Trials

Chapter 7

       The lie was true after all. Only the other way around. Mya came and found him.

          "You seem perplexed Noah. Want to come talk about it? Zu would love someone to brush him."

           Mya. He barely knew her yet she seemed to know him inside out. What would she think of him if she knew all that he knew? What would Jay think? What would anybody!

         He gave Mya a curt nod and they walked alongside each other until Mya reached her hut and grabbed her jungle wood crafted comb for Zu.

          "Should we go to the hill?" Mya suggests.

          "That would be nice." Noah replies distantly.

           Once they come to the hill and spread out, the tension seems to ease. Mya collapsed down on the rich green grasses with a shuttering sigh. Noah lowers himself down and stares back at the towering trees. There's so much he hadn't explored. Perhaps this Trial was more than the poisonous plants and animals, and more than the infamous jaguars. Maybe many just didn't see it was a place of beauty. Even if being here was by force.

           Mya ran the comb through Zu's spotted fur.

           "You want to give it a try?" She says softly, holding out the slab of bark with small pricked thorns extending from the middle. "Oh don't worry he knows not to bite." She laughs when Noah takes the comb hesitantly.

           And sure enough, the little cat purrs as the handcrafted comb slides gracefully through his fur.

         "He'll get bigger." Noah warns as he gazes into its wide, innocent black eyes.

         "He will, but I hope he'll learn to be loyal. I read it in some texts that said if raised properly, Zu will still fall all over me, just like now."

         Then Zu leaps up when he sees a pink butterfly and leaps after it.

           "Even if he says still acts like a cub." She laughs.

            "So..." she starts. "What's got you so down?"

              Noah shrugs. "I guess it's just...nervousness about tonight. What if something goes wrong?"

            "It won't." She lays a hand on his shoulder.

           Noah huffs doubtfully. Zu curls up in his lap for extra comfort.

      Then there's a clap of thunder and the rain begins with a trickle but just as fast turns to a roaring torrent. It certainly wasn't surprising to see rain. They were in the "rainforest" after all. But surprisingly, in a week, Noah hadn't seen a drop till now.

         "Well let's not let this ruin this beautiful day." Declares Mya through her slicked brown hair.

        "Over there!" Mya points to a leafy tree at the bottom of the hill with fat, wide leaves.

       "Tree climbing?" Noah states as if she'd suggested they jump out of the tree. "Isn't that kinda dangerous? I mean I've only ever climbed when Jay and I...and...Grayson- when we climbed to get away from the jaguar. And even then I was tied around a vine and in danger."

          Mya shrugs. "You need to live life to the- wait. Are you afraid of heights?"

          "What! No..."

          Mya smiles at him and raises a brow.

          Noah sighs dramatically and rolls his eyes. "Ok maybe a little. But...I 'll go. Although, isn't it still dangerous...?"

            Mya laughs. "Haha, yeah!"

                                                                                    . . . 

           "It's much bigger in person." Noah says hesitantly as he gazes up to where the branches seem to reach the skies.

           "It won't be so bad. You'll see." Mya says.

           Mya demonstrates as she first lifts Zu up to the tree and he hooks his retractable claws in. Zu becomes smaller and smaller as the little cub carefully, claw by claw, climbs to the lowest branch, which seems miles away, and attaches himself along with graceful balance. Then she follows after him and hugs the tree as she checks her grip, and hauls herself onto the next branch just above Zu.

      "Come on up Noah!" She calls from above.

      Noah gulps. It seemed like the tallest tree he'd ever seen. Mya and Zu both were hard to make out among the thick canopy of leaves.

       He takes a deep breath and grips the tree. Each foot fills him with hard dread. Mya calls encouragement from above and before he knows it, he's reached the first branch. Mya cheers and he laughs excitedly. She and Zu were further up now, and Noah found himself catching up as each branch he reaches fill him with exhilaration. The rush of adrenaline was rising to an exciting level as he climbed higher and higher.

        "Noah you did it! This is the nearest we can get to some of the top canopy!" Mya says from a branch across from him.

         Noah takes a deep breath. It seems he'd forgotten the world. The humidity fills his lungs after a deep breath of the moisture. The rain now came only as a sprinkle, and although the bark of the tree was slippery, Noah didn't mind. The illuminated gray light was so distracting from his crazy world. He really could-

          Then the branch shuddered and Noah's heart stopped as the branch suddenly gave way. Mya screams and Noah tries to flail his arms out. He catches a branch, but his body smacks against the rain slick tree and he mumbles out a groan as he hangs on by one arm.

          "Ohmigosh!" Mya cries out. "Noah I'm coming... just hang on!"

       Noah realizes that even though he's only a few branches up from the beginning branch, it was still so far from the ground. Noah heard his own breathing hard in his ears. He grunts as he digs his nails in, but the branch was slick with rain, and with one slip of his left hand, he fell hard to the ground and his head and foot thudded against the cold muddy puddles. Everything was numb, and he thought he had noticed blood on his leg, but he just couldn't feel anything. Mya screamed again and she was on the ground trying to get his clouded eyes to flicker, just to stir for a sign of life. Everything was too blurry when Noah slipped into a dark void. Mya called out for help, and Noah accepted the darkness that bore deeper into his mind.

                                                                              . . .

         Noah awakes, his eyes blurred with pain. His legs began sending shoots of pain throughout his entire body, but especially his right leg. Once his vision begins to clear, he makes out a familiar face with black hair.

        "Zach." Noah moans. "I'm sorry. I really tried to do it."

         "No....." the voice responds.

         His vision begins to clear. Jay. She looks at him quizzically.

         "But I'd love to know how you possibly mistook me for Zach. Seeing as he's dead, or "alive within our hearts"  as you might put it." She says teasingly.

         Noah gulps, but ignores her. "How long was I out from the fall?" He asks.

       Jay stares at him in disbelief. "How could you possibly remember that! Liam guessed you had a really bad concussion and that you would have a frail memory. Liam told us a story of a kid who fell from a tree and forgot everything! So how do you remember?"

       Noah shrugs. "How long was I out?" He repeats anxiously

       Jay sighs. "A few hours Noah. The Trial's almost over for the day."

       He doesn't look back at her. Noah realizes that she must have felt the tension too because she sighs again and gives him space.

        "The gathering will be soon." He notes as she turns to leave the hut.

         Jay shakes her head. "You can't possibly still be thinking about that! We don't know the damage the fall could've done to your head! Not to mention all your bones!"

          "I have to go!" Noah pleads desperately. "My head feels fine. It's just my leg that's in pain, but it will cease!"

            "I can't believe you! You're taking this thing way too far! You're injured Noah! Even if you don't think so, you are. Liam or someone else can speak for you."

             "Jay you have no idea what this means for me! I'm not lying! My head really is fine! I must go! For Zach!"

         "There you go again with Zach! But I never thought you'd be too stubborn to not admit that you're really hurt! What would Zach say! Oh, wait, YOU BARELY EVEN KNEW HIM BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED!"

            "ITS NOT ABOUT ZACH!!!" Noah screams back.

        That got Liam and Mya to poke their heads in from outside the hut.

      "It's not about Zach..." he whispers through a husky voice.

        Mya stares in confusion back at Noah. "Wh-what do you mean?"

       "Zach's the whole point of the memorial, right?" Liam says questioningly. "Him and those who've died?"

       Jay says nothing and just clutches her hand, circling her eyes in the dirt. She didn't meet Noah's gaze.

          "I spoke with Zach after he disappeared." Noah says with a whimper.

           Noah realizes what they think by the uncertain look on their faces.

         "I'm telling the truth!" He explains. "I spoke with Zach. I- wasn't supposed to tell anyone. This gathering, it's going to change a lot. That's why I have to go."

         Noah gasps in pain as he attempts to stand up and his leg buckles like it's being sawed in half. After a few grunts and a limp, he gets used to the pain, and limps all the way to the hut entrance.

           He gazes up at the stoned sky. The ground was muddy with rain, and his own clothes were tattered with mud. Jay and Mya follow him out, only they don't speak. Jay mouths a "sorry" and turns away.  Mya hands him a pair of large wooden sticks with handles on the end

          "They're crutches. For tonight." She whispers softly. "If you have to go."

      He smiles his gratitude, and starts to use the makeshift crutches, planting them in the mud to head toward the Trial door.

       And the Rainforest Trial was soon to end after that. Noah tried his crutches and soon got the hang of planting the wood, and swinging his legs through. He swung himself through the wood all the way down the hall back to his home. His condition was met with surprise as he explains to his parents what had happened.

                                                                                        . . .         

        "But I'm still going to the gathering!" Noah vows.

       "Noah..." His mother cautions.

       "Noah you can't like this!" His father yells. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn! We just don't want you to get hurt out there!"

       "I won't get hurt!" Noah says angrily through gritted teeth.

       "Noah we just want what's best for you!" His mother pleads. "We just want to protect you!"

         "Like you protected my sister?" Noah snaps.

          His mother's eyes widen, filling with hurt and shock.

         "How could you possibly know what's best for me? You've never took the time to ever get to know me! I'LL BET YOU BARELY EVEN KNOW ME!" Noah starts to cry. "My sister disappeared." He sobs quietly. "She's dead or worse. But she came to me before she did ESCAPE. She came and she told me never to trust any of you! AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I PLAN TO DO!!!"

       Noah throws himself out the door, not even caring about getting his crutches, and limps away while his parents stand back in awe at their son's outburst.

       When Noah limps down the corridor, he spots Mya and her brothers probably walking towards the gathering that was to be hosted in a great hall the Silent had kept hidden until now. Mya gapes when she sees him and rushes toward him.

       "Noah what're you doing without your crutches? You look like you've seen one of those ghosts in the texts!"

        Noah glares at the ground. "I had a fight with my parents. And I don't need the crutches. I honestly prefer a limp to sore arms, no offense."

        It's then Noah notices Mya's dress. A short pale pink color that reminded him of tulips and silk. It was sleeveless, with a wide girth, a little frilly at the bottom, and kind of shimmered from the corridor's dim light.

       "You look nice." He says.

       "Oh, this. My mother gave it to me. Said the memorial must be real important and I had to look nice."

      Noah glanced down at his own clothes. He hadn't changed out of the standard Trial suit. It was all muddy and tattered from his fall.

        "You should see what I saw Jay wearing." Nathan whispers. "That'll knock your socks off."

        "Can we stop discussing clothes and just go already?" Josh groans from behind them.

        "Oh, yes, I just need to..." Mya stops. A familiar yellow face sticks its nose out from a little pouch in the side of Mya's dress.

       "Zu?" Noah says in surprise.

       Mya sighs. "Please don't say anything! He would get lonely in our Trial, and I couldn't risk mother finding him at home while we were away."

       Noah stares at the wide dress and notices that part of the wide girth with a slit in it that must've held Zu. A sort of pocket.

       Nathan and Josh just shrug. Noah nods. Mya sighs and gently stuffs Zeus back into the pouch.

       "Josh's right though." Noah adds. "Let's get going."

                                                                                    . . .

       The memorial was more like some sort of a segregated party. It was a big place, to hold so many Trials and people, but each group stuck to their own Trial, and whispered in hushed voices. Even though it was communicated to everyone this was a friendly reflective gathering, there were still Silent guards at every door. There were some white tables scattered around with food and punch, but everyone only went in groups. Noah even looked up to see a podium set up down the halls tin more chairs than Noah could ever count in a lifetime. This speech would not be easy. The number of Silent there would not be easy to fend off if things got harsh. Noah only hoped that if nearly everyone sided with him, it would be enough for a revolt.

         "Noah, Mya, Nathan, Josh, we're over here!" Calls a familiar voice. Jay.

         The whole Rainforest Trial were gathered around the punch bowls. Jay was in a stunning dark blue gown that covered her toes. It's straps curled around her neck and small silver sparkles were sprinkled all about the dress to give the illusion of stars.

          "Wow..." Noah grins. "Just wow!" She looks at her dress and grins brightly. 

          "I dunno about wow, but umm... you look... nice." Mya smiles pleasantly.

          Noah rolls his eyes playfully and they both laugh. 

         "Hey, Noah!" Liam's calls. "Glad you're feeling better!"  Then Liam turns to Jay. "I wonder why every Trial except my parents Trial is here, the Fac Trial."

        "Yeah, I guess it is a bit strange," Jay says. Then she holds out a glass of orange liquid to Noah. "Want some punch?" She asks. 

        Noah shakes his head. "I'll pass."

       Before she has time to take a sip, but she puts it down as she watched the Silent move in closer, now drawing out metal sticks.

       "Umm... are they trying to force us to interact?" Ari says after she takes another sip of punch. 

         "I think so," Josh says. Then he chuckles. "But I'm fine with that."Josh strolls up to some girls hanging around chatting.

         "Hello, ladies." He says in a flirty tone. "I'm Josh Rainforest. Enjoying the party?" 

            The tallest girl with curly black hair raises a brow. "I thought this was a gathering in remembrance of those who have passed, like my little brother."

           Josh stares around nervously. "Oh yes, I was just... umm... I gotta go." Josh walks back with his head down back to his trial group. 

         "Real smooth..." Jay chuckles.

        "And you think you could do better?" He sneers.

         "Probably, but I'm not going to, because we're here for the purpose of remembrance. That girl was right. This really isn't a party, not really, it's a funeral." 

         Noah thought to himself. It was still better to interact as the Silent wished. If there was anything Noah could do by staying on their good side, it was to follow exactly what they wanted. "We should  interact." Noah encourages. "We are the Trial that organized this and we want everyone to know it."

         His group still looked hesitant. "How should we interact with kids who've had it probably tougher than us; we are literally exploiting heir grief for a guy we barely knew!" 

         "We are not! Here, I'll show you. If not for me, do it for Zach."

         Jay rolls her eyes. "Again with Zach! First, you claim you've spoken to him, in your delusional state, and then you claim to do everything in his honor." She scoffs. "Yeah. Go ahead, Noah. You were always stubborn about everything." 

        Noah sighs. He knew she would thank him later. But it still hurt more than he'd like. It also made him wonder: What would happen after they left and drove out the Silent? Where would they go? Was the world really how the texts described? Brutal and murderous? 

       Noah walks over to a group of people. They all are still in their Trial clothing, each glancing around nervously and sipping punch and eating bread.

        "H-hi." He says to them. 

         They all stare at him, mystified. 

        "I- I'm Noah Rainforest. I don't know if you k- knew, but I organized this, and I'm just seeing if everything's going well so..."

         They all looked a little older than him, which was certainly intimidating  One of the boys in front with dark, wavy hair grunted.

              A girl with short-cut golden brown hair, a sort of pinkish skin, and a slim build, who looked the youngest in the group, glared back at him. Her gaze eased as she smiles at Noah.

             "I'm Courtney Solar, and this is my brother Cris, and his Trial friends from the Marsh Trial." She says eagerly. "It's nice to meet you." She continues. "I for one think this was a great idea! A memorial celebration for all Trials! Genius!"

                "Now however did you get the Silent to agree?" The boy in the back with the wavy hair and dark brown eyes says slowly. 

                "Well umm..." Noah starts.

                "Cool it Jordan! We all realize how you feel about the Silent! Do you want them to overhear?" Cris, the boy with the dusty hair a similar color to Courtneys' rolls his eyes. 

              "No it's ok. The Silent are... problematic." Noah offers. "Maybe I can change that tonight too."

             This made Cris and a few others finally manage to smile. "You better. Or I think Jordan and the others may never shut up." He says.

              Noah laughs and then he catches a glance of Jay and Mya arguing from across the room, when Jay turns back to flare at him.

             "Excuse me for a minute." He says to Courtney and the Marsh Trial kids as he shoulders past. 

            Noah walks over to Jay, who turns away from him and with her arms angrily crossed.

              "Jay..." Noah pleads desperately.

             "I don't want to hear it! At least not until the memorial is over."

             "How do you know we'll have time for that!"

              "Well maybe if you weren't so selfish I would be able to talk to you!"

              "And maybe if you could just empathize with me for once! You would understand!"

               "Guys..." Mya says from behind Jay, clutching what must be Zu beside her dress. 

               Jay ignores her. "Oh yes! Let us all just give Noah and Zach the time to shine! You act as if you own our Trial!" She snaps.

             "Well if you would stop yelling at me for once I could explain!" Noah hisses back.

            "Guys!" Mya repeats.

           Jay clutches her punch cup tighter. 

           "Well maybe if you weren't such and i***t, THEN THE PEOPLE YOU KNEW WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!!!"

           "GUYS!!" Mya screams.

           Jay slams the cup on the ground and it shatters into a million sharp crystals. Nearly everyone in the whole room looks up to see what has happened. Immediately a Silent comes to sweep it up. 

            Jay looks taken aback by her own emotional burst of hate. She looks at Noah in utter and horror and regret as she whispers a silent apology and runs into the crowd.

            "I was going to say the speeches are about to begin..." Mya murmurs. 

          Noah sighs as the Silent usher everyone to the crowd of gray chairs.

           Noah looks up to see a Silent in those creepy black masks that go over their entire face, turning their mouth into an ugly sort of grin tap him on the shoulder to rise to the podium. 

           The Silent gave him a small waving thumbs up. An image flashed in his head. All too familiar in what he saw when he walked out the door every day. The symbol of luck he shared. It was his mother! He knew it! The vision disappeared as soon as it came and he felt himself gasping for air. Noah swallowed his terror and as his heart thrummed steadily in his chest, he tried his best to avoid the crowd of kids staring at him wide eyed. Noah knew he had to gain their trust first. Deliver part of his momentous speech he'd practiced with his Trial then lead them to a rebellion. 

          His Trial. Jay. Would she really fight on the right side after what had just happened? Noah hoped so. 

          The Silent filed out the doors and locked them in to let Noah have his speech.

          "H-Hi I-I-I'm N-Noah Rainforest. I-I'm glad to be here tonight." He took a deep breath. Relax. He had to relax. The fate of the Trials depended on him to relax. How ironic. 

             "I know many of you are still wondering why you're here. Well, the truth is, there was a boy in my Trial named Zach." Breathe. Noah's mouth quivered. "Zach was not afraid to stand up for what's right. That's why he ran off and we went to look for him. But we didn't find him. Only a note that was very vague and a... a needle dart with the word COSA."

            That had to bring the Silent running after him. But they didn't come. He was left with the confused and anxious eyes of the dimmed giant room. 

           "Zach may have just been a person who no one never really cared much for, but that's why I'm here to change that. Many of you have lost someone in your Trial. We need to honor them. No, more than that. We need to show that their deaths, they won't be in vain. And those who've escaped haven't just disappeared. You've been lied to. And that's not fair because you matter, I matter. And we need change! That's why I'm creating a sort-of memorial, for all Trials, called vengeance. We will not forget!"

          Murmurs ripple out like waves among the audience. He watched his own Trial's faces spark confusion. The truth had to come out.

           "How will we do that if we are stuck in our Trials!" He saw the kid named Jordan snap in the front.

           "We leave," Noah says. His voice was shaky. 

           Jay's face that once held anger turned to surprise. His Trial looked horrified. Wasn't this what they were trying to prevent tonight? Madness?

          But the Silent didn't come.

           "Listen! I haven't told you the whole truth! I've seen Zach after his "death" !" 

           Noah explains to every Trial about his encounter with Zach. 

            "But it's not just that. My sister, Natalie Rainforest, was said to have escaped a few years ago. But Natalie warned me not to trust them, and my friend Liam has seen her later. They've took us! Robbed us! Of a home we could've had! Your parents are merely actors! Your Trials are some sick, twisted mind game! And if there's one thing to do about it, it's rebellion!"

             Noah glanced to the side and sees his Trial shift uncomfortably while some of the other trials stand up and shout. The Silent still never came. They had to hear the bells of war out there, didn't they?

         "Join me!" Noah declares. "Together we outnumber the Silent! Together we outnumber the Fac Trial! Together we march in the name of those who we've lost! Together we fight with honor, to be FREE!"

        "To be FREE!" Everyone chants. 

        Noah leaps off the podium and waits anxiously for the Silent to arrive, praying to all the entities described in the texts that they could overpower them, but they never came. 

        Courtney runs to his side."This is great! I'm finally going to mean something! TO BE-" Courtney's words were cut off as she broke out into a coughing fit. 

            "Cris-!" She chokes. "Help me!-"Courtney started coughing again and she grabbed her head in agony. Kids started crossing around her murmuring for help, or even a medic. Courtney collapsed to the ground and her body began to shake with violent spasms. Courtney groaned as her eyes closed in pain. She shudders and then she lay still. 

         "Is she dead?" Someone calls from the crowd. 

          Cris Marsh shoves his way forward to his sister. "Courtney-" His words too were cut off abruptly as he started choking and shuddering, and fell to the ground in a violent seizure. Soon many others around them started to collapse and faint. 

             Noah tore through the crowd and found his trial friends. "Noah!" He heard a voice call out. "Over here!" It was Mya. 

             She lifted little Zu out of her pouch, and gave him to Noah."I'm afraid something's terribly wrong!" She grunts. She almost falls over, but Noah catches her with one arm and she lays back helplessly. "My head!" She moans. 

            Mya falls limp and Noah carefully lays her out on the floor. She was still breathing, but in ragged little gasps. He stares around to see Mya's brothers, also Liam, Ari, and nearly every other person in a Trial lying unconscious on the floor. Soon Noah is the only one standing. Well him and... Jay.

             Jay weaves around the bodies, terrified. She stares at Noah for a minute in hesitation, but she soon throws herself into his arms with tears spilling down her face. "What should we-" 

              Without warning, the Silent come tumbling. in. All with guns focused straight at them. Jay shrieks and Noah balls up his fists, partly out of anger, mostly out of fear, but they don't fire. 

            Then one Silent from the back drops their g*n, and hurried toward them. The Silent rips off that hideous black mask, Noah nearly choked back his breath. It was his mother. The sullen expression plastered on her face just like the mask, was hard to read with sight alone, but Noah soon swam through her thoughts and sensed danger. And also loyalty? But not for him. This wasn't his mother he'd do anything for anymore. 

           She raised her chin, perhaps to look menacing. 

            "Noah." She states firmly. There was an eerie chill to her voice. 

           Noah refused to look at her, so his mother sucked in a sigh and narrows her eyes.

           "I was very surprised at what you've done tonight. But surely you've thought one step ahead? If you're going to risk everyone's safety like that?"

         "What have you done to them there?" Noah cries. 

          "It was originally just a precaution." His mother says. "An activation sedative. It dissolves into nothing after a few hours. I wouldn't have dreamed we'd have to use it. But we knew that Kelsi was never good news for you kids, and we were right."

           "H-how did you know? A-about her?" He asks.

          His mother glares down at him. "Kelsi is Ari and Zach's mother. Their real one. She was the only one hired as faculty, but it's clear now where her loyalties lie."

           Noah gapes at her. Ari and Zach? Siblings? Ari really had experienced the most loss. A brother and a boyfriend. And was she the only one? What had happened to his real parents!

          Noah swallows his flurry of questions. "Well Jay smashed her cup, and I never drank your punch!"

         Jay stood in a more defensive position next to him with her arms crossed.

          Noah looked to the side and noticed there were only two Silent blocking the side exit. 

           "Jay." He whispers, looking to the frightened girl in her brilliant blue dress. "When those guards aren't looking, make a run for it. I'll tell you when they aren't." He whispers to her.

           "What about you?" She whispers."I can handle them." 

          "Don't worry, I don't think they would risk my safety."

          Jay stares in confusion, and looks like she's ready to argue, but she then nods.

          For a long moment, not either side moves an inch as his mother tries to coax him to come out cooperatively. Noah glances to the side to see the two guards turn their backs.

         "Now!" Noah commands. 

         Noah darts back and forth jumping in front of the different people about to shoot using their thoughts. They lower their guns when Noah throws himself into the path of fire. 

        Jay's almost made it when his mother pulls out her g*n and a dart hits Jay with a thud.

          "NO!" He screams.

         Noah hurries over to her and kneels beside her unconscious body. The bright navy dress with the brightest of stars seemed to be dimmer against her crumpled body. 

         "Noah I warned you. Now be good and come along."

        Noah doesn't budge and refuses to meet her gaze. His mother sighs, and when the dart hits him he feels relieved. When the world begins to blur, he's glad Jay's face is the last thing he sees before the ringing turns to darkness.