Steven Santos - The Culling

“No.” Ignoring the throbbing in my head and leg and the tremors in my muscles, I push myself up, teetering to my feet.

Digory is at my side in an instant, providing me a shoulder to lean on.

I grip him only long enough to steady myself, then let go. “You have to go. We both need each other to make it through this. If either one of us comes in last and is forced to choose … ” The words hang above us like a threatening storm cloud. “Besides.” I swallow the bitterness scorching my throat. “You have someone that’s depending on you, and he should be your first priority, not me.”

“Lucian … about that … ” His eyes fidget and shift away. “You’re a priority to me, too … ”

Recruit Tycho. Your departure will commence in thirty seconds.

I fight waves of dizziness and nausea. “Looks like you’re up.”

Our eyes lock.

Digory’s are flooded with concern. “I’ll be waiting for you on the other end, Lucian. Please , be careful.” He reaches out and takes both my hands in his. “You just get through as quickly as possible. I’ll try and grab enough supplies for both of us.”

“Good luck, Digory.” I give him a final squeeze and let go.

He lowers his head and turns, walking toward the entrance and pausing in front of the crackling energy barrier. He turns and stares at me again. And this time his eyes are tinged with something else.

Fear.

The sizzling of the field dissipates.

Recruit Tycho. Proceed into the labyrinth and commence your Trial.

He holds my gaze just a moment longer. Then he’s gone.

“Don’t worry.”

Ophelia’s voice sends a different type of chill through me.

I whip around, and then have to close my eyes for a few seconds to ward off the dizziness.

She giggles. “You two are so cute together.” Then she cups a hand around the side of her mouth and whispers, “It should be really interesting to see what happens when the both of you are in a dead heat against each other .”

I ride out another wave of tremors. “Too bad you won’t be around to see it.”

Her eyes slither up and down my body. “You’re such a big kidder, sweetie.” Her lips bow into a pout. “How’s that fever? You should really get more rest.” She chuckles like it’s the funniest thing she’s ever heard, then goes back to her calisthenics as if I don’t exist anymore.

I limp over to the other side of the dome, where Cypress and Gideon remain huddled.

She’s stroking his hair. But he’s stone-faced, like he’s somewhere far away.

“How’s he doing?” I ask her.

“How do you think?”

I crouch down and almost topple over. “I can’t even imagine.”

“Soon the rest of us won’t have to imagine anything. It’s only a matter of time before we each get our shot.” She hugs Gideon close, resting his head against her and rocking him. “You have to be strong.”

I can’t help but wonder if her words are meant to console not just Gideon.

A feeling of being powerless spreads through me quicker than the infection is spreading through my blood, eating away at what little hope I have left. The dizziness shrouds my brain. I sag.

I don’t think I’m going to make it.

Recruit Goslin. Prepare to commence your next Trial in one minute.

“Don’t worry, Goslin,” Ophelia calls. “I’ll be right behind you.” Her snickers cut like a knife.

Cypress ignores her. Instead, she kisses Gideon on the forehead and strokes his face with such tenderness that my heart aches.

Then her eyes search out mine. “Can you stay with him until it’s your time? I don’t think he should be alone.”

“You really care about him.”

Her lips curve into a smile laced with bitterness. She gently detaches from him. Leaning on one another, we both stand up.

“ Even if we were away from all this, there wouldn’t be a chance for us,” she says. “Not now. Not ever.”

I know what she’s feeling because it hits me like a taser blast. None of us will ever see each other again, after this is all over.

Cypress throws her arms around me, her cheek cool against my burning one. “Don’t let it be over without telling Digory how you really feel, or you’ll always be sorry,” she whispers.

Recruit Goslin. You will now commence your second Trial.

Cypress squeezes me one last time, then approaches the barrier and disappears through it just like Digory did. I’m left standing there, her last words swirling through my pounding brain.

I’m not sure if it’s the fever or all the emotions ricocheting through my mind, but I lose track of how much time passes before Slade’s next announcement blares through the pavilion.

Recruit Juniper. Proceed into the labyrinth to commence your Trial.

Ophelia shoves past me, practically knocking me to the floor, and disappears through the barrier without a word.

Three down.

The acid rips through me.

It’s my turn next.

“Cypress is right, Lucian.”

Gideon’s voice startles me.

When I turn he’s looking right at me, not through me as before. “You don’t want whatever time you have left spent in regret.” He buries his forehead in his palms.

“Gideon.” Despite the sickness ensnaring me, just hearing his voice-seeing him responsive-is a boost to my spirit. I hobble over to him and squat down despite the searing pain, and pry his hands from his face. “If you could hear us, why didn’t you say-”

“I couldn’t get too close. You have to understand.” Desperation soaks Gideon’s bloodshot eyes. “To Cypress, I mean. To anyone really … ” His eyes turn glassy again. “I’m really evil, aren’t I?”

My body burns hotter. “Gideon, listen to me. The Establishment … they forced you to do something-”

“They didn’t force me to enjoy it.” The words burst from his quivering lips. “They just gave me the opportunity to do something I’ve dreamed of ever since I can remember. That’s probably why I was recruited-why we were all recruited.”

“What do you mean?”

His eyes bore deep into me. “We all have it inside us. The darkness .” He glazes away again.

Recruit Spark. Proceed into the labyrinth to commence your second Trial.

I slowly back away and enter the maze.

The darkness is almost impenetrable. It’s like I’m standing in the vastness of space but every star in this false horizon is dead, its light completely snuffed out.

I squint, in the blue glow cast by the chronometer, which feels like it’s cutting off the circulation in my wrist.

00:13:15

How can almost two minutes have gone by already? I need to get moving.

I take a tentative, step, then another, and another, until I’m teetering along like a sleepwalker, guided by the gradual adjustment of my burning eyes and the dim light of my timepiece. I can only make out shapes a couple of feet ahead of me, but that’s a start at least.

Where are Digory, Cypress, and Ophelia? Can they be so far ahead of me that I haven’t seen or heard a trace of them? What if they’ve already made it to the exit with their supplies in tow?

My pulse careens through my ears.

Even if the others are way ahead of me, Gideon must still be behind me.

Holding out my hand, I graze cold, smooth steel. A wall. Pausing a second, I steady myself against the partition and realize that a row of shelves is facing me. Small pouches are stacked on each shelf. I cast the glow of my timer on the writing on the nearest one.

Penicillin.