The Experiment

Chapter VII

Katrina was in the dark. Not a scary kind, the kind you were scared of when you were little. It was more like a soft, velvety, darkness, caressing Katrina's body gently.

Katrina would be content to stay in that darkness forever, but a light appeared in front of her. She didn't know how long it took for the light to appear. It could've been seconds, hours, months, or even years.

The light wasn't particularly bright, but it was bright enough to stand out in the midst of the darkness. Curiosity overtook Katrina and she floated towards it, brushing the light with her fingertips.

The light sucked her in, jarring her to reality. Katrina's body started tingling uncomfortably in a pins and needle sensation. The light overwhelmed her, making her squint.

"She's moving!"

"I think she's waking up!"

"Katrina? Katrina!"

Katrina groaned, flipping over. She opened her eyes. She was lying on warm black rock. For a second, she forgot where she was. Then, all her memories came rushing back to her. Katrina yelped, realizing the 'black rock' under her must've been cooled lava.

"The volcano!" she exclaimed, gasping. Wyne gently pounded her on her back as she coughed up seawater. She slowly sat up with the help of Wyne, looking around her.

It seemed like half of the arena had been destroyed, including most of the forest and city, as well as the village. If they had stayed in the village or tried to run away on foot, they undoubtedly would've died. The farm was untouched, as it was the farthest from the volcano.

"Weren't we on boats?" Katrina asked.

Blythe nodded. "The current was too big and it swept you away. Ted dived after you and managed to save you using his power, though. Thank goodness he was there, otherwise we don't know whether we would have ever been able to get your heart to start beating again."

"My what?" Katrina asked, confused. "My heart stopped beating?"

Blythe nodded. "Ted used his power to delay your death long enough for him to get you to one of the boats, where he performed CPR and saved you."

Katrina blushed, ashamed at the fact that she, once again, had to be rescued. She vowed to herself that she wouldn't be that helpless again.

"Thanks, Ted," she said.

"No problem," he grinned. "After all, isn't that what friends do? Save each other from drowning and death?"

Ted's smile was contagious. Katrina found the corners of her lips creeping upwards against her will.

"Everyone still survived though, right?" Katrina asked. If she had been swept away by the current, what were the chances that the others were, too?

Dean shook his head and Katrina's heart plummeted. It was her idea to take everyone out on the boats, so the blood of the dead ones would be on her hands.

Dean listed three names Katrina didn't recognize. All three of them were swept out to sea, like Katrina was.

"The group who were exploring the forest are probably gone, too," Dean said, "judging by the destruction of the forest."

Katrina hung her head in mourning of the eight lost individuals, especially the three who had died in the ocean.

"Hey, don't feel bad," Wyne said, sitting down next to her. "If anything, it was just as much as my fault as yours. If I hadn't passed out, then they would still be alive." His mood immediately darkened, making it clear that he blamed himself too.