Danelia Ross
#12

Getting pulled out by a rope hurts more than one would think. The worst part was becoming paralyzed by Eliza. Of all people, Eliza? Like, really. I'm really regretting not taking her out in her sleep. A fair fight?! What was I thinking?

I remember now, I wanted to become a better person. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, I could make a change in myself. Becoming a nicer, better person. But, of course, it failed. Just like all my other attempts to become better.

Though, in this place, they set you up to be a horrible person. Heartless and cruel. Sometimes those attributes work well for people. Jess and Lindsey and Sam. For me? It makes me into a horrible person. A villain. I used to be able to be any person I wanted to be without a second glance or question. That life is gone. Far far behind me.

"Danelia Ross, you are to stay in this room until we have a victor. You may amuse yourself by using your powers, but be warned that we will take that ability away if you choose to disobey us," an announcer announces "Please be nice to the guard."

I look around to find no guard, but then he opens the door. I look him in the eyes. Nice green eyes. Forest green. Perfect skin. Shaggy blonde hair. Perfect face.

"I am here to watch over you," he declares coldly, but I could hear a bit of wobbliness in his voice. He's scared of me.

I lean against the wall, crossing my ankle over my other one. I pretend to check out my nails while starting conversation. However, even seeing my relaxed state, he stands straight and stares me down.

"This is the first time that they have sent a guard to watch over us, excluding our caretakers," I smile, looking at him through my eyelashes. "You must be scared. You must be worried," I pause "You should be scared. You should be worried." I push myself off of the wall and slowly make my way over to him.

"Miss, I'm sorry to disappoint you with my orders, but I am just doing my job," he states, mustering up as much strength as he can to keep him voice flat.

"How much do you need this job?"

"Very much so. I would die without it." Right after the words leave his mouth, his eyes widen and he knows he made a mistake.

"Die? Such a funny word. Something that is said causally as if death meant nothing. To you, we, test subjects, mean nothing to you. After all, we are just test subjects. Just experiments. We aren't even humans, are we?" I say, keeping my cool. The guard just stands stiffly, awaiting the rest.

"Do you not understand? We were humans. We had lives. We were something. We all had the lives we wanted. We were happy. They took us. You took us. And now, now we are nothing. So, you are right. We mean nothing to you. We are nothing. So kill me now." I spread my arms out, gesturing for him to shot me.

"Sorry miss. They have other plans for you," the guard says.

"Other plans?! What do you mean? They have plans for my death?" I question, voice raising. I grab a fistful of his shirt and raise him up in the air. "Answer me!"

"Miss, I am not allowed to say. All I can say is that I never wanted you to live like this. I never wanted you guys to be treated like this. I never wanted you to think that your life doesn't matter. Because it does," the guard tries to say it coolly. He actually does, for once.

"So what?" I ask releasing him from my grip "You care about me personally? You think that what you think actually means something? You think that I care what you think? Do you honestly think you actually mean something? To me, you're nothing." With saying that, I turn my back, teleport back to my side of the room, and continue to pretend to check out my nails.

Then, my mind drifts off to better times. I think of that one day, that one ticket. That one little piece of paper that filled us with hope, only just to take that hope away. It was never about the money, it was the happiness and carefree looks on my parents' faces. That hope. The hope is gone now. Only to be filled with regret and hatred.

          Suddenly, Lillian steps through the door. She smiles as her eyes find me.  I smile back for once. She is the only person that actually understands me and understands my feelings.

          "Lillian!  Thank god!  It's so nice to see you again,"  I exclaim, stepping forward to hug her. She accepts the hug and explains.

          "Apparently, my temperature is no match for Lindsey's fire. Ever since she got in the arena, she has let the devil take over her. Her hair was bright red and so were her eyes. She kinda creeped me out."  Lillian sighs.

          Wrapping my arms around her, I say, "I'm sorry you didn't get to win. I really am. At least you weren't taken out by Eliza."  Lillian instantly smiles.

          "I know. I'm so sorry about that. It must have been so frustrating!  Like, I would be,"  Lillian exclaims. We both start a long conversation about everything. I don't even remember what we were talking about. All I can remember is that we both were very happy, together.

          "Can I join the party?"  I hear a deeper voice ask. Jack.

          "How did you get out?  You could just run away from them,"  I say as Jack as makes his way over to our side.

"Apparently, I can't outrun Katherine's mind control. I can't outrun my own mind. So, yeah, I got out." Jack's eyes harden. I look at him, and feel instantly bad. I don't know how Lillian and him can stand to be in the same room after-

"So, Lillian. How did you get out?" Jack slyly asks.

"Lindsey." Lillian states bluntly.

"Why didn't you just freeze her blood? Like you did to me!" Jack screams, jumping at her. Lillian freezes, clearly unprepared for this uncalled attack. Jack punches her square in the face.

"That's for ruining my perfect skin."

Another punch.

"That's for beating me."

Another punch.

"That's for embarrassing me."

A very hard punch square in the gut.

"That's for ruining my life." Jack stands up, and walks over to his corner, leaving the rest of us alone. Lillian just stares in shock, mouth open.

"Here, come with me," the guard says, leading her out of the room. Most likely to a doctor of some sorts.

          A few seconds later, Daisy steps through the doors.  "Hey, Danelia and Jack. Where's Lillian?"

          "Doctor.  A little mishap with some past beefs,"  I utter, mind going back to Lillian's face. So much blood.  Her nose, her lips, her eyes.  Blood littered her face.  She was crying blood. 

          "So, how about you?  Your story?"  Jack questions.  He pushes himself up from his wall to ask her the question. 

           "Lincoln, he choked me with his water. I felt like I touched death. It was the worst feeling. It wasn't like dying though. It was like experiencing all the evil and pain and bad in the world. It was like hell," Daisy mumbled.

          We all stared at her, feeling horrible. I just felt paralyzed. Not all the pain is the world. That's too much for me.  I don't think I could live. 

          I hear the door crack and Johny steps into the room.  He keeps his head down and walks over to a corner and sits down.  I wanted to ask him about the competition,  they I know he'll never tell.  I glance down at his ankles.  For some reason, all I can think is that I have never seen his ankles before.  That's really weird. 

          But, just as he resettles himself, the cuff of his pant leg slides up a bit and I see white pinkish skin.  Quickly, Johny pulls the cuff back down.  He tucks his head down and pulls his knees closer.  I feel instantly bad for staring.

Jack looks solemn, but starts to walk in my direction. I notice his eyes stare directly in my own.

"What?" I ask, voice soft. Jack continues to slowly walk in my direction until he is half a foot away from my body.

"Why do you have to be so evil?" he asks.

"Why would you ask such a question?"

"Just answer my question. Why do you have to be so evil?" Instinctively, I back up against the wall, but Jack continues to follow me.

"Because, this place it's horrible."

"See, there you go again. Blaming everything on everybody else. Never taking the blame yourself."

"What answer do you want then?! I have nothing for you. I am just the shell of a person."

"No. No, you're not." Jack utters softly. I almost want to understand the hidden emotion, but Lillian steps into the room.

"You would not believe it, Danelia! It was horrible," Lillian screeches. I pretend to nod along and listen, but all I can think about is the tenderness of Jack's voice. The vulnerability.