Infinite (Unedited)

∞CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT∞

"Nate!" I finally spot him.

He turns around and eyes me warily. "Aria..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freak out. You just shocked me, and I'm really not good with surprises. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"That all?" His eyes wander off behind me.

"No."

"Well then?"

"I don't know if I love you. I don't know what that is like. But I do know that I really, really like you. As more than a friend."

He smiles. "That's all I wanted to know. I didn't want you to feel obligated to say it back if you didn't quite mean it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You're still here," I smile after a minute of silence. "We're so, so close."

"I know. I can't believe it."

"Only a few more tests and then...."

"Then the abilities."

"Yeah. Then the abilities."

*************************

It's now been five days since our last simulation, which seems odd considering we were told that the scientists were getting impatient. Stress levels seem to be going up here, no one wants to be eliminated. Ironically, it's caused quite a few fights. There are only seventy two left. The fact that they waited this long for the next sim is kind of scary. Were they taking that long so they could make it as hard as possible? Or were they just waiting to see how bad the stress effects us? Either way, here I am again standing in my cylinder, waiting for the countdown to start.

The reason I've been waiting in the cylinder so long is that the Twelves to Fifteens are going first. Bree is the only Twelve left, I'm scared that I'll lose her. I'm also worried for Erik and Anna. We don't know what kind of simulation this one is, but I know it's one of the last. Or quite possibly, the last. We were told that the abilities would only be given to around fifty people, and like I said earlier, there are only seventy two. Thirty two in the simulation now. I fidget nervously as the minutes go by. Finally words fill the screen in front of me.

Eleven eliminated

I didn't think that many would go. The countdown from ten then starts

"Please, please don't eliminate Nate, Jen, Jason, Carrie, Shaun, Melody, or me. Please let us stay," I whisper. "Please."

***********************

I'm standing atop probably the highest building I've ever seen. Peering over the edge, I can't see the bottom. My stomach sinks. I'm not afraid of heights, but being at this high an altitude would make anyone a bit nervous. Then I smell smoke. Quickly turning around, I see fire shooting out of a window. The concrete roof starts to crack. Within the next few minutes it will cave in.

There is another building to my right, about five feet away, and another seven feet down.

One corner breaks off and begins falling to the ground. I run towards the edge of the building. Even if I don't make it, I'd rather fall than be crushed. So I jump.
I land on the next roof, and suddenly I start to sink, like quicksand.

Where am I?! I don't understand.

Remembering not to freak out or thrash around, I stand as still as possible until I see something I can grab onto to pull myself free.

Standing in the edge of this building, now unstuck, I still can't yet see the ground. Suddenly I have an extreme need to be on the ground. I have to find a way down, before everything breaks underneath me.

I see a rope stretched from here to a ledge about fifteen feet down on yet another building. I feel my left foot sink. It's getting closer again. I pull my jacket off and string it over the rope, and hold on as tight as I can. Screaming as I zip towards the ledge, I feel my grip loosen. I hold on just long enough to make it. Peering over the edge, I see a door. Fifty feet underwater.

Large pieces of rubble sit beside me on the edge. I take my jacket off the rope and roll a piece onto it. Then I tie the sleeves around it, and hope it works. Taking a huge gulp of air, I jump into the water, hoping the extra weight will make me sink. At the bottom, my lungs are burning and my vision is blurring, but I still manage to turn the massive wheel like thing that opens the door. Thousands of litres of water gush through, dragging me in as well.

Gaining full consciousness again, I see that the water is gone, although I'm still soaking wet. Taking in more information, I see that I'm in a hanging glass box, over top a large hole in the building. The only thing underneath before hitting the nearest floor, about twenty floors down, is a small hammock, barely a sixteenth of the hole. I need to aim for it.

Inside my pocket is a thumbtack and a pack of gum. I know I only need one crack in this to break the whole thing. After chewing a piece of the spearmint flavoured gum, I stick the thumbtack to the bottom left of the glass box. Taking a deep, nervous breath, I jump into the air and land on the spot, causing a hairline fracture that within seconds shatters the whole box.

Again, I'm falling, fast approaching the hammock. Reaching my arms straight out in front of me, my fingertips touch a rope. I quickly grasp it, and now I'm not falling. I'm hanging by one hand. I can feel the weight of my entire body pulling at my shoulder, as if at any second my arm will be ripped from the socket. I flail around until I can get my other arm to hold on too. I can hear my heartbeat every time I breathe. Slowly I pull myself up with my paining, shaking arms.

Eight tests later, here I am standing in the middle of the bottom floor as a grenade rolls across the floor. No time to run, no time for second thoughts, no time for regrets. This is my biggest fear. Not dying, but being dead. Never having the chance at anything ever again. Never knowing what happens to everyone and everything I love. This is darkness.

"Goodbye world," I whisper.

**************

"Welcome to the second half Ms. Parker. You made it."

"Oh gosh," I cover my hand with my mouth. "I did it. I did it," my arms still shake from fear, but I'm safe now."

"You and forty six others."

"There are only forty seven left?"

"That is correct."

"I made it," I sigh.

**************
In the words of my dear friend, "Poor unfortunate souls."
This chapter kinda sucks ahaha sorryyyy! Had writers block!
Please VOTE! Comments are nice too ;)