[book one]
The game was simple: A contest comprised of three unique challenges, designed to test a human's strength physically and mentally, their personality compatibility, and their chance of survival.
The prize was excruciatingly tempting: The ch...
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FROM WHERE SHE stood on the platform, Sophie felt she could see everything. The courtyard was illuminated by bright white lights, hidden within the square shaped ceiling tiles. The tiles created a grid, and streams of clouds swirled across them, mimicking a sky. The courtyard itself seemed to stretch on for miles past the obstacle course, a maze of tall pine trees. But a simple movement caused the illusion to flicker. It was like a high tech arena, fresh from a science fiction film.
Another platform had been set up several feet away. Aubrey had moved to that one, and now stood beside Eli. Her arms were folded across her chest and, despite her stoic expression, annoyance rippled off of her in waves.
Sophie's gaze shifted to Eli. When their gazes met, Eli beamed and winked at her. Her cheeks burned. The girl beside her, her roommate, sucked in a sharp breath. Sophie looked at her and fought a smile. The girl was flushed, and looked ready to faint. She fanned at her face and waved dreamily at Eli.
Sophie tore her gaze away, and scanned over the other people on the platform. The other prize, Evangeline, stood beside Eli. Evangeline brushed a hand through her hair. It tumbled down her back, a waterfall of chocolate. Her startling blue eyes danced across the contestants, and she looked unimpressed.
Headmaster was also on the platform. He sat upon an impressive chair, carved from dark wood. Its bright red cushions and intricate engravings made it look royal.
"Welcome contestants, to your first test," Headmaster purred. The courtyard fell silent. Eli's smile faded, and twisted into a slightly forced, grim smile. Evangeline shifted uncomfortably.
Aubrey remained unfazed.
Sophie resisted the urge to fold her arms across her chest. Her gaze focused on Headmaster. He seemed to stare right at her.
"As you all can see," he continued, with a lazy gesture toward the courtyard, "The first test is a specially designed obstacle course, meant to measure both your agility and speed. You must get through the difficulties thrown at you within the time limit."
"And what happens if you don't?" Sophie asked.
Tension filled the air. The girl beside Sophie stiffened, her eyes wide. The other Day Class members gaped at her. Even the Night-Class members looked mildly shocked. Sophie grimaced, and realized that she was supposed to remain silent.
Headmaster smiled at her. "Each test is graded on a scale of points. At the end of the games, your points for each test will be tallied, and the person with the most will emerge victorious. The longer you take, sweet Sophie, and the more obstacles that you avoid, the lower your score will be."
Sophie nodded slightly.
"As you progress through the games, those with consistently low scores will be eliminated." Then the Headmaster gestured toward the fake sky, and the clouds vanished. An expanse of navy covered the tiles, and a massive digital clock appeared. It displayed a daunting: 3:45.
"You have three minutes and forty-five seconds to complete the course," Headmaster said.
Sophie looked around. The Night Class members beside her tensed, and crouched down, ever so slightly. The shift was subtle enough that the other Day Class members didn't notice. Sophie readied herself. Her muscles tingled with anticipation.
Then the Headmaster's smile broadened. "Let The Mating Game commence!"
A single gunshot blasted through the air. The platform rattled as the other contestants bolted forward, Sophie following suit. She jumped from the platform and ignored the pain that splinted up her calves from impact. Her arms pumped at her sides, adding to her momentum.
The first obstacle towered high above her head. It was the massive rock wall, ten feet of solid rock. Sophie grabbed a crevice and pulled herself upward.
It wasn't easy.
Sophie had never considered herself athletic. She had the strength of a wounded fruit fly. The moment that she saw the obstacle course, Sophie should have known that her efforts would be futile.
The muscles in her arms screamed with protest as she pitifully pulled herself up, and grabbed onto another rock. The processes repeated itself, over and over, until she slowly reached the top of the wall. Sophie blatantly ignored the clock pulsing above her head, like a mocking sun. The sounds of sneakers scraping against rocks echoed all around her.
She chanced a small look down, and almost died. The ground was a lot farther down than she'd expected it to be.
The Night Class members easily scaled the wall, their faces expressionless, and seemed to match her pace. The other Day Class members fumbled near the base. The whines and cries from her roommate floated up to her.
Sophie climbed over the top, and pressed her sneaker into a crevice on the other side. One of the Night Class members crawled over the top and Sophie watched, amazed and horrified, as he jumped to the ground.
He reminded Sophie of gazelle.
She gulped. Another member of the Night Class bolted over the top of the wall. The girl gracefully dropped to the ground and landed on her feet with a thump. Then she was off, toward the next obstacle.
Sophie crawled down the wall.
Despite her lack of strength, Sophie was the first Day Class member to make it over. The faux grass crunched beneath her shoes. She booked it toward the next obstacle, an arrangement of weird spinning log-things. The Night-Class members ducked and dodged their way through; each log spun and danced in a different direction, lashing out with wooden punches. One of the Night Class boys jolted backward as a wooden limb smacked into his jaw.
Sophie grimaced. Her gaze flickered up toward the clock; she had a little over two minutes left.
Her hands clenched into tight fists. Sophie shook her head. This was pointless. She wasn't about to risk her face over a stupid game like this.
She didn't even want to win the stupid games.
Then her roommate whooped loudly behind her. The sound made Sophie's head ache. She glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see the dark haired girl drop down to the ground in front of the rock wall. She'd finally made it over.
The girl looked up, a mean expression twisting her face when she saw Sophie's hesitance. Sophie's eyes narrowed. The girl rushed forward and, needlessly, shoved past Sophie.
"Not so brave now that Eli can't help you cheat, are you?" she sneered when Sophie stumbled.
Sophie's blood boiled.
Her hands clenched. She burst forward, her narrowed gaze focused on the logs. Her roommate had paused just in front of them, baffled by the intensity of the challenge.
Sophie dove forward, and dodged a low log. Another log whipped out, catching her in the gut. The air in her lungs whooshed past her lips in a single gust.
