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Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

“Now,” the stern voice rings across the room, “it is time for the first official announcement for your training.”

I snap my eyes away from the roaring fire, orange and fiery, reminding me of the slowly brewing fight between every single one of us. Soon, it would die and vanish, leaving only blackened ashes, symbolizing a set of footsteps one might leave in the sand when you want everyone to know you have been there. You would want to leave your mark. I  certainly would.

It is now that she is approaching the area near me that I really see her features. She is beautiful, for someone who looks manly. She has a wide jawline, too big eyes and sharper cheekbones than Xavier’s. Her hair is brushed back, twisted into a bun and pinned at the back of her head, looking glossy and shiny under the fluorescent lights above us. Her eyes fall on me and I try my best not to look away. To stare back into those endless looking black pits of her eyes.

I will not back down. I will show her, everyone, that I can do this. I am not just some Agronomist who grew up under the shelter of her parents, blinded and ignorant of the world. I am not merely a happy-go-lucky girl of the Lower Ranks, ever the optimist in times of hardships and challenges befalling her and her family. I am Bliss. I am strong. I am who I am and I can transform myself to who I want to be.

“Tonight, it is the 100th Annual Ranks Ball . It is special, especially for our leaders, The Altiems, to who we are grateful for bringing peace among us in every sense of the word. Tonight, we will offer our respects and honor for them in the form of a ball.” She stops in front of Jenna and catches a few strands of her brown hair. She twirls it around her finger then drops it abruptly, Jenna’s eyes displaying surprise and half bewilderment. 

“All of you, as it may seem obvious enough, will be part of it. You will be dressed up in the most lavish ball gowns and tuxes the Academy can provide you with. You will be styled to your heart’s desire and pampered up to your heart’s content,” she reaches over to brush off some imaginary dust on a Drudger’s clothes. “Tonight, you will be who you want to be. But of course, everything comes with a price.”

The spark in Candace’s eyes slowly fades away, leaving only disbelief and disappointment. She would love this, I know. 

The woman stands stiffly in the middle and says, “Everyone, gather in a circle!” 

Everyone does. I now stand between Heather and a man who is probably Edmund since he had stepped forward when he was called not too long ago, together with me. He barely gives me a nod. I return it. At least he gave me a Rank greeting. It is better than nothing.

“All of you, will have your first test. Tonight.”

You can almost hear a pin drop against the black marbled floor. No one is breathing, I am sure. Tonight? The first test is tonight? Will there be no trainings to assure us of our improving skills and attainment levels on our reactions and movements on certain situations? It is too soon. I can feel a huge lump forming in my throat, tasting like bile and I push it down. 

“It is simple, your first test. All you have to do…is kill. That’s it. No torture. Honestly, I find killing quickly a lot easier than sheer torture. Why is that? Can you tell me a reason?” 

She is acting casually, as if it is normal for her to go through these notions every hour of the day, visions of killing and bloodbath inside her mind. Even the thought of pricking myself intentionally makes me shudder inside. But stabbing a person, feeling the blunt edge of the knife piercing the skin, slowly going in, spilling blood after blood gives me enough strength to shut itself down and clear my head.

My eyes somehow travel over to Alex. He has seen blood every day, I am certain. He’s a Medic after all. He meets my eyes and gives me a wide smile, probably feeling confident since he is at the back of the officer, unseen and far from being chastised.

However, I am in front, in plain sight, so I just give a small smile and look away. 

“Tell me a reason!” She spins around and points at someone I cannot see. “Tell me!”

“It’s easy,” I recognize Xavier’s voice, slow and hesitant, if it is even possible. “It is easy because you won’t have time to assess any emotions toward the victim. Pain for him or her, pity or even grief.”

She turns back to us, a mischievous smile on her face. “Any other answer?” 

No one races. Everyone is silent.

“Okay. His answer is correct. You will have no time to feel such mundane feelings of everyday life.  The deed is quick. Then it is done.” She starts to travel around, following the shape of our circle, close to us but not too close. “So later, you will do it. But don’t worry. You won’t kill an innocent, for everyone’s sake! You will kill four Homeless people.”

A girl, not too far from me, lets out a shrill scream, her hands suddenly over her mouth to cut off the noise. Tears are silently streaming from her eyes, which are already red-rimmed. Why is she crying? I have an impulse to race over to her and put my arms around her for comfort, but I stay in my place. 

The woman’s eyes flashes with annoyance but that was it. She shows no more emotion and continues, like nothing has happened. “I repeat, you will kill four Homeless people who has committed the crime of killing people not long than ten years ago. Their years in the prison has just finished yesterday and not more than a few days before that, right in time for your debut as the Chosen Ones!

“We thought about giving your first test a little spice, and this just happened to occur. Perfect coincidence! Now, for the instructions.”

The man officer reaches for another scroll and tosses it over to the woman. She catches it flawlessly, no sign of it tripping over her fingers and falling to the floor. 

“Listen closely. This people aren’t your average ones. They are all swift, clever and can outrun you in a matter of seconds if you manage to lose your focus. This will be a game of hide-and-seek. You will be given clues as a head start, an advantage. All you have to do is find them, bring them to the specified rooms and finish them quickly to avoid any attention from the other guests.” She glances over at us, eyes searching. We give her a nod.

“Of course, you have to be really careful. One might not know how to spot correctly, and you kill an innocent. Oh, what a big game this will be! If all of you were listening closely, what is the most obvious question right now?” 

The question is currently digging itself into my brain, burying itself into a hole, trying to proceed to my throat and I swallow a quick bitter taste of bile. I try to run it through, analyze it to its roots. One less victim for the Chosen Ones. One less prey for the impromptu predators later. Four versus five groups? Where is the last?

She answers it for us. “There is no fifth Homeless person. You see, that is the main challenge for tonight. Besides the test of your skills in fighting, we have to consider your speed and accuracy in pointing out anything strange and off. Like a true member of The Council would be able to identify it’s subject’s problems and the things that set them off, different from the others.” 

Most of the people’s eyes go wide, fear flashing across them before disappearing unnoticed except by me. This will be a time of great challenge. This will be the point of showing what we are made off. That we are not simply an Upper Class or Lower Class. We are not simply Drudgers or Artists, or Medics and Peons. We are people who fight for what we want and what we need to survive.

This is the time where everyone wants to play. And I am ready.