Social Experiment

Guns (Abbi)

"Xavier!"

"Is he..." I can't finish.

Grace snorts. "How am I supposed to know?"

"I'm alive," I jump at the sound of his voice, "I'm very much alive."

He gets up, perfectly fine, and grins. This sets Grace over the edge. "What were you thinking, leaving like that! And coming to Chamber 13 of all places!"

"Chamber 13?" He chuckles, "I think you need glasses. This is Chamber 18."

"Why is it open?" I interrogate.

"I don't know. I found it like this before the trip to 12. I put plastic wrap over the entrance, and a gun. Sorry about it almost killing you, by the way."

Grace rolls her eyes. "As if it has a mind of it's own."

"Where'd you even get a gun?"

"In there." He Xavier points inside the chamber, "It's full of them. Guns all over."

"How'd you get the alarm to sound?"

"That's the best part: I didn't. Perfect timing, though, huh?"

"How did you get past the rubble that was here earlier?"

"Ah. That. I found it like that. I don't know, maybe the vote was tied between opening 12 & 18. Anyhow, the alarm was triggered the moment I stepped into the chamber."

"What was your vote?" Grace sneers.

"We're not supposed to discuss that. Wherever They are, They're watching. Every. Move."

"How? There's not a single camera on this wretched place."

"Not sure."

"Then how do you know-"

"Nobody would design an experiment like this and abandon it completely. You know how much money this probably cost Them?"

"Let's all go to the Matrix." I suggest, "We can discuss the gun situation there."

"What "situation"? I think everyone should get one. Done."

Xavier shakes his head. "There's only ten."

"First come first serve."

"No." I say firmly, "We don't know everyone down here that well. Any one of us could be a murderer or a soldier or, worse yet, one of Them."

"Well, let's give them to the people we do trust."

"There's not enough people I trust."

"Who all do you trust?"

"Zeke, Dameeka, Mikayla, Shawn, Hailey, Rodney, and Westin."

She frowns. "West? What about me, or Terrance? Or Xavier?"

"I take no offense; I don't know or trust you either." He dismisses.

Grace presses on. "How about if you give me the three remaining guns, and I'll give two of them away."

"To who?" I question.

"To the people I trust."

"Terrance?"

"That's one of them, yes."

I laugh. "Fine, go ahead. Not my choice, but feel free."

"I trust Terrance with my life."

"Good, 'cause that's exactly what you're doing when you hand him that gun."

She glares at me.

"Go on, then." I motion to Chamber 18, "Pick out three guns. Xavier, if you would do the honors."