Chapter 27: Second test
~Abel Arhen~
I was let go.
Not violently. Not gently either. Just... let go.
My legs trembled, buckled, and finally gave way under my weight, leaving me on my knees, exhausted.
My body wouldn't stop shaking. The pain in every muscle, the fatigue and hunger continued to pull at me until I gave in.
The floor was cold. It helped me stay conscious. The room was too bright, and yet everything seemed dark to me.
All around, dozens of people were gathered in small groups. They were watching me, but no one reacted.
Their eyes were piercing. They looked at me with hesitation, pity, disgust, but also fear.
My heart began to race. My breathing was erratic, the sharp air invading my lungs as if to tear them apart.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't calm down. Small tears mixed with the grime on my face before staining the immaculate white floor.
I hated this place.
Images came back to me. Without warning. I wanted to push them away. Their stares hurt me. As if they could see something I wanted to hide. Maybe they're afraid of this thing? Maybe they were afraid of it?
I wanted to leave. Anywhere. Just not be there anymore.
"Hey." Someone had approached.
I jumped slightly but didn't react immediately. Whether from fatigue or fear, I remained frozen on the floor.
"Are you... okay?" She was crouched down in front of me, looking at me with eyes that were both worried and distant, as if she understood that being watched terrified me.
I found myself staring at her features for a while, her pale skin, her ruby eyes, her long jet-black hair. They were familiar to me, but a violent migraine prevented me from thinking any further.
"Erine?" I whispered the name that had come to mind without really realizing it.
"I... I think so," I replied quickly, putting my hand to my forehead.
"My body is... failing," I quickly added to justify the long silence.
She held out a piece of cloth to me. I hesitated for a moment longer, causing her to withdraw her hand.
"...is here." I could only hear the end of the sentence she whispered, but I felt infinitely grateful. It was the first time in so long that someone seemed happy to see me.
My fingers tensed for a moment, and I felt warmth in my chest.
"Yes," I replied with too little energy despite all the emotions rushing through me, but before I could continue, a voice rang out.
_______________________________________
The voice had been silent for a moment, but no one dared to speak.
My head was bowed. One arm, still trembling, held my knees close to my chest.
The other ran across the cold floor, tracing invisible lines to keep me from collapsing from exhaustion.
A piece of fabric appeared in my field of vision.
I looked up.
"Erine?"
She showed no emotion. She wasn't crying and seemed barely affected by the news.
She simply held out the fabric to me, her hand motionless, as if waiting for me to decide.
I hesitated for a moment.
Then, timidly, I took it.
My fingers squeezed it too tightly. The fabric crumpled between my damp palms. I wiped my face without looking at her.
Erine sat down next to me, just far enough away so as not to make me uncomfortable, and began to observe the others.
Around us, everyone began to move again. Slowly. Footsteps. Whispers. Bodies drawing closer, grouping together.
I curled up a little more.
Erine stayed.
She simply placed her hand on the floor, near mine. She didn't touch me, but it was enough.
My breathing finally slowed down. A little.
Enough for my head to stop spinning.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that.
When I finally dared to turn my head toward her, she was looking straight ahead. Her shoulders were tense. Her jaw was clenched.
As if she too was afraid. My heart ached when I saw her like that.
I wanted to help her, but I said nothing.
And I stayed.
After a few long minutes of silence, doors opened on either side of the room.
They had been there all along. I hadn't noticed them.
Guards began to circulate among us. Not running. Not shouting. They simply pointed in directions. Left. Right. Forward.
Groups formed without any clear order.
Some people got up immediately. Others hesitated. A few refused to move until a gloved hand grabbed them by the shoulder.
I got up with difficulty.
My legs protested, but they held.
Erine walked ahead, slowly enough for me to follow her through the crowd.
We were led to a corridor wider than the others. The floor was marked with dark lines. Numbers on the walls. I didn't know what they meant.
The next room looked like a dormitory.
Rows of metal beds, lined up with almost military precision. Too close together. No walls. No privacy.
Just bodies to come.
Some immediately claimed a bed. Others remained standing, as if waiting for permission that never came.
I sat down on the first free mattress.
It was hard. Clean. Cold.
Around me, the stares began again.
Different from before, except that they were no longer all directed at me.
To my left, an older boy approached another child and took his bed without a word. The child said nothing. He left.
No one intervened.
I curled up slightly.
I could still feel Erine's presence. She had settled down on the bed opposite mine. She would glance at me occasionally, briefly, then look away.
As if staring at me for too long was dangerous.
A voice rang out again, closer this time. Not amplified.
"Meals will be distributed twice a day."
A pause.
"Travel outside authorized areas will be punished."
Another pause.
"Learn to cooperate. Or adapt."
The voice fell silent.
A heavy silence fell over the dormitory.
Someone laughed nervously. Another cried. Someone swore under their breath.
I lay down on the bed without taking off my clothes.
The ceiling was too white.
I clutched the piece of cloth in my hand.
I still didn't understand the rules, but in a way, the situation was better than before, wasn't it?
"Elya, Father, I miss you..."