I clench my eyes tight, groaning as I turn into the warmth to my side. My head is pounding, feeling as if it will split if it throbs any harder.
Something snakes around my waist and I lift my head. I look up to see August slowly waking up. I drop my head back onto his chest and sigh. If only we didn't dream during the other tests. It's emotionally draining, seeing some of our biggest hopes come true in a way that feels so real. It feels almost violating how they are going through our mind and making us see things that we want, only to make us wake up and have it all gone because it never happened.
I sigh and start to get up, the pain in my head has lessened enough to stand without getting dizzy. "Guys, we have to get up and find Lincoln, so we can regroup, preferably somewhere less open."
Once standing, I stumble a step to the side and hold my temple. "Ada..."
I look over my shoulder at Eve and find her looking at the canyon wall behind me.
"What?"
"Look behind you."
I shake my head slightly but turn all the same. My hand moves from my temple to my mouth, stifling a scream. On the stone wall, a short message had been written in a dark red substance.
I'M SORRY
-L
I step back, tripping over a rock and fall to the ground, landing hard on my back. "Dear...stars..." August moves to my side, eyes training on the wall and sets a hand on my shoulder. "Is that blood?"
I shake my head, mouth still covered. I don't want to know, I can't know. "No, no, no..."
"Did he leave us?" Eve comes to my side as well, looking at the wall and I can't find the words to say.
"I'm not sure, but what else could it have been?" August and Eve continue to talk but I notice a silver glint at the base of the wall.
"What's that?" I remove my hand from my mouth and point in the direction of the light.
August moves quickly, picking it up. "It's one of our knives." As he turns it over in his hand, I can see blood smeared along the blade.
"Oh my stars." Eve crouches next to me, holding her bowed head in her hands.
"It gets worse." I look up at August again and see that he's looking behind us.
"How could it get worse?" My voice is strained, and I swallow hard as I get up once again.
"The posts display is still on, and it says something."
I send a confused look in his direction then walk to the post quickly.
Competitor, Lincoln Aristotle Fields, had failed their assigned test, therefore resulting in immediate expulsion.
"He's dead."
"Ada, what did you say?" Eve's voice is hollow and I slowly turn to look at them both.
"He failed, and now he's dead."
END OF BOOK 1
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Submit (Book 1, The Karyln Trials)
Science Fiction*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...
