Until Hell

The First Test

   I wake up to the sound of bells ringing. It seems to be coming from somewhere over the ceiling, and it's very loud. Slowly, I push myself off the bed and look around the room. And the first thing I notice is that it's very...white. In fact, the only piece of furniture there is the bed, which is also white. How long was I asleep?

   Gathering my sanity, I step out of my white room and into a round one. The sight I'm greeted with has me wanting nothing more than to bolt back inside.

   Untils, male and female, run around laughing and yelling at each other, making their way out the room. "Whooooopppp!" I hear a tan guy with black hair randomly yell. What's got them so excited? My first instinct is to find Nate. As I'm about to yell his name, someone grabs my arm. I turn to find that's it's Ian. Thank god.

   "Ian! Finally someone I can talk to. Um, do you mind explaining what the heck is going on?!" I ask in a frustrated tone.

   "Oh, the untils are just getting ready for the first test of the day. It's how we greet each other. Come on, I'll take you to the test room," he says tugging me toward the exit. For a moment I think about asking him why he came to me in the first place and if he wanted to ask me anything. But over here I think it's better to just go with the flow.

   We walk across the room and out, taking a right into the hallway beyond. It's also very white. Everything here is. No doors no nothing. Just an exit at the far end. After a few moments of silence he says, "This building is called the Lodgings. The test are in another building across from here called the Examinations." And as soon as we step out of the abyss of white and into the sea of green and purple beyond, I see the white Examinations stark against the grass. It takes us five minutes to get there, even though in normal conditions it would take around ten. But I guess nothing about this place is normal. I look up at the sky before we enter and notice for the first time that it's blue. Just like on Earth.

   Hand in hand, Ian and I walk into the Examinations along with everyone else. The room inside is white, no surprise there, and littered with white chairs all around facing small white desks. Looks just like an exam room from Earth. But that's about all I can remember about Earth, how things used to look. I wonder how it used to feel living in Earth. Did I have a family? Did I have friends? Those two words seem to mean nothing here.

   Untils start to fill the chairs all around me and I notice that Ian isn't beside me anymore. I spot him in a chair next to the perky blonde from yesterday. What was her name again? Kendra.

   The seat beside Nate is vacant so I decide to sit there. Just as I make my way toward it, a slim girl with brown hair takes it instead. She looks back at me and her mean blue eyes gleam: not today bitch. I look back at her with my tired blue eyes, I don't care just take it.

    I make my way to the far back instead. And find that the last seat on the right in vacant. Ian is three seats away. He's talking to Kendra with a smile on his face, and she's laughing. The sights makes my heart ache. I don't think I'll ever laugh again. Ian whips his soft-looking black hair out of his face and I can see his green eyes better now. He's actually very handsome. But not the type of handsome Nate is. Ian is more...mature. With his sharp jaw and mask of confidence he always wears. I look to Nate at the front of the hall. His cropped, blonde hair and blue eyes make him irresistible to women, I'm sure. And that smile that's always playing on his lips..- but my daydreaming is cut off by the sudden silence of everyone. I look to the front of the hall in the hopes of spotting the source.

Romeo and someone I presume to be...Lucky? Then I notice how tense their muscles are and how they are standing very far form one another. Romeo is wearing black today from head to foot and- I gasp. He has wings?? And so does Lucky. Except Romeo has black wings and Lucky has beautiful white ones. Lucky is dressed in so much white that he seems to blend in with the room. But gods, that face. He has long, silver hair that goes upwards instead of down but not standing- it sort of flows. And his blue- gray eyes are just mesmerizing- and they're focused on...me? Oh no. Was I gawking?! He's laughing as he sees the horror on my face but it's not an evil laugh or even a mean one. It's a sweet and beautiful smile he has. Everything about him is just beautiful.

   "Before we start I would just like to welcome our newest until, Felicity. I know she arrived three months after everyone else so her arrival was much anticipated. But all that matters is that she's here now and I hope we can all give her the warmest welcome and show her our love," Lucky says, still looking at me. Romeo rolls his eyes. My cheeks heat up instantly, and I look down to cover my embarrassment. Was I really three months late? I make a mental note to ask Romeo later.

   "Untils, you may begin your first test of the day," Romeo announces. And indeed, when I look down a paper is already laying on my desk. I read the first question. No. This can't be happening. I move on to the next. No. The next. No! I scan all the questions. NO!

   Every question is about the same thing: the memory. The memory that hit me as soon as I arrived. How could I forget? Suddenly, my airway is blocked and I can't swallow any air. I try to scream but I choke on my voice. I gasp for breath. I just need some air. Still gasping, I bang as loud as I can on my desk. Lucky is instantly at my side. "Felicity. It's ok. I know this memory is not something you want to relive but you have to take these tests. They are essential. Take a few minutes to just breathe if you want, but finish that test. Are you ok now?" His voice is soft and calming. And he looks very worried.

  I'm about to tell him that I can't breathe, when suddenly, my lungs are flooded with air and I find myself gasping for more. I nod my head slowly. Thank you, I try to say with my eyes. He looks at me with something almost like longing and sadness and I read Anytime in his eyes. He walks back to the front of the room and I watch him go. I feel much better now. Looking down at the test once more, I take a deep breath. These questions aren't going to fill themselves up.

***
Once I finish answering all the questions and Romeo dismisses us, I dash out of the Examinations. It was starting to get very hot in there and I was getting a bit light headed.

I walk up to Nate as soon as I see him. He's like my anchor in this strange place. "Hey, how did you do?" I ask politely.

"Ok, I guess. Pretty weird questions. Anyway, wanna come with me and the rest to the court? Maybe the board will be on today," he says smiling sweetly.

"Sure, I'd love to," he takes my hand in his and we walk together, bare feet sinking in the purple soil. "Nate, can you tell me more about Delegation State? It's very hard to get used to things here."

"I was like that too. Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough," he doesn't answer my question but I brush it off.

When we finally reach the "court" Nate stops outside and allows me to take it all in. From the outside it looks pretty much like a shaded football court with a few tables here and there. The canopy that covers the entirety of it flaps in the non-existent wind. It looks like a very warm, place to just chill. I think I like it here.

This time it's me who leads Nate inside and I notice that almost all the other untils are here too. Laughing and skipping along. The very mood of this place makes me smile and I find myself laughing. Nate is so surprised he starts to laugh too. Then we're running around laughing and yelling and it's all very nice. Nate grabs me from the back and I turn to look at him.

His blue eyes are shining and he's looking at me with a smile on his face. His smile slowly dissolves away and were so close I can feel his breath on my face. He's leaning into me and pulling me closer- "NATE! FELICITY! THE BOARD IS ON!" We break up quickly and I find the source of the voice. It's the same tan guy who I heard yell whoooooppp in the morning. I'm blushing fiercely now and to my surprise so is Nate. He turns away and says, "Come on, you don't want to miss this."