Social Experiment

Uprising (Terrance)

"Thanks, Abbi." She glances at Westin, then shuts the door. I hear it lock.

After refusing to answer my questions, Abbi put him in handcuffs. She and I moved the guns out of Chamber 18, to use as an interrogation room. She seemed hesitant at first, but eventually I convinced Abbi to let me do the questioning.

I smirk. "So, I was right about you."

"Guilty enough to fool yourself of that?"

I take the back of my hand to his face. "You are a traitor! I've known it from the start! It's a shame it's taken other people this long to realize it."

"What makes me a traitor, exactly? Having a scrap of paper with nonsense words on it?"

"What's it code for?" I yell, "What do these numbers mean?"

"Don't think about it to much, you might pass out."

I hit him, this time with a closed fist.

"I'm serious. That's why we left the Matrix during the trial. I passed out, and Ozzie couldn't find a reason."

I stare at him, and he grins. "Beat me all you want, but I will never tell you what that paper means. Do you know why? Because I. Don't. Know."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say I was going to beat you? No, my friend. I have better planned for a treacherous snake such as yourself."

"What are you going to do, torture me?"

"You don't care about yourself. That's why you volunteered to come and spy on us in this pit. No, I think I'll leave you down here a couple days, let you think hard about your answer. And when I come back, then I'll get the truth out of you."

I slam the door shut and lock it, walking to my room. I place the key in a book I stole from the library and hollowed out the pages.

A knock resounds off my door just as I slip the book under my mattress. "Terrance? It's Grace."

I grin, relieved, and open the door. "Nice of you to drop by."

Her face turns a pinkish color. "I just came by to, um... apologize. For running out on you like that in Chamber 2."

"No need. Come in?" I gesture to my white desk chair.

"Thanks."

I shut the door, making my way over to sit on the bed. "I know you ran because you were afraid of Abbi. Maybe not of her herself, but of what she'd say about you. Believe me, I understand."

She reaches out to hold my hand. "That will change now, though. You have proof that you were right all along."

"Westin seems to think otherwise. Unfortunately, he's right. I won't be able to convince people of his guilt with a scrap of paper. Who knows if he even wrote it? He could make up any story, and I can't prove him the liar that he is."

"You don't think he'll confess?"

My mouth twitches into a smirk. "Oh, I know he'll confess."

"Why aren't you in there right now, roughing him up?"

"Well, my plan is-"

A sneeze cuts me off. I narrow my eyes, rushing to open the door. "Aha!"

A short blonde girl stares up at me. "Grace!" I call into the room, "Did you invite company?"

She comes to the doorway, peering at the girl. "No. Her name's Elle, if that helps."

"It doesn't."