Orphan

Chapter 30 - Evelyn

"Evelyn."I turned towards the gate, Was I imagining it? It looked so much closer. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, as I tried to calm myself, but no matter what I did, the nerves just kept coming back. Was I really going to end up like the others dying in that pool?Biting my lips, I tried to wake up from my bad dream, but it didn't change.I could only step forward. There was no turning back, there was nowhere to hide, and if I didn't move now, those topless men were going to throw me down the chute.My legs started to tremble, my hands began to shake, and my face burned. All the remaining children from my team were watching me. Taking in a deep breath, I made my decision. If today was going to be my last day, I was going to give it my all and try my best. Maria had always said in the past if there's something that troubles you and makes you nervous then that's the thing you should attack first. It's an opportunity, and you will learn from it.I was going to make Mario proud, even if I didn't know how to swim. I walked towards the chute, taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and dropped in.The wind slapped against my face as my body fell. It was so strange, as the slide threw me left, right, up and...Dung.I crashed. Opening my eyes, I had landed in the clear confined box at the top of the stadium. I didn't want to look down, but I couldn't help it. I was 100 metres above the pool.The stadium looked so much bigger now that I was in the centre.I could hear the cheers and roars from the remaining children, and I could hear the commentator introducing us, one at a time. "It's Evelyn. The girl saved another. Lee, do you think she will try that again?""I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about..."Lee's voice replaced by a loud grinding sound. Just what was going on?I turned, and to my disbelief, more and more glass cabinets were dropping down from the ceiling with children inside. The closest one had Caleb, and he looked shocked."Evelyn, Evelyn, Evelyn." It was from Zoe. "Due to the tight schedule. I have decided to make a change to this test.""My poor children. I am so sorry. You have all been chosen to embark on this journey all because of Evelyn's actions in the previous round.""Should you make it, or should you not. I want you all to understand that there are no heroes in these challenges. You just have to fight for you and yourself.""Do I make myself clear?""Oh, one more thing. Because of Evelyn's actions last round. I have decided to reduce the time by two minutes.""Let's see just how many of you Evelyn can save? Hehe. Tic. Toc.""Ready..."My whole world flashed before my eyes. The floor disappeared, and I dropped like a rock, plunging into the pool...The water was freezing...My eyes stung as I tried to open them.It was completely silent. All I could see was the dark blue that surrounded me.I tried to kick, but I was not going up. Streams of bubbles appeared as I sank deeper. My lungs screamed for me to take a breath. Just one breath. But I couldn't. It would be the end of me if I did. How had Augustus done it?I desperately tried to remember, but it was useless. I was not thinking straight, and my lungs burned hard against my chest. I was not going to make it.I tried to kick at the water, but the bright lights were only getting dimmer. I was sinking faster with every stroke.It was too late. There was no way I was going to make it out. No! Evelyn! I have to fight. Come on! Just a little longer! This cannot be the end.It was taking all the strength I could muster to keep my mouth closed. And instinctively it opened.Icy cold water flooded in, it felt as if thousands of needles plunging into my mouth, slicing into my lungs.It was over. I was going to die.I clawed at the water, hoping to shoot to the surface. But it was useless, the harder I tried, the further I sank.It's okay, Evelyn. At least I tried. The pain slowly disappeared. The pool of blue was slowly fading.It was getting comfortable. My heart was slowing down. My muscles were relaxing. I was no longer scared.When suddenly I felt someone's arms wrap around me, lifting me. The light was getting brighter, and I exploded out of the water. Coughing and choking I took in deep breaths of air. Everything around me still looked like a blur. I wanted to see who had saved me. I wanted to thank them.But as sudden as the arms appeared, the grip loosened.And water rushed over me.How had he managed to do it? I had been given another chance, and I was not going to waste it.I started to rotate my legs, kicking the water as if I was in a cartwheel and climbing steps. It was somehow working, I dropped under, gulping water, but at the same time, my head came out of the water. Every time I came up, I was able to grasp a few breaths before I fell back under the water.I started swinging my arms out to in bringing the water to my chest.It was the only way I could think of to stay above the water.It was working. I was starting to get the hang of this. I was staying above the water longer.I turned to look at the clock on the wall. Through the blur, I could make out that four candidates had already died, who had saved me no longer mattered because there were only three minutes left.I could hear the sounds of screams and cries of the other candidates and the splashes of water around me.My legs ached and burned, but I had to continue, I had to make the most of it, I was above the water, how had Tina moved again?I could float now, so what worse could happen, I turned to the centre of the stadium and kicked, rotating my arms, in a clockwise motion while I kicked the floor.It was working. I was actually moving, coming closer. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the ceiling dropping, the fly screen like net was coming closer and closer.2 minutes.100 metres.I can do this, splashing hard with my hands. I continued to race to get closer and closer to the centre. 1 minute50 metres.It was the last stretch I can do this. I could already see that some of the other kids sitting there, looking at me as I struggled.48 metres.46 metres.The net was practically on top of me now. 30 seconds.Behind me, I heard the screams of another kid. Turning around, I looked and saw who it was, and my eyes froze.Splashing in the water all by himself was a boy.Could I save him? He was so close to the end.I had to give it a try. I stopped and turned around.25 seconds.I was right next to him.When his big arms lashed around my body as hard as steel, he was hurting me. I could feel his strong hands gripping, tightening around my arms, squeezing gasps of air out my lungs. "Stop."But his hands only tightened. I am such an idiot. Why did I come to him? I needed to do something. Anything. Thump. Thump. Thump.I hammered my fist into his chest, kicking my leg as hard as I could. Ineffective. We were sinking deeper.My lungs screamed at me to take a breath...Thrashing my body side to side, clawing at the water, I tried to slip out of the boy's hold. It was useless. He was just too strong. There has to be another way. I stopped resisting, dropping my arms against my knees — face to face. Leg against leg, thigh against thigh, we dropped like an iron ball, plunging deeper into the water.5 metres.His eyes widened, his heart is pounding harder by the second. I could feel it beating against my chest.10 metres.Come on, let go...we are both going to die...The light above was getting further.1.5 metres.My lungs were burning and urging me to take a breath.... I couldn't hold this for much longer. 2 metres.His grip loosened, his arms moved towards his face. This was it. I slammed my feet against his chest, using it as a springboard.I shot up.1.5 metres.My lips wanted to open, to take that breath, but I knew I couldn't, biting hard. Spreading my arms, I focused my energy on the light above and kicked.1 metre.Maybe I will make it.The light was getting brighter, even though my arms burned and felt sore, I was making progress.0.5 metres.It was as if instinct had taken over, my mouth jagged, slightly opening my lips.The response was instant. Burning pain burst into my chest as gallons of water ripped through my lungs. I was suffocating. Everything was turning into a blur. This was the endMy movements were slowing down, as I coughed and choked bubbles spread around me. I slowed down. Each kick was harder than the next.I stared at the giant flynet above me. There was no way I could continue to go up. The net was already in the water.The flynet plunged deeper. 3 metres.Rotating my body around the water, I looked for an exit, but there was none.All I could see was the net coming closer. 5 Metres.Come on, Evelyn, think.There has to be a way I can get around this. The Alter. Yes. 6 Metres.The flynet had a large square gap where the alter was. I just needed to swim to the side and let the net pass, and then I would be able to make my way up. I had to give it a shot.My lungs burned, my heart screamed, but I kicked with all my strength bolting to the right, just as the net was about to touch me.Yes, I dodged it. I shot up. I was going to make it. 5 metres.When abruptly, I stopped, and I could feel my whole body dropping deeper.Something was wrong. What was holding onto me?I turned to look back and froze.The net caught the belt of my dress. I was stuck. My heart was pounding so hard I felt like it would rip out of my chest. I could feel the tugging feeling around my waist as if tentacles were holding onto me, pulling me deeper.I had to get it off! My hands moved quickly to my waist, trying to unbuckle it, but my hands were flimsy, they had a mind of their own. I needed to calm down. Who invented belts? My hands clawed and scraped at it, but it was not coming off.I couldn't even take the dress off. I could barely see where my hands were touching. All I could see was dark deep blue. 7 Metres.I was going to die. This was the end.No. I refused to believe it. I had fought so hard...I can't just let this be.In that split second, I felt my hands slip into the buckle, and the button unclipped. Loosening the strangle on my waist. I knew I had to act immediately. Kicking my legs hard and stroking my arms as I had never before.5 metres.3 metres.I was reaching the top! Just a little longer.1 metre.My head burst out of the pool. Jets of water shot out of my mouth. Coughing, I took my first breath. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. It tasted so good I wanted seconds and thirds.I had made it. I had survived. I had passed the test. I lifted myself out of the water and dropped flat on my back, lying on the platform, staring at the big bulbs of light. Was this how everyone had felt when they had come out?"Will you look at that! The girl who saved another. Lives again!""You continue to defy the odds, even when Abby held onto you like a life jacket. Even when the net pushed you deep into the pool. You still managed to find a way out. What a machine!"I didn't feel like that at all. I felt like I had betrayed the boy. If only I had been stronger. If only I could have been better. If only I could have saved him.All I could think of was his bulging eyes, as he stared at me helplessly wide with fear as I pushed him away from me and left him behind. I hated myself. His name was grey out. I had failed him."Now, if you don't mind. Please make your way to the altar and go."I couldn't care less about the alter. It's black doors. I just wanted to see their bodies. The ones that had not made it. Abby's body.One by one, boys and girls, slowly floated to the top. It looked so strange. It was as if there was another net beneath them pushing them up. They looked hollow, with their eyes rolled back. They were lying flat on their back. It almost looked peaceful, but they were dead.All of them were dead.And then I saw him. I wanted to dive back in and swim towards him and pull him to me, but my legs wouldn't move. They were completely worn out.The doors along the stadium opened, and boats shot out, yanking dead bodies out of the pool.I couldn't believe what was happening. They didn't care about us at all. We were just test subjects to them.Dropping to the floor, I curled up into a ball. Warm tears burst into my eyes.The Commentators were speaking, but I couldn't make sense of it. Zoe was barking in the background, but I didn't care what she was saying. Maybe dying wasn't half that bad. At least you didn't have to deal with the feelings of losing someone.I wrapped my arms around myself, resting my face into my arms and cried.I didn't care what people thought of me. I just wanted time alone."Evelyn..."Who was calling my name? I could hear the sounds of footsteps. Did they send someone to grab me and get off the stage? "Come on, girl, let's go."This voice sounded familiar. It was soft and gentle. It was Caleb. His hair was still wet, and his shirt and shorts were still soaking in water and standing next to him was a girl with her hair tied up."What a sore loser. Why are we coming up to get her anyways? She should have just stayed in the water and died."Caleb completely ignored her instead of reaching out with his hand. He wrapped his arm around me. I felt warm as my heart started to beat a million beats per second."Come on, let's go." He reached out with his hand, pulling me off the floor and slowly we walked together to the Alter.The Alter was a strange place, it had no windows, and at the other end, it only had another glass cabinet with two buttons on the right-hand side. We stepped in together. The girl pressed the button, and we travelled down.When we stepped out, it was a massive room, easily bigger than the hall that we had been before. There were basketball rings, netball rings, weights on the floor. It was a gym.And at the centre of the stadium spreading across the whole room, with kids huddled together looking at the screen was the swimming pool.They were starting the next round. Four new candidates dropped from the ceiling. Two Boys, and Two Girls.The video on the massive screen panned across each of the candidates, showing their names as it went past.Maybelle, Jess, Gary...No way! It couldn't be.He was standing all alone. His body was shaking side by side, pale face with curly ginger hair wearing ripped jeans and a white polo shirt.Was my godbrother. Clarke.He looked terrified. Was it possible that Zoe had found out that he was my godbrother? Was this another way of her getting back at me? How was this possible? How did they get him from the orphanage?I need to help him. I couldn't bear to watch him die like the other boy.But how could I get back up? The elevator blocked by two guards and the door must be locked just like the ones at our stand. How had Caleb and that girl able to come up when I was sulking on the floor?Would they tell me?What if Zoe doesn't know that he is my godbrother? What if it was just a coincident that Clarke was just adopted by parents who also brought their child to the academy? I mean they did say this was a prestige school.Ten Minutes.Good. Zoe doesn't know. Could he swim? I don't remember him telling me that he could, but I had to believe in him. He's going to be okay. It would rip my heart apart if he ended up drowning.The glass broke...His body dropped. Cutting into the water. His limbs remained unmoved.The screen was divided into four screens, showing the situation of each candidate. But I didn't care about the others. I only cared about Clarke.Was he stunned? Was the impact too strong? Why was he not moving?He was sinking fast. 1 metre. 2 metres. Come on. You have to get up.And then it happened. His arms sliced at the water, clawing onto it as if he was climbing a ladder.It was not working...He was sinking deeper.3 metres. 3.5.4.The screen changed, showing a close up of his body and his desperate movements, then it zoomed onto his face.He looked as if he had eaten a sour apple. He was biting his lips. I could tell that he was trying desperately not to take the breath.5.I had to do something. If this continued, there was no way he was going to survive. He was sinking too deep.6.His arms were moving unco-ordinated. The top was way too high for him to reach it.I couldn't bear to listen to the commentators. They were spelling out the worst-case scenarios.I needed to make it past guards, go up and dive back into the water.But would that even help? Would I even be able to save him? Did I even have enough time? This was not how it was supposed to be.How did he even come here? How did I miss him at the first test?And even if I could save him. Would Zoe make it harder us?I had to risk it. I rushed towards the door and stopped."Omg, how is it possible? Clarke is moving like a torpedo."I turned around, and Clarke was shooting up at lightning speed. Bubbles shot out of his nose as he zoomed up.He moved like a shark, it looked like he was flapping his arms, pushing the water underneath him, and with every stroke, he shot up higher.5 Metres, 15% Air.4 Metres, 10% Air.It was a race against time, and he was not going to make it.3 Metres, 5% Air.2 Metres, 0% Air.His mouth bit hard. 1 Metre. He was so close! His mouth opened. He clenched his fist and slammed it against his chest.He was not going to make it.The screen changed again, showing his lungs and the percentage of water that had gone inside.Turning towards the guards, I lunged at the door. But I couldn't get past."Where do you think you're going?""Idiot! You cannot go around saving everyone!""I need to save him."I couldn't bear it. My eyes fluttered, tears burst out, I could feel my heart tearing."He's still alive!"I dropped to the floor, staring at the screen. Clarke was swimming towards the alter.8 Minutes.He still had plenty of time. He was going to make it. And he did.I was so happy. I wanted to throw my arms around him and tell him how proud I was.But when he finally came down. He gave me a look that I had never seen before. A look that he didn't want to be anywhere near me. "I hate you."He pushed me away. I wanted to speak, but everyone was looking this way. He didn't want anyone to know that we were related. He hated me. And I couldn't blame him. I had betrayed him. I had not managed to ask my adopted parents to adopt him. And I didn't even have the courtesy to let him know.And to top that up. Clarke had seen what had happened to Caleb. I couldn't bear to see that happen on Clarke, My Clarke. My big godbrothers.I sat down, staring at him, as we watched the remaining children finish their test.At the end of the test, the screen changed, showing the points based on each team. Team Red: 399 Points. 100 Candidates Remaining.Team Blue: 396 Points. 100 Candidates RemainingTeam Yellow: 295 Points. 100 Candidates Remaining.Team Green: 260 Points. 100 Candidates Remaining.Candidates Lost in the test: 100.