The Mistress

Chapter 13

I do not know how long I was out for, nor do I know weather I really passed, probably not, failed again. All I know now is that I am awake with Theo by my side. The rest of the candidates are by the box all but James, Jadis and Alec whom are awaiting my arrival. "Iris, I need to ask you a serious question, can you do that for me?"

"My head, rainbows, door, water, mist."

"Take it easy, take it easy. Okay. Iris, I need to ask you a serious question okay?"

"Okay?"

"Did you change your name to Iris? Or where you named and born with it?"

"Did I what?"

"Was your name something else before it was Iris?"

"No, no! What type if a question is that? That's not serious!"

"Does my face say I am laughing? No. Get up. Iris. Get up." I obey and really regret it. I feel sick to the stomach and dizzy. "Iris, the Mistress has been watching you. She watched your final challenge. Iris how long do you think you were under the water?"

"Twenty-five minutes? Like everyone else?"

"Eighteen."

"And that is?"

"Bad." I frown. "But good, but really bad at the same time. I will explain later. Be very careful. I am serious Iris. Now go and get into the box and finish this challenge properly."

"But-?"

"Watch your step." He walks away.

My head pounds, imagine having fifty stones thrown at your head all at once, well that is How it feels. James runs over.

"Iris are you okay? What happened?"

"Later."

"Iris-"

"We need pass, come on!"

We four clamber into the box and moves at a fast pace. And soon enough we are in our separate waiting rooms going by pairs that is.

"James, Iris, you have passed congratulations." I widen my eyes. They cannot be serious?

"I told you it would be okay!" James says hugging me tightly. I laugh, completely shocked.

"You did." He kisses me on the mouth, despite the metallic taste of blood, I kiss him back. As we part it really hits me. We passed. I passed. I actually passed.

"Iris, I need you to come with me. You too James." Theo says. His face is serious not at all welcoming.

"Okay." I take James hand and hold it, he doesn't let go, and I don't want him too.

"Alec, Jadis, James, Iris, please report to the Mistress' quarters as a matter of urgency."

"Theo?"

"Yes James."

"Why do we have to go there exactly?"

"That is not for me to say."

As we are walking down the corridors a nervous knot forms in my stomach. Everyone is waiting by the door. Theo holds out a hand to James and Alec to not enter. Jadis and I do. The door closes behind us, leaving us in the dimly lit room. The Mistress slithers out of her chair and clicks her fingers. The next I know, I have a black piece of material tied around my eye and a rough hand covering my mouth, preventing me from screaming. The rough handed person shoves me hard in the back and pushes me forward against my will. I am being escorted to somewhere I do not know. I am forced to my knees; a sickening pain vibrates through my body starting from the knees. The blind fold is ripped from eyes causing me to not to see for a few moments. Once off and I can see, there is a line of chairs. Not any chairs. And not comfortable ones either. Electric chairs. Torture chairs. I turn my head and see that the two boys have now been shoved to their knees also. Clearly they were taken in after us. I receive a hard slap on the face and resume my stares to the chairs. Four chairs. I look away and am greeted with yet another slap this time from the other side, great now each cheek is even. The Mistress is standing before us.