Alexander Eaton || A Uriah Pedrad Love Story

Chapter 9

The next morning, at 9:30 sharp, we were sitting in hallway outside the Fear Landscape, waiting on Four and Tori.

Four walked out of the room completely drenched in sweat. “So, today you all will be going through one of our Fear Landscapes with our help. Alex, you're up first.”

I stood up and walked into the room with Four as Tori headed to the observation room. The room was probably about the size of a football field and completely flat. The walls were covered in graffiti.

“Alright, Alex,” he said. “We're going to link up and you'll go through my Fear Landscape. Don't worry about my last fear though, because you are the only one going through my Landscape.”

“Alright,” I said as he connected us via a cord.

“Take a deep breath,” Four said.

“Is that a needle?” I asked before feeling a pinching in my neck. I screamed and started to hyperventilate.

“Deep breaths Alex,” Four said.

“I-I,” I said, trying and failing at calming down.

“It's alright,” he said, grabbing my arm as I started to fall into his Fear Landscape.

The room was pitch black and started to shrink.

“Alright, claustrophobia,” Four said.

“Me too,” I said as my heart started to race. I tried pushing out on the walls. I felt a nail roll into my ankle and grabbed it to try and press it under the wall in order to stop the progression.

“Don't worry I'm just panicking,” Four said.

“So am I. At least I'm trying,” I said. “Take deep breaths and try to slow your heart rate. That's what this is all about, right?”

“Yeah, good,” he said. The walls slowed before stopping completely. We were suddenly in the air on a tightrope.

“Heights?” I asked. He nodded.  

“We've gotta get to one of the buildings,” I said, and he started moving toward one of the buildings. I moved toward the same building, trying not to look down. I wasn't scared of heights, but I was trying to help him out.

Another five seconds, and both our feet hit the solid floor.

“What's next?” I asked quietly as the room darkened.

“Killing the innocent,” he said. A girl sat tied to a chair on the opposite side of the table.

“The only way to get out is to shoot her?” I asked.

“She didn't do anything,” he said, picking up the gun.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Can't you tell? Just look at her,” he said and I did. Her eyes were pure and innocent.

“I can't ever look at her,” he said, turning his head and closing his eyes. I closed my eyes as the shot rang out.

“Tobias,” Marcus's voice came through my mind. He started circling us. I tried to calm down and breath. The scars on my back burned as he lifted his belt.

“This is for your own good,” Marcus said. I stepped between him and Four as I turned my back and Marcus brought his belt down on my back. I clenched my teeth as a scream just barely broke through.

I collapsed to the ground and came to as the light flooded my eyes.

“Are you okay?” Four asked, kneeling next to me and disconnecting the wire between us.

“No, that hurt,” I said.

“I know. Did he start beating you when I left?” He asked, sitting down.

“Should we be talking about this?” I asked. I sat up and felt a searing pain in my back.

“It'll go away. And the room is sound proof. There tends to be a lot of screaming,” he said.

“He was beating me before you left,” I said. “My back is all scarred over. I usually stay up later than everyone else to shower so no one can see them.”

“It's going to be alright. I promise,” Four said. He stood up and helped me to my feet.

“Can I go back to the dorms?” I asked.

“Yeah, I have to walk you back. I'm going to have Tori bring Uriah in next so that you aren't sitting there by yourself forever. I'm sure he will come looking for you. I'll be right back,” he said. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to calm down. I was freaking out more than I realized I was.

I felt tears running down my face. I wiped at them as Marcus's voice rang in my head. “Crying is selfish. Don't be a baby.”

“Alex, come here,” Four said. Tori opened the door and called for Uriah. I walked over to where he was standing.

“Are you okay?” Four asked.

“No,” I said. “I will be, but I'm not right now.”

“Come on. Let's get you back to the dorms. A hot shower should help,” Four said.

Unfortunately, there was only one way out of the room. That meant I had to walk right past all the other initiates.

“Sh,” Four said calmly.

“Alex?” Uriah said. He sounded concerned.

“Uriah,” Four said. “You've gotta focus. I'm going to take Alex back to his dorm and you can meet him there after you go through Tori's Fear Landscape.”

Uriah nodded as Four walked me past everyone. I kept my head down as I walked past them all.

“What a baby,” Peter said, elbowing the girl sitting next to him. I think her name was Molly.

“Shut up,” Four snapped. “I can't wait until you get in there. You're all so cocky. That is why Alex went first. He knew it was going to be Hell and he wasn't cocky or arrogant. He didn't say he'd be the one to beat the system. You are going to go last and watch it break everyone of your classmate.”

“Like Hell,” Peter said.

“Four, c'mon,” I said.

“Peter if I ever hear you bad mouth one of your classmates again I will break your arm,” Four said before leading me down a back hallway to the dorms.

“Take a shower,” Four said as we walked into the dorms. “Uriah will be here in like half an hour. He's one of the best initiates.”

“Alright,” I said, going over to my foot locker and grabbing some clothes. He hung around for a minute until I headed to the showers. I started crying the second the water hit my back. I knew the belt had been imaginary, but it didn't make the pain in my back any less.