Chapter 17
Binnow entered the canteen at dinnertime, and silence fell as a sea of eyes met the hessian sack she held.
No one dared object or ask why names were being pulled for the War Zone so soon, as last time had taught them the rules had changed.
Scarlen was glad Bear was still in the infirmary. Maybe that made him exempt. There was no telling.
‘Five from here,’ said Binnow, reaching into the sack.
Judd was the first name, then two women from Amber who weren’t part of any gang, then Oxley was called, and lastly, Scarlen Smithson.
Scarlen looked to Oxley. We’re being punished.
He turned to whisper something to Raven, then Binnow left, and Miss Harnish told everyone to get back to their dinner.
‘Shit! What is happening around here lately?’ Dionne leaned across the table. ‘You okay, Scarlen?’
‘I’m starting to think I’ll die in this place.’
‘Everyone thinks that. You have to stay strong. And whatever you do, make sure you get a dagger out there. Top priority, you hear me?’
Scarlen slightly bobbed her head, knowing she had to fight, be it her mind, the system, or Judd. She could already feel his eyes boring into her but daren’t acknowledge him. ‘At least I have two sweatshirts this time that are both mine.’
Dionne smiled at her small joke, concern brimming.
The rest of dinnertime was quiet, and hardly anyone looked at Scarlen, let alone spoke to her, and she had to wonder if they saw her as cursed. Maybe she was, or perhaps her father had a hand in her torture.
The War Zone soon came around, and Scarlen found herself standing in line once more, scanning trees for any immediate signs of a dagger.
The other inmates looked a lot tougher than last time, but the twins had taught her looks can be deceiving, so she wasn’t going to feel intimidated by height and muscle or Judd’s scowl she could see out of her periphery.
‘Shame you can’t all die,’ said Mr Jontson, keys jingling at the barred door.
Shame I can’t gut you like a fish. Scarlen got ready to run, mostly in the opposite direction to Judd, as he was the one she trusted the least, and she didn’t even know the others except Oxley.
The five Ones glared at each other as though already at war, and the two women from Amber Block Two seemed to be friends, judging by the sly nod they gave each other when they thought no one was looking, but Scarlen noticed. She was taking it all in this time.
The horn blew, and everyone took off towards the trees, the stampede vibrating the hard ground.
Scarlen wasn’t going to keep running like before. This time she was searching high and low, brushing leaves and twigs, shifting damp clumps of earth, and upturning small boulders, desperately searching for a weapon, her only backup this time.
The glint of metal flashed for all but a moment in among a mound of earth that on further inspection was an ants’ nest. With a shiver and a silent shriek, she plunged her hand deep into the nest to grab the hilt and pull.
Trying to stay calm, she quickly wiped all ants from her arm, feeling itchy all over as they fell, then she fled the scene, the dagger clenched, ready for battle.
A sharp cry ripped through the air for a second, causing Scarlen to stop as she was about to climb a tree. She waited for more noise, but after some muffled shouting, all went quiet until the second horn blew.
The game had begun.
There wasn’t much to see at the top of the tree, just the high fence in the near distance and some large white birds perched close by. At first glance, she saw gulls, but then they ruffled their wings and red streaks were revealed before they spotted her and snarled their beaks.
‘What the …’ Scarlen almost toppled from her branch in the race to get to the ground before the weird birds reached her, but they flew fast, and she pressed down too hard on a finer branch, snapping it completely, bringing her crashing to her back.
A high-pitched squawking came from the birds flapping over her head, pulling at her hair, scratching at her face.
Scarlen batted them away, her arm outstretched, the dagger thrashing in all directions until she speared one, then they flew away, leaving her breathless and alarmed.
The dead bird was still attached to the tip of the blade, black blood trickling down to the hilt, covering Scarlen’s shaky hand. She used her foot to kick it off, then wiped the dagger on the ground before rising, examining the treetops.
A yell came from her left, so she ran to her right, hoping for a place to settle for a while.
Unlike last time, she wasn’t about to remain seated for too long, as she didn’t want to see the inside of a dark cell ever again.
The acidic stench and bitter chill of the tiny space were still embedded in her memory, and she was certain would never leave.
There was a large boulder covered in moss and vines with a nook carved out of its side, and that was plenty of cover for Scarlen’s small frame.
The pungent aroma of wet earth was her company as the still of the night set in, along with golden glowing flies that buzzed around her head, hitting her in the face every so often, but she wasn’t moving until she had gathered her thoughts and made the decision to kill if necessary.
Something growled. Its deep, throaty roar was close to her hideout. She dipped low, curling into a ball as the crunch, crunch, crunch of large paws upon the trail grew louder.
Fuck you, Jesserlie, was all that whirled. The witch had outdone herself with her tricks this time, and Scarlen was fully prepared for the magick and pain.
The roar shook the ground, and Scarlen jumped up, dagger ready, but there was nothing to fight but shrubbery, and she quickly realised there wasn’t going to be any quiet time in the woods. Whatever Jesserlie had conjured, the task was to keep the inmates awake and alert at all times.
Scarlen climbed the nearest tree, wary of birds, wanting to see if she could spot any creatures roaming on foot and if there was a clear pathway to the fence. At least with that at her back, there were fewer places to keep an eye on.
Two girls from Green Block One came face to face, both holding a blade, and Scarlen buried her face in the evergreen, hoping their focus remained on each other. There was no telling how close they were in friendship or if they held enough hate to murder the other.
One lashed out, her button nose twisted, brow furrowed as though in pain. The other girl stepped back, then lunged, but the first girl turned and ran away, and the second gave chase.
Scarlen waited a long while to make sure no one else was about before she headed for the fencing, her strides slow and steady, her heart hammering, eyes wide, alert. If she ran too much, she’d need water sooner than she wanted to venture to the pond.
There was no indication of rain anytime soon, not that she could go by the sky, seeing how the prison witch controlled the Zone. Jesserlie could have a hurricane blow down all the trees if she wanted.
Scarlen was about to sit as soon as she met the fence, but a thud to her side had her sprawled on the ground in a daze.
A girl from One leapt on her, crawling up towards the dagger firm in Scarlen’s hand.
She spat saliva, her plump lips rabid, as she tried to wrestle the weapon to freedom, but Scarlen held on, headbutting the girl in the side of her eye.
‘Bitch!’ yelled the One, scrambling backwards as Scarlen shot to her feet.
‘Come on then, little girl.’ Remembering the twins only brought out Scarlen’s temper, but the girl fled at once, and Scarlen dusted herself off, ready for whoever came for her next. I’m no pushover. You’ll all fucking see.
The next half hour was quiet, which was concerning, as the stillness had Scarlen more on edge than the attacks. Then the heat came. Tropical, humid, hot air made her body sweat, her palms clammy, her thirst rise.
There was no sun in the sky, no rays to take shelter from, just the air being sucked from the Zone, and the need to rehydrate fast.
Having little choice, Scarlen made her way to the pond, a plan to keep to the edge, drink quickly, then hide close by, too lethargic for a bout.
Glancing out at the mist-covered pond, it seemed the other inmates had the same idea, as Scarlen saw about four at the verge, each had one hand in the water, the other holding a weapon aloft.
They were drinking without interruption, so she tried for the same, alternating looking over her shoulder and taking sips of cool water, while midges got in the way, a couple going down with the liquid.
Scarlen scooted back into the thicket as soon as she saw Judd arrive. He plunged his head into the pond, then scouted his surroundings before drinking.
Everyone else had disappeared as well, and she still hadn’t seen Oxley anywhere.
Thoughts turned to Bear. Did he know about the Zone happening again, or had the healer kept him asleep?
What would he think about Oxley being one of the chosen?
Questions wouldn’t be asked about Rebels placed in the Zone, as it was expected, but people would be curious about her name appearing twice in a row.
Any kind of connection could be made. Life could become harder for her inside, if she survived the outside.
If only she had the answers. If only she knew what her father was expecting her to do. To kill? Would her name continue to be chosen until she took a life?
Scarlen rotated her dagger, staring at the tip, the dark hilt, the death it held on the surface. Had Milon killed? She wished she knew.
A rustle had her speedily turn to lash at the arm reaching forward, her blade slicing through the amber sweatshirt and skin of Oxley’s shoulder.