I lay awake for what feels like hours. My mind racing with thoughts of the things that happened last night, the things that are going to happen in a few hours. The mission that's just been laid at my feet, and that of the friends I care for the most in the universe.
I'm exhausted, and that's a bad thing, because apparently I'll need to be running soon. I have to sleep. But the more I tell myself that and worry about it, the harder it is to sleep. Eventually I fall into a shallow and restless doze.
The sky has started to brighten when the alien and that woman finally wake us.
The woman says a few things in that language I don't know, but the tone isn't hard to figure out. She wants us to get up and be quick about it. The alien makes the noise that I know is their version of laughter, so I'm guessing whatever she's said is something like 'rise and shine' or something.
Hestia immediately shuffles over and grips my arm. Her grip is tight, but it's trembling, and her face is a mask of terror and uncertainty.
Is it possible Hestia has been around on this planet long enough to experience one of these tests before?
Probably not, since surely they wouldn't send her to it again, then.
I reach up and pat her head. "Don't worry, Hestia."
She looks up at me, tilting her head curiously.
"--Ah. Actually, that's right. Is it okay if I call you Hestia? Mia and I thought it was cute." I explain.
She tilts her head further and then smiles at me and nods, hugging herself against my arm.
"I'm gonna take that as a yes."
She giggles.
Well, I'm glad her mood has improved. It's always a bit strange when it shifts so quickly, but I guess I can't be one to judge. None of us are fully normal anymore on this planet, are we?
Mia and Eric come over to us, and we're ushered to stand in front of the alien, all four of us.
I notice a few other aliens coming from different parts of the forest. They've got groups of people behind them. All the trainees are here. It seems likely whatever the leader - was it Ivan? - said is true.
I don't know why they had us camp separately, but if we're put together it's...
Probably to make us a target?
But then again, don't predators not like big groups?
I just don't know this stuff well enough to say. I wish Eric would be able to explain more to us, but he can't. Not when he's not supposed to know about the upcoming trial.
His eyes scan the crowd though, wary.
Mia's gaze is focused on the aliens. She doesn't look afraid. She doesn't have much reason to, though.
For Mia, nothing has changed since yesterday.
Which is a strange thought, because to me...
I feel like absolutely everything has, and I don't know if I want to run around in a circle, cry, scream, celebrate, or just hide and try to rewind it all.
Or to fast-forward it until it's already over.
Maybe even for better or for worse.
We're herded along to a large, open plain. The trees have been cleared here. Burnt, or maybe just chopped down. The stumps have long rotted into the earth, and the grass grows long. It would look beautiful, if not for the looming sense of dread I feel.
This place feels too exposed, like the sky could fall on me.
It isn't really any different from anywhere else I've been on this planet before the forest or that cave.
I just...
Know at some point there will be predators, and so I can't help but look, expecting to see them leap out at us at any point.
I gulp and try to calm my heart.
Just.
Stay calm.
I can't let them know I know.
If I fail at being covert the very next morning after speaking with the resistance...
Even I can't put up with that.
Eric is here.
Mia is here.
They can handle themselves. We'll be okay. I just need to keep a cool head.
It's hard.
But I have to.
I reach up and gently grab Hestia's hand.
I can't warn her, but I can at least be ready. We can hold hands as we run, right?
Right?
She looks up at me, a soft smile on her face.
I hope I'm not about to disappoint her.
We're brought out into the center of the field. Our guards and escorts form a ring around the outside edge of it, and we're all left to mill around in the middle.
There's at least twenty of us. Maybe more, it's hard to keep track when we're moving, but I think that's a safe estimate. These must be all of us who are still being processed.
I glimpse that one guy that we talked to a while back, even. The guy with the glasses. I haven't seen him in ages, and I can't even remember his name.
He looks nervous, his hands gripping the edges of his shirt.
Once again, I can't help but wonder if somehow this test can be retaken.
But isn't part of the point of it us not knowing it will happen?
...I guess that's complete conjecture on my part. All I know is that it's supposed to scare us and make us feel hopeless.
I don't know about making us feel hopeless - I feel more hope than I have in a long time, after all, but that's got nothing to do with this test itself, now does it?
But it definitely is doing its job of scaring me already.
I sneak another glance toward Eric. He looks serious, grim even. His gaze is openly scanning the forest around us still.
But that's Eric. A little paranoid, maybe, but prepared. Always prepared for the worst.
...He's not paranoid if he's right this time though, right?
Otherwise, I'm paranoid too.