A/N: CHAPTER FOURTEENNN!

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Chapter Fourteen:

The finest fish to have been known laid before me, perfect with its cracked skin, crunchy at touch with the whiff of seasoning that caused a roaring in my stomach. A perfect garden salad laid beside it with perfectly small rounded baby tomatoes that I had never seen before.

"Blue." My stare left the food before me and turned to Carter who was staring at me with an amused smile. "Pass the salt." I narrowed my eyes playfully at his demand whilst begrudgingly grabbing the salt beside my plate and handing it to him.

"Blue?" Questioned Jarvis from across from me.

Looking up at him, his eyes scrunched in confusion glancing at Carter weirdly. I laughed and his gaze diverted to my own. I shrugged my indifference to the nickname.

We conversed in conversation, talking about our home lives. It made me smile as Jarvis told me small stories about him and Logan when they were younger. It was cute that despite everything they had managed to come here together rather than paired with someone they did not know. But when I glanced at Carter, I knew it was not a bad thing, and the similar look in his eyes simply told me that he agreed.

But it was after a bit when I saw Lucy walking in the hall along with Shaun that I smiled and raised a hand. Instantly, her eyes met mine and my smile widened watching her and Shaun make their way over.

"Hey, Bryce," smiled Lucy brightly, taking a seat beside Jarvis who looked to her in shock, eyes widening. Shaun trailed around the table and sat beside me giving me a nudge in greeting.

"Hey, Ry," he smiled warmly at me, his dimple clearly showing and his golden locks ruffled on his head which looked good on him.

"Hey, Goldilocks," I nudged him back, making him laugh at the nickname. I began calling him that a few days back when we had sat around the Gym Hall doing nothing.

From the corner of my eye, Carter clenched his jaw tightly, his cheek bone even more defined as he did so. His eyes stared intently at Shaun with a sort of fire that seemed like he did not like Shaun one bit. I was confused and looked up to see Shaun still with an unfazed smile as he held out a hand in front of me to Carter.

"Hey, I'm Shaun, you must be Carter, right?"

Carter's jaw remained clenched as he nodded his head slightly and gave me a curt smile. Shaun seemed to get the message Carter was sending and pulled his hand back disappointed and confused.

Turning to Carter, I tilted my head in confusion, a hard look on my face but he shook his own glancing away from me. Instantly, I could feel the tension on the table as no one spoke and Logan's and Jarvis's eyes trailed from Carter and Shaun in confusion from in front of me.

No longer being able to stand the tension I gestured to Lucy. "Guys this is Lucy, and Shaun," my hand turned to Shaun beside me.

I was quick to introduce the pair to the two boys and instantly they clicked. With Lucy's bubbly personality and Shaun's playfulness, they really complemented each other and easily thrived in the conversation.

"How did you guys meet?" Jarvis asked cautiously, trying to lighten the mood, around a mouthful of food.

I cringed.

"You're disgusting," Logan slapped him across the head. Instantly Jarvis began coughing as he choked on some of the food, his hand rising to clutch his chest. I could not help but laugh hysterically at his expression, Logan slamming on his back before he could finally swallow.

"Fuck," he whispered through a muffle cough and I continued to laugh when Shaun suddenly cleared his throat.

"I met Ry in the gym hall the other day," he ran a hand through his golden hair winking at me. I smiled as Lucy nodded from across him. "Yeah, she also helped me on the first night with the poison, thanks to her we are still here."

She gave me a soft smile and she reached out to squeeze my hand from where it laid on the table. I smiled in return and saw Carter from the corner of my eye somehow managed to narrow his eyes further at him.

Confusion grew in me, but the thoughts evaporated at Jarvis's loud voice. "Aw, now isn't that just adorable."

My lips rose into a sarcastic smile before I kicked his leg under the table. It instantly shot up slamming his knee and a string of curses left his lips as everyone began laughing at him again. Through tears in his eyes he pointed a finger at me and with a smile on his face he whispered delicately, "You're a bitch."

I opened my mouth as laughter bubbled through me and before I could say anything, I was cut off by the ringing of a glass being clinked, echoing through the hall even over the loud noise of everyone talking.

Becoming silent, we all glanced towards the front where the officials all sat, Gailsman standing at his table. He was in his pressed, prestige uniform and my stomach sank.

"Good afternoon everyone, it is good to see you are all enjoying your lunch," Gailsman's voice boomed through the hall. There was something about his deep voice, the way it demanded attention, like his superiority over others was something that was just known. If he whispered I would be sure that everyone would be listening to him, hearing every word and straining to catch the next.

He smiled broadly. "I am well aware that not everyone is here, but I have happened to notice everyone is using the facilities that have been provided for you, and I am hoping that it has been to your liking."

Nothing was out of place, every hair on his head was clean shaven. A perfectly trimmed beard, not a spot of grey, dust or even different colouring to his dark uniform. The sown finery of his blazer with the intricate swell of golden pattern glowing under the radiant lights of above.

"I am here to announce your next test."

My blood ran cold, my breathing becoming shallow. I knew this was coming - but another test? I glanced at Carter subconsciously without even thinking about his cold attitude before. But he too seemed to forget it as he glanced down at me with fear in his eyes.

Would it be worse than the last?

In front of me, Jarvis whispered to Logan jokingly. "Wonder if this one will kill us this time?"

Murmuring was heard around the hall, speculations on what the test would be or if they would even tell us this time.

"I'll now be handing the honour of presenting the next test to the head coordinator, Axel King," Gailsman yelled over the many voices creating a hush. He sat on his seat as Axel rose and circled around his table and stood on the stage, front and centre.

There was no denying how intimidating he looked. From his ice cold gaze brushing over the room instantly creating a chill. The dark uniform on him seemed much more menacing then a work of art like it had sat on Gailsman. Glancing behind him, I saw Gailsman murmuring to the female, Daliah Neera, with a smile on his face as she nodded enthusiastically.

My gaze directed back to Axel as a cunning smile rose to his face seeming almost like a sneer as he cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Henry," His voice was impossibly deep as he turned back, nodding politely to him before addressing everyone else. "It is an honour to stand before everyone hear and to address the next test that will help with your continuation in the Resdue."

The way he spoke, the deep voice and the hint of almost what seemed like a dangerous glint of humour and mocking in his voice sent a shiver of fear running down my spine. He sounded so threateningly, so mocking and a small smile on his face making it impossible to read him.

"This next test is indeed within its name. It is a test, as had been declared by Henry. You will be tested on your knowledge over a long period of time which will be further informed to you on the day of your test."

Maybe to some, a test did not seem that bad. But looking around, seeing and knowing the type of people here. It was bad.

I frowned worriedly, I was lucky enough to be educated when young, enough to learn how to spell, count, read, and do basic math. But a test on knowledge would be hard on me. But not as bad as everyone else.

The reason we had all joined the Resdue was simply because we had nothing. No money, no job, no home, no education, no nothing. A test would be detrimental as more than half of us here would not even know how to read.

Glancing around, the frown on everyone's face represented my thoughts. Everyone was worried about this and I could hear whispers growing louder.

"A test?" Whispered Jarvis from in front of me and I saw him glance at Logan nervously. He nodded hesitantly as his eyes closed in worry. "Yeah."

I turned to the front, too scared to glance at Carter and see whether he was afraid. I could not do it. Not yet.

"However," he began again as everyone turned back to him. His eyes trailed to the large doors when kids trickled in, eyes wide and worried to see Axel addressing everyone. "If you are to come within the bottom one-thousand-one-hundred-and-seventy-two... you will be eliminated from the Resdue." He paused with a frown before smiling. "Your partner will join you in the elimination if you are within the bottom one-thousand-one-hundred-and-seventy-two. If one goes, you both go."

It was then I realised I had held my breath within the bottom of my lungs. A gust of air left my lips and I breathed out again and breathed heavily in short, pitiful gasps. I closed my eyes trying to regulate my breathing. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. My lungs inflated and deflated, my breaths coming out longer each time.The world around me spun for a moment and I opened my eyes. Carter stared down at me with deep concern and I could only give him a weak smile in return.

I did not like the way he said goes. He almost happened to make it sound like it was more drastic than going back home.

There was no surprise why Axel King was the king of challenges, the mastermind behind it all. Because he truly knew the best way to pressure a person. This task was not only reliant on yourself, but was also your partner. Your own life was within your hands and your partners. And all I could hope for was that Carter knew how to read, write and could answer the questions, just well enough that he beat the others. Even I did not know how I would fair beyond my basic knowledge to sound out and spell letters.

"That will be all," Axel bowed his head slightly before sitting back in his seat. We were dismissed.

My heart pounded in my chest angrily, fear coating my body. I suppressed the shiver threatening to rise and my ears rang, the noise in the hall became a blur. It took a moment for me to process everyone around me, opening and closing my eyes before I made out Jarvis's figure in front of me, swearing like there was no tomorrow.

"Fuck!" He shook his head. "Fuck," he swore louder. Logan rested a comforting hand on his shoulder squeezing it for a moment before letting go, Jarvis trailed his gaze to his firm face. "We are going to be alright, don't worry."

Jarvis let out a scoff, rolling his eyes. "Don't worry? Don't worry!"

He dropped his fork and it clattered on the table loudly making me flinch. "You damn well know that I don't know how to read, or write. How the hell do you expect me to take this test and pass?!"

Frowning, I glanced downwards not wanting to see the distraught on his face. That look would be replicated on the majority of people in this hall. It was then that I glanced towards Carter to see a nervous look on his face. His weak smile said as much as his eyes hooded over as if there was a heavy weight on him. Inclining my head in question, he shook his, ever so silently. The word later dangled within the empty air.

Under the table, I could see that his hand was clenched, so much that it had turned white. Without thinking, I placed my hand on top of his and rubbed against the rough skin softly without glancing downwards, trying to soothe him. His fist unclenched slightly and went to pull away. But it was when he grabbed my hand harshly that a flutter formed in my chest and he turned his hand, lacing it within my fingers.

Even though it was out of everyone's view, I felt as if everyone was staring at me and could hear how my heart had suddenly begun to race through my body, his thumb brushing against my knuckles.. My stomach fluttered with nerves and I was surprised when my jaw unclenched. I never realised I had it clenched in the first place.

"We have time," Logan began but Jarvis shook his head pushing back his chair harshly.

"Not enough." He went to stand and storm away but Logan grabbed him firmly standing up himself. "We have more than enough. I can teach you what you need to know within the next few days. It will be fine. We will be fine. And we will be here to stay."

Instead of replying Jarvis turned on his heel and left the main hall. Logan turned back, a hand through his hair gripping harshly. It was clear he was stressed and even doubted if he could teach Jarvis in time.

"Logan," I whispered and he looked down at me. His usually calm face was ridden with what seemed to be wrinkles of stress and tiredness. Much too many for someone as young as him. "You got this, it will be fine."

He gave me a small, appreciative smile. He nodded at us once before he left, following after Jarvis.

"They can't be serious," stated Lucy in shock, glancing at us with disbelief. I nodded agreeing, "This is so messed up." Looking around, small groups of people huddled together terrified. They whispered amongst each other with fear clouding their faces.

"At least it's the bottom that's getting eliminated. Instead of having to achieve a certain mark?" Shaun laughed nervously trying to lighten the mood but it only made it more sullen. Looking towards him I gave him a small smile for trying but he only frowned as he looked at Lucy's disappointed face.

Behind her head, I saw people leaving the hall, discarding their lunch which was unusual. Especially considering that everyone always thoroughly enjoyed eating and filling themselves until they were sick.

"I wonder where they are going," I whispered to Carter and he nodded before he froze. My brows furrowed in confusion as he looked towards me with wide eyes. "They are going to the Library."

My eyes widened in shock as Lucy let out an unintelligible noise. "Oh my God, we need to go now before all the books are taken!" A smile crept onto my lips. I squeezed his hand tightly before standing up, letting it go.

"Let's go now, while not everyone knows about this yet." I nodded agreeing with Shaun before a loud scraping noise rang through the hall behind me. Carter had pushed back his chair roughly with a frown on his face as he glanced at Shaun.

He shook his head ignoring my questioning look as he began walking around the table and I struggled to keep up with him.

"We don't want to miss out," was all he was willing to tell me.

But I could tell that there was more to it that I was missing.