The Institution For Advanced Students

Chapter 5

I begin to lower my black ink pen onto the paper when the speakers blast with a screeching "HALT!".
We all jump and Mrs. Marzia folds her arms over the wooden table. I look into the hall to see hundreds of AI units and guards marching down the narrow halls. About 20 of ten split and enter each room. 20 guards march in and walk int formation to one student.
"Why do they want..?" I mouth to Jaydon as he looks up at me from the bulky slender guard standing above him.
"HEY! Shut up!" A sharp pain hits my shoulder as the guard above me gives me a harsh slap. Mrs. Marzia who is still up on the projection screen looks at all the students dead in the eyes.
"Put in the trackers." She orders. "These trackers are to make sure you don't make any funny mistakes. The tracker can sense what you are thinking by taking a small blood sample every 5 minutes. Don't worry, you won't feel a thing when it's taking samples." She says slyly as the guard grasps my arm and injects a small tracker into my wrist. I clench my teeth in pain as it sinks into my skin. The guards aline and walk out into the halls.
"Now, sorry for the delay. You may begin now." She says. She students grab their pens and immediately begin writing.
3 hours into the test a screeching siren like sound blares throughout the room. Brian's tracker... Three guards run into the room and grasp him, dragging him up to the front of the room. Two hold out his arms and grasp his waist, while the third hold his head back. Some of the boys and I gasp, a few girls scream in terror

"May this be a lesson-" says the guard holding the large electric staff. "Not to be uncooperative to Ms. Marzia's orders!" He yells as he let's go of one of Brian's arms and holds the staff over his head. He swiftly brings it down onto Brian's chest. He screams in agony as the staff jabs through his spinal cord. We all hear the snap of his spine as it plunged through his back. The electric shock bolts through his body like a bird on a broken telephone wire. The smell was coming back, the horrid stench of flesh. Jay looks over and sees my eyes tearing. He rapidly reaches over and grasps my hand. I look over and he looks me dead in the eyes and squeezes it tighter. They drag his body out of the room and everyone resumes their test in silence and terror. No one makes a sound.
I finally finish the last question. I set my pen down and rub my sore aching hand. The teacher comes around to collect the tests. She looks down at me and glares.
"I hope you did well, Ms. Shuttleworh." She hisses. I nod my eyes widened. I was terrified the rest of the day.
"So, how do you think you did?" Jaydon asks as he walks up behind me holding his backpack.
"Fine. I guess." I murmur grabbing my bag and shutting my locker door closed. He looks over at me and sighs.
"You're okay now. They can't hurt you." He says. I nod.
"I know.." He smiles and grabs my books.
"C'mon let's get back to my place, then we can chill on the Xbox, k?" He says. I smile wider and nod.
"Alright."
As we walk into his house he sets my books down on the couch and throws his bag in the corner of the room.
"Coffee?" He asks.
"Duh. What else would I drink?" I reply. He shakes his head.
"Little white girl and her coffee." He mocks filling a mug full of creamy irish cream coffee.
"Thanks." I say taking a sip. He nods and pulls out a mug, filling one for himself.
"So, they killed Brian... In front of the class..." I say silently. I sit on the couch and lean back, sighing.
"I'm sorry. I know it was terrible." He says. I look over.
"Why are you apologizing?" I say. Jaydon shrugs.
"I don't know. I just feel bad that you had to watch that happen. Again." Ge takes a sip of his coffee. I know. He's talking about Kate's death.
"No worries, I'll be okay." I say. He shakes his head and moves closer.
"Kay, you're not okay. I can see it in your eyes, they're dull and clouded." He sets down his mug and moves next to me. I shift an inch farther from him. All these thoughts are running through my mind now and I can't focus. So I do the only thing I know how to do in this situation. I collapse in tears. I wrap my arms around Jay and cry into his shoulder.
"It's okay... I'm here." He whispers.
"I'm not okay, Jay. I don't know what to do anymore. They're gonna kill us!" I sob. He grasps my shoulders tightly and looks me dead in the eyes.
"I will not let them take you!" He yells sharply.
"But what if they do?" I say my voice trembling harshly.
"Then if you go, I go." He says. "I'm not gonna let them take us away from here. As long as we're friends, we'll be okay, and we'll fight through them. We're strong. But you are stronger." He says. I nod.
"As long as we stay friends."
"Forever and ever?"
"Forever and ever."