Into the Pit

Chapter One

Chapter 1

Even though my legs feel like they're about to come off, I keep running. I ignore the excruciating pain in my stomach and extreme dryness of my throat. I have to push through this. I have to.

I look behind me. "Crap, he's gaining on me," I think to myself. That means I can only go faster. I focus my attention on my destination, now within seeing distance. I only have to make it there, then I can stop. Now I can see the light glinting off of the bubble-like dome that surrounds the city. A minty aroma fills my nostrils. I'm so close!

One hundred yards away. I hear his footsteps right behind me. I give my last amount of strength in the final sprint. Fifty yards; and I know I'm going to win this battle now. I leap through the transparent bubble barrier, and finally slow myself to a stop. I heave in and out, my lungs absorbing every bit of oxygen. I turn around as he slowly jogs through the bubble, then leans on a tree.

I point and laugh at him. "Ha! I beat you!" I say.

"For the record, I did give you a good twenty second head start," Ajax says.

"Whatever," I say. "All that matters is that I beat you, and now you have to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But not today Lil, I'm pooped. You know we're lucky we didn't get caught; I tripped on one of the wires but the alarm didn't go off."

The Royal thought it would be beneficial to Security to place trip-wires all outside the city boundaries. Once triggered, an earsplitting alarm goes off and the Security go and hunt whoever activated the wire down. The Royal also designed the bubble so that only citizens of Adria could get in and out of the city. We aren't supposed to go outside the bubble because it's 'dangerous,' but lots of people do it anyway. The last report of an attack was over fifty years ago, so no one really cares. I'm pretty sure the Royal and Security know, but they don't take any action. As long as an alarm isn't triggered, they won't bug anyone.

"Just be careful. Who knows what they'll do if they catch someone outside? Let's get back home, it's probably dinner now."

We don't live in the same house, all kids ages thirteen to seventeen have to live at Hassen Boarding School because they're considered dysfunctional and destructive. We're sorted by age/grade, and within that gender, and within that dorms. I don't know what kind of system they use to sort us into dorms, but they make a complete background check of us. And I mean complete check. I think they can look into brains or something, or at least that's what I've heard.

The teachers are pretty harsh and strict, except Ms. Dulcis. She wasn't raised in Adria, but no one knows how she moved here, and she never talks about it. There have been rumors that she's a spy from Impietas, our enemy city. Even some teachers give her a hard time. But she never shows it.

Ajax and I make our way back to school, where it seems like its still dinner. This is nearly the only time of the day that I get to talk to Ajax. We don't have many classes together. We find Misto, Dylis, and Melina, three of our best friends eating along the wall next to Ms. Dulcis's global history class; the one class we all are in together. We take a seat with them.

"Ew, why are you guys all sweaty?" Dylis asks.

I smile. "I beat Ajax in a mile race and now he has to jump into the pit."

Misto chokes on his applesauce. "Why on earth would you make a bet to go into the pit? That's just nasty."

"I gave her a head start! I knew I was being too nice," Ajax complains.

"No classes tomorrow, so first thing after breakfast it's the pit for you!" I say, satisfied with my victory.

He sighs as the bell rings ending dinner. "I shall enjoy my pride while I still have it."

The pit is where all of the garbage, old clothes, and who knows what else goes outside of the bubble. It all builds up in this hole, and is avoided by all with a sense of dignity and smell. And tomorrow we all get to watch Ajax jump in it.

Melina and I proceed to disciplinary actions class after global history, where Admiral Crasse is actually allowed to beat kids for not following orders. This class is so we learn to follow directions the first time. If we don't, Admiral Crasse can ultimately do whatever he wants besides kill us. It's basically the worst PE class imaginable on steroids. He's given a boy fifteen lashes for smirking when the Admiral said something about a girl who got into 'trouble' with someone. So we all don't talk and try not to show any emotion during the period.

Melina and I meet up with Dylis back at our dorm. We all live in the same one, which is how we all became friends. Melina and I had already been friends with Ajax before we were instituted here, and he became friends with Misto when they became dorm-mates.

 A few minutes before lights out, we are lying in our beds, talking about tomorrow.

"Wow. I still can't believe you guys even considered making a bet to jump in the pit," Dylis says, braiding her thick black hair.

"I know! You're lucky you won, otherwise you'd stink up the whole room!" Melina says.

"Well all that matters is that I did win- thanks to that twenty second head start- and we get to watch Ajax swim in that pool of utter disgustingness," I say pulling up the sheets.

"Watching from a respectable distance... with gas masks on..." Melina says.

Just then, the dictator- I mean principal- makes the announcement that lights are out, and no talking until wakeup call. The lights automatically shut off, leaving us in complete darkness. I go to sleep, eager for the morning to come.