THE LAST GAMES: PROJECT PANDORA

CHAPTER X: C H L O E A M O R

"Hey Chloe, need a hand up?" Leo asks.
"Nah, I'm good. Sit down with me, the sunset looks amazing."
He finds a spot on the ground next to me. We just sit on the old road, watching the sun disappear over horizon. It seems special to me.
Leo sighs as he sits with his legs under him. "You know, dinner'll be ready soon. I hear we'll be having fish and chips in the Mess Hall."
"Yeah, right. Hey, and did I tell you I'm a Cryonid?" We both laugh at my sarcasm.
"Okay okay, maybe not the chips, but we actually caught some fish. The guys have been trying all week, and we finally have some. Well, we've caught one or two before, but not enough to feed the camp."
"Mmm, I'll be looking forward to it. I've never actually had fish."
"Well you're in for a treat! It's amazing! I had it once, just a little bit, but it was possibly the best thing I had ever tasted. And still is. I can't wait."
"Me neither, if your telling the truth. I find it every hard to believe you guys caught enough fish to feed the camp. Also, have you seen Ethan? I haven't seen him all day. Which is weird because, well, it's Ethan."
"Yeah, you can usually never get him-"
"Sup? You guys talkin' about me?" Ethan peers around the back of cabin thirteen, which is right behind us.
"Whaaaat? No, why would you think that?" Leo laughs.
"Just a vague vibe I'm getting; anyway, dinner's ready. Come to the Mess Hall when you're ready."
"Yep, sure." I say. I turn to see the last of the sun retreating behind the horizon. Then I stand and brush my legs off, and the three of us start towards the Mess Hall for some food.

Jacob hands me a plate of fish, with some wild plants, and I'm surprised. Leo looks over and winks at me. I cut a little off and put it on my fork, hoping it's as good as I've heard. I slide it in my mouth and, well, no words. I'm speechless. It is even better than I imagined. Leo makes a big show of eating it like it's the best thing in the world. But, it's pretty close. It's the best thing I've ever put in my mouth, well, that I can remember.
"You cooked this?" I ask Jacob.
"Sure did. Caught it too."
"Well, it's amazing."
"Told you it would be," Leo elbows me playfully.
"How did you even find water to fish? This place is frozen."
"We found a spot. This lake next to the border and the East Tower."
"Well, can we have this more often?"
"I'd love too. We'll try our best." Jacob walks away to serve other people.
"So," Ethan starts, "I heard Kate predicted another Wave soon."
"Really! Hang on, she has Psychic? I thought she had telepathy."
"Nah, I'm just messing."
I push him. Then I hear Kate's voice in my head. Actually, I just developed the ability to see into the future. Pretty cool right? I start to panic just a bit. If another Wave is coming... Don't worry, I didn't predict another Wave, Leo was just joking as usual. I look at Leo.
"I just had a conversation with Kate in my head." He looks surprised.
"Okay, so I did make a bit of that up."
I have another mouthful of fish.
"So, what should we do tomorrow?"
"Well, the guys are having this big basketball game tomorrow, if you wanna come-"
"Yes!" I reply immediately. I don't get much time to hang out with "the guys" as Leo calls them.
"Ok, sure. We're starting a tournament. The winning team gets to eat fish that night."
"Well I'm defiantly in then."
I finish of my fish and start eating some wild potatoes.
"Ethan, you in?" Leo asks.
"The basketball tournament?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, sure."
"Who's playing?" I ask.
"Just about half the camp. Forty people."
"Cool."
Leo goes to eat his last potato and spills his water all over himself. I pretty much laugh my head off. He sighs and eats his now soggy potato. I finish off my plate and hand it to Lilly, who is collecting them with Jacob, Jas, Chris and Eva.
"Thanks," I say as she takes it. She just smiles and shrugs shyly. Today it was cabin nine's turn to cook, plate, hand out and clean up. That means it's my cabin's turn tomorrow. We're in cabin ten. And by we, I mean Leo, Ethan, Sophie, Kate and I. Slowly people get up to leave the Mess Hall once they've finished their dinners. We do too. We walk down the gravel pathway to the centre of the camp, where all their cabins are placed around. Cabin one to sixteen. Almost at the end, opposite where we are standing, is the old road me and Leo sat watching the sunset. I walk to cabin ten, our cabin, and open the door. Sophie and Kate are already in there, lying on their beds. There are two bunkbeds and a single bed. I'm the top of a bunk, with Leo below me. I climb up to my bed and fix my sheets. I like to look like I at least try to make my bed. Then I climb back down and walk back to that spot on the road. I look up and watch the stars. It's nice. A lot of people would just fidget and think this is boring, but I like it.

Eventually fatigue gets the better of me and a go back to my cabin. I slide into bed, and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm fast asleep.

Of course, another dream. This is starting to become a daily thing. Around me a giant battle is unfolding, just outside the boarder. Hoards of Cryonids swarm around the camp, while we're trying to hold. I see a person I have never seen before fly up, lobbing massive blue fireballs at the endless hoard. With him is one of the cheetah creatures that roam freely outside our camp. I then see a girl run to him shouting be careful Ian. With him is only half of squadron Charlie, along with Hector, fighting the wave of beasts. I want to help, but I can't. Maybe this is a easy glimpse into the future, but I hope not. Maybe this is the next Wave.

I wake up, sticky with sweat. I try to shake off the feeling that what I just saw was our fate, but I can't stop myself from wondering who Ian is. Or the girl. I get up and have a shower. The hot water feels good against my skin. Then I turn off the tap, dry myself, and get dressed. As soon as I walk out, I hear Leo and Ethan practicing basketball.
"Morning Sunshine." Leo says as he shoots a goal.
"Don't tell me your gonna be obsessed with basketball now."
"Corse not."
I rub my tired eyes and yawn. Leo shoots another goal.
"Just getting ready for the game this afternoon." He says.
"Ok." I reply. I sit down in front of the gravel overgrown court and watch the boys play. Leo bounces the ball through his legs when Ethan comes from behind and steals it. Leo snarls, and I giggle a bit.
"Are you allowed to use powers in Basketball?" I ask
"No."
"So I can't do this?" I ask taking the ball from him with my telekinesis and making it hover in place just above the ring. He jumps up, trying to reach the ball. He doesn't have telekinesis. I do.
"Hey," he snaps. "Give it back, and no. You cannot do that."
I drop the ball into the ring. It bounces twice before he grabs it and starts dribbling it again.
"I'm gonna be in the arena practicing my powers," I tell them.
"Kk," Ethan says. "Can I come? Leo here is a ball hog."
I nod, happy to have company. I start towards the arena and he follows.

"So, how are we-" Ethan doesn't get to finish his sentence because he starts to suddenly float into the air. "Ok, two can play at that game." He disappears. Surprised, I drop him. I hear a sharp grunt.
"Oh, sorry." I say. I reach through the air with my telekinesis, trying to feel where he is, but he's gone. Then I feel an arm around my throat. He materialises around me. Oh damn, he's good. "Ha, ok. Let's go round two."
He walks to the other side of the arena and disappears. I just smile and decide to shape-shift. I will my body to change and feel that strange, indescribable feeling again. My limbs get stronger, bulkier, musclier. Lush golden hair forming around my whole body. And then I roar. A lion's roar rather than my own. I scan the area and see a small dust trail forming to my left, running strait for me. I know it must be Ethan. I wait until he's close enough and pounce. He's caught by surprise and loses invisibility while he's struggling underneath my paws. I turn back to my normal, human form and help him up.
"Ready for round three?" I ask.
"Nah, you win." He replies. I yawn and stare at the massive two doors at the far end of the arena, hoping someone will walk in. A challenger. Otherwise I don't have much to do besides sitting and waiting for Leo's basketball game to start. I scan the thousands of seats circling us and notice Dawn just sitting in one, watching us.
She claps loud enough for it to echo of the walls of the arena. "Congrats, you finally saw me. Good show you two just pulled off there."
Ethan scrunches up his face, looking confused. "You were there the whole time?"
"Yep." She replies.
"You wanna battle?" I ask.
"Sure, why not?" Dawn says. Then she disappears.
I sigh. "More invisibility?" I ask, getting sick of the same old thing.
I feel a light tap on shoulder. "Nope." And with one punch I am thrown to the ground. The wind is entirely blown out of me, and I must've flown at least a couple meters by the force. I try to get up but collapse. I hear Dawn laugh at my weakness. She is Squadron Bravo's Battle Leader, the second most powerful legion of the camp. But I'm not giving up that easily. I grab her with my telekinesis and throw her into the air, but I can't concentrate enough to get her more than a few feet up. I hear a slight thump.
"What about round two?" She asks.
"Um, no thanks." I reply. I think I've dislocated a rib or something, if that's even possible. Dawn helps me up and I suddenly feel her hand becoming hotter. It's subtle at first, but then grows into a more painful burning. It spreads up my arm and through my whole body and I start screaming. I drop to my knees at the excruciating pain. Slowly the pain fades away and my ribs feel better.
"Don't scream, I'm just healing you. I think I may have broken your rib cage." She says.
"Oh, thanks for that?"
"I'm still here you guys." I hear Ethan yell in the background. I had actually forgotten he was still in this place.