by Chris Babu
“Guess we know what the sticky gloves are for,” Charlie said.
Drayden’s fear overwhelmed him. He teetered, rocked by dizziness. He bent over and dropped his head between his knees. He needed to increase the blood flow to his brain before he fainted, as his mother had taught him.
His baseball hat fell off, landing upright between his feet in a small pile of gravel, like it jumped off his head to taunt him. Or was it a message from Mom?
His mother would be strong right now. She would be brave and selfless, realizing others depended on her, like the time she saved a woman at the FDC. A shelf full of food had crushed the woman, drenching her in blood. People generally avoided touching anyone else’s blood for fear of contracting a disease. His mom had used an apron to slow the bleeding and shuttled her to the hospital, the woman’s blood soaking her in the process. Drayden had asked her later if she was afraid she would get sick. She said she was, but this woman would have died otherwise.
That was when his mother taught him about karma. She said if she did the right thing and saved this woman, the “karma gods” would protect her. If she acted selfishly and allowed her to die, karma would come back to bite her in return. It was as close as Mom ever came to religion.
Tim and Sidney were counting on him to solve the remaining brainteasers. They needed him to overcome his fear and stay in this thing. If he was exiled, they were toast. He snatched the hat, pulling it on tight, and stood up.
The glass building was effectively a giant greenhouse. Drayden’s back dripped with fresh sweat from the sweltering heat.
“Tim, I don’t know if I can do this,” he said.
“Yes, you can,” he said, his voice firm. “Look, none of us have ever climbed something like this before. Check it out, though. It’s designed to be climbed. There are little notches and ledges all the way up. I bet this is a training facility for the Guardians. Of course, they probably have harnesses, but whatever. You’re going to move one hand and then one foot at a time, and not look down.”
Drayden nodded. He could do that.
Alex and Charlie were bickering at the base of the wall. Charlie pointed skyward, explaining something. Off to the side, Sidney stretched and sipped water from her bottle.
Halfway between Drayden and the wall, Catrice sat cross-legged, her face buried in her hands. Charlie noticed her at the same time. He stopped mid-sentence and headed for her.
Drayden hustled her way too. He beat Charlie, and knelt beside Catrice. “Hey, you all right?”
She looked up and whispered, “I can’t do this.”
“You can, Catrice. I’m gonna help you. So is Charlie. I think he’ll be the best at this. He’ll climb above you and show you where to go next, and I’ll climb behind you to make sure you don’t fall. We’ll go slow.”
Her eyes were red and moist, tears streaking her porcelain cheeks. She wiped them with her palms.
Even as a weepy mess, she was still stunning. Her light eyes glowed, reflecting the sunlight, which highlighted her delicate features. She could really use a tissue, though. Drayden choked back a laugh. He actually did love the way the sunlight reflected off the angles of her head.
She nodded. “I’ll try. Hopefully I won’t fall and kill one of you guys.” She forced an unhappy smile.
Drayden ran back to Tim and filled him in on the plan.
“Wait, what?” Tim asked. “A minute ago, I thought I was gonna have to carry you on my back crying like a baby, and now you’re helping Catrice climb? Man, you do like her.”
Drayden pressed his lips together to keep himself from blubbering about Catrice. He knew he needed to focus. As he stuffed his hat in his backpack, he had a thought. “Tim,” he whispered, “we might not all pass this test. Remember what Eris Page said. It’s not the same as the brainteasers where we give one answer and all pass or fail. Some could make it, and others could fail and be exiled. Or fall and die. We don’t necessarily have to work together. Do you think we need to worry about Alex, like, pushing someone off the wall? That someone would be me.”
“Nah. Those two idiots need you around for the intelligence challenges. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
The pledges gathered beneath the wall. Everyone wore their gloves, and their backpacks were strapped on tight. Charlie called them to attention. “I’m going to go first and figure out the best path up. Catrice is going to follow me, and—”
“Whoa,” Alex said. “Why? I don’t think so. I’m following you. She can follow me.”
Tim rolled his eyes. “Alex, she’s scared, just let her follow Charlie. Let’s all help each other, okay? We’re all going to work together.” He glanced at Drayden.
Alex’s cheeks turned red. “Well I’m going to take the same steps Charlie does, she can just follow me. What’s the difference?” he whined like a bratty kid.
“It’s fine,” Catrice said. “He can go after Charlie.”
Charlie looked at Alex to protest, before lowering his eyes.
“I’ll be right behind you, Catrice,” Drayden said.
She forced a smile.
Sidney stepped forward, stretching her quads. “I don’t need to follow anyone. I can climb next to you guys, in case you have any trouble. Catrice, I may not be all brainy, but I can definitely help on this one.”
“Thanks,” Catrice said hesitantly.
“You the man, Sid,” Tim said, earning a fist-bump back.
“I’m friends with some Guardians who taught me about climbing,” Charlie said. “The gloves are sticky; they’ll make it easier, but climb with your legs, not your hands, making sure to keep your waist above your feet. Don’t ever lean to the side, you’ll fall. And you don’t want to look at the ground and get scared. Only watch your feet to find the footholds.”
Drayden’s hands shook so much it looked as if he were trying to do jazz hands. Standing at the base of the wall, it seemed a mile high.
Charlie began climbing and within seconds reached six feet off the ground. He peered down. “Alex, you start up. Get used to how it feels on the wall while we’re still low. The gloves are awesome.”
Alex started to climb, copying Charlie’s movements.
“Catrice, you start now!” Charlie hollered down as he moved higher.
Catrice took a minute just to mount the wall with all four limbs. She followed Alex’s path exactly after that. One foot up, one hand up, the next foot up, the next hand up, zigzagging up the wall. She appeared shaky, but she progressed.
“C’mon, Catrice!” Tim yelled. He clapped a few times in encouragement.
Sidney started a few feet to her left. She jumped on the wall and spidered up several feet within seconds.
“All right, Dray,” Tim said. “You’re up. Don’t worry about Catrice. It’s good enough that she thinks you’re watching out for her. If she falls there’s nothing you can do anyway. Focus on what you’re doing. One movement at a time.”
Drayden placed each hand in a notch. He lifted his left foot into a low notch, and swung his right foot onto another. His face and body were pressed up so close to the wall that he smelled the dusty scent of the stone. Supporting his weight was tougher than it looked. He employed too much arm and not enough leg.
“Move your foot up a level,” Tim said.
Drayden peered down, located a notch, and set his left foot there. He pushed himself up on that foot and secured notches with his left hand and then his right. Now his right foot dangled. He found a notch for it. His fingers, arms, and legs were already fatigued, and he’d only climbed five feet. He looked up to follow Catrice’s path.
She continued fifteen feet directly above him now. Sidney was ten feet above him to his left, scaling the wall with ease.
Drayden resumed his ascent, slowly. One foot, one hand, the other hand, the other foot. Don’t look at the ground. Over and over. He resisted the powerful tempt
ation to glance down. His limbs and fingers throbbed, his abdominal muscles burned, and his back ached. “You doing alright up there, Catrice?”
“Yeah!” she shouted back, about twenty-five feet above him. She neared the top.
Tim grunted. “Man, my arms are on fire. You’re doing great, bud, keep going.”
“I’m at the top!” Charlie yelled, his voice echoing for seconds. “It’s wide, you can rest up here. I know everyone’s burning. Just make it to the top and you can take a break!”
Sidney finished next, then Alex. A few moments later, cheers erupted. Catrice had reached the top.
Sweat dripped into Drayden’s eyes, stinging them, and he had no free hand to wipe it away. His hands were weakened, so each shaky movement took twice as long now. “Tim, it feels like my hands are going to slip off! I can’t grip anything. What do I do?”
“Push, Drayden!”
Drayden stepped up with his left foot.
It slipped.
He held on tight with both hands, flailing his left foot around. He screamed, his heart racing. His foot found the notch. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. Without the gloves, he would have died right there.
“Five more feet, Drayden!” Sidney shouted.
Drayden forced himself. His fingers touched the top of the wall.
Charlie’s strong hands gripped him around the wrists, pulling him up to safety.
Drayden collapsed, panting, soaked in sweat. “I did it,” he whispered.
“Almost there, Tim! You got this,” Sidney said.
“That sucked,” Tim grumbled as he rolled on top of the wall onto his back, his chest heaving.
Drayden sat up, the hot sun on his face, and absorbed his unfamiliar surroundings. The view mesmerized him.
They were perched ten stories in the air on a thick rock, peering through the glass into what was once Times Square. Though technically part of the Dorms, everything west of Fifth Avenue was off-limits. Everyone had viewed PreCon photos of Times Square, with its glittering lights and colossal billboards, brimming with energy. This was the zombie version. Generations-old dark screens, faded billboards, broken windows, crumbling buildings, and jagged roads all painted a grim picture. It was utterly silent.
Drayden’s sweaty t-shirt was glued to his back. He swallowed deep, refreshing gulps from his water bottle.
The pledges sat in silence, huffing and puffing, wet hair matted to their heads. Charlie stood and shook out his hands. “Man, it’s hotter than two rats making love in a wool sock.” He wiped sweat from his forehead. “I might do that again just for fun.” He guffawed. “You guys ready to go?”
Drayden nudged Catrice. “I should’ve had you follow me.”
She playfully splashed him with some water from her bottle.
Charlie clapped his hands together a few times. “On the way down, it’s a lot easier. Piece of cake.” He leaned his head back and shouted, “I own you, Bureau! Woohoo!” the sound echoing off the walls.
Charlie lay down on his belly and lowered himself over the cliff, legs first. “It’s not that hard. You just have to find those first footholds slowly, and then you can move your hands. Like this.” He edged lower, only his arms on top of the wall now. “No!” He’d slipped, and was dangling by his hands. “Help!”
Tim rushed over and seized Charlie’s forearms. “Hold me, Dray!”
Drayden clutched Tim around the waist, pulling with all his strength.
“Get your feet in, Charlie,” Tim grunted.
“I got it, I got it!” he yelled. “I’m good.”
Tim released Charlie and crashed back into Drayden. Charlie started his descent.
Drayden’s heart pounded. “Jeez. That was close. I think we should help each person start down.”
“Good idea,” Tim said. “Alex, you’re up. If you still insist on going before Catrice.” He smirked.
Alex glared at him. He lay belly down, with Tim and Drayden gripping his arms, and climbed down. They supported Catrice the same way, then Sidney parallel to her.
“You’re up,” Tim said to Drayden.
“How are you going to start? There’s nobody to hold you.”
“Someone has to go last. I got this. You just worry about getting down.” He peered over the cliff. “Unless I do fall and take everyone out.”
Drayden found that starting down wasn’t quite as difficult as Charlie made it appear. Descending was easier than climbing, with gravity to assist. One hand and foot at a time.
A scream rippled through the cavernous space from below, the echo magnifying its terror.
Drayden’s body jerked. His eyes darted down, the height dizzying him.
Catrice was dangling by her hands, her feet swaying below her.
“Drayden!” she screamed.
“Hang on! Don’t let go. I’m coming.”
“Careful, Dray!” Tim yelled. “Don’t go too fast!”
Drayden searched frantically for a foothold then stopped, startled by what he saw.
From beneath her, Alex wordlessly placed each of Catrice’s feet into a notch.
“Oh my God, thank you, Alex. I’m all right!”
Drayden exhaled a huge breath. “You sure?”
“Yes. Thank you, Drayden.” Their eyes met.
It struck Drayden in that moment, that his concern for Catrice had made him ignore his own fear for a few seconds. He almost felt brave.
They resumed their descent, Drayden following Catrice’s path.
The sun singed the skin on the right side of his face. Sweat dripped down his nose and coated his lips, making his mouth salty.
“I made it!” Charlie shouted from what sounded like miles below.
Drayden continued on, deliberate with each movement. His fingers burned. Between notches they were so fatigued he could barely wiggle them. He neared the bottom and couldn’t resist a peek.
Twenty feet to go. Charlie and Alex stood safely on the ground, and Catrice was nearly down.
Take your time. Hand, foot, foot, hand. Almost there. But the burning! His movements stiffened, slowed. He had to get down pronto. He couldn’t hold on much longer. Hand, foot, foot, hand.
His hand missed a notch, slipping past it.
He quickly stabbed his hand out to grab it again, then lost his foothold. His limbs flailed. No!
He was falling.
CHAPTER 12
Drayden smashed to the ground, pain exploding in his ankle. He crumpled, rolling onto his back, screaming out in agony.
“Drayden! No!” Tim yelled from up the wall.
Drayden rolled around clutching his left ankle. Hot daggers stabbed into it. He writhed on the floor, moaning.
Both girls hovered over him. Catrice held her hand over her mouth, her forehead wrinkled in concern. Sidney rested her hand on his arm.
“Let me in there!” Tim shouted. He shouldered through the girls and cradled Drayden’s head. “What’s hurt?”
Drayden grunted. “My ankle.” The embarrassment from his fall was almost as godawful as the pain. “Let me sit up.”
Tim pulled him up to a sitting position.
Drayden avoided eye contact with the girls. He spotted Alex and Charlie sitting by the entrance to the tunnel.
Charlie watched them, while Alex rifled through his backpack.
Drayden’s ankle throbbed, but thankfully the pain had plateaued. “You guys ready to go?” He grunted again.
“Let me see your ankle,” Tim said. “Move your hands, dude. This might hurt a bit. I have to see how bad it is.” He pulled the sock down and pressed on the ankle.
Pain jolted up Drayden’s leg, nauseating him.
He winced and jerked his ankle away. “Watch it, man!”
“It looks okay, bro,” Tim said. “Just a little swollen. No bones sticking out
or anything, I think it’s just a sprain.”
“Thanks, Doctor Zade,” Drayden said sarcastically.
Sidney rested her hand on his thigh, caressing it. “Hey, you’re gonna be fine, Dray. We gotta keep moving. You can do it.”
“How am I supposed to walk?” Drayden asked.
“You have to,” Tim said. “That’s how. You have to suck it up. It’ll ache at first, but walking on it might loosen it up. Let’s get you standing, and then we’ll prop you up. You can walk between me and Sidney with your arms around our shoulders.” Tim winked at him.
Sidney pushed by Catrice, bumping her out of the way.
Drayden gave Tim a look. “Thanks.” He reminded himself of his goal. He had to focus on completing the Initiation, not on Catrice or Sidney. The hope of finishing had just taken a crushing blow.
Catrice plodded off toward the tunnel. Tim and Sidney hoisted Drayden up.
He didn’t dare put any weight down yet. He shuddered pondering that first step, and hopped on his good ankle instead.
“Dude, that’s not gonna cut it,” Tim said. “Try stepping on it lightly.”
Drayden gingerly set his foot down.
On a scale of one to ten, the pain level registered a two. Manageable. He added some more weight and it increased to a three. When he added a tad more, it spiked to a nine, triggering a wave of nausea. Tendons and ligaments popped and crackled.
Drayden grimaced. It was definitely messed up. He’d never been injured like this before, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Like Tim had said, however, he simply had to suck it up. He tried limping, bearing weight on the left foot for a second before switching, resulting in uncomfortable, yet bearable pain.
Drayden paused to dig out his water and painkillers. The bottle contained four pills. He knew he should probably save them since he might need them even more at some point, but if he was going to survive another bravery challenge, he’d have to walk. He swallowed one pill.
The three of them reached Charlie, Alex, and Catrice, sitting at the entrance to the tunnel where the tracks began.