Crazy House

Chapter 11: You Know, Alone.

Chapter 11

I wake up at the edge of the woods, still clutching the doll. A few meters away, everyone is standing in a huddle. No one notices my appearance and they all continue to talk. Mustering all the strength I can, I stand up and limp over to them. I think I landed on my right foot wrong because white hot pain fills it every time I put pressure on it.

Sophie is the first to notice me, her eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hands. The others turn their heads to look at me and many of them gasp as they take me in. I know I must look quite the sight, covered in blood and dirt, limping towards them. Not mention the fact that I'm clutching on to a creepy little doll. I vaguely notice that none of them are nearly in the condition that I am in.

"Shit," Amy whispers, a look of horror on her face. I manage to stumble forward a few more steps before all my strength leaves me. Scratch that, it doesn't just leave, it practically flees. Not able to stand up any longer, I crumple to the ground. Several interns rush over to my side.

"Everyone step back, your crowding her," a deep strong voice orders. I look over to see Elias marching towards me, his green eyes filled with worry. Everyone steps away from me, their eyes on Elias. He kneels next to me and very gently brushes a piece of hair out of my face.

"What happened to you out there Juliette?" Elias whispers.

"Insect invasion, wolf attack, crazy doll tried to kill me. You know, the usual," I shrug. Elias laughs softly, and shakes his head.

"Right, the usual," he says and winks at me. "Let's get you back to the house." I try to sit up, but he gently pushes me back down. "I've got this." And before I have a chance to protest, he scoops me up in his arms. All I can do is wrap my arms around his neck and try not to turn bright red. Somehow, hiding my blush is harder than trying to walk after almost dying several times during the entrance exam.

"Wait, did I pass?" I ask, suddenly aware that my near death experiences could have been for nothing.

"Yes Juliette, you passed. You made it back just in time. You had two minutes left I believe," Elias responds, looking down at me briefly as he walks back to the house. Wow, talk about in the nick of time, I think. Behind him, the group follows us back to the house. It looks like everyone is there.

"Was I the last one back?"

"No, you were not the last one back," Elias replies very slowly, his face strangely blank.

"Well who else is out there? Why aren't we waiting for them? Are they disqualified?" I demand. His vague response leaves a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Elias sighs, "Paige is the only person who hasn't come back. Sadly this does mean she will be going home. We sent Ryder out to find her after she missed her return time, but so far he hasn't come back with any news yet. It may take a while though, considering she specializes in invisibility." Huh, I guess that explains why she came out of nowhere then disappeared just as quickly. In retrospect I probably should have figured that in the first place. I mean I'm practically in superhero camp.

"How come I'm so much more beat up than everyone else? Am I really that bad at being one of the Gifted?" I ask. I realize how insecure I sound but after everything I just fought off, I think I'm entitled to a little bit of insecurity.

"If anything I think it shows you might be the most powerful of us all Juliette. Whatever happened back there, well it shouldn't have. Happened that is. I think that somehow the simulation hex got hacked."

"Simulation hex?"

"Yeah, that is how we tested you guys. We put a hex over the woods to create a sort of simulation. When you walked in, you were still in the woods, but the conditions had changed. At least, how you saw things did. It sort of tricks your mind into seeing things that aren't actually there. Like seeing pitch black even though it was the middle of the day and not being able to find markers on the ground until you used your powers to create some sort of light. Even if something attacks you, it isn't real, though it really does affect you physically. The object with your name on it would end the simulations designed for you and send you out of the hexes' reach," Elias explains.