Variables → Group B [AU]

24 → "THE OUTSIDE WORLD"

24 → "THE OUTSIDE WORLD"

THE DRIVER DROVE through towns and cities, the heavy rain pelted against the windows. Lights and buildings were hard to see, and at one point, people outside raced after the bus, their clothes tattered. They pounded on the sides of the bus but the bus never slowed down. Finally, after a long, almost defending silence, Aris spoke up.

"What's going on?" he asked. The man looked over at him.

"That's a very long story." The man said, voice surprisingly kinder than Adeline had expected.

"Please." Harriet spoke up. "We deserve to know what's going on."

The man looked around at the Group, now listening in. He let out a sigh. "We don't know what or how they did it, but it's going to take a while for you all to get your memories back."

"Who are they?" Adeline asked.

"It started with the sun flares." another rescuer, a woman, said. "The sun flares couldn't have been predicted. Sun flares are normal, but these were massive, spiking higher and higher, and once they were noticed, it was only minutes before their heat hit into Earth. First our satellites were burned out, and thousands died instantly, millions within days, countless miles became wastelands. Then came the sickness."

She paused, took a breath. "As the ecosystem fell apart, it became impossible to control the sickness, even to keep it in South America. The jungles were gone, but the insects weren't. People call it the Flare now. It's a horrible, horrible thing. Only the richest can be treated, no one can be cured. Unless the rumours from the Andes are true." the man paused. "As for you, all of you, you're just a few of millions orphaned. They tested thousands, chose you for the big one. The ultimate test. Everything you lived through was calculated and thought through. Catalysts to study your reactions, your brain waves, your thoughts. All in an attempt to find those capable of helping us find a way to beat the Flare."

She paused again. "Most of the physical effects are caused by something else. First the delusions start, then animal instincts begin to overpower the human ones. Finally it consumes them, destroys their humanity. It's all in the brain. The Flare lives in their brains. It is an awful thing."

The woman broke her gaze and focused on the group. "We won't let them do this to children. We've sworn our lives to fighting WICKED. We can't lose our humanity, no matter the end result."

"You'll learn more in time. We live far in the north. We're separated from the Andes by thousands of miles. They call it the Scorch. It's where what they used to call the equator, filled with savages consumed by the Flare beyond help. We're trying to cross that land—to find the cure. But until then, we'll fight WICKED and stop the experiments and tests."

—

Adeline fell a sleep for the rest of the journey. Aris woke her up two hours later, when the bus stopped. They had pulled into a muddy parking lot that surrounded a building with several rows of windows. The woman and other rescuers shuffled the twenty four girls and one boy through the front door and up a flight of stairs, then into a huge dormitory with a series of bunk beds lined up along one of the walls. On the opposite side were some dressers and tables. The place was full of colour. Bright yellow painted walls, red blankets, green curtains.

"Well, this is refreshing." Adeline noted.

Their bus driver left them in the hands of a small staff — nine or ten men and women dressed in pressed black pants and white shirts. Beds were assigned, clothes and bathroom items were passed out, dinner was served. Pizza. Adeline didn't realize how hungry she was until she started eating. They sat in silence with minimum small talk here and there. Soon after eating, they were told it was time for bed. Aris had been taken to a separate room. Adeline was exhausted, and the moment she climbed into bed and her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

—

Three days ago, they'd been rescued. The Group of girls and one boy lived a very simple day for those three days; they'd be woken up bright and early, the staff would cook them breakfast and supply them fresh sets of clothes, they'd be given small activities to do to pass the day, be given lunch, continue on with more activities until dinner, before lights out later that night. Each day was exactly the same; boring. Adeline was starting to wonder when they'll leave or if this is where they'd be staying for a while.

Then, the night before everything changed, the staff started acting somewhat strange. They sent them to bed before they could finish eating, and lights out was earlier than the other nights. Adeline felt like something was going to happen, and she hated that gut feeling she got when she felt like that. She fell a sleep after hours of tossing and turning, and after sleeping for what felt like five minutes, Adeline woke up to voices.

"Is that ...?"

"Either it's her or someone who looks exactly like her."

"Shuck it!" Someone snapped. "Or you'll wake her up."

Adeline's eyes fluttered open, and as she woke up, she almost fell out of the bed. Before her stood about nineteen boys, staring at her with a mix of emotions on their faces; shock, confusion, recognition. Adeline, in complete shock, threw the covers off of her body, dashing towards the door; except there was a problem. As she turned the knob, it wouldn't open. Pulling on the door knob to no avail, Adeline gave up. The door was locked. Turning towards the group of boys watching her, she stared back at them. Glancing at each boy, a pang of familiarity washed over her. But the question was, how did she get here with them and why were they staring at her like they'd seen a ghost?

—

A/N:

Part 2 starts next chapter.