The Lost Paradise

Chapter 17

Professor Gregory instructed us to stand together and extend our hands out keeping our zarkis in a circular form. A bright yellow light started coming from our zarkis. A light so bright that it swallowed us completely and blinded us. After a few seconds, I slowly tried opening my eyes again.

We were standing in a beautiful garden. I rose up from the ground and dusted my pinafore. Yivan, Henry, Ryan, and Lianna all got onto their feet one by one. The sides of my badge had just started flickering now, reminding me again why I was here, and what role I had to play today. With a sigh, I started walking.

A few distances ahead we found a small house made of wood. We walked towards there, thinking that maybe we would find something there. The house was simple. In the middle of the room was a circular table with five chairs placed around it at equal distances. One by one we took our seats on the chairs. An egg, almost the size of a human baby appeared on the table in front of us with a pop, as soon as we took our seats.

Yivan stood up and gently touched it. The egg cracked open and then a bright light blinded us. This time it didn't go away. I felt like I was really becoming blind for real. "You will have to make the right choice", a squeaky sound came. I tried to open my eyes again now slowly. In front of me was a chick.

A talking chicken. I hid a small smile creeping onto my face involuntarily as I saw it. "Show me your hands", it told Yivan raising its only small wings out. Yivan stretched his arms out and touched its wings. "Some things are meant to stay the way they are. Leave them alone", it told him.

He threw a nervous glance around at the room as if praying we didn't have to listen to it. Next, the chick moved towards Henry and again extended its wings out, which were taken by him. "You need a mirror to look into yourself", it told Henry. Henry looked disappointed as if the chick didn't say what he expected.

Next, it turned towards Lianna. "Just because you cannot see something. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist. A higher reason always exists. If you cannot believe it blindly at least try to understand it", it told her and paused looking at her for a few more seconds, before turning towards Ryan. "There is a lot of fire, unwanted ego within you. Burn them", it told Ryan. He just gave the chick a blank reaction.

Next, it came towards me, I reached out to its wings expectantly, curious what it had to tell me. "The urich, the symbol of love and faith. Yet there is no love and faith in your heart right now. There is only a burning desire. A desire to achieve something. A desire that could burn you out completely. You know that, but you won't stop because you think that you don't have anything to lose. Is it true but? There are many things at stake. For one: if you could pass this test in the first place", it said and looked at me plainly. My heart was pounding out of my chest all this time. Did that mean I wouldn't pass this test?

It now walked towards the center of the table and spread one wing out, pointing out towards a door that opened opposite from where we entered. "Good luck", it told us.

The door that the chicken opened for us led us to the garden again. We walked through the small stone footwalk. Walked for long minutes I thought because it went on and on. None of us spoke all the way. "Why are we so silent?", Henry voiced up. I could see a rising mountain at a distance, and wondered that maybe the path was leading us up there. "Don't know", Ryan replied back dryly. That's it, I decided. I surely couldn't take this anymore, so I turned around to face them.

"I have a question to ask", I started. "Who was the one who sold me out?", I directed at them, folding my hands against my chest. I wouldn't be in peace until I knew who it was. "Who, what?", Henry and Yivan gave me a puzzled look.

"It was me", Lianna accepted, immediately. "Okay, very well then", I said and turned around, starting to walk again. "I can explain though", she said, from behind. "I don't think it's needed Lianna", I said, trying to sound calm. "What happened?", Ryan asked her. She didn't answer him but now moved forward to catch up with me.

She came in front of me and stopped me. "I was scared, Eliza. Your thoughts are scary. And I wanted them to be stopped", she tried to explain. "But why would you try to stop my thoughts, Lianna? Those are my thoughts", I told her. "The way I think cannot be decided by you", I tried to rationalize with her. "Yes, it is yours, but if your thoughts could put us in danger, then I would have to act up right? For the flocc", she said, pointing out at the boys who were spectating our quarrel.

"What for the flocc?", I raised my voice now, losing my control. "How can I possibly put you all in danger?", I asked her, looking for some sense in what she was saying. "One bad flocc member will brand the entire group as bad. You should've never been with us Eliza, and I am scared that because of you we all will suffer", she said, and I stared at her wide-eyed.

Her words stung me. "You know what?", She said, coming closer to me. "I cannot let you lead the group today. Because I know that you won't even try to help us or lead us. You are just not capable of anything. And I am sick of you and tired of you", she said. Ryan came forward now. "Lianna, stop it", he barked at her. Yivan tried to come forward and stop it from happening, but he failed...he failed miserably.

Lianna had pressed the badge that was stuck on my pinafore. The badge that could get us out of the test. I fell down on the white marble floor, breathless. Standing in the room was professor Gregory and Professor Fyun, who looked down at me with a huge disappointment on their face.

We had failed the test, I realized. I looked at Lianna, enraged. I wanted to scream and ask her why did she do it? why did she stop everyone else too? How could she blame me, for everything? "It was because of her Professor. It is all because of her", Lianna stood up and pointed at me. Before I could even open my mouth to deny it, she ran out towards the door and left the room.

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