The Elevators

Chapter 14 - The Medic

After the sixth floor, the elevator is eerily quiet. I guess everyone's shaken up. 

Except for Leo.

He tries to lighten up the mood and it works.

Eventhough Leo manages to lighten up the mood, the atmosphere is still heavy. Everyone is tired, physically, mentally and emotionally. The food is not helping any better. It tastes the same : stale and dull. After a few spoonfuls, I admit defeat. Leo volunteers to return our trays. Carrie rests her head on my shoulder and I rest mine on hers. I think about the two girls earlier. To know that you're going to die, right here and right now, it feels...odd. Death is inevitable but the time, the place, that is yet a mystery to all of us. But for 29 of us, we're going to die here; at this very building. I wonder what happens to the bodies. Will the government return them to their respective families? 

My thought vanished as Leo walks towards us with a grin on his face.

"What the hell is he doing?" Carrie asks.

"I don't know." I shake my head. He sits in front of us.

"What's up with you?" Carrie asks and Leo points his chin at me.

"What?" I ask.

"Well, there's two things." He explains. "First, when I came in the elevator earlier, you and Harry, what's up with you two?" He cocked an eyebrow and Carrie looks at me quizzically.

"Nothing." I reply.

"Bah! Yeah right!" Leo says aloud. He leans in close to me "I know the way he looks at you." he whispers and Carrie stifles a giggle.

"Hey!" I yell at the both of them and they laugh.

I shake my head "What's the second thing?" I ask Leo.

"Oh! Seventh floor, here we come!" Leo says gleefully.

"That's right!" Carrie exclaims.

"Okay, can somebody please tell me what's going on?" I ask.

"You're going to the seventh floor," Carrie explains. My face must look like I was lost.

"A civvy!" She cries.

"Ohh! I get it!" and they both laugh.

After our conversation, Leo gets our sleeping bags. Tonight, it feels hot, so I decide not to bundle up myself with the sleepingbag. We said our goodnights and the lights dimmed. 

Before I drift off to sleep, I thought about the twins. I miss them dearly. Are they eating well? I hope Caleb persuades them to eat. Caleb. I shook my head. I haven't really thought about what he said before I entered the elevator. What did he mean? If I win, will I have a chance? Will I have a future with him? I shook my head again, thinking how stupid I am for making me hopeful. Champions are the celebrities of Airen. Girls and Boys look up to them. Espeacially the girls, they chase them around. I bet Caleb has his share of flirting and ripping shirts and what not. But I can't help myself. I can't help myself thinking that I maybe have a future with him. I sighed, put my thoughts away and go to sleep.

....

I could feel someone shifting. I hear footsteps. It's soft but slowly it gets louder and louder. Is this a dream? My heart pounds against my chest. I begin to sweat. Wake up, wake up!  My body is alert, sounding every alarm in my system, but I can't move. I can't wake myself up. I'm trapped! A weight falls beside me. Someone is awake and he or she is next to me. I breathing escalates. Wake up wake up, WAKE UP! 

My eyes finally opened and my body reacts quickly. My arms blocked his. I think it's a he. He's holding something in his right hand. We wrestled, it's either he's stupid or stunned to not make another move, so I headbutt him. He falls back tripping Carrie, knocking onto 2 or 3 people. My left arm stings, crimson red liquid seeped through my skin. "Ouch." I whispered.