The Measure: Prelude - Part One

Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all of the children are above average.
Garrison Keillor - A Prairie Home Companion

Ten Years Ago:

The alarm clock was deafening and Hallan's eyes shot open. The first rays of light shined through his blinds. He reached over and smacked the top of the clock and it stopped making noise. Satisfied, he rolled over and pulled his covers up further.

A few minutes later, it was back, louder this time, and Hallan growled as he sat up in bed. He reached over and grabbed the clock from his nightstand and threw it against his door. It recoiled and bounced around unharmed on the floor.

Hallan threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, briefly saying "Lights," before the brightness made him wince. He walked over to his dresser with only one eye opened and began rummaging through it for clothes. He looked into the mirror hanging above it and frowned before looking away again.

He pulled out a pair of pants and put them on. He found a t-shirt on the floor and put it on. He opened the door of his room and walked down the hall to the bathroom. He grabbed the doorknob, but he couldn't turn it.

"Treize, get the fuck out of the bathroom man," Hallan pounded on the door three times before continuing, "If you make me late for class today I'm going to fucking kill you,"

There was as small bit of rumbling on the other side of the door before it opened and Hallan rushed past his brother to get inside.

"Mom went out last night and isn't back yet," Treize said as the door closed, "She left a food card on the kitchen table and your mail,"

"Ok," Came a curt reply from inside the bathroom.

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Hallan walked down the stairs into the living room. He turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs and went into the kitchen. He grabbed the food card off the table and put it in his pocket. He then looked through his mail.

"Bill, Bill, Bill, What?" He dropped the other pieces of mail on the table and turned his head to the side. He let that piece of mail fall back onto the table as well before running into the living room while yelling, "Treize!"

The piece of mail was addressed to Hallan Turrek from the office of recruitment for the Caldari Navy.