Fearless

Chapter 4:

We walk along the damp moss covered ground, after seeing the wasteland I didn't expect a paradise like this. The leaves rustling in the wind as I drew past recited in my head like my mother's lullaby, soothing. Sometimes the soft steps against the moss path formed a tone together with the other initiates footsteps broke when I crushed the twigs fallen. At some moments, I felt a tall lean person following and turned back to reassure my safety, only realising it's a tree. As we go in deeper and deeper, the colour of the leaves turn gold from green. Squirrels running about here and there, I don't know about the others noticing this but the view was so beautiful that it could absorb anyone into its aftermath. The world has gone through catastrophes but thinking of such an aftermath could be sad, really sad to hear. I don't know how long the earth will last but as more and more the end nears, the beauty fades into oblivion waiting for someone to rescue it from a forbidden world, a dark world, who knows whether exists but the beauty will be present always. 

Time flied so fast that Dusk was at foot when the oddness struck me; dawn was just here a minute ago, how it disappeared, I know not how. The purple sky looks beautiful and in a couple of minutes; the fiery colours of the sun that were just here making the golden leaves shine fade to let the moon absorb the faintest colours left in the sky and in no minute the moonlight becomes in charge of the remaining day with twinkling stars to take care the moon doesn't lose its path.
"How much longer?" One of the tall guy asks. His hear looks dyed or...I don't know whether his hair became grey or he made it. "Evan, she said no questions," another speaks. So his name his Evan. "Nobody talks to me like that, get that!" He shouts back and the boy doesn't reply back."Nice to see that you're all set for it," Steffi replies. I like calling Steffi, I don't know why but just comfortable with Steffi than Melissa. "Hang in there....We are almost here," she says. "But Melissa-------" but before he could finish she stops him. "Wait!" she says, "You have no rights to call me Melissa, I'm only to be called Madam." He gives an expression clearly indicating whatever. "So why is the base camp inside the woods?" Asks Julie. "What did you think we are, generous people who help poor people?!" She asks back frustrated. Julie doesn't ask back because of fear. "We don't want you to take us for granted!" She shouts. She tries to relax and continues--"You are not yet a member of the higher society, did you hear me?" All of us nod back. "Repeat!" She commands. All of us together repeat her words in unison. "And," she continues, "Don't start claiming things which don't yet belong to you and might never will, this is hell and you are all already dead." Dead... the word makes me panic. Did she have to use it? After watching those terrifying nightmares, she had to use it . No one replies back and we just continue on this vast expanse of woods. From the sounds of the birds' chirpings, it's now the hooting of the owls, though I can't even see one.
Another twenty minutes pass, I guess. The sky is so dark that the moon looks even more appealing. Steffi stops suddenly and the rest of us too. "There," she says pointing her right index finger towards a huge round dome. It's completely covered, not even slightest of the inside can be seen. "What's that?" a guy asks. I believe it's the one who's been hanging around with that Evan guy. "Albert!" Evan shouts back.
"What?" He asks back.
"She said no questions," he replies.
"Oh that's alright," Steffi joins in the conversation. "I believe that question is there in each of your minds, so I have no issue in sorting this out." I don't know why but it feels like those words, no. The first words sting Evan.
"We have reached!" She says with a pleasant smile and a sigh of relief. Everyone's face has big smiles, for a second even mine does. I don't know how long it lasted but it felt really short, after all this is supposed to be the blood house. "This place is where you will stay," she adds on. "Your rooms, a training centre--not much there but yeah, it should help you out for your grades." Grades? The word confuses me. "Grades?" Julie asks. Good to know she has the same doubt. "You will be informed about that later, for now let's just go inside," Steffie says and we all start our short stroll towards the dome. The distance felt short but on walking, I realised how far it was from there. "This is it!" Steffi says with all enthusiasm. This is it, this is the part one of mission ASSAULT.
                                                                                              ***
The dome is huge and has a small sliding door in its centre, for a second it feels like there is nothing there but then 'whoa' there's a magic door but before we can enter, someone comes out. A girl. Her long flowing hair being a rich shade of burgundy rested still behind. Her porcelain skin shining in the darkness, those long eye lashes, straight nose and thin lips. I don't know how but I never knew somebody could have a perfect look like hers, not a slight hinge but what completely stills me is her eyes; an odd colour, not very common and probably the first time I'm seeing it, amethyst. So crystal clear that our reflection can be seen. I notice something else too, in her hands is a clipboard with a pen.
"Okay everybody, this is Rika; your evaluator," Steffi says snapping me out of my daze. I don't know why but her dressing sense tells me that she's not going to evaluate us on our skills but on our looks. "Hello!" She says. Nobody replies back. "Okay, then let's right down your names first, "Effie says. "Be ready to right down Rika." Rika nods. "So let's start from the left side," Effie says.
"My name's Albert, Albert Kryston."
"I'm Evan, Evan Nobert. Can call me winner." Rika on hearing him just shakes her head of disproval and goes on.
"Julie Jhonson."
"I'm Cliff Carter."
"James Fennekin."
"I'm Drake. Drake Woodruf." I say and she continues on.
The next guy is the one who was afraid of going down the stairs in the helicopter. "My name is Jacin Goodall," he says.
"I'm Alice, Alice Root," the last one says.
"Okay so all eight done," Rika says. "Only two girls, my...what a shame," Steffi adds on. "It's night time, so I think you should go get yourself some sleep, after all who knows if you can ever sleep again," Rika says ending the last word at a low tone. "Please follow me," she says. And we enter along with her. The area from inside is even more beautiful. There is a grass patch in the centre surrounded by alleys that led to god knows what.
She took us to the first one from the right. The pathway was carved of ancient drawings, probably around 2007 or so. The path continues on like that for two minutes and then we reach the dormitory; it was divided into four rooms. She first shows us the rooms, all rooms look grand and have comfortable beds, better than those that we had in the lower society. Surprisingly in one room there was only one bed as compared to the others having two. She looks at our faces and probably realises what we are thinking. "Two in each room, in the first three and in the last room, as you know is only one bed and therefore only one sleeps there," she says. "What about the one person left out?" Jacin asks. "Don't worry so much about yourself," Evan mocks him. "I don't want any teasing around! Get that?" Rika says with a voice very intimidating. "One of you has to sleep here," she says pointing to a cot just outside the fourth room. "So anyone of you volunteering?" None of us volunteer. "Fine then, Jacin would you please do the honours," she says indicating us that none of us will have to. "Why me?" He asks. She looks at him, at first she doesn't have a reason but then the very next instant she is ready- "You came up with the first question. So I think it's fine from my side to put you as the first volunteer." He doesn't reply back as it doesn't seem to be valuable for him at all and immediately just lies down on the cot. "The rest of you can go pick yourselves a room and a mate," she says. Julie and Alice take the fourth room. Evan goes into the first though nobody follows. I decide to just go into my room than looking at which room the others are in. I take the second room. I don't think any of the C initiates would like to stay with me. "Hi!" Someone shouts making me rethink my words. Whoa! Could someone actually agree to stay with me? He puts his hand forward and greets, "Hi, I'm Cliff. I guess you know." I nod. "Yeah, and I am---" he cuts me off before I finish. "I know your Drake." I'm puzzled. "You're the talk of the town, dude!" He tells me. I just smile back as I don't know what my reaction to this should be, hiding my unbalances in life. "Do you know that you were, maybe are still, very famous in our apartment," he says. "Let me guess," I pause. "--Ration day." He didn't smile, and neither was it a smirk... A grimace, but I don't know why and neither do I want to. I'm not here to make friends but I suppose I can trust him. Making friends will make it difficult to survive. "So Cliff, what made you come here?"
At first he doesn't reply, like being lost in the other world and then snaps out of it.
"Promise me," He says.
"Promise what?" I ask.
"Promise you won't tell?"
"Tell what?"
"First the promise."
"Fine, proceed."
"I'm here for the same reason you are," he hisses. Those words for a second give me second thoughts but then maybe I'm thinking too much.
"Luxury?" I ask.
He shakes his head and it gives me Goosebumps, know not why...
"No!" He says and comes two steps closer to me. Looking directly into my eyes. His black eyes look scary when close. He scares me, brings in a fear I don't like.
"Revolt," he hisses. At first I don't understand whether the word I heard was the one I wasn't supposed to expect and then give an expression like that of saying 'I didn't hear you' and he repeats - "A revolution, Drake." Looking at my face that moment, he bursts out laughing and immediately I take in a deep breath. "Duh! Luxury! Isn't that obvious?" He says. I smile back and even giggle a bit, though fake. For a second I actually fell for his words. "Well, to be frank, I'm actually here to enjoy," he says. "Enjoy?" I ask. "I'm here to fight against death, play with it being more precise." The last words sort of piss me off. "Death isn't something to play with.." I tell him. I don't say anything else as this conversation doesn't seem to be in the right track and enter the washroom. Maybe he doesn't know how it feels...to...die. Even I don't but those two dreams I've recently had, made me feel death. They showed me that yes I fear of death. I will accept myself to be fearless when I'm not scared of death and smile at it. I get under the shower and clean myself up and also get rid of the stench of sweat.
When I come out I find Cliff has already fallen asleep and I lay down on the bed beside his. At first I find it difficult sleeping. Knowing what I'll see is not going to let me sleep. I try best to not let myself doze off, knowing what awaits me, but my organs go against me and I eventually close my eye.
                                                                                      ***
BEEP the alarm rings. "What was that?" Cliff says in a heavy voice. "I don't know..." I reply back in the same tone. The noise was so loud that I think everyone must have woken up. "What's the time?" He asks. I shake my head.
"ATTENTION!" A voice just pops out in the room. "YOU ARE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES TO GET READY AND COME TO THE CENTRE." We both just look at each other's face, not uttering a single word. I quickly freshen up and wear a black sweatshirt, provided by them and also my old and dirty but still my favourite jeans.
We reach on time and see the rest of them are already here, including Rika. "On time, good." She says. "I know, I called you people up early-" she pauses as someone stops her. "What's the time?" He says. Cliff. With an irritated look on her face she says - '' It's 5:00 hrs." Those words surprise me as the sky doesn't look like that at all. It's already sunny. "So let's begin," she says. "Begin what?" Cliff whispers in my ear. "I don't know," I whisper back.
"There are some rules and regulations you should get to know," she says. "And for that specific reason you were called early, we don't want to waste time during your tests." Everyone starts discussing among themselves, telling things like 'What a waste of time!' 'Why now?' but she just doesn't seem to care. I don't seem to talk at all, thinking there's no point arguing. "Let's begin!" She says. She blows a whistle that suspends through a string resting on her chest. No sooner did she ring the whistle than two guards come up putting a board on a stand.

She turns towards the board and starts writing with a chalk.
1. Day begins from 7:00 hrs.
2. You are own your own.
3. Late comers will be punished.
4. No questions.
All the words don't seem to frighten me at all. I stare at the board as she continues to write, but I can't see it, as she covers it while writing. She finishes it and then drops the chalk on the ground, the chalk makes a loud sound. It wasn't supposed to but maybe there's some amplifier around they use. My gaze quickly falls onto the board as I come out of the sounds drumming in my ear.
As I read the words, my mind doesn't accept it, my heart beating as fast a deer running away from becoming a prey. I read those words again.
5. Killing is allowed.
Reading those words again and again make my heart pound. I swallow hard and as I try to speak, my voice doesn't come out. She and I have an exchange of looks, directly into each other's eyes. She probably understands I am really scared and then starts speaking without me questioning her.
"Okay, so as you all know, only one survives," she says beginning with what I expect she calls the 'basic.' "Secondly, I believe you all know we can't obtain one without eliminating the rest." Eliminating... she knows the best words she can use to scare us. "Every week you will be evaluated," she continues. "And at the end of the week, your standings will be put up right here on this beard," she says pointing at the board. "And about the killing, you can kill each other, when I'm not near or.... To put in better words, you can kill someone secretly, not letting anyone else know. In case someone does get to know, that person's in big trouble." She looks at Steffi after completing her sentence. Steffi clears her throat and begins. "By the ending, the top two candidates, probably the only ones surviving will be put up for a death match and after all these procedures, the winner will be a member of the high society." I feel dizzy, dizzy of fear. Fear I know I can't control. I suddenly feel the adrenaline in my mouth, anxiety rushing along with it. "Please go and have your breakfast," she says. Breakfast, for a second I forgot that word existed. I've never had breakfast. "Breakfast, where?" Cliff asks. "To the east, it's the only place there so you will find it," Rika replies.
                                                                                              ***
Cliff and I leave for the dining hall together. "Food!" Evan shouts, excitedly as we walk east. "Can you believe it?" I nod back in reply. Being honest to myself, I know I want to have it badly just like he does, but I just can't admit the same. I will be eating good food for the first time, who knows what it tastes like?
In front of us is the entrance to the dining hall, for a second I feel a rush of excitement but it slowly dissipates into oblivion as I realise that this could actually be the first and the last day I can have good food... Death is still following me and is honestly very close. "Together?" he asks. "Together," I confirm. We both go inside together and the first thing I see is Julie...with Evan. "Looks like she's found someone like herself," I tell Cliff not even knowing I was about to. Without thinking much, I proceed to take a plate and start moving towards picking up a delicacy for myself.
At first, the varieties seem to tell me that my mind lacks knowledge of food. But I just don't care, this is the first time and I know I will enjoy it more than anything else. While I stare at each one to decide what I'll eat, a hand falls over my shoulder. I hesitantly turn back and see it is Cliff. He's already gobbling it up. I take everything a bit... but when I see the last dish I get a bit confused. "What is that?" I ask Cliff. "Oh! That's grilled chicken," he says. "I'm sure you will love the taste of it. Chicken? What does that even mean? "How do you know so much," I ask. He shrugs at first. "We were given good food okay? Separately, every two months," he says like it was to be expected. "Really?" I ask, still not sure to believe it. He sighs with exasperation and then just shakes his head. I decide not to ask him anything else. Food for them, not for us and yet they want luxury, just can't believe this.
We sit down to eat and I love this food, just can't stop myself from eating, knowing it could be the last one ever or maybe the first of many to come. "Why did you act so amazed to look at food that time," I ask as I tear the meat with my canines and chew. "Hey!" He retorts. "Hold on! Don't think that food provided was a lot, enough being more precise." I nod with a sarcastic smile on my face. "Wonder how much they eat..." I mumble as I chew on. Cliff looked back instantly like he hear something but I just shrug and he turns his thoughts towards food. "All of you should sleep early today," Rika informs us. For a second, I forgot Rika was present. "Why?" Julie asks. "Tomorrow we begin at four in the morning." FOUR!! "Is she serious?" Cliff tells me in the ear, almost like reading my mind of thoughts I just had. "It's called four in the night," Evan mocks and laughs. That doesn't seem to irritate Rika. "Three-thirty now," she says as calmly as possible. "If anyone else has issues, I'll make it three," she says and leaves the hall. Cliff smiles at me and smile back, wonder why?
We eat our food quickly and leave for the room. The rest of the day seems to go pointless, just roaming around and seeing the place. At nightfall, the both of us go to sleep. We both lie down on our respective beds. "Okay mate!" He says. "Good night," I reply back. He isn't such a bad guy.
For an hour, I'm unable to sleep. I look at Cliff and see how nicely he is snoring and sleeping. I just don't want to sleep. I don't want a nightmare. I don't want to die again. I know I'll eventually fall asleep so decide to take a stroll in the outside woods.
I seem to love this place, hooting of the owls, howling of the wolves. I close my eyes and feel a being of sanity. "Heh!" Someone shouts blowing my thoughts into these deep and never ending woods. I look back to see and it's Rika. I wave my hand not knowing what else to do. "So not feeling sleepy?" She asks. I shake my head.
"You?" I ask back but she seems too dazed in something else; her eyes running after something deep in the woods.
"I never had the chance," she says, though not giving up of the sight. I'm puzzled. "You know," she continues.
"I like this silence." And then immediately looks at me, her amethyst eyes shining more because of the reflection of the moonlight. "It's... tranquillising, somehow...don't know how but yeah...somehow," she says, confused and tangled up in her own words.
"Do...you?" She asks.
"Um... I guess so. Honestly, yeah."
She smiles at me and I do too. We both close our eyes and let the beauty of this short-time take me away into its slumber. "You know, you should lie down, the grass is soft," she says and I immediately lie down without thinking of anything else. She lies down beside me. The grass isn't very cold like the air is but it's really soothing. The grass is moving because of the wind and the way it touches my hair and my body, it reminds me of my mother, the way she used to stroke my hair as gently as possible with her slender fingers.
"Say Drake?" She calls out to me while enjoying herself.
"Yeah," I reply.
"Have you ever felt life betraying you?" She asks.
"Not yet..."
"Not...yet?"
"I'm betraying life before life does the same," I reply.
She giggles. "Why are you giggling?" I ask, frustrated as what does she know how it is to live such a life. "You're different," she replies. I don't reply back but just look at the dark sky with stars as an added jewellery to the beautiful woman.
                                                                                                            ***
My eyes open... I don't know for how long I have been sleeping but then as my eyes look upward, I see the other initiates staring at me. "Am I dreaming?" I ask. "Guys look at this clown!" Evan mocks. I'm definitely not sleeping. The sky still seems to be dark. I get up and Cliff comes to me. The sky still seems to be dark. "Drake! It's 3:30!" He shouts at me. My eyes remain open in surprise. "Why were you sleeping here?" I don't have an answer for that. "Was I snoring too loud?" I ask trying to change the topic but his expressions tell me I'm failing to do so. "No! I wasn't able to sleep," I tell him, this time as honest as I can be. He lifts up his thumb at me, ironically? I don't know... Where's Rika? She was here with me too.
"Is everyone here?" Rika asks as she comes from the dormitory. "Why aren't you wearing the sweatshirt we provided?!" She asks pointing at me. "Me? Are you talking to me?" I ask back. "Yes you," she sighs. "Wear it and come!" She orders me. I don't move, as I am still confused. "I want a yes!" She shouts again. "I want to hear a yes mam!" She orders again. "Yes ma'am!" I quickly tell before she shouts back again and rush to the room. I don't turn back but one thing I know for sure is that the intimidating laugh of Evan is sure to bug me for a while. "Hundred pushups for Evan," I hear Rika tell out loud and I don't know why but it soothes my ear. "Quick," her words still loud enough to be heard but slowly dissipate into the woods.
I go inside my room, as quickly as possible, and search for the sweatshirt they gave us. In another two minutes, I find it hanging inside the wardrobe. I put it over my T-shirt. The smell seems to be very strong and repulsive, the smell of a rotten dead body smeared with blood. The thought makes me dizzy but I know I can't complain, for there is so much ahead I have to do. I lock the room and head back for the woods.