The Unnamed | The Unnamed Duology Book 1

25: Day Five

25: Day Five

Shortly after breakfast, Blaise's minions come to usher the Top Ten to the hallway they will wait in for the Second Race, the simulated one. Anything could be waiting for the Runner behind the door. One year there was a girl who was chased down by a deluge of water. She told someone she couldn't swim and they used that against her, even though it made her come in second. Another year, there was a boy whose finish line was at the top of a volcano that was about to erupt. He got there before the lava ever started spewing over the edge, but he still only got fourth place.

Anything could happen.

Everyone stands in line, Daniel stretching and jogging in place, his jacket seeming to bounce like an extra layer of skin around him. All he has to do is run straight, no matter what happens inside of there.

He hears the cameras around the hallway click on.

It's time.

"Daniel the Runner," one of the men calls him up. He had come in last place in the First Race. He gets to go first.

Daniel can't tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

He nods and walks over to the white door that stands in front of him. A shiver works its way down his spine as there's a sound like air being released from behind the door. It's air-locked.

"You can go in now," the gruff man to Daniel's left says, pulling the heavy door open. It scrapes along the floor and the hinges make a loud metallic screeching noise, making the Runner cringe and his heart rate pick up.

He reminds himself to breathe.

As he steps through the door, a chill sends goose bumps raising all over his skin. He has to run faster than he ever has, no matter what it is that he faces.

The he's in is long, longer than he would have ever thought possible of a room, even though he's seen it on television for many years now. The end of it is enshrouded in darkness.

"Once you finish, exit out the first door you see. Someone will escort you to where you need to be," the big man says. "Good luck."

The door shuts, leaving Daniel in utter and uncomfortable darkness and silence. They're generating his track.

He starts to count the seconds to keep himself calm. Reaching thirty, he wonders what's taking so long.

And then the room springs to life.

Before him is a checkered line that says Begin on it. Around him are ruined trees and rusted buildings, looking as if it had been sitting there to rust for centuries. He hears animals roaming about and things moving over the grassy floor around him. His path is a narrow strip of dirt, and, from the feel of it, it's thick enough to easily push off of it with his shoes.

Bang!

Daniel takes off running, glad he didn't hesitate like Stark had last year. Had it only been last year?

At first, the run is easy. His feet seem to make no noise as the trees whip by him and dirt and dust stir in the air behind him. He looks at the path ahead of him, knowing it's too easy. He doesn't know how long he has to run for, but by the looks of it, it's a good distance. The longer runs take longer for obstacles to appear, Daniel has noticed over the years watching the Competitions. He's just trying not to worry about what's to come.

The sounds of the forest are barely heard over his breath as he tries to control it. The air seems a bit heavy, much like the weather throughout this year, but, instead of it being dry, it's more humid than anything. He really has to focus on his breathing if he wants to make a good time, or, well, if he wants to make it to first place...