The Experiment

Chapter II

Dean walked away and climbed back onto the stump. He raised his hand for silence.

"There are currently sixty-four of us, including me. I'm going to try my best to keep that number the same and I hope that by the end of this Experiment, all of us will be alive and unharmed. Now, we need to split up into two groups. Go to the left, my left, if you would like to explore this place, and go to the right if you would like to stay here and find a stable food and water source."

Katrina immediately went to the left, along with Blythe, Dean, and a couple of other kids. Most people went to the right, probably scared of the unknown. She didn't blame them.

She studied the newcomers. One of them looked familiar, with his buzzcut, dirty tank top, baggy black pants, and tattoos running up and down his arm. It hit her the same moment it hit him.

"You!" they snarled in unison.

Both of them eyed each other uneasily. Katrina moved her hand to her belt and scowled as she realized that the police had taken away her knife.

Katrina and Derrick Lopez had been enemies for years, ever since Derrick had developed his ability to cause pain. They had been classmates and Derrick used his newfound abilities to release his wrath whenever anyone displeased him. Even now, years later, Katrina could feel his hand on her face, the pain going through her body.

She could remember the helpless way she twisted as the older boy tortured her. That was when she first discovered her ability. She had imagined a knife twisting in his arm and remembered how Derrick had stopped using his ability in surprise and shock. His screams had echoed throughout the school hallways as an imaginary knife sliced through his arm.

"Woah, what's going on here?" Dean said, alarmed, stepping between them.

"None of your business!" they both snapped.

"Actually, it is my business. Derrick, Katrina, one of you tell me what's going on."

Both of them ignored him as they started studying each other, looking for weaknesses. Katrina drew out her power so that her fingertips were tingling with energy, ready to release the illusion of pain at any second.

The problem was, she wasn't sure whether the illusion would work on him. The trick to the illusion of pain was to create something so realistic that the victim believes it. As Katrina had used this trick against Derrick so many times, Derrick had a better understanding of her ability than anyone else, so it was easier for him to resist her illusion. All he had to do is remind himself that it was an illusion, and that it can't hurt him.

"Blythe, do me a favor and make sure the two don't get into a fight while I go brief the other group on what they should do. Thanks," he said, without waiting for a reply.

Katrina and Derrick glared at each other as Dean walked away. Blythe stood awkwardly next to them, trying to make small talk.

"So, Derrick, what's your ability?"

"Pain inducement," he replied, wriggling his fingers in front of Blythe's face. "I can give you a free trial."

Blythe turned ashen gray. "Uh, thanks, but no thanks."

"It's funny how you can produce pain, but can't handle pain yourself," Katrina said casually, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Kind of ironic, right?"

Derrick snarled, turning a shade of deep red. He lunged for her and Katrina easily sidestepped him. She rendered herself invisible and created a clone, making the clone punch him in the face.

Blood flowed out of Derrick's nose and he wiped it away angrily as he watched the clone disappear. Katrina appeared behind him and kicked him in the shin. Derrick's legs buckled, causing him to sink to the ground. He lifted up his arms and concentrated. Katrina cursed. Whenever Derrick did that, he released his pain so that everyone within a couple of feet of him felt the pain, despite the fact that they were not in physical contact with him.