The Value of All Part--2

Here's the second half of The Value of All.  I decided I would leave this part how it is since I don't have time to do any editing on it.  So, hopefully you will enjoy it.  Oh, I should warn you that you probably won't like the ending to this story . . .  :)

If you don't remember what happened in the last part, you can read it here:
The Value of All Part--1

          Something was poking her arm.  Elitia blinked trying to still the twirling room.  What?  She was on her back staring at a metal ceiling.  Metal?  She tried to sit up.  Her body didn’t move.  She looked at her arm.  A metal restraint crossed her wrist.  She whipped her head around to look at the other arm.  A metal restraint lay across it as well. 

          Her heart beat wildly as she tried to understand what going on.  Nothing made sense.  Where am I?  What is going on? 
          “She’s awake,” a grim faced women dressed in a white lab gown leaned over her.
          “Are you done with her?” a masculine voice sounded from somewhere in the room. 
          “Yes.  You can take her now,” the woman ripped a needle from her arm.
          Elitia panicked.  What are they going to do to me?
          She began to move.  Above her narrow lights lit the way to where they were taking her.  Her chest heaved in fear.  They were going to kill her.  She just knew it.
          The man’s face came into view.  He gave her a leering once over before he turned his attention away. 
          She closed her eyes in dismay.  Please.  No.
          The only things she could hear were the sound of wheels on a metal floor.  She jerked as she came to a halt.  She barely opened her eyes.  Everything was dark.
          Then the lights came on with a hum.
          “Elitia Walsh.  Sixteen years old.  Has a younger sister, Colette, who is eleven years old.  Mother is dead.  Died in a car accident at exactly 11:48 p.m.  Father died eleven years ago.  How:  unknown.”  Silence followed and then, “Are these facts accurate?”
          Elitia laid there, her mouth dry.  She couldn’t see the source of the voice. 
          “Are they accurate?”
          “Yes,” her whisper was barely audible.
          “Ah.  Good.  I would have hated for us to get our facts wrong,” the man paused, “Would you like to get up?”
          Unsure, she answered, “Yes.”
          She heard the snapping of metal as he undid her restraints.  A hand then slipped beneath her waist and lifted her to a sitting position.  Her head spun and the room wavered in and out of focus. 
          “Better?”
          She blinked a few times.  The room was stilling and colors were returning to their normal hue.  She nodded.
          “Good.”
          She swung her feet over what seemed to be a metal board laid atop a conveyer belt. 
          The man moved away.
          For the first time she saw his face.  Short dark brown hair covered his head framing dark brown eyes that carried a hint of cruelty.  His lips were thin, yet curved upward in the shape of a smile. 
          “I’m glad you made it here in one piece.” 
          “What do you want?”
          “Well, now, I suppose we do need to get to that,” he clasped his hands in front of him.
          “Yes,” her voice grew hard.  Angry.
          “Now now.  No need to get upset.  As you can see, you are in perfect health.”
          “Where is my sister?” 
          “Tut tut.  So demanding.”
          “Where is she?” she glared at him.  If only she could get her hands around his throat.
           He waited.  Watching her.
          Anger propelled her to her feet.  Pain shot up her legs but she ignored it.  “Where?” the words came out half demand, half plea.
          “Fight.  You have lots of fight in you.  I like that.” 
          She raised her chin.  She felt as if she was being insulted but she didn’t know how.
          “Come now.  Don’t take offense.  It was meant as a compliment.”
          “I find that hard to believe.”
          He clapped his hands together.  Eagerness lit his eyes.  “This really couldn’t get any better,” he gave a slight bow, “Now, my young, fiery, spirited lady, if you will go through that door,” he motioned to a door to his left, “and see if perhaps you can clean yourself up a bit.
          She looked at him, her stomach twisting and turning. 
          “Go on.”
          Figuring she had no choice Elitia opened the door and entered a small, narrow room.  It was equipped with a sink and a small mirror. 
          This is all so crazy.  She winced as she caught sight of herself in the glass.  Her lip was bloody, and a large green and yellow bruise adorned her cheek.  She turned on the faucet and dabbed some water on her lip.  It stung, but the blood was disappearing. 
          She ran a hand through her hair trying to disperse some of the tangles.  It fell to her shoulders, ramrod straight.  She took a deep breath and tried to put on a confident face.  She opened the door.
          “Elitia,” a small voice whispered.  Colette stood there, her face covered with streaks of tears. 
          Elitia crossed the room and embraced her.  Colette clung to her, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
          “It’s okay.  Everything will be alright,” Elitia tried to comfort her, all the while knowing she was lying.
          “If you two will please come with me,” he stood there.  Waiting. 
          Elitia pulled back from her sister’s embrace.  “Just what do you want?”
          “You will soon find out.  Now, come.”
          Elitia straightened her shoulders and tightly gripped her sister’s hand.  Together they followed the man. 
          Down a hall they walked.  Metal walls and metal floors surrounded them.  Step after step they took before a door metal door appeared. 
          The man paused before it and turned to look at them.  As if revealing a great secret he said, “Beyond this door your questions will be answered.”
          With a swish it opened.  They walked through into a circular room.  There were other people in the room.  Other teenagers.  Other children.  They all stood in pairs.  Elitia closed her eyes in horror.  They were all siblings. 
          “Please stand over there,” he motioned to an empty spot on the wall. 
          Colette stumbled along behind her, her hand trembling.
          As soon as they were in their place, the man began to speak, “I first must congratulate you all.  Each one, or perhaps I should say each two, of you” he chuckled, “have been chosen for this great honor.”
          Elitia clenched her jaw tightly trying to still its trembling. 
          “What is this honor?” he continued with a diplomatic flair.  “It is a test.  It will soon be evident how strong and how intelligent you are.  May you each pass with flying colors.  Now I believe we are ready,” with those words he turned and left the room.
          Glances were exchanged and a sob or two came from the younger subjects.  A whining sound, like the sound of a machine coming to life, filled the room.  But the room was no longer.  No longer did they stand surrounded by metal walls.  Instead grass lay beneath their feet.  A grove a trees surrounded the field where they stood.  And all was quiet. 
          A gentle wind caressed Elitia’s cheek.  A bird tweeted nearby.  Clouds dotted the sky.  The sun shone down brightly.
          There they stood.  Stunned and afraid. 
          Then a rumbling sound filled the air.  The ground upon which Elitia and Colette stood buckled, pitching them forward and apart.
          The sky and ground melded together into one as she pitched head over heels down the slope.  Other cries filled the air as more sibling pairs were thrown to the ground as the earth bowed and rose. 
          Elitia grasped for anything that would stop her roll.  Something hard slammed into her side.  The sky above turned grey as she fought for consciousness. 
          “Easy now,” a hand touched her face while an arm pulled her away from the hard wood.  “Breath.”
          She sucked in a ragged breath.
          “Good girl.”
          Above her a young man looked at her with a worried gaze.  Behind him a girl stood, panic evident on her face. 
          “Thanks,” she wheezed.
          “No problem.”
          He held her steady as she rose to her feet.  The ground was no longer pitching.  People were rising to their feet.  A few were limping. 
          Elitia rubbed her aching side.  She had slammed into a tree.  No wonder she was in pain.  Colette.  She stood up straight trying to fight down panic.  There was no sight of her.
          “Colette!”  Before she was able to get another word out a small figure plowed into her side.  Red hair, covered with dirt and grass, lay askew. 
          They melded into a hug, their bodies heaving with fright.  Elitia finally pulled away and looked at the young man.  “What now?” her voice broke.  She was scared.  She was really scared.
          His eyes wondered over the fields occupants.  They looked as disjointed and confused as Elitia felt.
          “They said this is a test.  I sure wish I knew what they were testing,” his eyes held frustration.          “Strength and intelligence.”
          “Yeah, but-” his words were cut off.
          A loud roaring filled the clearing.  Lions?  Elitia could not believe it.  They stalked into the clearly, their eyes bright with the thought of killing. 
          The young man grabbed his sister’s arm and motioned at Elitia.  “Come on!” 
          She only hesitated for a second.  The four of them rushed into the folds of the forest.  Behind them they could hear the cry of humans and the victory roar of the lions.  Branches whipped across Elitia’s face drawing blood.  She didn’t care.  Adrenaline pumped through her body.  She was running for her life. 
          “One’s following us!” Colette shrieked.
          Elitia did not have to look to know she was right.  Something was crashing through the brush right at them.
          The next moment she crashed into the young man’s back.  They went down together in a tangle of arms and legs.
          “What do you-” Elitia began to sputter.  Then she saw a why.  A lion crouched before them, leering.  Another lion came up behind blood dripping from its fangs.
          They stood there, frozen.  Their eyes wide with fear. 
          Something brushed Elitia’s hair.  A tree branch . . .!  She grabbed Colette around the waist and shoved her upward and onto the branch.  “Climb!”
          As she pulled herself up onto it as well, it groaned dangerously.  Please don’t break!  She grasped for another branch and pulled herself up higher into the leaves.
          Below, the young man was following her lead.  Soon they were all safe within the confines of the tree.
          Down below the lions roared and pawed at the bottom of the tree, shaking it.  It shook harder and harder bending back and forth. 
          A loud cracking sound filled the air.  Elitia clutched the tree trunk as the ground started rushing up towards her.  “Ah!” her cry came out as a squeak as she crashed onto the earth.
          Something slammed into her back pinning her to the ground.  Dirt and leaves were forcing their way into her mouth.  Colette called her name.  She tried to answer, but her mouth felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton.
          Then everything went silent.  The only noises were Elitia’s heavy breathing as she tried to pull air into her crushed lungs.
          She pushed with her hands and tried to raise her head.  All she could see were branches.  No.  Wait.  She pushed up again.  A body.  Colette?  Blood streaked the young girl’s face.  Her eyes were open and vacant. 
          “Nooo!” a tortured cry sprang from Elitia’s throat.  “No!”  She clawed at the ground trying to free herself. 
          Her fingers cried in pain.  She whimpered, burying her face in the ground.
         “I’ll get you out in just a moment.”  It was the boy.  She didn’t care.  Let him leave her here.  Death would be a wonderful gift. 
          “Niyati!” a childish voice sounded.
          “Don’t worry, I’ve almost got you out.”
          His name is Niyati.  The thought barely registered among the throngs of her emotions.
          Branches crunched as he freed his sister and headed towards Elitia.  He shoved and pulled at the branches pinning her to the ground until they moved enough for her to crawl out from under. 
          Now free, she sat there on the ground.  She wrapped her arms around her knees and began to cry.
          Why her sister?  Why? 
          “I-I’m sorry,” Niyati scratched his head nervously.
          She ignored him, sinking deeper into her sorrow. 
          “Help!”
          Niyati started, then cried, “Elen!”  He leapt through the fallen branches, frantically shoving them aside as he went.  All Elitia could see of his sister was a frantic face and her hands grasping the dirt.  A hole had opened up right beneath her.
          Niyati grabbed her hands and pulled.  “I can’t-” he broke off panting.  He looked desperately at Elitia.  “Help me!”
          She lay where she was, staring vacantly at him. 
          “Please!” his voice was laced with desperation.
          The ground buckled sending her flying into the air.  Branches stabbed her face as she hit the ground.  A loud wail filled the air.
          She stumbled to her feet.  Niyati was scrambling back to the side of the pit.  Elen was gone. 
         He looked at her, his eyes wild with grief.  “How could you just sit there?!  If you had helped she might still be here!”
          Tears welled up in her eyes.  He was right.  He was so right.  “I-I-”
          He turned his back on her, his head in his hands. 
         Why did I do it?  If only I had helped…if only…  She whirled and ran.  She could not face him.  It was all her fault.  She ignored the pain streaking up her side.  He hated her, and she hated herself.  And her sister was dead.
          Elitia ran until her feet gave out.  She collapsed on the ground panting.  The woods were getting dark, and the air was turning cold.  Who cares?  I might as well die out here.  Those were the thoughts coursing through her head as she fell asleep. 

 

          I’m still alive.  The stars were fading away as the sun’s rays filled the sky.  Her muscles screamed with pain as she tried to sit up.  “Oooh.”

          The air was chilly and easily filtered through her clothing.  She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself up. 
         “Sorry there’s not a fire, but I had no way of starting one.”
          She jerked around.  Someone sat behind her.  Him.  Niyati.  His eyes looked weary and sad, but there was something else there.  Peace.
          “Listen, I’m sorry for shouting at you.”
          She blinked.  He was apologizing to her?  “But it was my fault.  If I had tried to help . . . “
          He ran a hand through his hair.  “Yes, if you had helped, things might have turned out differently.  But I’m not the only one who lost a sibling, am I?”
          Her heart throbbed with sorrow.
          “I realized that, well, you were suffering then as well.  I probably would have done the same thing if our places had been reversed.”
          He had forgiven her.  Overwhelmed with relief, she wiped a stray tear from her eye.  For a few moments they both remained silent, trying to control their emotions.
          “Do you think any of the others are still alive?” she broke the silence.
          “Possibly.  I just wish I knew what they are doing.  What they want from us.”
         “It’s just a large game and we are the pawns.  They don’t care if we drop dead or if we stay alive,” bitterness filled her voice.
           “But they didn’t just send us out here for no reason,” he slowly got to his feet, immersed in thought.
          She couldn’t keep the bite of sarcasm out of her voice, “Well, let’s just be the great detectives and figure it out.”
          He scowled at her.
          His gaze made her squirm.  “Sorry.”
          As he opened his mouth to speak, a familiar whining filled the air.
          She jumped to her feet.  The forest was fading.  Instead of trees, familiar metal walls filled her view. 
          “Interesting.” 
          She jumped and whirled. 
          “Welcome back,” the man smiled at them.  They were back were they had started.  The metal room.  Except this time they were alone.
         “Y-you,” her eyes flashed angrily.  Niyati laid a restraining hand on her arm.  But it too trembled with anger.
          The man rubbed his hands together, amused.  “Don’t be angry.  You two actually did surprisingly well.  Yes.  Or perhaps I should say you had unique reactions.”
          “Reactions?  To what?  You killing our sisters?!” she took a step forward, the words pouring out of her mouth like a bucket of water.
          He just smiled.  “You still have some kick left in you.  Very nice.  Very nice indeed.”
          She hated him.  Her hands curled into tight fists.
          He snapped his fingers, “Take these two.”
          Four men entered the room and surrounded them.  Elitia’s jaw was clenched so tight, she was surprised it hadn’t snapped. 
          They paraded out of the room, down the hall, and into another room.  The guards left them there without a word. 
          “I could kill him.”
          “I know,” Niyati shoved his hands in his pockets.
          She stared at him in wonderment, “How can you be so calm?”
          He smirked, “I’m not calm.  I’m just controlling myself.”
          “Sure, whatever.”
          The door creaked open, and a small face peered through. 
          Elitia could only stare.  The face was covered with freckles, and that hair.  It belonged to only one person.  “Colette!”
          The next few moments were filled with tears of joy as the two girls hugged each other.
          “But how?” she gently ran finger down Colette’s face.  “You were dead.”
          She shrugged.  “When I hit the ground after the tree fell, everything faded away and I was in the room where we all started.”
          “Same with me,” a quiet voice said.
          Elen stood beside Niyati, holding his hand.  She, too, was alive.
          “I believe it is time for you to leave,” the man was there again, his eyes touched with humor.
          Elitia gripped her sister’s hand tightly.  They would not be separated ever again.  “Where to?”
          “Home.  Of course.  Now, if you will please follow this gentleman,” he motioned to a man standing behind him.
          Numbly they followed him down what seemed miles of corridors until they reached another door.  He opened it and motioned them through.  They were outside.  The sun shone down brightly, warming their chilled bodies.  It was over. 

 

          The house seemed empty and quiet as the stepped into it.  Soberly, each girl made her own way to her room.  After a shower and a change of clothes they converged on the kitchen. 

          “I just don’t understand what happened,” Colette played with her glass of water.  “What did they want?”
          Elitia studied the cracked tile that adorned the kitchen floor, “I don’t think we will ever know.”
          “So, now what?”
          “You’ll go back to school, and I’ll look for a job,” the words caught in her throat.  She looked solemnly into her sister’s eyes, “But don’t expect things to go back to normal.  They will never be the same.  Everything has changed.”
          Colette blinked hard and reached out for a hug. 
          Elitia gripped her tightly.  Whatever happens, I must not lose her again.

 

          “Was it a success?”

            “The results were as I suspected.”
            “It is time then?”
            “Yes.  It is time.”