Tears flow freely down my face. I turn away, sniffling.
“Oh, Kora,” Trent sighs, finally putting his arms around me. “Don’t cry. You’re too sensitive.”
He wipes away my tears. I press my face into his chest and cry some more. Trent pats me on my back, soothing me. I raise my face, looking into his kind handsome eyes, reaching for him.
Trent kisses my lips. I close my eyes, holding him tightly. He finally pulls me away and suggests I go back to my room to get some sleep before tomorrow’s Terror Race. I nod and head back.
Amy, Martha, Topaz and I can’t sleep the entire night. Dennis and Sandro join us after midnight, and we all sit around, anxious and troubled. Dennis holds Amy gently in his arms. Topaz and Martha hold each other, whimpering in fear. Sandro and I remain quietly lost in deep thought while Amy can’t stop talking.
“Come on guys, we’ve been training for this,” she says nervously. “It’s gonna be all right. I mean, chimeras are just big animals, right? It can’t be much worse than running from the dogs.”
“Why don’t the masters provide guns?” Dennis wonders. “We could kill the chimeras for them.”
It’s a long, worrisome night filled with the fear of the unknown. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Maybe we’ll all wind up dead.
“No matter what happens, we should work together as a team,” Amy states.
Finally, the sun peeks above the horizon and the day of the first Terror Race is upon us.
CHAPTER 11
“Let’s go, racers! Time to get ready!”
Joan and Brutus bang on doors, demanding we come outside. Most of us are still stuck in the bathrooms, suffering from nerves due to the high level of stress. I’m having my own trouble, kneeling in front of a toilet and gagging. I force myself up, go to the sink and splash cold water on my face. I check my reflection in the mirror. I’m pale as a ghost and have a haunted expression in my eyes.
“Hang on,” I whisper to myself. “You can survive this.”
Outside, Joan is handing out new uniforms to the racers. We are to wear sleeveless golden shirts and obscenely tight shorts. I’ve no idea how these clothes are supposed to help us survive the day. We head toward the main gates of the residence, where the masters have already gathered for the hunt. They’re half-naked as well, dressed only in military-style pants and riding boots. They’re armed with bows and arrows. Golden war paint covers their faces, giving them a bizarre, almost inhuman appearance.
I notice Samuel and Gabriel standing beside two white horses. Gabriel catches my gaze and smiles. I avert my eyes, wondering how anybody so gorgeous on the outside can be so ugly and mean inside. My neck burns where his fingers were pressing into my skin. When I glance at Gabriel again, he’s standing with his back turned to me. I notice a large colorful tattoo covering his entire back, marking the clan of the high master. Each member of Samuel’s family has one.
I bite my lower lip and scratch at my hands, trying to fight my increasing anxiety. The others aren’t faring too much better. They have the same lost, panicked expressions. A few of the young girls cry, Topaz and Martha included. The masters of course don’t care how we feel. They all smile excitedly in anticipation of the coming adventure. It suddenly dawns on me that today may be the day I die.
The guards order us inside two waiting trucks. They nudge us with their rifles, making sure nobody stalls. The masters mount their horses and ride slowly ahead of our trucks. Three vehicles with well-armed guards complete our procession.
Amy sits beside me, her hand clutching mine. Topaz and Martha whimper, rubbing at their eyes. Dennis and Sandro remain silent, their faces closed and cold. Trent looks away, completely ignoring me.
An hour later, our truck stops in front of a tall mountain chain. My heart jumps in my chest as I realize that we’ve arrived at our destination. This may be the very place where we all meet our death. I crawl out of the truck, shivering and feeling sick to my stomach.
Guards unload a sheep from a truck and slit its throat. The animal’s thick blood pours into a bucket. Samuel orders all the racers to form a line, and guards smudge our faces and bodies with the fresh blood. We now don’t look as much obscene in our sparse clothing as gory. I wipe my face and stare at my shaking hands, feeling repulsed.
Fallen dried-out trees, large rocks and meager vegetation fill the half mile of space between the bottom of the mountains and our group. Samuel commands us to walk until we reach the caverns. Guards fire a few rounds above our heads, forcing us to follow the order. Dragging our feet, we proceed slowly toward our fate.
Amy, Topaz, Martha and I walk together, holding hands. Dennis and Sandro stroll a few yards ahead. My teeth chatter.
“No matter what happens, we must stay together,” Amy says, to which we all agree.
I notice Trent walking ahead of us with Samantha. I have an almost overwhelming desire to speak to him. I suddenly remember my village, my mother and our small dark shack. I feel thankful she doesn’t know where I am or what I’m doing right now.
We finally approach the first caverns, which resemble large black holes surrounded by rocks. A few of the braver racers cast cautious glances inside. None of us wants to face wild animals, but unfortunately we have no choice. The guards will gun us down should we fail to deliver chimeras to
