*Completed*
We are only a number...
How would you feel if when you were born, your whole life was set in front of you? If how you were treated was all dependent on where in the year you were born? Well, welcome to Karyln, formerly known as the Unit...
I swallow one of my anti-anxiety pills dry, then cross my arms, the air inside the tent gradually getting colder. I hear the door to the tent swaying as August comes inside and my body tenses.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I close my eyes, having no way to answer except the truth.
"No..." After August and Keith got back and August told me that our teams next test was one of my own I plastered on my trained grin and tried to stay strong for everyone around me as everything inside me crumpled to dust.
I knew that I would eventually need to have my individual tests and that I wouldn't be able to fight this, I just never expected to have my individual test first. I assumed that I would be the last to go considering our birth order, but it's just like the saying goes: Assuming makes for mistakes and consequences.
August walks over and pulls me into his arms, but I only allow myself a short moment of enjoying his warmth before pulling away. "Let's just go to bed, I need to try and get as much sleep as I can for tomorrow..."
I step away and make my way to my side of the tent, crawling onto the inflated bed and pulling my thin, reflective blanket up to my shoulders. I see August slip into his bed and I roll over, turning my back to him to face the side of the tent.
August has seen me in multiple low places, places where I was drowning in my own tears, and others where I couldn't be reached by anyone. But I don't want him seeing me in this low, the kind that slowly picks away at your soul, the kind that all you can do is think of what's next and contemplate how you'll come back from whatever reset you're forced into.
Luckily, August doesn't press for anything I'm not willing to share and simply tries to rest as I do. Soon, the medication reaches my system and pulls me into the dreamless void that houses me until morning
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The eight of us stop walking and I unstrap my bag from my back, sitting on the ground to quickly change shoes. We'd set up camp a mile and a half from both our test and the other team's test, now we're a mile away from them and it's time to go our separate ways and wish the other's best of luck.
I stand, my pointe shoes snug on my feet and walk over to Tina. I take her hands in mine and give them a small squeeze. "It's time to say goodbye, Tina. It was fun to meet you and spend the day with you."
Tina's eyes meet mine and her expression twists in sadness. "Atha can'd leaf!"
I give her a small frown and push hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, we have to go somewhere different than you guys, but we'll see each other soon. We'll see each other at the end of this if not again during the journey." A small smile finds its way to my lips as I look at the small girl and she nods.
"Agan." Ross steps forward and takes Tina's hands from mine, gently pulling her back to the rest of their team and we split into our two teams of four.
