Calypso Initiate

Chapter Seven

        Without thinking I crouch down behind the pedestal, covering my head as fragments of my only protection come flying everywhere. Hundreds of laser projectiles tear at my direction like fat deadly raindrops chipping pieces off a flimsy pillar of ice. I let out a shriek, but I don't hear it over the gunfire. My entire body is wrapped by an inescapable wave of panic, and the only thing going through my mind is how scared I am. I'm outnumbered, outgunned, and trapped.

        What do I do? Do I just shoot and hope that I hit one of them? No. That will just end up getting me killed. I can't do much without a shield. If only I have something I could use as a decoy. I might have a chance to sprint towards one of the exits.

        My hand reaches for my belt, hoping my utility rod has something I can use, but the only thing my fingers touch is the leathery texture of an empty strap. I curse under my breath. The flame of hope I hold inside me for an escape plan fizzles out entirely. The rod is still punctured in the Snot.

        Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

        That's probably my only chance at getting out of this. It's just a matter of time before the drones get closer and have a clear shot. One laser projectile could be enough to kill me, and then it will be all over. No Initiations, no new society, and no future. This will be it for me.

        Somewhere between my panic and screaming, the firing stops. My fingers grip around my weapon, readying myself for whatever might come. If this is the end, I refuse to die without a fight—though the thought of actually dying in this place rattles every fiber in me. My courage is fragile. But I force down the small child inside my head longing for my parents' protection.

        I can hear them coming, the low whistling from their hover engines growing louder as they approach. How many are there? Six? Eight? I could probably shoot three—or maybe even four if I'm quick on my feet. But let's face it, I'm not much of an athlete. If this is a climbing test, I'd most likely pass it with ease. But leave it to Calypso to come up with something that will really make us work for it.

        I'm about to spin around when I feel movement under my feet. It's enough to make me hesitate, and I barely miss another laser flying towards me as I recoil into my hiding place. The glass beneath is too thick to see anything through it, but I definitely feel it. A mild tremor that's making the entire room shake. I hear the same metallic noises earlier muffled underneath all the glass, and soon after it's as though I'm in a middle of an earthquake. The floor changes its shape. One by one glass walls come up, rising from the ground and cutting off some of the light as they go all the way up to the ceiling. They box me in,leaving me in a tight square space like a cold crystal tomb.

        Great. As if I don't feel trapped enough as it is. These walls are just the perfect dose of claustrophobia to send me over the edge. I already feel my anxiety stirring at the pit of my stomach, and I swallow the air as if it's running out. My breath echoes in my small confinement. This must be what it feels like to be in a coffin, although a coffin would be completely sealed. The light filtering from behind the pillar tells me there's an opening back there, but it's not enough to sway me from my thoughts of death. This could be their funny way of telling me they're preparing me for my funeral. And they say Calypso doesn't have a sense of humor.

        At least I'm safe from the drones...for now. But even with the walls up I don't dare stand. I'm afraid one of them would come out of nowhere and shoot me. Instead, I remain close to the ground, inching towards the opening behind the pedestal. I look both ways but my right is blocked by another wall, so I move to my left. I'm not sure if the drones are still there but if they are I'm not staying in one place for them to find me.