Land of Aria

Chapter 6

Ariel couldnt feel her legs. Nor her arms. And her entire body. After scores were out they didnt give them much time to rest. Yet they started training. Running, and exercising under the sun for hours with only one water break. A lot of the kids would fall to the ground through out the day exhsausted. Even though Ariel had thought of doing that, shed noticed how the points of the ones who gave up would go down if they stop. So, she didnt. She was going to risk nothing. She wouldn't do anything that would minus her points. No matter how tired she was. She didnt stop. She had to talk her friends into not giving up through out the day too. Some of them lost a few points. Not much only five. But, Ariel didnt care how much the amount of points were. three, two, or even one. Her score was not going down.

What mattered the most was that by the end of the day none of her friends were below two hundred points. They were safe till now. But she didnt celebrate much as she didnt know what could go down. This was the first day after all. They still had weeks to go.

They were now all going back to their room. Boys and girls seperated. They walked in a slow moving line to their room. Everyone too exhsausted to move quickly.

"I think this is the most ive ever moved in one day." Eleanor said flopping down on her bed.

"This is just the beginning who knows what theyre gonna make us do tomorrow." Sam kicking off her boots with a grunt.

Scarlet makes a sniffing noise and looks up at her friends. "I need a shower, i feel sticky."

"Wow!" Eleanor jumps up, "Thats the first time ive ever heard you say that!"

"Shut up." Scarlet throws her pillow at her but Eleanor catches it and gently throws it back to her. Instead she grabs Scarlets wrist and pulls her up.

"Come on, i need to talk to you."

"Why-" Before Scarlet could protest Eleanor had already swung her off her bed and dragged her away from everyone.

"Whats wrong?" Scarlet asks as Eleanor locks arms with her. She takes them towards a bathroom stall at the end of the room.

Entering the stall, Eleanor shuts the door behind them and leans agaisnt it looking at Scarlet with a plain look on her face. Scarlet stands there frozen as she
looks at Eleanor with a confused look.

Scarlet sighs, "You going to tell me whats wrong?"

"Turn around."

"What?"

"Turn around."

"Why?"

"Just turn around!"

Sighing, Scarlet turns around slowly until her back is facing Eleanor. Scarlet feels Eleanors hand graze her lower back and it clicks.

"Right," She turns around quickly making Eleanor flinch. "Move." Scarlet reaches for the door but Eleanor grabs her hand.

"Why didnt you ever tell me?"

"Tell you what? What was there to say?" Scarlet snaps, practically yelling. "What were you going to do if i told you? Make them stop?!"

"Stop who-"

"Who do you think Eleanor?" Her voices tones down a bit.

"But why?"

Scarlet runs a hand down her face as if she was exhsausted. Realizing her left hand was still held in Eleanors grip she yanks her hand away. Its silent for a moment
before Scarlet answering her question, this time in a calmer tone.

"You know," she hesitates. "When the guards use to come get me sometimes at night."

Eleanor gives her a slow nod.