by Ramona Finn
Next came Jade, who had a last-minute change of heart and tried to resist being pushed into her tube. I couldn’t say I blamed her. The unique thing about being last in line was that I had more time to take inventory of what was happening. Each of the tubes seemed to be spaced a distance away from the others. I knew we were each to be judged on our own survival merit, but I didn’t think any of us had realized exactly how strict the parameters were or that we’d all be dropped in separate areas of the Above.
Two Elites forced Jade into her tube, finally, despite her screams, and shut the door behind her. A second later, a cheery ding rang out, announcing that the loaded tubes had begun their ascent to the Above.
When it came time for my turn, I didn’t resist. And as soon as the doors to the elevator closed, I pulled the bracelet and communication device out of my pocket. I stared at each of them for a moment, making a silent vow: I was going to survive this.
Chapter Twenty-One
I’d been raised with the image of the Above as a dead, barren wasteland. But when the elevator doors opened, I was relieved to see that, instead of reflecting an image from the simulations, in which I’d perished in nearly every scenario, what I encountered was the exact opposite. The landscape I stepped into seemed like a lush paradise in comparison with the images I’d pulled up on my terminal in the coding wing what felt like a lifetime ago.
In place of the cracked clay, the ground was instead covered in soft, springy plant life that looked almost like it was related to some of the varieties of greens grown down in the Geos. Plant and small animal life buzzed all around me, my ears immediately going hypersensitive to experiencing all the new sights and sounds. The sky was brighter than my eyes were accustomed to, and I found myself shielding my eyes with my hands. I couldn’t tell from my current position whether the sun was rising or setting, but I quickly decided that finding a place to make shelter was my first priority, if only because I had a small bladder of water in my pack. If I’d come without such a resource, finding water would have taken priority over shelter.
But the wonder of the unexpected life I’d been dropped into made the need for shelter even more important. According to Wallace, small wildlife attracted two things: larger wildlife and Rejs. And I had no desire to encounter either.
I scanned the area, squinting against the intense light until I saw something rising up in the distance. A gathering of large buildings, framed by trees.
This might not be too bad, I thought to myself, deciding to try the buildings first and see what I might find. As long as I was smart about which risks I took, and respected the power of the natural world that was reclaiming what Wallace had almost forlornly referred to as the surface, I might just have a shot at surviving. As I neared the landmark in the distance, its shadow began to take more definite shape. It was large and jutted out into the sky at mostly parallel angles; the group of buildings was larger than I’d realized, with trees off to the side, but much of the silhouette I’d seen originally was made up of the remains of a city.
The buildings were broad, with wood paneling. Some looked like living quarters. Others, I guessed, served other purposes. There was something called a corner store, with varieties of greens I’d never seen painted on its walls. Another, larger building was labeled as Brown’s Medical Complex—which, without the name, was at least a term I recognized. I walked the wide, rough path that laid over the earth, which felt like carved stone. It branched off on the sides, slithering between buildings. Now and then, I would come across an unidentifiable discarded carcass or a pile of bones. I didn’t stop to inspect whether they were animal or humanoid—potentially the remains of those who had competed in the Acceptance before me. Anyone who’d perished in the Above was mourned with an empty urn.
The risk of bringing the Virus down into the Geos was too high to risk it on the body of a contestant who hadn’t survived.
I wandered by another building that was incredibly large, like the medical complex. It rose least three floors up into the sky and had windows on all sides. The peeling paint was a cheery yellow. In the front of the building was a courtyard littered with colorful artifacts. One had a ladder leading up to miniature living quarters. Another, disk-like contraption spun in a circle as the wind picked up, its rusted parts creaking. A small white shoe hung from its weathered handlebars.
A large stone sign in the front read “Washington Elementary.”
As I moved closer to the courtyard, my eyes caught sight of the striking red X that had been drawn in large, dramatic brushes on the building’s stone walls.
Wallace had warned me about those places marked with the red X—they were among the main places to avoid. A red X indicated mass mortality from the Virus. Places whose populations had been wiped out in percentages so high that the survival rate didn’t even register statistically.
I shuddered as the thought sank into my mind, like a dry sponge that had been squeezed and placed into a puddle.
How many primary-aged children had wandered the halls of this building? How many had begun to fall before the Virus had been discovered? Had they dropped one by one, or all together? The Virus had spread quickly, reaching international plague status before the governments had recognized it as a threat worthy of their cooperation.
Most likely, the entire school population as well as their families had fallen before anyone had deemed them worth saving. If the internationally-successful Farrow Corp hadn’t stepped in and used its economical power to force their hands, humanity might have been completely wiped out.
I shook the thought from my mind. “Stop getting distracted, Ty,” I chided myself. Obviously, coming to the town had been the wrong choice. There was too much of the Virus here. I scanned the sky. Taking note of the sun’s position confirmed what I’d feared. I’d have to move quickly if I wanted to make it into the cover of the trees before nightfall.
I turned back the way I’d come, deciding that the path I knew was the safest choice. I retraced my steps meticulously, careful to avoid all the hazards I’d encountered on my way in.
Now and again, when I stepped around shards of glass or crossed a path to avoid a pile of bones, I could almost swear the echo of my footsteps faltered. By the time I was halfway back to the edge of the city, I was sure I was being followed.
My first instinct was to turn and confront my pursuer. A part of me that was larger than I’d like to admit hoped that it was Kev. For a moment, I envisioned myself calling him out, and having him appear from one of the dull, lonely buildings that surrounded me.
But something deeper in my mind tugged the impulse away. Wallace had warned me to avoid the others when I got to the surface. Ben, too, had impressed upon me the importance of avoiding other people. I couldn’t be sure whether this stalker was friend or foe. The other contestants weren’t the only humans in the Above.
Wallace’s training took over my consciousness and I continued on my path, feigning ignorance. Once I made it into the cover of the woods, I even made a good show of trying to hide my tracks—a skill Wallace hadn’t had a chance to teach me before disappearing, though he’d told me he planned to.
I slunk through the forest, trying my best to keep my breath steady and calm the beating of my heart in my ears. In the city, things had been silent, other than the occasional gust of wind. The Virus hadn’t wreaked its havoc in the forest. It was teeming with life.
“Even when you think you’re sitting in silence,” Wallace had said, “if you listen carefully, you’ll find that life is loud.”
Growing up in the Geos, I’d become used to noise. The noise of a generator powering the terminals. The buzz of the track lights as they flickered at the end of their life. The slamming of metal trays against tables.
The noises here were not like any of those, and Wallace hadn’t had enough time to warn me. While my ears heard these wild noises, my brain couldn’t categorize them. I didn’t know what sounds were the trees rustling, the birds calling, or the hunter stalking. If I c
ouldn’t separate the noises from one another, how was I supposed to evade whoever was following me?
I picked up my pace. Maybe if I could get a good distance between us, I could climb up into one of the trees and hide. My pursuer may very well pass right by me, and with any luck, I’d have a good enough view to determine whose side they were on.
I wove through the trees as I walked, hoping to confuse whoever was behind me without losing track of my relative position. When I felt certain I’d put enough distance between me and my mystery stalker, I began to look the trees over more seriously, scanning the boughs for one strong enough to hold me. Wallace had told me I’d have to nest up high enough to be missed by the Rejs when they went by, but not so high as to alert anyone to my position. This meant staying below the cover of the forest canopy.
Just when I thought I’d found a promising tree—one with broad, pointed leaves which I could use to camouflage my shelter—a rustling in the brush about thirty feet away caught my attention. Before I’d had the chance to assess the threat, it bounded through the brush and barrelled toward me. Its long face, beady eyes, and especially long curled horns flew at me as fast as a Geos shuttle. I dove out of the way, not even looking over my shoulder as I scrambled to my feet and ran.
The beast made a bellowing sound that drowned out all the other life sounds of the forest. As the lowest hanging branches whipped against my face and shoulders, there were only two sounds I could hear—the pounding of my heart racing against my ribcage in rhythm with my feet beating against the ground, and the hoofbeats of what was sure to be my death as it raced behind me.
The landscape changed around me in blurs. The trees grew further apart, and the way ahead became a steep incline. I hoped I wasn’t the only one forced to slow down by the terrain’s new tilt.
As I crested the hill, a new sight greeted me and my heart plummeted. A wall of crimson red Xs painted on the side of a wooden fence lay on the other side of the hill. Even if I was able to scale it, doing so would surely mean my doom.
I had a better chance with the beast.
I turned, my chest heaving as I tried to fill my lungs with air. The act surprised the beast, who also slid to a halt.
I could see it better now. Its hide was dark, and its eyes were beyond reason. It was afraid, like me. But why?
I stepped closer slowly. Maybe it could be reasoned with.
Or maybe not. My advance set it off, and it charged me. I spun out of its path, barely missing the point of one of its horns, which grazed my shirt, tearing it.
I took off down the hill, putting more distance between us before turning to face the beast again. Its sweat-covered muscles rippled. Its thin tail flicked this way and that. I stood poised, trying to read its body language. To predict when it would attack. I was pretty sure I could.
Arrogance was as good as idiocy, and mine was about to cost me. This time, the beast made contact with my body, tossing me up and over it. I hit the ground and my vision blurred. I lay on the ground feeling as if my whole body had been shattered. It seemed like minutes, not seconds, had gone by before I was able to inhale again. I pushed myself up from the ground, clutching my arm as blood began to pool from a wound on my forearm.
Behind me, the beast stamped its foot, huffing in agitation. I knew better than to look it in the eye as I turned to face it.
If it was anything like the animals in the sims, I knew it would charge again. The beast bellowed as it launched itself into the air after me. I waited, biding my time. I counted as it barrelled toward me, trying to calculate how many strides were left until it was on me. A slight miscalculation and I was done for.
The seconds seemed to stretch on as I watched the beast rush toward me. Every muscle in my body was poised, screaming to run, but I held my ground until the last minute.
I could smell the beast’s foul breath as I rolled aside at the last minute, tucking my limbs inward as I hurled my body out of the animal’s path. The beast sped past me. I struggled to my feet, grabbing a nearby stick to use as a weapon.
Blood pooled in my mouth. I spat in the beast’s direction, daring it to try again. If I was going to die, I was going to do so fighting.
I planted my feet, pulling the stick up and around until its weight rested on my shoulder, trying to pretend that every breath I took didn’t feel like I was inhaling shards of glass.
I stared the beast down, and I yelled. “Come for me then! What are you waiting for?”
It stamped its hoof. Then it let out a bellow that shook the entire forest.
“Well, Tylia,” I said to myself, “time to see if the sims were right.” Suddenly, I wished I’d taken my chances with the Virus. The beast lowered its head as it braced itself to charge. I raised the stick, willing my muscles to swing with enough force to stun the beast before it ploughed me down.
Against all reason, I closed my eyes. Please, I thought to myself, please let them upgrade my parents anyway. I knew it was an empty prayer. The Elite was reserved for survivors only, not imposters who were stupid enough to get themselves trampled to death.
The beast cried out again, but this time was different. It wasn’t a threat or a war cry. It was a call for help. I opened my eyes to see a spear sticking out of the side of its ribcage. Moments later, four Rejs burst through their hidden spot in the trees and slayed the beast.
Chapter Twenty-Two
My body froze, betraying me as the four got to work skinning the creature. The act was barbaric—one that my stomach couldn’t handle. I bent over, my hands on my knees, and dry heaved.
One of the Rejs, the one who had been giving commands as they butchered the animal, approached me. He was taller than the other three and dressed in clothing made from the hair and hide of a beast similar to the one that had attacked me. Their faces were covered from the eyes down in white muslin cloth.
My brain screamed at me to run, but scanning the landscape, I realized that I had nowhere viable to go. Even if I chose a direction randomly, he was close enough to close the distance before I’d made it out of spear range. Whether he caught me or not, I’d be dead.
My eyes jumped over the beast’s body, focusing on the spear sticking out of its ribcage. They’d outrun me, or worse.
Every muscle in my body tensed as the Rej took my wrist in his hand. His broad shoulders and strong arms told me he was probably male, though his face and head were hidden by the soft-looking fabric. He turned my arm, tracing his fingers around the wound where I’d been caught by the beast’s horns. Perhaps he was appraising my hide. Did they wear people skin, too? My mind branched out into several worst-case scenarios. Rejs were one of the most dangerous things one could encounter in the Above. Even Wallace had warned me to stay away from them.
They were outcasts, breaking all of society’s rules and following no man’s law. They ravaged the upper Geos, stealing medicines and food. There were even rumors that they were the reason nobody had survived the Acceptance in the past fifteen competitions.
The Rej moved back toward his companions and called out instructions in words I didn’t understand. They tossed him a pack and he returned, motioning for me to sit.
I thought about running again, double-checking my options, but when I shifted my weight, my leg buckled and I nearly fell to the ground.
The Rej caught me by my uninjured arm and lowered me to the ground gently. He reached into his pack and pulled out a gauze cloth and a small wooden bowl with a lid, along with a flask. He poured the contents of the flask over the wound on my arm and I threw my head back, suppressing a scream as a burning sensation spread up my limb.
The Rej nodded. “It burns, but it’s good,” his deep voice said in a soothing tone “The burn kills the infection. The pain will stop in a minute.” I tried not to flinch as he tended to it. At least it can get by without sutures. I cringed at the thought of trying to sew myself up out here in the middle of nowhere. He opened the wooden bowl, scooping an ample amount of a green salve onto the gauze before wrappin
g it around my wound. His fingers traced down my arm to my wrist, where my father’s copper cuff sat. My arm broke out in gooseflesh under his touch.
“What do you want to trade for this?” he asked, his voice muffled by the cloth covering his face.
“Trade?” I repeated as my mind processed the question.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Copper is valuable. Makes good tools. You can trade for supplies.” He looked up, and his eyes twinkled. “This is a new wave, isn’t it? You don’t know trade yet.”
“I know what trade is,” I said curtly. I thought about telling him right off the bat that I’d been raised to believe Rejs were no better than the dumb beast his friends were skinning. But he had three friends, the smarter part of my brain reminded me. Best not to insult their society when I was outnumbered. “It’s mine,” I said firmly. “My father’s, anyway.” I didn’t know why I felt I owed him any explanation.
“It means a lot to you, then,” he said. “Especially if this is a new wave. I can respect that.”
The tension left my shoulders. I was relieved, but confused. If he wasn’t going to rob me, what were his intentions? Rejs weren’t known for their kindness towards outsiders. Rumor had it that they’d even kill amongst themselves if it came down to issues of territory or other resources.
The Rej unwrapped his scarf, as if revealing his face to me would make me trust him. He was my age, or close to it at least. His face was scarred, but not in a way that detracted from his beauty. His sculpted jaw and dark hair caught my attention more than I would have liked to admit. And then there were his eyes.