Yes, I had convinced Scarlet to try out for the slayers guild too since now they were taking in 15 of the applicants instead of just the ten. An announcement rang through the speakers, ordering us who passed to move into block 2 where the physical exam regarding knowledge of weapons, was to be issued.
Each applicant found themselves in a block-like cell on their own. A door was placed in front, that would automatically open as soon as the test began. I could hear a countdown begin through the earpiece I wore and I sighed as stress began to claim its spot in the pit of my stomach.
"3, 2, 1." The automated voice said. Then words appeared on the screen above the door. The words, I had been told, described the situation we were entering into.
You are making a trek from one walled city to the next one located three miles away. Choose only five items to take with you, then, place them in your backpack.
You have 25 seconds.
The door in front of me opened. I saw three shelves of supplies in front of me; one food shelf, one weapon shelf and the other a miscellaneous supply shelf. I bolted forward remembering what my father had once taught me grabbing a water bottle from the food shelf and placing it in my open backpack I held in my hand. The clock above the next door I was to enter into read 19 seconds. I moved to the weapons shelf, grabbing the Ruger 10/22 Takedown, a gun my father once owned and taught me about. I then reached for a sturdy fixed blade encased in its sheath. I swung the gun strap over my shoulder and clipped the blade to my belt. 12 seconds. I ran to the miscellaneous shelf taking a box of ammunition labelled .22mm and a spool of paracord placing them in my backpack and zipping it up. 2 seconds. 1 second. The buzzer on the clock sounded and metal doors dropped in front of the shelves. The door in front of me opened and I advanced into the small room, not unlike the room I originally started in. I fastened the backpack over my shoulders as I waited for the countdown to begin.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1." The next set of instructions were displayed on a similar screen.
You are now outside the protection of the walls and two zombies advance toward you. Take them down.
You have 10 seconds.
The doors opened and I emerged from the room, palming my gun. I looked around the room, there were several objects scattered around such as a coffee table, a couch a glass wall… and behind the glass wall was the movement of my target. But before I could shoot that one, another pounced on my back, knocking me down. I grabbed the thick blade form my belt and drove the sharp point straight through the eye of the rotting flesh on top of me.
The sound must have startled the other because it came charging out from behind the glass wall. I straightened my hold on the gun, raised the barrel and the metallic bullet lodged itself in the head of the once moving zombie. And just in time, the alarm sounded and I jumped to my feet and through the door I walked into the tiny room.
The room contained a shelf to the right. There were a few supplies situated on top: a pistol with three bullets in the clip, a crowbar, a lock pick and a locked safe.
"3, 2, 1." Instructions appeared on the screen for the last time.
You will see supplies located to your right. Pick up the pistol and insert the clip. Place your backpack and all other items on the floor beneath the shelf. Now, you may choose either to take the lock pick and safe which contains something useful to you outside this room, or you can take the crowbar and have an extra five seconds added to your time. Select what you rather by pressing one option on the touch screen above the shelf.
I pressed the option that involved the crowbar instead of the lock pick and safe, considering I had no idea how to use a lock pick.
You have 100 seconds.
The door in front of me opened as I fastened the crowbar onto my belt. I removed the safety on the gun and inserted a bullet into the chamber, stepping outside of the room. This was the last physical weapons test all I had to do was get through this and I was one step closer to becoming a slayer.
Outside of the room was a green forest. I made my way through the first few trees and them spotted a fast approaching zombie. I raised my gun, lined it up and shot. I continued now, running but keeping alert and aware of my surroundings. Another zombie coming my way. Another shot fired. Another zombie. Another bullet. I was out of ammunition. I dropped my gun and collected the crowbar from my belt.
I arrived at a locked door. Placing the metal in the door, I pulled. I spotted the illuminated clock above the door that spat at me 32 seconds left. I put my feet against the wall and pushed my weight until I heard a subtle creak. I was getting somewhere! It was working. Behind me I heard a mumbling groan I turned around and ducked as the zombie crashed into the door. I reached for the crowbar and yanked, but the impact of the zombie to the door made me lose progress and got my crowbar stuck.
The zombie quickly regained itself and rose reaching for me. I kicked it back with my foot and tried again for the crowbar. 23 seconds. The crowbar finally came loose and with it the door. The zombie came at me with full force, opening its toxic mouth to take a bite of my living flesh. Envious I`m sure. I locked my arms against the persistent zombie on top of me, trying to push it off. But I was weak and the zombie had at least 20 pounds on me. I punched it in the face with one of my fists. Bad idea. It thrashed with more force and I lost my grip. We were now face to face and the stench of dried blood and death seeped out of its mouth and onto my face in a puddle of drool.
7 seconds. CRAP! Suddenly a random burst of strength shot from a root of determination and the zombie fell to the side long enough for me to stand on my feet. 2 seconds. I opened the door enough for only my body to slip inside and slammed it behind me. The alarm buzzed and the door to the exit opened and I exited, wiping the toxic drool from my face.
I saw other occupant emerge from their exams panting, bleeding, muddy and fatigued. I couldn`t help but wonder if I looked anything like them. I followed along with the crowd wondering, looking, sorting through each individual for Scarlet, but there were lots of people and my mind was overtaken by one thought, did I pass? We swarmed around the score boards. Above the board was a large sign that stated the minimum score to pass was a 65. I filed my way through the crowd, pushing an even elbowing my way to the front, to check my score from the previous exam. Arillia Tate—score 87—pass. I breathed a sigh of relief and got out of the way of others and off to the side where I met up with Scarlet, surely over here to escape the masses of people as well.
"So? How did you do?" She asked softly. I smiled, giving the answer away right away.
"I passed. How about you?"
"Believe it or not, I did too."
We did the girly jump and squeal thing in excitement and celebration of making it this far. Another announcement came over the large speakers in the ceiling. We placed our ear pieces in the bin and did as the announcer told us and filed into block 3, our final physical exam.