Leave

Chapter 7

I was freaked. I didn't know what to expect. I kept sliding down into nothingness. I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I squinted trying to make out movement, anything at all, but there was nothing. And then I stopped and felt wetness. I couldn't breathe. I could see light up above and tried to move towards it but I was stuck. My lungs burned and I felt like I was about the die. I kicked my legs but they were stuck. The more I struggled the tighter I became. What was with this? And then all at once I saw dots of black dancing before my eyes. I closed them and was just ready to give up. I was stuck, and there was nothing I could do about it. I waited but nothing happened. All I could feel was pain and fear. What had I been expecting? Peace and rainbows? How could I have been so stupid to trust them?
I kicked and screamed into nothingness but there was no one. What was I in? Fear seeped into the pit of my stomach. What if I could just stay still? I waited trying my best not to move at all. I barely had any air. I could feel the unknown substance around me begin to break away and more light seeped into where I was. My surroundings were blurry but slowly came into focus. There were cabins and a field with tables all around. Then I saw people with swords and bows and different weapons around in what looked liked an arena. This was The leave. I was finally safe. I was finally here. I was free.Someone approached me.
"You must be one of the new recruits. Can j have your name?" A woman in what looked like her mid thirties asked me. Her long waist length honey colored hair had braids in the sides and her intense gray eyes gazed into my dark brown.
"Scarlet," I replied and stood up. I could now see that I was on some sort of platform surrounded by wood benches.
"Welcome Scarlet. This is Marissa,"  she pointed to a girl my age next to her. "She will show you around. She will just be your guide until you become a custom to the life here. I'll leave you two. Remember to be back here just after sundown for the feast and announcements. " And then the lady walked off.
I stared at the girl Marissa. She had hazel eyes with golden flecks. They were eyes that I seemed to recognize but I wasn't to sure. She had natural tan skin and choppy black hair. She had short braids through it and at the end a circular golden bead.
"Hey. Scarlet right?" she asked. I nodded.
"Follow me. I'll show you around then we'll go pick out the weapons and supplies you'll like for your cabin. Oh and surprise your sharing with me!" She laughed.
"Nice." What else could I say?
She stopped laughing and stared at me, her eyebrows raised.
Oh no no. Was this meant to be a challenge? In return I stared right back at her, daring her to say something. I searched her eyes and what I could see was fear. The people here needed to realize I wasn't playing around. I had a purpose to be here.
"Come "She squeaked. I smirked and followed her to a old hut looking place.
"Here's where you get your supplies. and you can borrow or keep." we entered. "To borrow you sign out here. To keep you sign here and place a token in this jar. You earn ten tokens per week and with each stunt you complete you gain two. At the arena with each fight won you earn five. Its are sense of money here. At the arena you have certain 'battles' you can get chosen for. Some are easy like a simple arm wrestle or pull stick. Others are more challenging such as jousting wrestling or archery.  There are two battle nights a week, and you should at least get chosen once a month. You understand?" she questioned.
"Yea but I just wondered, that Felid where all those people were, is that where you train?" I asked.
"Yes. You'll get a schedule of training and stuff tonight at the feast."
We searched around the cabin for my supplies such as a bed roll, coin bag, and weapons like a quiver of arrows, a bow and sword. As I searched through the rest of the weapons something caught my eye. A sharp sliver dagger. The hilt was wrapped in leather and in the center was a emerald colored jewel of some sort. When I picked it up I started buzzing.
"Oh my gosh! Marissa can you help me?!" I freaked when my hand wouldn't detach for the violently vibrating dagger.
She turned towards me and then her eyes widened in shock.
"Scarlet." She stuttered her eyes ablaze with fear.