Don't Ever Trust the Devil

Chapter 18

Crystal's POV

"What the hell is The Resistance?" I ask Hayden.

"War. Against Johnny, the Raven and the Scarecrows. We were expecting it, but not so soon. Which is why there are so many recruits this year. Usually we train about 600, but we have a much bigger amount this year because the Scarecrows burned down a base camp. They lost their leaders, and we were the closest camp. Now look at us." He says gloomly.

"What do they want with us?"

"They want to rule the world. The Raven wants all Runaways dead, the Devil wants all the Angels dead. They became allies within days."

I sit in silence.

"Hey, Hayden?" I finally say.

"Mhm?"

"How are Runaways chosen? Why us?"

"You know why you were chosen. But others, they were chosen because we warned them through our music. We wrote about the story as the years went by, and we found the people who had the slightest hope."

"So that's why Crown's music is so strong and meaningful. It's all true."

"Yeah. It's true."

"Are you gonna write a song about falling ravens?" I ask curiously.

Hayden giggles. "I doubt it."

Andy walks in, with a sleepy look on his face. He's wearing his cog and crown sweatpants, but no shirt. "Hey, there you are Crys." He says sleepily.

"Hey." I reply, trying not to look at his body. It's hard when you know you're not supposed to. "I couldn't sleep, I came in here and found Hayden awake."

"What time is it?" He groaned.

I check my phone. "7:00."

He slumps down next to me. "Crystaaal..." Andy whines.

I laugh. "What?"

"I'm tired..." He closes his eyes and leans on my shoulder.

"Go back to sleep, then." I lay my head on top of his.

"Well." Hayden claps his hands together. "I should get washed up. See you guys in a few." He winks at me and flicks the sleeping Andy's nose.

"Ouch." Andy groans. He wraps his arms around me and pushes me down onto the couch.

"Oh my gosh, Andy." I wiggle underneath him.

"I don't wanna get up..." He wraps himself around me tighter. "Stay with me."

"Fine." We lay there on an actual comfy cushion for about ten minutes until Hayden comes back.

"I'm back. Andy, wake the fuck up." He throws a pillow at him.

"Huh?" Andy jolts up and flips the hair out of his face.

"You were drooling on Crys." Hayden snorts.

"I was?"

I glare at Hayden. "No you didn't. Hayden's messing with you."

"Get up, you lazy ass." Hayden grabs Andy's arm and pulls him to the bathroom. "It's almost time to wake everyone up."

Andy groans and is kicked into the bathroom.

"If you can't tell, he's not a morning person." Hayden laughs.

"I mean, who is?"

~~~~~

"There won't be much training today." Andy announces to section 2. "But there's still training."

Everybody groans.

"It's short though, you guys don't have to start for another..." He checks his watch. "Four hours."

That's 12:00pm.

Everybody cheers.

"We'll be going to the thinking course for three hours, taking a test to test your knowledge and survival skills. But for now, eat some breakfast."

There's a whole table filled with foods.

I stand in line, and grab a plate.

"What's up, sugar cookie?" Andy says, approaching me.

"What's up, blueberry muffin?" I reply.

He grabs a sugar cookie from the table and sets it on my plate.

I do the same to him with a blueberry muffin.

"Finally awake?" I laugh.

"Nope, still dead on the inside." Andy groans. "I hate mornings."

"Then why do we have to wake up so early everydayyy?" I complain to him.

"Orders from the IRH. We should protest."

~~~~~

It's finally 12:00. There's a small section at the front for the driver, sections 1-6 are living rooms/dining rooms/bathrooms (the ones for people to stay in), two are training rooms and the very back two sections are filled with files. We go to section 8.

When I enter I see 10 small rooms, the size of the bathroom.

"What are these? I thought this was training." I say to Andy.

He turns and announces to our group, "this is the stimulation system. Your identity will be scanned when you enter a room, and there will be a virtual test that'll seem real to you. It will be broadcasted on the screen outside of the room." He points at the flat screens on the wall beside every room. "The stimulation will match to a scene that best suits you. You will be put through a series of... Unfortunate events. It will time how long it takes for you to solve these puzzles, and rate your thinking skills."

I thought of the book Divergent and it's dream stimulations. Pfft, easy peasy. I'll know it's a stimulation, and I'll get out in no time.

"Ten at a time. Could I have..." Andy scans his clipboard. "Will, Renee, Zach, May, Trent, Collin, Billy, Tyler, Alaska and Crystal. Each of you can enter a room."

I walk into one, excited.

A blue light flashes across my eyes and scans my body.

"Name: Crystal Danics.
Birth date: 06/30/96
Birth location: Toronto, ON
Age: 19
Height: 5'5
Year joined: 2015" it read.

I pressed down begin on the button panel.

Everything around me turned a dark blue, and a females voice spoke through the speakers.

"Welcome new recruits to your evaluation and initiation course.
This system is designed to test your survival and critical thinking skills in Aeon City.
Please adjust the volume and do not move.

Welcome.
To the Resistance."

A table ejects from the wall.

"Please choose two weapons."

There's a gun, knife, bow and arrow, sword, bombs and a map.

I grab the gun and... The map.

The scene turns into a dark forest.

"Hello?" I shout, hearing echoes.

I hear leaves rustling behind me.

I snap my head the other way. "Who's there?" I walk down and discover a city. "Where am I...?"

I enter the city and it's almost a ghost town. Nobody's here.

It's pure silence, until somebody grips me from behind.

~~~~~

This chapter was extreeemly long I'm sorry D:
But hey, I was sorta on a writing block and now I've got this so yay?