Sense #WeAreDystopia

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

Buzzing comes out of every corner of the room. The walls part in the middle, revealing a dozen more screen like the previous one, only smaller. The young man reappears each and every screen. 'I told you not to do that,' all twelve of them say.

I watch everybody stare in awe, each at a different screen. Sixteen is the first one to approach a screen, touching it. 'Can you see us too?' she asks and the young man replies almost instantly.

'Yes,' he says. 'Now, I'd like all of you to take the injections, okay?'

The crowd breaks into a general murmur of questions. 'What's in the injections?' somebody asks?

'Yeah, what's in them?' another man shouts. 'Why should we trust you?'

Sixteen slowly backs away from the screen she was looking at. 'Can you help us? I'm guessing you can but ... will you?' she asks, staring into the stranger's eyes. 'Please. None of us wants to be here,' she insists. 'Please!' she yells at the frozen face. The screen turns black again. 'Please!' she screams one more time.

All screens are now black and silent, the room falling in a noise of countless whispers. Panic rushes over me like a tidal wave again as I pass by trays and syringes. I can feel my blood rush through me, quickly, boiling. It only takes me a few more steps to reach Sixteen.

'Hey,' I say but receive no reply. 'Pull yourself together. They're watching you, One Hundred and his dogs. Don't encourage them to step all over you, okay? Just ... act tough,' I suggest.

She turns to look at me. 'Like you do?' she asks.

'I'm not acting it,' I reply, sounding way more arrogant than I intended. It's too late to take my words back though.

'I can try too,' she says back, straightening her torso. 'I think we should inject ourselves with ... whatever that drug is,' she proposes and I agree.

'Yes ... I thought that myself but it may be a test. It might be dangerous. I think we should trick someone into doing it before us,' I blurt out.

She stares at me blankly. 'What?' I wonder. 'Should I feel guilty for everyone in here? Cause I don't,' I say in a sudden anger that comes out of nowhere.

Sixteen sighs, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She looks sceptical. 'And how exactly do we do that?' she asks.

It doesn't take me long to reply. 'We just have to convince someone to go first. Don't ... do anything crazy like volunteer to do it yourself. We'll wait around and chat with the others, ask them what they think and then plant the idea in their heads to try it.'

'I think I have a better way,' she says, lowering her voice.

'And what is that?'

'Thirty-seven. We can both easily influence him. He follows you around like a puppy,' she replies and I'm taken aback by her words. How does one become so cruel in a matter of seconds? Still, I think we have better chance of convincing him so I nod, guilt nesting inside me, causing me to shiver.

We turn around at the same time and find Thirty-seven only a few steps behind us, looking around him nervously. 'You guys, I'm scared,' are the first words that come out of his mouth. I pity him.

'I'm ... We're scared too,' she says back, on my behalf, making me mad that she implies I am as weak as him. But I must accept it and swallow my pride if I want him to fall for our words.

'If only someone was brave enough to do it first,' she added with an overly-dramatic sigh that could possibly ruin all our effort.

'I'll do it,' a voice next to me says and I quickly turn on my heel to face Ninety-five, casually cleaning his teeth with his tongue.

'What?' I ask, still in shock from his voluntary involvement. 'Really?'

'Yeah, man,' he replies calmly. 'Since you're too ... scared to try it yourself. I guess I'll take one for the team,' he replies with a slight grin. He moves forward without hesitation and steps up to one of the chairs. He checks the tags one by one until he finds the one assigned to him. He takes his shirt off, a highly unnecessary step, and finally sits on the chair.

I turn my gaze toward Sixteen now and she is staring at Ninety-five without blinking, staring at his bare chest, his muscular arms. I bite the inside of my cheek and turn to look at him as well. He straightens his left hand and picks up the syringe with an ease that suggests he has done it before. More than once. It doesn't take him more than seconds to find a vein and plunge the needle inside it.

I feel an odd sensation, a rush going all over my body. It's like I'm an addict in need of their dose. Or maybe I am one. Because once again the drug is calling me to it and I want it. I need it. But I must wait and see its results.

Ninety-five gets up, throwing the empty syringe back on the silver tray. However, he makes no effort in putting his shirt back on.

'Well, that was easy,' he brags on the way back, making me wonder why I ever agreed to team up with him. 'What?' he asks and my hands curl into fists, ready to break his jaw.

'Nothing,' I say through gritted teeth. 'Let's wait around and see if you die or not,' I add coldly and watch his forehead wrinkle in an angry confusion.

'Thanks,' he mumbles under a breath and I pretend not to have heard. Thirty-seven is shyly approaching me. 'Are you going to inject yourself too?' he asks and I have no answer. 'Not yet,' I reply, trying to sound determined. My eyes follow Ninety-five instead, as he stops to lean against a wall.

Sixteen is by his side. 'How are you feeling?' she asks in a sincere, warm tone. Like she genuinely cares. The insides of my stomach twist. I can't recall the last time I've had a proper meal.

A small group of people has now surrounded Sixteen and Ninety-five, whispering, asking questions. 'How are you feeling?' she repeats, paying no attention to the crowd. I head closer to listen more clearly.

'I ... I feel nothing different, really,' he replies this time to her surprise. 'I have this feeling that these drugs may actually be good for us. Like ... health boosters, vitamin supplements or something. I feel energized.' He stops talking and straightens his torso while his eyes meet mine. 'So,' he carries on, 'who's next?'

This is a challenge that I must accept. 'Me,' I say. 'I'll do it.'

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