:Chapter Four:

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*****

No one's inside the building when I get there, so I have time to freshen up a bit. I brush through my hair with my fingers and smooth it down a bit, but it still fluffs up. My complexion must be that of an insane person's right now. The sun is setting now, dimming the lighting in the room slowly. The air has also changed, getting colder by the minute and making me shiver a little. I walk to the big building and open the door to see everyone sitting at one long, curved table forming a 'U' shape. Clark calls me over from the end of the right side and I turn, smiling as I walk to where he sits.

"Hey Lib! You were late so I grabbed your food for you." He points to a full plate set across from him and I sit down.

"Mmm mashed potatoes." I groan as I stare at the huge pile on my plate.

He laughs, "Didn't know how much you'd want so I just guessed about half as much as my body weight."

I smile at him, "You guessed right!"

*****

After dinner we all head outside to the fenced in area on the other side of the building. Bruce stands at the very front of the group with Matthew a few feet behind him as usual. "Okay everybody time for instructions, anyone who talks before I'm done is out." Bruce says, immediately getting everyone's attention.

"That doesn't seem fair!" A girl yells from near the back.

"Who said that?" Bruce demands. People clear a path for him to walk to the girl.

"What's your name?" Bruce practically growls. The girl stands taller, unwrinkling her straight black hair. She wears a navy blue headband, glasses that are a size to big in my opinion, and white button up shirt that is tucked into a short plaid skirt. She must be from tech.

"Megan." She states. "How will we ask questions?" She says in a small, yet firm voice.

Bruce glares. "I guess the others well have to find out. Take her back." He says and turns around as two tall men drag her away from the group. Matthew looks as confused and upset as the rest of us. The girls face drops and two guards grab her by either arm, walking her out.

Bruce waits for the girl to be gone before he continues. "Here are your schedules. You are to meet at the fortress at 9:00 a.m. every morning for breakfast. After that you will come out here to the yard and practice from 9:30 to 11:30, where you'll break for lunch, then again from 12:00 to 5:00. We meet here at the fortress again at 7:30 for dinner. After that there's no coming out after 9:00 p.m." Three more men and a woman stand and walk up by Bruce. "Every day you will be expected to do exactly that, except the second to last day your here, where you will be tested separately. Points will be given out tomorrow morning during breakfast. You will have an hour to get all changes of clothes and hygiene products you need for the next three weeks. You have each been assigned a watch, so that you cannot be late. Now, as you see on my watch, it's 8:56, which means you all need to get back to your cabins. See you in the morning." With that, everyone walks back to their cabins without speaking.

When I get to my hut I immediately climb onto my bed and snuggle under the blankets. "Good job Libby baby, get into bed! Do you need me to sing you a song or can you go to sleep by yourself like a big girl?" Derrick teases. And I roll my eyes.

"Can you sing? That would actually be really nice!" I reply sarcastically before yawning. 

He glares at me, then lies down facing the wall. I find the watch lying on my pillow and slide it on my wrist, surprised by how well it fits. It clicks itself shut and lights up, showing the number 9:03 in bright white letters on the black screen. I turn it off and lay down again, tucking the covers over me. Its takes only seconds for me to fall asleep, since I'm so tired from today and I didn't get much sleep last night.

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