Push the Limits

1

"Do not remove your blindfold until instructed. Anyone who does not follow this rule will be shot on sight." Said the monotonous automated voice.

Thea wasn't planning on removing her blindfold anyway. She didn't want to face what had happened.

Her tears had stopped, but the feeling of uncertainty hadn't.

"Psst," came a voice from her left, "who's there?" The person, whom she recognized as Dan, whispered to her.

"Thea." She whispered back.

"Okay good, it's only you. Do you have any idea what's going on?" He asked.

"No."

Silence.

"You may now remove your blindfolds." Spoke the automated voice.

Thea quickly reached for her blindfold and tore it away from her face. She tried to get her bearings as well as possible, but her head throbbed and her eyes still stung.

"Oh my God," Thea heard Dan breathe, "everyone is here. The whole class."

She turned to face him, but said nothing.

"Oh Jesus, your head!" He said, alarmed, reaching forward.

"Is it bad?" Thea questioned.

He nodded. Her temple had swelled and bruised, some parts of the skin turning purple.

Thea turned sharply to see Dan better, and she felt a searing pain  on her left side. She cried out in pain, clutching her ribcage.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Dan asked, growing worried.
He had never really talked to Thea before, so his concern took her by surprise.

"Yo, is she okay?" Caleb asked, from Thea's right.

"I don't know." Dan replied.

Thea gently and slowly lifted her shirt, only to see a massive bruise that had spread across the bottom four ribs.

"Oh God, oh God.." Thea whispered, lowering her shirt.

"If you have any injuries, our nurses will come around now to heal you. Please do not resist." Spoke the automated voice. 

"How convenient." Thea muttered jokingly.

A nurse in a stiff white uniform dress stopped in front of her.

"Are you hurt?" She asked monotonously, almost bored.

Thea nodded, wincing.

"Where?" The nurse sneered, truly uninterested.

"My head and my ribs." Thea groaned.

The nurse pulled out two syringes. "I'm not gonna lie, princess. This is gon' hurt." The nurse smirked, and advanced with the first injection.

She stuck the needle into Thea's temple, and Dan could tell that she was holding back cries of pain.

The nurse injected the strange liquid, then retracted the needle.

Thea panted heavily.

Her head no longer hurt.

Her bruised temple gradually began to return to normal size and colour, as if it were a miracle.

"What the-" Thea started.

"Now. The needle for your ribs will hurt a LOT more, so maybe you should get your boyfriend to hold your hand." The nurse snickered, gesturing to Dan.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Thea objected.

"I don't actually care, princess." The nurse hissed, before stabbing the needle into Thea's side.

Thea screamed out in pain, but then forced herself to be quiet.

She would be strong.

The liquid was pumped into her flesh, and the needle was pulled out.

Thea sighed in relief. 

The nurse raised an eyebrow.

"You're welcome." She scoffed, before looking at Dan.

"You hurt, boy?"

"No."

"You got a black eye."

"I don't care. I'm fine." He replied, and his statement was final.

"Suit yourself." The nurse shrugged, and went off in search of the next injury.

Thea exhaled, painless.

Dan said nothing. He had no idea what to say to her.

Thea spotted her friends, Michelle, Nina, and Denise, and she began to get up to go talk to them, but stopped in her tracks when the shrill automated voice spoke.

"Attention." It barked. 

The eyes of every student travelled up, glancing at their nearest speaker.

"Welcome and congratulations. You have been selected for the elite challenge of wits and perseverance. Be aware of your surroundings. Please exit through the open door, and wait for further instructions."

Almost everyone leapt to their feet, hoping that they would be able to escape, or perhaps even to survive.

Thea stood and walked briskly to the door. She wasn't going to wait for anyone, she had to know what was happening.

But doing this, she was ignoring an important life lesson.

Curiosity kills the cat...