OralBookReport

HimynameisReynieMuldoonandIam11yearsold.IusedtoliveattheStonetown
OrphanagebecausemyparentsabandonedmewhenIwasonlyasmallchild.Atthe
orphanageIfeltveryoutofplace.Iwasalwaysteasedforbeingtoosmartorlaughedat
whenIreadforpleasure.Theonlypersonthatcouldcomfortmeatthesetimeswasmytutor
MissPerumal.Onedayduringbreakfast,shespottedanadinthenewspaper.Itwasabout
somesortofspecialpriviledgesthatyouwouldgetifyoupassedacertainseriesof
bindbendingtests.RightawayMissPerumalsuggestedthatIwentandtriedthetest.She
wentonandonabouthowhowsmartIwasandhowIshouldnotletallofmyknowledgego
towaste.AfterIthoughtaboutitforawhileitoccurredtomethatImightbeinterestedin
somespecialprivledges.Whattheywereexactly?Iwasntsure.butIsuredidwanttofind
out.Onthedayofthetest,MissPerumaldroppedmeoffattheMonkbuilding.Theteststook
nearly4hourstocomplete.Ihadtaken2stagesofthetestsofarandIwastheonlyoneto
passinmytestingsession.AfterthesecondstageofthetestIwastoldtowaitinaroomfor
theotherpeoplethatpassedthetestfromothersessions.ThatiswhenImetSticky
WashingtonandKateweatherall.Stickywhoseactualnameisgeorgeappearedtomeas
lookingverysimilartoastick.Hewastanandskinnyandunusuallystiff.Kateontheother
handwasatallbuffgirlwithlonggoldenhair.ShewasfartallerthanthanmeandStickyand
carriedaroundabucketonherbeltloop.Wealltookthethirdandfourthstageoftestingthat
dayandweallpassed.Laterafterwehadalltakenthetestwewereescortedtoalargeroom
whereweweretowaitforanotherpersonwhohadpassedthetestfromanothersession.
HoursandhourswentbybeforetheyounggirlnamedConstancecame.Shewasroundand
plumpandhadanannoyedexpressiononherface.Iwasveryafraidofhereventhoughshe
wasonlyaboutathirdofmyheight,andIcouldtellthatStickywastoo.Thenthecreatorof
thetestwalkedin.HisnamewasMr.Benedict.Hetoldtouswhyhehadcreatedthetestand
whytheyhadpassedthetest.Heexplainedtousthatwewouldbeformingateamandsent
onamissionthatonlyveryspecialchildrenwithcertaincharacteristicscouldcomplete.I
wonderedwhatthecharacteristicswere.Ithoughtaboutallofthethingsthatwehadin
common.Iseemedlikenothingexceptforthefactthatwewereallchildren.Butthatdidnt
seemedlikeitmatteredatthetime.Ourmissionwastodisablethewhisperer.Nowthe
whispererwasntlikeanyotherpieceofmachinerythatyouhadseenbefore.Mr.Curtainwho
ismanwhocreatedandcontrolledthewhisperer,usedthecontraptiontofilterhisthoughtor
secretmessagesthroughchildrensminds.Thisallowedthemessagestobelesscomplex
andtobeslippedintopeoplesknowledgewithoutthemknowing.Thislaterledtoafeelingof
comfortorforgettingallofyourgreatestfearstopeoplewhoacceptedthemessages.Ifyou
gotthis,thenMr.Curtainwouldbrainsweepyouandretrainyouashishelper,whichispretty
muchlikeaslave.Kate,Sticky,Constance,andIwerethensentofftotheLearningInstitute
fortheVeryEnlightenedwhichiswhereMr.CurtainandtheWhispererwerelocated.There
wedidresearchandcommunicatedinformationbacktoMr.Benedict.Afterweeksandweeks
ofnonstopresearchitfinallyoccurredtomewhatweallhadincommon.Wewereall
orphans.Wehadallbeenabandonedbyourparents.Andourworstfearwastonotbe

wanted.Thisresultedinusallhavingstrongfeelingsaboutthetruth.Noneofushopedto
believethatwewerenotwantedbyanyone.Andforthisreasonweallresistedthetruth.Or
inthiscasethesecretmessagesbeingsentbyMr.Curtain.Mr.Benedictneededpeoplethat
couldconcentrateonfinishingthemissionwithoutbeingdistractedbythesecretmessages.
Afterbeingchasedbyashark,electrocutedbyexecutives,senttothewaitingroom,and
hookeduptothewhisperer,ourmissionwasfinallydone.Wehaddisconnectedthe
whispererandsentMr.Curtaintojail.WhenwewentbacktotheMonkbuildingwaitingforus
wasallofourbiggestdream.Peoplewhowantedtotakeushome.Intheendweallgot
adoptedandtakenhometoanewlovingfamilyeventhoughnowweknewwewerewanted
myeachother.