Trials

Chapter 8- Noah/Jay

              She woke up gasping. Jay stares around in horror. No. She was back in her Trial. A figure came running toward her.

            "Jay!" Mya laughs happily. "I can't find Noah, have you seen him?"

            Memories come flooding back to Jay.

            "Where's Noah!" She yells. Jay paces frantically, her stomach starting to turn. She clenches her stomach and sucks in the vomit rising in her throat.

           "Jay what's wrong? Relax! I'm sure he's just back at camp!"

           "What? No! Mya, the memorial! You guys were..."

            "What's up with you Jay? I just need to find-" Then Mya started laughing hysterically.

            "Mya-"

            "I think somethings wrong." She giggles. Then Mya's eyes turn wild and she stays to gasp for air. Jay grabs her arm as she falls. Jay begins to panic. It was just like the punch, what was wrong with her?

           "Jay!" She gasps. "I think I'm dying! It hurts!"

            "What! Where?"

           "I don't- I'll forget it again, Jay. We're all dead Jay." Mya starts to wail. Her lips quiver and her eyes fill with tears. "It's beginning Jay.  I'll be gone soon. Noah, too. I'll go it alone!" She wails. "I just need Zu!"

            Mya lets go of Jay and she falls back laughing hysterically again. Mya sits back up and smiles at Jay. Jay gets up to run, but right before she does, a horrified look crosses her face. A look that flushed away all the happiness and cheery energy Mya always had. It was the most terrified look Jay'd ever seen.

                                                                                    . . . 

               Noah woke up panting in short gasps of breath. His hair was slick with sweat. 

               He rolls off onto his hands and knees. His stomach took a dangerous turn as he vomited all over the cold stone floor.

            "Hey, you okay kid?" A voice from behind him says.

            "Huh," Noah says delirious from the tranqs.

            Noah looks up. The kid sits there smiling. He looked a little older than Noah and had dark skin and curious eyes. He looked slightly mysterious, sitting in the dimmest light of the shadowed room. Two freshly made beds were on the opposite sides the room, the boy sitting on the other. An imaginary middle divider from the large steel door was all that separated them.

            Noah attempted to stand with his limbs shaky, but he soon fell back onto the drab gray bed, nausea clawing at his stomach.

            The boy stood up from the bed and took a cautious step towards Noah. It was then that the boy smiled a bright, natural smile and leaned down with a hand out that Noah finally got a good look at him. He was lean, but with a tall upper body, and very tall. A smooth, friendly face, and short, dark, fuzzy hair.

              "I'm Murphy." He grins with a hand out.

             "Noah." He replies with a grunt as he stand up.

            "So..." Noah begins. "What'd they do to you, Murphy."

            Murphy shrugs. "Stirred up a little trouble in the Lake Trial and got booted here when I wasn't cooperating. What about you kid? Seems like you couldn't do much harm."

           Noah feels his stomach clench again. "I erm....kind of revealed to all the Trials that their parents are working against them, that they're picking us off, and how they won't let us go."

           Murphy gazed at him in shock. "Wha- how! What Trial are you even in, kid?"

             "The Rainforest Trial,"

            Murphy backed away uncomfortably.

            "Something wrong about that?"

             "N-no it's just... there's been rumors..." Murphy stammers.

            "Like what?"

           "Well there was this one kid they held in custody from the Rainforest Trial. Someone broke in or something, well, we don't know. The cams went dark, but we heard he got... stabbed. He's supposed to be in critical condition in the Medical Ward." Murphy explains.

           Noah felt his heart quicken. No. Not Zach.

           Noah felt sick again and vomits over the floor again.

         "Hey, take it easy." Murphy soothes. "Nearly everyone gets sick after they've been tranqued.

          When Murphy noticed a tear fall from his face he sat back in alarm.

          "He was your friend? The boy?"

         Noah didn't speak. He couldn't even look at Murphy. But Murphy seemed to understand because he backed up and nods.

        "They'll bring someone in to clean it up." He mutters, nodding to the vomit. "You should sit and clean yourself up. There's a small bathroom in the back."

         Noah nods and he got up shakily to go wash up in the bathroom.

        When he finally came back to sit on his bed, Murphy finally took notice.

          "Why aren't you a small little thing," Murphy observes. "Stick with me kid. I don't think the Silent take kindly to tiny little kids that destroy their plans. I'll bet they're out for revenge!" He laughs.

          When Murphy notices his terror he walks over and sits on his bed. He punches Noah playfully on the shoulder.

            "I'm just joking. Sorry kid, "

           "Have you heard o-of Natalie Rainforest?" Noah whispers back shakily.

            Murphy shrugs. "Can't say I have Noah. Maybe she's in the Blue Ward though."

            "The Blue Ward?"

           Murphy laughs. "What else? It's the place they keep you when you're undergoing the Transformation."

           "The what?"

          Murphy pauses when he notices his dazed face. "Don't tell me they haven't told you! Poor kid. They really haven't told you much."

          Noah shook his head.

          Murphy gave a humorous groan and drags his hand across his face in frustration.

        "Well, you've got a lot to learn, kid." He remarks.

        "I'm sure I do. But I'm still working to protect my Trial. And-" Noah gulps. "-and Zach. I know he'll live. He has to. Now, what were you saying? Blue Ward? Transformation? Blah blah..."

        "It's serious!" Murphy snaps.

        Noah almost jumps in surprise at the force of it.

          "Sorry," He apologizes. Murphy flashes a small grin back to Noah. "You're not like the other kids. If you're even that."

        "What do you mean?"

        "There was a kid before you. You're not like him, scared out of his skin. "But you're young, brave, and smart."

         "Thank you?" Noah replies.

        "There's no need for manners here Noah. You're a real icebreaker."

       "Icebreaker?"

       "Just some Lake Trial slang. What? You're Trial didn't have any?"

       Noah shook his head.

       "That's too bad."

       "Murphy do you know where Natalie is or what?"

        "Right, right. Don't get so hasty. Sometimes I veer off a bit too far during a conversation. The people in charge said I had ADHD, but I don't know what that is. I mean how many things could a guy be? Lake? ADHD? It just doesn't make sense!"

         "Murphy!"

         "Right, sorry. I'm guessing that your friend is in the Blue Ward."

         "She's not my friend, she's my sister,"        

          "...right. Well the Blue Ward holds all the kids undergoing Transformations. If she's not here, she's there, or elsewhere with the people in charge. But I'm not even sure what happens after your Transformation."

         "You keep saying that, Transformation, what is it?"

          Murphy looks up excitedly. "Only the most terrifying, but beautiful, experience of your life!

          Noah still stares on, confused.

          "To be like us we need time to fully develop our abilities. We are so much more powerful than just simple human beings. The Silent want us to develop our abilities to assist them. That's the goal of the Trials. To find your true self and help them become the strongest to the best of your ability. The Transformation takes a few days, sometimes a week. They have protected pods in the Blue Ward that aid in the Transformation and help make sure you are safe and healthy. But don't worry I've heard it's relatively painless and that you feel so strong and refreshed after."

       "And who have you heard this from?" Noah sighs.

       "Umm the Silent, my instructors, and my own false parents."

       "Wait the Silent speak?"

        "Oh yeah all the time. They're just not aloud to speak during Trial business because they all are assessing us and stuff. They've told me everything I've needed to know."

        "And you believe them?"

        Murphy looked around uncomfortably.

        "W-Well yeah. Why shouldn't I?"

        "You never thought, oh, they've deprived me of some very key things that all the kids on the outside world have in life. Parents, the threat of not living in danger, or maybe even just a fun, non-restricted life outside in the real world the texts describe."

          "Noah-"

         "Murphy you have the freedom to do what you want! How could you trust the people who did this to us!"

          Murphy glances down shyly.

           "I know my real Mom and Dad, Noah." Murphy grew quiet. "They entered in a program to help humanity. But their son was a freak. So the people here took me in, gave me a Trial, and gave me all I needed to survive. You're right, Noah. Maybe it's better not to trust them. But I'm not going to live my life in the shadows just hoping I'd have someone to trust. I do hate the Trials. I really do. But I don't have anyone Noah. I've been here so long because my Transformation must be late, and I just-I don't know-what to do!"

          Noah frowns. "I'm sorry Murphy. I-I didn't know."

          "Aw you're just a kid. Don't sweat it. I don't have no one. That's just how life is."

          "Well...we can work things out together. You have me. Isn't that enough?"

         Murphy smiles again. "You're something Mr. Noah Rainforest. I'm telling you. You'll be going places man."

         "Y-yeah." Noah struggles. "We're in this together Murphy."

         "There's so many things I've always wanted to do Noah. First, go see the world. Second..."

         "Revenge?"

        Murphy looks startled. "Well umm... hurt less people in the process. Geez- y'all just get more violent as you come. But I don't honestly know. Guess I'll test that theory if I ever get out."

       Noah laughs halfheartedly. "Yeah. You'll get to see the world and I can find my sister and free all the Trials."

       Murphy laughs and ruffles his hair. "Start small, kid. Start small."

        "Like... what?"

          Murphy leans down and ties his shoe.

      "Tell you what. You go without murdering any of your instructors, pretend like you like em' and what not, and we can kick this birdbrained plan of yours into action by sneaking into the Blue Ward to see your sister, and maybe the Medical Ward to find Zach? Kay?"

      Noah hesitates. He was still unsure. To pretend to be kind and obedient to the same people who took his sister, Zach, him, was unthinkable. And who knows what else they could've done. They could've faked the break-in that almost killed Zach. They could be lying about Zach even being injured! To think all the lies they could've fed Murphy and the other kids made him gag. So how could he possibly accept? He wasn't a great actor anyways. Murphy didn't need him. Maybe he was right. Maybe Noah was a kid with just delusional fantasies of freeing his friends. He didn't even know what he was up against! But then there was the others that counted on him. His mind swirled with images of Nally's crying right before she left, Zach's beaten and hardened gaze, Jay's horror when the Silent swarmed in, it was just too much. And Murphy. Murphy didn't have anyone else. But would he really keep true to his promise when it could come time to choose?

      Noah sighs. "You got yourself a deal, Murphy Lake."

                                                                                     . . . 

            Jay had run swiftly back to camp. Not in fear. No, that would be cowardly. She hadn't even bothered asking about last night. Whatever the Silent did to alter their memories, it worked. But Mya was ill. That, or very unstable. She ran back to camp to fetch Liam and Ari to help with Mya. Jay didn't ask Josh though. He'd be too upset, best not to worry him.

        "Well what's wrong with her?" Ari asks.

        Liam shrugs.

         "I-I'm not sure. But she needs help."

        "Great. Thank you doctor." Ari scoffs.

        Liam gave her a look.

       "Alright. Coming your highness" Ari chuckles.

        Jay tore through the forest, dragging Ari and Liam behind her. When they got to the site Jay saw Mya last, She was gone. For a horrifying second Jay assumes the worst immediately. Jay ran around frantically, kicking over roots and undergrowth. She checked the ravine, some nearby caves, she even climbed up to some low branches to peer into the treetops. Liam and Ari just sat nervously, suddenly realizing the dire situation. It wasn't until Jay heard the low moans that she she finally took a breath.

      "MYA!" Jay calls.

      Liam and Ari both call Myas name.

        "I-I'm o-o-over here."

       Mya was curled up in a hollow tree log, and she was covered in mud and leaves.

      When they pulled her out, Ari gasps at the sight of her.

       Mya was making a choking, sputtering sound. Her face was fatally flushed, and had a terrifying blue tint to it.

     Liam didn't hesitate to rush to her side, clear away the blood, leaves, and mud away from her and set her amongst the open forest canopy light.

     "STOP! You'll ruin my camouflage!" Mya screams.

      Ari scoffs "You can't be serious! Let us take care of your dying butt you ungrateful little-"

      "Mya!" Jay interrupts. "You have to sit up! It's ok!"

      "Tell us what's wrong." Liam coaxes.

      "What should we do? " Ari asks.

      "You'll know what to do." She coughs.

        Ari gives a grunt of frustration. "How would we possibly know what to do! WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOUR DYING OR HAVING A SEIZURE!!!"

      "Ari calm down!" Jay  yells.    

      Mya curls up at the loud yelling and covers her ears.

     "I can't tell! Not with the shadow standing amongst you!" She starts to sob. "Take care of Zu. A-and get me to the hill, hide me in the grass somewhere. Don't c-come back for me, and leave me water and nothing el-" Mya starts laughing hysterically. "The-" she giggles again. "I left a note in- my pocket- it's how you can find Noah before his Transformation-"

    "I think we should do what she says." Liam admits.

    Ari laughs. "You're kidding right? Leave this laughing mess up on a hill. The girl's delusional! Oh don't worry Mya! I'm sure Noah will become a beautiful butterfly!"

         Mya pauses to glare at Ari but gets thrown into another laughing fit before she can say a word. Then her body shudders uncontrollably and she lies still. Below her skin, her veins bulge.

     "That's not, natural." Ari mutters.

      Liam grabs the small slip of paper out of her front pocket and nods.

      "It'll take the three of us to haul her to that stinking hill."

      Ari mutters something under her breath, but lifts her under her shoulders anyways.

     Jay takes the small paper from Liam to read it. She tries to conceal her look of surprise. Whoever the author was, it wasn't Mya at all.