Runner

Runner: Part 4

I roam the hallways during my recreation period eyeing every recruit that passes me. I wonder how anyone could think that the boy and I are different than any other recruit in this building. What if there are more people like us? But then again, I don't really know what people like us are. Somehow, deep in my thoughts, I end up at the cafeteria and sit down. So much has happened to me in just a matter of days. I rest my head on the cool table to just have a moment of peace. I can't. Right now the Wipeout should be something to look forward to so I can clear my mind, but it's not. All of a sudden it just feels so wrong, the fact that the officials are stripping us clean of certain memories. What if something like this already happened to me? What if I have already been in this kind of trouble before and it all resulted in a Wipeout? I don't even know how many Wipeouts I have been through. I sigh loudly, I might just be overreacting. When I look up, the boy is standing five feet directly in front of me. As still as a statue and as cunning as ever.

Considering how many shocking things have happened to me so far, I don't even question how he found me here when he comes to sit down in front of me. Although when I look at him, something seems off about his facial expression. He seems tense and anxious. The right side of his lip is twitching and he keeps on fidgeting with his fingers.

"They scheduled the Wipeout for today," he quickly says.

I am thrown off by how worried he looks that I can't even reply.

"Looks like they just want things to go back to normal pretty quickly," he says, finally making eye contact with me.

I nod.

"Ok, it's going to happen pretty soon. So there is something I have to give you," he says while opening his palm.

It looks exactly like the pink pill the nurse gave me after I passed out in the hallway. But there is a peculiar green square on the left side of it.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I ask.

"It-it's a pill. It's to save your memories when you go to the Wipeout," he explains seeming unsure of himself, "but it's only been tested once and I'm not very sure what the outcome was..." He trails off.

I am taken aback. A pill to save my memories? How did he get a hold of that? I doubt the officials know that he has it! There are two in his hand which means he wants both of us to take it. I'm not sure if it's a risk I should take.

"Where did you get these?" I spit out.

"From a friend of mine," is all he says.

I want to know more.

"Who?" I ask.

He takes a deep breath, "ok, I will tell you. I got it from that nurse that took care of you after you passed out in the hallway. Do you remember that nurse I took you to?"

My mind is spinning, I hold it in between my hands to calm down.

"Why did she give them to you? When? H-how did she even get a hold of them?.... Are these even real, are you just messing around here?" I say in an agitated tone.

He seems overwhelmed by the amount of questions I laid on him. Well what was he expecting, that I would gladly take it and swallow it?

"It's too long to explain now, they are going to gather us for the Wipeout soon," he says in a hurry, as he glances around.

The fact that he is telling me this means that he trusts me. But why me?

"Have you told anyone else about this?" I ask.

"No, just you," he says sternly, "I trust that you will not tell anyone else about it."

The thought of handing him into the Head makes my stomach turn.