I use an activation spell, fuck it, it doesn't matter I need to go. Thinking at the speed of light and fearing for my life gave me an unnaturally clear mindset of how to get out I saw a bleacher stand and realized it was close enough to the window to vault to it, sprinting even harder I scaled the bleachers faster than I've ever moved my body in my life, the guards saw what I was doing and opened on me immediately, "Do not let the 0 Negative escape, kill him immediately" bullets began to come my way but I had already made it to the window well it may not be the same one but a few feet difference isn't much. How wrong I was the moment I breached through the window at top speed I realized a few feet to my left was a landing but under me was a seven foot drop onto a metal point fence. bracing myself I fall.