Surviving a Real Life Horror Story

Chapter Seven

We ended up staying there hours after we signed up as Andi wasted our afternoon by flirting with every guy she came in contact with. I sighed, but she didn’t seem to notice my irritation. Her eyes were all for the boys. A massive headache was welling in my brain from the long day of stress. All I wanted to do was go home and hide in the darkness of my room for a few days.

“We thank everyone for their eager participation in this year’s competition. Applications will be surveyed tonight, and those who are chosen will be called back tomorrow for their interviews,” a man’s voice announced over the intercom.

At his words, my irritation seemed to dissolve away and was replaced by horror. What kind of interview would it be? Would the chosen enter the arena tomorrow?

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I was on the verge of a panic attack, but there wasn’t much I could do. I gripped Andi’s arm suddenly. Unamused, she turned away from the guy she had been flirting with to look at me.

“What’s wrong, Rexi?” she asked.

“What interviews are they talking about?” I asked her nervously.

Andi shrugged. “This whole thing is a game to the sponsors. They like to get a feel of the participants to decide who they’ll root for,” she replied.

“Do the games start tomorrow?” I asked.

She shook her head. “They don’t start until a week after tomorrow.”

I let out a sigh of relief and felt the horror wash away. Andi must’ve been able to see the change in my face.

“Relieved?” she asked.

I nodded. “Can we go now, Andi? I’m starting to not feel good.”

She looked at me like she was about to argue. I stared at her with the best downcast expression I could manage.

“Okay,” she replied. “Head to the car, and I’ll meet you there in a minute.”

I was glad that for once in her life she was able to sympathize with another person. I watched as she turned her attention back to the guy to bid her farewell. I turned to leave the building. Many hours had passed since the crowd had been gathered. Many of the people had dispersed and only a few people still lingered around.

I let out a sigh of relief and began to jog across the field and back up the hill. I hurried to Andi’s Cabrio and leaned against the side as I waited. Andi caught up to me a moment later, and we climbed into the car. The car was silent as she began to drive back down the highway.

“Think we have a good chance of getting picked?” she asked.

I thought about all the people that had been gathered. To say, “I hoped so,” would be a dark comment on my half. I didn’t want to have to endure the horrors of the arena. When I remembered Krista’s condition, it was the only comment I could use.

“Yeah, I do,” I replied.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I sighed deeply. “Honestly, no. I’m worried about the arena.”

Andi rolled her eyes. “You think too far ahead, girl!”

I glared at her, about to argue, but the fire went out. It wasn’t worth arguing with her. She wouldn’t understand it.

“Can I stay the night with you, Andi?” I asked her feeling ultimately defeated.

She nodded. “If we get picked, they’ll call us tonight. It’s best we stay together.”

I nodded back, feeling extremely solemn. I didn’t want to see my family tonight. I didn’t want them to know what I was up to until it was too late for them to interfere.