Colourless

Chapter Twenty-Three

I'd like to thank these beautiful people for these fabulous submission of names! 

Emilie - dream_weaver24 Alexis - cool_shadows

***

Peering out from the trap door, I scowl and splutter wildly as dirt makes its way into my eyes and mouth. "Come on," I grunt, wiping my eyes on my sleeve and forcing the hatch door open. Jumping out, Ellie followed closely behind after Holly — helping to push her body into the outside world for the first time in months.

After much debate, the nurses had finally relented and allowed Holly to follow us outside. Her fever had broken — though only slightly — last night, so we thought that perhaps feeling the wind on her face would do her some good.

"I heard through the grapevine that you guys are leaving soon," she grunts once sitting on the now thriving, green forest floor. Ellie and I share a look as I pull her out too, before closing the hatch door and disguising it once more.

"We are, but don't worry," I smile over my shoulder, "We'll be back and then I will read you a whole libraries worth of books to make up for my absence."

"I'm making you something," Holly informs abruptly, as Ellie takes a seat beside her on the ground. "I'm sorry I didn't make you anything, Ellie, I didn't know you and—"

Ellie raises a hand to stop her rambling, "It's fine. We literally just met."

Hearing rustling beneath the hatch door, we all collectively arch a brow as Charles peaks his head out before almost tumbling off the ladder when dirt flies into his eyes and mouth. "I would have warned you," I call as the other girls stifle a laugh, "But you didn't exactly give me a chance."

Charles growls and mutters a slew of profanities, before opening the hatch door once more and cautiously sticking his head out with his eyes clenched shut. "Sorry to interrupt your little party, but there's people who want to talk to you," he informs, his blond locks now hilariously disheveled, "We have a couple knew team members. Regie's sister is joining us and so is this other girl. Her sister was kidnapped, so she wants to find her."

"Wow," I breathe, my eyes flickering towards Holly as she silently tears up blades of grass, "Subtle. Thank you."

Charles grimaces, "Sorry—" Holly smiles sadly and shrugs— "Well... I'm gonna go before I make a joke and it turns out that your parents were murdered... just, don't forget team training later."

Ellie chokes on her inhale of air, "I'm sorry— what?! Team training?"

***

"UGH, the agony; the absurdity of it all."

"Oh will you shut up, Charles," I growl, before propelling my body forward through the mud.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, bestie. I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to make any comments as I crawl through mud, with live and sparking wires swinging mere inches above me!" Charles drawls sarcastically, before ducking down to avoid one of the swinging wires.

Regie grunts, "If you don't stop screaming, you'll start freaking out and then you'll be struck by the wires."

Regie helps me out after I complete the course, before I immediately collapse into Malik's open embrace. "I liked this shirt," he grunts, clearing his throat after I glare up at him, "But I like you more, darling."

Turning away, I guide Sydney's curvier body under the final wire and assist her out of the unconventional pool. "Thanks," she smiles, joining me in helping the others out.

The two women that I had briefly met at the beginning of our training session were next, and — whilst Regie assisted her younger sister, Alexis, out — Sydney and I pulled Emilie out. The navy-haired woman was stone faced, clearly hardened by the vanishing of her sister, and only quietly thanked us when we pulled her out. I offer an encouraging smile.

"Very good," Laria praises once we all stood by the poolside, leaning against one another after a long day of preparation. "Now I know you're not all completely useless... get some rest, some of you need it more than others."

"Who do think she's talking about?" Charles snickers obliviously, falling under all of our wide-eyed gaze.