I follow the guards down the long white hallways of the building, along with everyone else. Eventually we turn into a hallway that isn't white, or clean, or new. It looks old, forgotten, and frankly, kind of scary. We're ushered into an equally old and scary looking room filled with seats all pointing towards a glass wall. Behind the glass wall you can see into a room that looks like an operating room. Unlike where I'm standing in now, it looks neat and clean.

The two boys from the rock climbing wall are strapped to tables, thrashing around to free themselves. Everyone around me widens their eyes and stares, waiting to see what happens next. I quickly take a seat, never looking away from the boys. Two people in labcoats, a man and a woman, walk in brandishing very large needles filled with an orange liquid. They each walk to one of the two chosen boys and turn their wrists over so the palm of their hands are facing upwards. Then they stick the needles into their veins, which makes the boys' faces scrunch up in pain. A second later, when the liquid starts to enter their systems, they begin to scream. Those screams are more haunting than anything I've heard before. My face pales and my body goes numb. This is not what we signed up for. The two boys begin to convulse; their eyes roll back in their heads and blood starts to drip drop their noses and ears. Eventually they stop moving. I think they're dead, but after a moment they open their eyes.

Muffled gasps come from all around me; I turn to see several people with their hands covering their mouths and tears in their eyes. They look almost as terrified as the two boys did. A few have already left the room, but I stay. I stay even when everyone else is gone. I stay when they unstrap the tense bodies from the tables and help them to their feet. A guard comes in and asks in a loud voice that anyone still there leave immediately. I duck bend the seats so I can stay. I wait until I hear the sound of his footsteps walking away down the hallway before coming out again.

I've figured out that the glass is one way glass by touching my finger to it and seeing that there is no space. So they can't see me watching, and they don't know I'm listening.

"Hi. Can you tell me your name?" The woman asks one of the boys.

"S-s-spencer," he stutters. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Shh, calm down Spencer. You're okay, everything is fine. Could you tell me the last thing you remember?" She puts a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"I was at the choosing, where am I now?" He looks confused and afraid.

"Don't worry about that. Here, take this..." She hands him a small pill.

He swallows it and collapses into the other scientists arms.

"He's ready," she says emotionlessly.

I look over and see that the other boy is already unconscious, having already gone through the procedure. Why are they erasing their memories? Won't they realize that they've been here when they get home and are told how much time has passed? It only takes a moment for those questions to be answered for me.

"Are the false memories ready to go?" The man asks the female scientist.

"Yes, the machines are set up," she replies.

They walk out of the room, letting guards come in to carry the boys out. I stay standing there for several minutes before quietly leaving the room. One thing I know for sure, nothing is worth going through whatever is happening to the people who are eliminated; and nothing is going to stop me from winning those abilities. I will not have my memories replaced.

*****

I run down the hallways back towards the cafeteria. The only sounds I hear are my shoes hitting the ground as I run and the sound of my gasping breath. I stop in front of the cafeteria doors and contemplate whether or not I should go in. I feel a knot of fear in my stomach. Why aren't we allowed to remember what happened here when we leave? What could be so horrible that they put a person through all that pain? What threat do we pose to the scientists? To the government?

I stand by the doors and watch helplessly as people walk out with their groups of friends. They're talking and laughing; they have no idea. I can't tell them. I can't tell them what's really going on, and not just because I don't fully understand what's going on, but also because I don't know what will happen to me if I tell. I'll be eliminated for sure, but if they're working this hard to keep everything a secret, what else will they do to the person who warned everyone?

Finally Jason, Nate, Melody, Carrie and Jen come out through the big double doors. "Aria! Where were you? Everyone else who went to watch came back like a half an hour ago," Jason says.

Nate gives me a worried look. I know that he's noticed my heavy breathing and wide eyes. I can't lie to him. I can't lie to any of them. I need to tell them. How could I keep this a secret from my best friends, when telling the might protect them from something horrible. Or it could get their memories erased...

"Guys, I need to tell you something important. Follow me please." I swallow the fear.

They exchange concerned glances and follow behind me.

* * * * *

"No, that can't be true!" Jennifer gasps.

We're now sitting on Carrie and I's beds and I've just finished telling them what I had found out.

"I believe it," Nate says, looking straight at me. "I mean, have you guys ever met someone who had gotten the abilities? Have you ever heard a story told by someone that had the abilities? Or even knew someone who knew them? Because I haven't."

"We've got to tell the other Chosen!" Melody exclaims, wide eyed.

"No," Carrie says calmly. "We can't. We just all need to help each other so none of us are eliminated, okay? Just the six of us."

We all nod solemnly.

A loud voice comes over the speakers. "Chosen, please make your way to auditorium three. You have ten minutes."

"They know we know! We're gonna die!" Carrie gasps, the calmness completely gone.

"No, Carrie we're not gonna die. Poker faces on. We know nothing, got it?" Jason says with almost a stern expression.

"I don't play poker?" Melody says slowly.

"Metaphor, Mels. It means we don't show what we're thinking," Jen stands up.

"Oh, right."

We stand up and head down the long halls to the gymnasium. On the way, we spot Clair and Shaun.

"Please don't see me please don't—" My whispered plea is cut off by Clair's shrill voice.

"Oh, em, gee! Isn't that cute, Aria and her band of misfits! I'm so surprised you made it this far without being eliminated! Wow, congrats!"

"Clair. Hi," I reply. We don't need this right now, especially when we're all already terrified.

"That's all I get? A 'hi'? How about, 'Oh Clair I don't how we did it either, we're clearly not good enough to win!'"

"Actually, I'm quite positive we will win." Jen grins. "Don't worry, we'll let you know how it feels. I know it probably isn't something you're used to."

"Ohh, 'dat sass," Jason whispers to Carrie and I, making us giggle.

"Jennifer. How lovely to see you again. I missed you and your ketchup coloured hair so much." Clair rolls her eyes. Standing behind her is Shaun who looks... guilty? Is he actually sorry for what his sister is saying? No, no way...

"I love ketchup, thanks for the compliment," Jen says with clenched teeth, balling her fists at her sides. "You know I've been dying to tell you how—"

"Come on there, fireball, calm down," Nate interrupts her before anyone gets slapped.

"I am calm, Nate, how could I not be? She just called me ketchup head. What's offensive about that?" Jen says under her breath.

"Mmhm," Nate guides her down the hall with Jason and Carrie following close behind.

"Bubblegum brain didn't want to go with them?" Clair nods at Melody.

"I- I- I um..." Tears fill Melody's eyes.

"Hey!" Shaun finally speaks. "Clair, stop okay?"

"Excuse me?" She screams at her older brother.

Melody and I hurry off and leave them to yell at each other.

* * * * *

Once we find a place to sit in the gymnasium, I head to the back to find Shaun. It doesn't take me long. He's standing against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. His blue eyes are darting around the room.

"Hey," I say as I walk up to him.

"Aria, hi."

"Um, I just wanted to say thanks. Melody's kind of sensitive, and she's got a thing going on right now that she's worried about..."

"Yeah, hey, no problem. I've been wanting to do that for a while actually, and when your friend started to cry..." He says.

"Yeah. It was pretty cool of you to do that. To tell Clair to stop I mean." I give him a tiny smile.

"You think?" He grins.

I nod. "Do you have a place to sit?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna stand here. I don't want to sit by Clair. She's still fuming."

"Well if you wanted to sit by us..." I keep thinking of how many people don't know what kind of danger await them when they're eliminated. I want to protect everyone.

"Really?" He looks sceptical. "I haven't exactly been the nicest person to you guys."

"Well you've never really been outwardly mean since we've been here either so, come on." I turn and start walking.

After a second's hesitation, he follows. 

* * * * *  

Well, it's December. This year has just went by so incredibly fast. It's insane. Do you guys have any plans for winter break? 

Hope you liked the chapter! Let me know if you did by voting and leaving me a comment (: 

Why do YOU think the Chosen's memories are being taken away?

By the way, I'm posting the first chapter of my book Why We Sank today! (December 2nd, 2016) So please, please make sure to check it out!