Sense #WeAreDystopia

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I try to look away and calm myself down for a minute but my eyes are peeled onto the weeping girl. She is beautiful, I guess, in her own, miserable way. She is crying and panting at the same time. Even worse, as Sixteen soon informs me, she is the first one up for the challenge.

I clasp my hands behind my back just to hide they're shaking. Sixteen is standing slightly behind me, as if I've suddenly become her human shield.

A guy is now starting to yell at her, pushing her to go. I know someone should stop him. But let's face it; I won't. The girl stops crying but is still shaking noticeably. She takes the first couple of steps, then freezes in place. And I know why.

The so-called "arena" is nothing but an immense, long white room, like and odd, gigantic, futuristic hallway. The man had said something about detectors, which are most likely not visible to our eyes. The girl unfreezes. She balls her hands into fists and exhales loudly.

Everyone's eyes are on her. I can't start to imagine the pressure she feels. She starts to walk, more decisively this time, as if something has switched, in her mind, in her spirit. She paces faster and faster, then breaks into a weak sprint. She is running into a straight line, which seems fairly reasonable, except... that's where the detectors must be.

Out of nowhere, One trips onto something and loses her balance, falling down, face first and shouting. We hear a loud noise, and then the floor retreats below her, at least a part of it does. She is falling. I can see her slipping into a dark square opening, as if the floor is pulling her in. Despite her screams of agony, no one heads to her resque. She is soon swallowed by the floor that now appears to have turned liquid. I am hallucinating; I must be. This cannot be true.

Silence follows her screams. We all stand still, waiting. What are we waiting for? I'm almost certain we won't be seeing her again. Gasps come from all over the room, echoing on the walls, driving me insane. If only I had fallen in there myself... I bet everything is quiet in that darkness.

Yet again, I don't think I'm ready to be swallowed by darkness quite yet. I'm no quitter. And her end was sad, but not entirely bad for the rest of us. At least, now I know what not to do. Running straight ahead is only bad for me, I got that part figured out.

At the far end of the room, three guys, presumably numbers two to four are contemplating whether to run as a team or separately. Did they not hear the instructions? Are we not supposed to run all separately? One of them finally remembers they can't go as a team, which makes another one scowl in discomfort. He really thought depending on others would get him further than trusting himself could. Each to their own...

It's time for Two to take the test. He seems more confident that the girl before him, more confident that he should, really. Which leaves me thinking they have figured out some plan to beat the trial. He takes a few steps back and, gaining a lot of speed, runs faster than I think I can run.

His master plan, which seems to be zigzagging all the way to the end, only gets him as far as one third of the way. He trips as well. The white floor turns into a mud-like, still white, liquid. This time, it almost climbs up to his knees before swallowing him whole. It's a horrendous sight. It mustn't happen to me. It won't.

'Maybe we'll make it,' Sixteen says. 'I'm thinking you'll make it.'

I pause. 'Care to explain?'

'If a few more people fall before it's your turn, you have higher chances of making it. It's all about the odds, really. So maybe I can make it as well...' She doesn't seem too certain about her last sentence.

I desperately try to think of something to say but the moment's gone and number Three is ready for his turn. He is the first one to stretch his legs and arms before running in slow curves. He runs for a few seconds and I can feel everyone's hope griping onto him. He has almost reached the end, marked by a black line, when the floor below him retreats. He is feet are on fire. The boy seems very decisive.

Three's face glistens with sweat as he pushed forward, picking up even more speed. The floor has vanished almost entirely. He falls and it consumes him. The white liquid envelopes him as he draws his last loud breath.

Silence follows. I can feel Sixteen's worried eyes piercing my back but I try to clear my mind and stay focused. She might be right. It's all a matter of odds, really. Since it's possible, someone has to finish the test. I have to finish it.

My eyes spot movement at the far end of the room. Two guys are moving together, the one I think is number Four leading the way. The one behind him stops, Four continues. He is a tall boy, his skin and hair both of a chocolate-like colour. His gaze is steady straight ahead, eyebrows furrowed. I can't imagine what he's searching for but he is certainly scanning the room for something...

Four is slow. His moves resemble those of a dancer, moving along a slow beat. His steps are careful, his hands extended slightly further from his sides. 'What is he...' Sixteen tries to ask but I shush her. Four squints again. Is he seeing something the rest of us are missing? It seems so. He takes a couple of steps straight ahead. He then takes a turn left, creating a slight curve. He goes straight again. Then takes a left. Then a long right. A left. He goes straight, then takes a right.

I try to memorize the pattern, but fail to do so after two more turns. His moves seem calculated, as if the ones before him completely missed a dancing lesson. Four is incredibly close to the end. He pauses. After a couple of turns and slow spins, like avoiding invisible obstacles his feet freeze. The boy inspects the floor below him, calculating his next move. Everyone's holding their breath, awaiting for his next move.

Four takes what seems like a foolish risk. He ducks down very suddenly. He pauses. Nothing happens. A slight smirk finds its way onto his lips. Four is a tall guy, and he crouches more, like trying to cross under a tiny bridge. What are the rest of us missing? What has he been avoiding so far? Are the detectors moving, changing places? My thoughts are getting too hard to handle.

Four crawls into the invisible tunnel that only seems to exist in his own head. Surprisingly enough, his plan works out again. He slowly stands up. Turns his head. Stares at us. Four smiles. He takes one more step straight ahead. He is laughing. Why is he laughing?

I have the answer to my own question.

He passed the test.