Welfare and Warfare

Chapter 19

Day: 3184

Days Left: 2296

Lives Saved: 17

Apparently, this was the last part of the selection process, though Henry had his doubts at the whole thing had become so dragged out and tiresome, but he would endure if it got him closer to seeing Corinna. It seemed that they might have believed him that he was her second-cousin since he had been invited to the next part, and Kai had returned his notebook to him, which Henry was grateful for. After gathering their belongings, what little they had, Henry and Nia were escorted through the gates of The Warren by Kai and a few other guards, the crowd of refugees screaming and yelling at them, either in envy, protest or support. However, through this gate were only more walls guarding The Warren, the taller ones outside serving as the first barrier against invaders. They were both guided a few minutes along an empty path and led into an underground chamber containing multiple guards and reinforced doors.

Nia and Henry looked at each cautiously, realising that these were containment cells.

"There's a blood moon coming up," explained Kai. "Just one more final test to ensure that The Warren will be safe with you in it."

Henry nodded. "Right, of course." Though he agreed to it, it was difficult to shake the discomfort of being isolated for over a day. And then there was that illogical fear that they would never let him out. Henry inspected the doors, sensing that he would not be strong enough to get out even in his monster form.

"We will leave you plenty of food and water," said Kai, forcing a smile as he must have known how gruelling this test could potentially be on someone's psyche. He turned to Nia. "We've got some accommodations set up for you too, Miss Nia."

Nia glanced at the containment cells. "Oh, thank you... you shouldn't have."

"They'll be in the barracks."

Nia frowned. "I don't have to..." She motioned to the cells.

"No." Kia shook his head. "Since you'll be leaving the Abyss right after Henry- if Mr Henry is chosen."

There was a pause as Nia and Henry glanced at each other, and then looked away, both fiddling with their clothes or their hands.

Yes, that was right. The blood moon would be over in a couple of days and if Henry was chosen to be a citizen of The Warren, that meant they only had les than three days left with each other. And the majority of that time, Henry would be locked up in here, unable to see her.

"And your mask form is..." Kai considered his words.

"I'm not exactly a threat, I know I turn into a fucking pixie the size of your thumb," said Nia. "I won't take offence."

Kai allowed them a quick private moment, the two kissing and hugging goodbye, and Henry entrusting Nia with his notebook, before Kai escorted Nia out of the underground floor and a guard locked Henry in one of the containment cells.

There was nothing inside. No windows. No furniture. No light apart from the small beams coming from tiny holes in the door, the only escape from complete darkness. There were large claw marks on the walls, and scratches and dents from a previous prisoner. Had they been one of the candidates for citizenship or someone they had to contain?

Henry had nothing to sleep on and nothing to do whilst in here... for thirty-five hours which was the whole test. The test to prove that he would not go berserk and lose in mind during the blood moon. Of course, he had already proven that he didn't, twice now, with one of them during an attack on The Warren. But he reckoned that they had to make sure, especially under different circumstances and surroundings. People could either survive through blood moons by isolating themselves, keeping the violent thoughts at bay because there was no one else to set them off, or they needed the opposite, to have company to comfort and destress; Henry was more the latter and Nia's presence calmed him to the point that he could not remember the last time he struggled during a blood moon. But now, he had to do it alone, in a small, cold, and empty box. How would he tell how long he had left of the test? There was no way of discerning the light outside what with it being underground. What if he truly went insane down here and could not transform back? Defeated at the last hurdle, so close to Corinna and never even catching a glimpse of her. Did she know about him yet? Had Kai shown her his notebook? Or was she blissfully ignorant and might remain so if Henry failed this test?