EQAO

Chapter 12 - Allies & Enemies

Because I was still in my stall, I couldn't see the reactions of my friends. All I knew, was that no one was speaking. I sat in my stall, staring at myself in the mirror. I knew that maybe just in a few hours, I would be competing in a death competition.

How has no one found out about this? I mean, surely some concerned parents would've been confused when their kid just magically disappeared.

I sighed, then straightened up.

I am going to get my friends and I out of this, and when I do, I am going to shut down this entire thing, and get that Gerdalli woman arrested for life.

After about a minute of no one speaking, I walked out of my stall. Apparently, everyone else was already sitting on the floor, staring into space. Kat was silently crying again for the third time that day.

"Well," I started grimly, "I guess we'll have to fight our way out of here."

—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—

As a group, we walked down the hallway towards the grade nine classrooms.

"I'm going to take your weapons away for now, but you'll get them back once you enter the arena." Mr. Folman said, marching along the corridor.

Sameera eyed him suspiciously, then reluctantly gave her swords over to him.

"The games will begin in half an hour, so I advise that in that time, you try to make as many allies as possible." he continued, "Once the games start, you will be given instructions for your first task. That is all I'm allowed to tell you, so I guess this is goodbye."

We had stopped in front of a door I didn't recognize that was labelled,

Holding Room

Mr. Folman opened the door, and I stepped inside saying,

"Goodbye, Mr. Folman."

As soon as I walked in, a large amount of heads turned to look at me, and all conversations stopped. My friends stepped inside after me, and the silent crowd started muttering and murmuring. Everyone was seated on wooden chairs that created a very large circle around the room. There were five empty chairs close to where we stood. The room itself was quite bare. The walls were the usual school colour of off-white. There were no wall decorations of any sort, and no other furniture besides the chairs.

"Oi!" a tall boy with brown hair called, "An' jist who exactly are ya?"

He had a thick Irish accent that went very nicely with his growing beard.

"Right," said a red-haired girl from the back of the room, "You think you can just come in here and show us all up? What are you, some exchange students?"

"Now you listen here-" Sameera started, but I interrupted her.

"We're here as punishment." I said, looking at Sameera to make her shut up.

"For what?" she snorted.

"For getting into the school."

A few gasps arose from the competitors.

"How?" inquired a small boy with dark skin and dark hair.

Kat stepped forward, "I found a switch that revealed a secret door."

"Rubbish." the girl smirked, "A secret door? How cliche'. I don't suppose you found the switch using your trusty magnifying glass?"

Some of the kids around her snickered.

"Well I guess it is pretty cliche'," Kat looked hurt, "but I swear that's what happened!"

"Sure. Whatever, Nancy Drew."

"Well," I cut into the conversation, "we got caught inside, and then Ms. Gerdalli said we had to compete in the E.Q.A.O. Games."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Well, you're here, so you should learn my name. It's Mia."

"I'm Jessica, this is Kat, Sameera, Anika, and Michelle." I gestured to each person in turn.

"Won't remember any of your names." Mia replied in a bored voice, "Except maybe you, Jessie."

"It's Jessica." I said through gritted teeth.

She just smirked and looked away. I awkwardly went and sat down in one of the empty chairs next to the dark-haired boy. Michelle sat beside me, next to her was Kat, next to her was Anika, and finally, Sameera.

"Hi," the boy said, "I'm Collin Marcos, pleased to meet you."

"Hey Collin." I smiled, "As you heard, I'm Jessica."

"I believe you." he said quietly.

"What?"

"That you got into the school through a secret door. I believe you."

"Oh? Well that's nice to here that at least someone believes me."

"I honestly do. I haven't really hit it off that well with everyone else either, but I think you guys would make excellent allies."

"Really? I thought that after that whole thing with Mia, no one would want to team up with us."

"Allies?" he stuck out his hand, and I shook it.

"Allies."