Evolution (Book 1 of POE chronicles)

The Secret Origin of Tom Triole Part 5

My bravery seemed to had reach its apex when I told Abigail Beckett not to stay way from me. Ant the truth was that it didn't exactly mattered afterwards anyway.

It seemed whatever it was that had kept throwing us together, fate, destiny, had decided that it was time to stop, and I hadn't seen her outside of class since. It was strange, because I was both annoyed and relieved by that, and I wished there was a rewind button I could press so I would stop having so many complicated emotions and return to the easy life before. Relatively easy life. I didn't like the fact that I was starting to think about feelings, but there didn't seemed to be anything I could do to stop it.

Form tutor period was the guarantee time when I could actually see her. She would always smile at me and sit in between Oscar and I, but thats was far as it went. I had never went out of my way to talk to anyone, let alone a girl, and I certainly didn't intend to start now.

You don't need to do anything about it. I told myself, stealing a glance at her as she questioned Mr. Andrewson about the Class E Legre Test. It was strange that she was worrying over such a small thing; I would had taken that test two years ago had there not been a cut off point for numbers. We were considered too young to need to go.

For some reason, her reluctance and trepidation towards the test had rubbed off on me. On the day of the test, I combed through my room and picked up some valuables and stuffed them in a secret pocket of my undershirt. They won't make me take that off, the test wasn't highly monitor to the point where participants couldn't get through with non-metallic objects. I knew Ching Man brought some extra good in last time without getting busted.

We were flew over in one of the newest jet, a Class B eagle jet that probably cost the Association a small fortune to buy. I couldn't stop admiring the interior, but I tried to keep an ear out for what Abigail and her friends were saying. One thing was for sure - she was nervous.

Her nervousness infected me, and an unease grew inside me despite how normal everything seemed. I evaded the metal detector test and carried my belongings in with me. It wasn't much, just a small pendant of a silicone horse that Matthias had made me and some emergency supplies that I horded over the years as well as some cash. Not that those were used frequently, but it won't be tied to my identity bracelet which won't be allowed in.

I was standing in the designated spot, waiting for the announcement to go off. By now I had relaxed a little. Everything just seemed to be so normal.

As the countdown finished, I flung my blindfold aside and immediately headed to a hidden corner so I could scout around better. They usually try to trick us with some booby traps or Legres right at the beginning to make us lose our way. And I wasn't about to be fooled by that/

After a few minutes and still not seeing or hearing anything, I slowly got up and moved forward. This was strange; it was a almost guaranteed method they used, one that Ching Man told us in strict confidence since his father worked for the Association.

Wondering if there was a bigger trick up ahead, I carefully skirted from one hiding place to another, keeping an eye out in case a Legre came or if the building behind me decided to collapse. After an hour of absolutely nothing, I started to get a little worry. There were a few people that was in my line of vision, but no Legres.

A sudden low growl caught my attention and I turned slowly towards the source, conscious of the noise that I could made standing in the middle of concrete blocks. However, when I saw who, or rather, what was coming my way, I didn't hesitate to run.

Two Class C Legres, probably of the Canine group. They were the rare forms of dogs that had somehow mutated into massive, deformed size and their bite were paralyzing, if not lethal. The only option I had was to run, because they probably smelled me from a mile away. Another few appeared further, targeting the people that were in the area, one of whom I recognised as Darren from my section. But I wasn't in a position to help him.