HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL MY READERS! Hope you spend a good day with your loved ones. If it were upto me, I would have gifted you each a Christian Grey. But sadly, he's only one (that too fictional !)

Anyway, I plan to gift my readers an extra long chapter, with a break. No horror-stricken things in this one, no tortures and no torments (except maybe a few ;-P )

Also if I get more than 10 reviews in this chapter, I would publish a bonus chapter within forty eight hours that would consist the begining of the Pinnacle Games!

So read with you whole heart AND do not forget to review this chapter. If you have any wicked thoughts for the Race ahead, do let me know in PM.

Enjoy Reading XD

CHAPTER 10

Liberty

I WAS SITTING IN our room when Beth finally came back.

"I had a feeling that you are stupid. Now I know for sure."

That was the first thing she said to me after staring at me straight for ten minutes. Like she was trying to figure out which planet I had come from.

I simply shrugged. "At least now I can figure out what really happens to those contestants."

"By being one of them!" She hissed at me "Have you lost your goddamn mind?"

I snorted bitterly. "If I didn't know any better, I would've have said you care for me."

I didn't know where it came from. It was a pretty mean thing to say. But I was currently drowned into my own messed up mind.

"Wow! I didn't know you could be such a bitch."

I shrugged again. "Well know you know."

We stayed silent for a few minutes.

She came to sit on the edge of my bed. This was the most close she'd come near me.

I think it was pity. I usually hate it and I wanted to tell her that I didn't need it but I wasn't feeling anything at that moment.

Like anything at all!

Maybe I was still in shock, or just numb.

I couldn't divert my gaze from the imaginary spot on the bed sheet as I kept staring at it blankly. Maybe I had finally lost it.

"They never returned back." Beth finally spoke out after what seemed like decades.

"Who never returned?"

"The participants. We don't know who won the previous race or what happened to others who didn't win. Just that they never came back to BMHS. They just... disappeared."

I let her words sunk in deep. Then I finally sighed dejectedly. I was so tired of this.

"Well staying here is no better than hell. At least I'll have a change of place."

She looked at me for a few long minutes again. Her eyes staring deep into mine.

Her face showing number of emotions that seemed so unfamiliar on her.

Any emotion on her face seemed unfamiliar, period.

Surprise, wonder, amazement.

"You're still so optimistic. After everything they have done to you, you haven't broken a bit.
Instead you had the courage to question the Headmaster in front of the whole school, even though it got you into trouble."

"Uhm.. thanks?"

"I wasn't complimenting you Mia. Not really. I just think if there were more people like you here. We could've stood against them."

"I think we still can. There are so many of us and just a handful of them."

She blanched.

"You really think others would even think of standing against them in their dreams? You have seen how other students are here, Mia!"

"Not everyone is in the worst condition." I tried to reason with her. The thought of revolting excited me.

"The staff is like what here? Ten? Fifteen? Even fifty of us would suffice. We could easily take on them."

"Not everyone is like you Mia!" She practically screamed at me.

"Others aren't as brave as you. Most of us are scared. It's already bad enough the way we're living here to risk it. I can't dare to think of how we'll be punished if we fail."

"All the more reasons to risk it. Do you want to live like this for another year or so and then just disappear?"

I screamed back at her. "You have it in you to bear it for next nineteen months or so?"

She flinched and immediately started trembling. Probably imaging her life here agony for next nineteen months.

I saw her fear and grabbed onto it like an opportunist.

"Beth.."

I crawled towards her and took her shaking frame in my arms as I continued speaking softly to her.

Hoping that she would see the season and have enough courage to lash onto it.

"I know you're scared. I get it. I'm stared too. But no one can save us from here. We have to be our own heroes. We have to be united and fight back. Please don't let your fear take over you."

She stopped trembling as her eyes went blank again. Her posture stiffened and she broke away from my comfort.

"It doesn't matter what we want Mia. Some of the students have forgone this trivial matter. They are too broken to be brought back to life. And it's those poor souls that will be used against us.
One command and they'll attack us to protect those demons. You think you'll able to fight with those kids? Knowing they are as much victim in this as you?"

Before I could answer her, a knock on the door interrupted me.

Beth immediately leapt of my bed and went to we own where she sat completely immobile.

Her façade of lifelessness was back again.

I wondered who it was so late in the evening. A fear crept down my spine.

Did someone catch our conversation? Would we be in trouble? Oh God! What had I led Beth into?

I debated over opening the door or not. Let them think we'd gone to sleep. But there was risk of being punished later if I didn't open the door right now.

And no matter how much masochistic I was, I couldn't endanger Beth just to defy them.

Without giving myself a chance to back out, I rushed to the door and opened it.

The person whose sight greeted me, made me want to shut the door immediately and hide into my blankets.

With black clothes and even blacker eyes, he looked like the devil himself.

It had been weeks since I saw him, yet the tremors moving down my shoulder did not ease one bit.

He gave me a smile that was colder than the glaciers. I resented him immediately.

He was the one to bring me in this hell. It was all his fault.

Marks.

"Yes?" I asked him, pouring as much venom in that single word as possible.

The bastard smirked.

"Good to meet you too again Ms. Fields. I am here to take you to the Glean Center."

The what?

I didn't bother asking him. But somehow my face must have been shown on my confusion because he answered anyway.

"The Glean Center is where all the participants are taken before the race. To mingle with each other. And also Headmaster would be there to guide you through the Pinnacle Race."

Fuck you!

"I am not going anywhere with you!"

He huffed out. "I am afraid you don't really have a choice Mia."

"It's Ms. Fields and I refuse to go anywhere with you."

"And like I said you do not have any choice in it."

He said it with such seriousness. No hint of earlier smirk in his voice.

He dropped his voice as he whispered in a cold low tone.

"Pick you battles carefully Ms. Fields. This is not the one you want to fight on."

I contemplated his words for a few seconds.

I figured it was the best to follow him since I couldn't do much just standing here arguing. But I won't follow him blindly like last time.

I'd come to learn from my mistakes and not to repeat them.

"Where are we going exactly?"

"To the van firstly, along with other members and then to the center. It's situated in the center of the Brooke. Fifteen minutes drive."

"Do I need to take anything with me?" I asked.

"Nothing for now. Everything will be provided there."

I nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

With that he led me towards the staircase and then straight to the exit.

I realized it was the first time I would be walking through the main door ever since I have arrived here.

A very tempting thought of running away came to my mind.

I could get away from them. Out of this town.

Find the first decent person and ask them to take me to cops.

I could describe them the situation here and maybe come back with them to save others too!

But the words that slipped out of Marks as we neared the only gate to freedom, crushed my hope.

"In case you are thinking of escaping Ms. Fields, let me remind you that you'll be on foot and I have wheels. Also, just think of much trouble you'll be once we catch you!"

Fucking Asshole!

Before I had time to process his threat we were already at the entrance.

All thoughts left my mind as soon as I stepped outside of my prisoner.

Outside!

I gasped loud enough to be heard by the whole town.

The sky was starless and black and very much in contrast to my situation here.

Only light to be seen from upwards was of the crescent moon hiding behind the dark clouds.

I realized a little late that it was night time. My brain a bit stunned to be out of the BMHS property.

Tears stung my eyes as soon as my mind registered the fact that it was nighttime.

I want to see the Sun!

A small part of me wanted to weep hysterically for what I longed.

I crushed that part and threw it into the deepest corners of my mind.

Mustering up my strength and keeping my tears at bay, I started towards the bus waiting for us.

For a first few minutes, as I sat in the bus observing its interior, I was scowling at how oddly it looked like any other normal school bus.

Maybe the race won't be that bad.

Right. Who the hell I was kidding?

It certainly won't help me if I tried to keep calm by lying to myself. I needed to be vigilant and take whatever was thrown at me.

I rounded my eyes and noticed other people sitting for the first time. Guess my mind really had some catching up to do.

Some of them were crying, some shaking in fear, a few having panic expressions on their faces.

But none of this was new.

What was new was that this was the most liveliness I had seen since coming to the Brooke.

No doubt the emotions were all negative but my hope still didn't die. Instead, it magnified.

Hopeful thoughts immediately found solace in my mind. And then practically flooded my head.

Maybe we all could form some sort of alliance and work against the evil?

Surely it would be better to die trying then to live like that?

Or maybe we could just try escaping now?

How many of teachers would accompany us?

What if we could tackle them to ground and demand our freedom?

Or maybe the race won't be that bad?

The last thought kept bugging my mind.

Surely I knew it different and yet a certain bloom of hope burst up chest every time I thought the Pinnacle Race.

That somehow I could use this opportunity in my favor.

I counted the rest of the students sitting in bus. Twenty-three of them. Twenty four including me.

A few faces were familiar. The freshmen faces I had seen in canteen.

Sophomores were completely strangers to me.

Two girls from junior batch who were in my English class.

One boy who I think was in both my yoga class as well as psychology. And another boy from my French class.

After I was announced as the first contestant, I was too much in shock to see who and how many were selected or on what basis they were selected.

Was there a process? Or people were picked randomly? Was there a specific number of students to be selected? Did Headmaster already have a list? If so, was I already a contestant?

Contestants.

Headmaster termed us that. I bitterly chuckled at the word.

The term made it seem like we were willingly participating in some huge television show.

From what my mind passively perceived during the gleaning after I was called up on the stage as the first contestant, that from the junior batch ten of us were selected.

I was one of those unfortunate ten. Or maybe fortunate one. Only time would tell that.

The sound of footsteps echoing through the stairs of the bus diverted me from my inner thoughts.

Mark entered first. Behind was the another student wearing a yellow shirt. A senior student.

Was he the last contestant?

As soon as he came into view my body went rigid.

Fine tremors shook up from my shoulders so intensely.

It felt like I was experiencing my own personal earthquake. Where only I was suffering.

Thin sheets of precipitation started rolling down my face and neck.

My mouth went dry. My throat tightened into several coils due to fear. Tears took hold of my sight.

My body was on fire and I couldn't breathe.

I willed myself to open my mouth and take a deep breath. Instead I gasped like a fish dying for water.

Don't lose it now! Don't lose it Ana. You're fine. You're safe.

But I wasn't. I wasn't safe at all. Never had been since last five months.

Yet here at this particular moment I wanted to beg, to cry.

To leave all my bravery and myself dignity behind and bow in front of them to let me go.

This was the most I had been terrified since stepping my foot in BMHS. Except for the one time.

The reminders of the pain, the agony of my virtue being stripped away from me rang clear and fresh in my mind.

Because the boy who just entered the bus, the last contestant, was none other than one of my rapists.

I could still remember each of their faces till fault. Every night they haunted me in my dreams.

They were the demons I still couldn't find the courage to fight with.

He was the one who held my hands. The one who I had punched in the eye.

My assumptions were confirmed when I glanced at his bruised eye.

There were few other bruises on his face too. A bit deeper than the one I had given. I guessed they were from the boy who had saved me.

I haven't thought about him for last few days. My sky-eyed angel. My savior.

Where was he? What was he doing? Was he still saving other poor victims like me?

Had he been caught? Was he being punished? Was he even one of the students here?

The senior boy glanced vacantly at everyone, looking for an empty seat.

No! Not with me please. I don't want to have a panic attack right now. I don't want to spill my guts here.

When his eyes collided with mine, they held no recognition.

Like he didn't even remember doing anything like that to me with his friends.

Marks took a glance in my direction and smiled devilishly.

It took me less than a second to realize what he was up to.

No, no, no, no! No! Please God just no!

Did Marks know what he and his friends did to me?

Then he spoke out in a deep commanding voice.

"Jose Rodriguez, I order you to sit with Mia Fields."

That's it! Just kill him Anastasia. Beat him senseless! Scratch out his balls. Kill him right NOW!

All my murderous thoughts flew away when the boy named Jose, my rapist who now had a name, came and sat down next to me obediently.

My mind went blank with terror.

He barely acknowledged me with a glance or anything.

He simply sat down robotically, just like he seemed to do everything else. His gaze blank and straight ahead.

Meanwhile my head was swimming with unknown emotions.

My chest felt heavy. Pain overtaking all my emotions. My breaths came out in short hurried gasps.

My eyes blurry with tears. My body shaking at its worst.

I realized I was hyperventilating.

I should have been still as a statue, trying my best to avoid any sort of attention.

Wasn't that what Beth told me? Survival 101.

But my body wasn't in my control anymore.

A sob broke thought my chest loud enough for others to hear it.

I was aware that they were all able to see my weakness. Seeing that I was finally breaking down.

Mark made a short speech but I couldn't pay attention to a single word.

My ears were ringing with my heavy sobs and the whimpers that left my mouth.

Breathe Anastasia! Take deep breaths. Calm down. Just keep breathing.

I tried to listen to myself. The bus started moving forward.

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. A lot of deep breaths to get a hold of myself.

The fact that he neither recognized me, nor looked at me helped me calm a bit.

His sat back, staring right ahead like he was sitting alone. No one crying like a wrecking ball beside him.

Soon my crying subsided.

Sad fact : Humans can not cry for more than six minutes continuously.

The tears will dry up in seventh minute and trembling would go down in eleven minutes.

Surely after a minute or two you'd be ready for another round of bawling.

But I wasn't. For now I was done crying.

I put my hands on the top of head and stared outside the window.

We had now left BMHS far behind. Yet I couldn't see a single soul in this town.

Everything was so dark, no street lights, no sign of living, no forests or plants, not even a fly.

What was this place? And who were these people?

I asked myself for the millionth time.

But now I expected to get those answers pretty soon.

The bus stopped followed by the dead silence of the town.

There was a sort of stillness in the place. Except maybe the cold mountains and snow paths, nothing else showed any movement in the nature. The wind was so still.

This was truly the most depressing and terrifying place on Earth.

The doors opened and Mark led us all down in a queue.

I noticed a strange sort of building structure ten to twelve steps ahead of us. We walked towards it silently, keeping our emotions to ourselves.

It was in a shape of a lotus, much like the Opera House of Sydney or the famous Lotus Temple in India. Only this structure was made of completely different material.

It wasn't marble or cement or tiles. I had no idea what it was, but it were the strangest stony rocks.

The exterior was sort of shaped in a black lotus with golden lights bathing it. The building wasn't as big as BMHS, but still it was huge.

We entered through it and found out it was a residence place.

The living room was in center through the entrance, several bedroom door opened to see through them.

Beyond the living room, the consisted enough furniture for all twenty-five us to sit, was some sort of a race room.

It consisted of few workout machines and a book shelf of quiz books and encyclopedias.

At the right corner of the race room was a coffee table with two chairs on the either side.

My attention was brought back to our situation when Mark jerked the door and locked it with several locks and keys.

There went another chance to escape.

Not that the thought was tempting anymore.

Even if any of us could make an escape through the door, where would we go? In the dark, dead wilderness with no way out?

A tall figure emerged down from the staircase whom I had failed to notice at the extreme left corner of living room.

We all turned to see it was the Headmaster.

How did he get here? Was he in the bus with us?

"Good evening my lovely contestants. First of all, congratulations to all you for being chosen as the lucky contestants for the Pinnacle Race.
It is really an honor for you to stand here with your unique capabilities. I hope you make the best use of it in the race as well. Each one of you is extremely talented. The fact that you were given a scholarship to Brooke Mountain High is a prove in itself."

I had this urge to snort at his speech and remark something snarky.

But I had to remind myself what happened what I took the decision last time in my own hands.

That kept my lips sealed.

"The race would take place three days from now. There is no set of complicated rules and no surveillance of any kind. Each level you'll have to race to find golden lotuses in the mountains. Those lotus are what will qualify you to next level so your goal is to reach them as soon as possible by whatever means."

"You can help each other or fight to beat each other. You are at your free will. There would be five levels in total. The number of lotuses will deplete by each level. The race is going to pretty simple with just a few hurdles. Most importantly, there can be more than one winner. All depends on you."

The way he made it sound looked pretty simple. Interesting too, I had to admit. But I also had my intuitions screaming at me that it won't be as good as he is making it. He continued speaking.

"Here at the Glean Center, you'll stay for two days. The purpose of that is so that you get to know your fellow contestants better.
Befriend them, make alliances. Know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Have a little fun together before the competition begins. Things like that.

Clothes and food will be provided to you at your rooms. You can chose your bed individually or have a slumber party as well. Everything and anything you want. No rules and no restrictions. Enjoy your best for next two days."

Why did it feel like we were the lambs being fed just before the sacrifice?

Our free will was what we had longed for. And now we were given that on a platter for next two days.

Why it felt so suspicious?

Something is wrong. Something terrible is going to happen! Very very soon.

My instincts screamed at me and I knew better than to avoid them this time.

I decided to take full advantage of my provided freedom and enjoy my time while being vigilante at the same time. I vowed to never let my guard's down here.

"On the night of the second day, you all will be taken back to BMHS to spend your last night before the race. Again, with no rules and regulations. You all have gained that. Then you will all meet me up in the assemble hall next morning sharp at 6 am.

You can take whatever you want with you. Clothes, backpacks, food, necessities. The race will be a long one so make sure you have enough supply to keep you energized. That's all for now. Good luck. Meet you in three days."

With that he nodded at Mark who opened the door and they both moved out.

Leaving us alone with the most precious gift.

Our liberty.

AT FIRST NONE OF us dared to move.

We all stood still, staring at the now locked door.

Waiting for them to come back and confess of the sick joke they were making.

I took that time to count the contestants.

Twenty-five including me.

Almost the number of an average classroom.

When the door did not open for a long time, we finally began to disperse.

Some exploring the house, others taking refuge in the rooms.

I found out there were ten small bedrooms with two single bed in each room. Few of them had extra bunker beds and sleeping bags.

Five of us would have to sleep on the floor. I didn't mind being one of them.

The kitchen was a huge place with frozen dinners, lots of readymade food, junk food, a whole gallon milk and certain fruits and vegetables.

Each bedroom had a bathroom attached to it that held a separate showers and a bathing area.

Oh and also blow dryers with other basic stuffs.

One walk I'm closet that was probably the size of my aunt's entire apartment with simple tees and track pants varying from size to size.

Seven or eight drawers of various types of lingers and under garments for both men and women.

This was heaven compared to the hell of BMHS. I decided to freshen up first then eat something.

I took out a towel from the closet along with a loose shirt and track pants of my size. Then I gathered a sports bra and some fresh panties.

I found the farthest room where no one has still entered. Took a hot shower, blow dried my hair then went to kitchen. The others had started moving as well.

Again the liveliness threatened to overwhelm me. But I kept my emotions at bay.

I found the boy from my French class struggling with the chopping fruits. I went to him and made us both a fruit salad.

The kitchen was every chef's dream to work in. He thanked me while I handed him his plate and we ate silently.

By the night the atmosphere had depleted from its initial shock and tension.

Most seemed at ease to do things they wanted to.

The conversations were still a bit short and tensed. But with every minute passing by, the environment of the Glean Center was becoming friendlier.

A lot of us moved towards the gaming room. There was a table tennis and even X-box to play with.

I found my solace at the coffee table pro-mastering my skill in the game of Chess.

At first I played by myself but then soon others came and challenged me.

By the end of the first hour many spectators have gathered around to watch as I defeated one student after the other.

When I gave the check-mate to a sophomore boy in just four moves, the small crowd around me applauded lightly.

Soon everyone who knew chess started taking their own turns to defeat me. But of course none of them was successful.

Each time I took over another defeat, I couldn't help but say "Game over. You lose."

For once everything seemed to be alright.

Even Jose lost some of his emptiness. I still wouldn't be anywhere near him though. The horrors of that day still too fresh in my mind to be healed.

The boy from French class and I had also become a little friendlier.

We sat at the coffee table, drinking coffee while playing chess as we introduced ourselves.
His name was Christopher Grey and he'd come here on football scholarship.

"You know, we're together in the French class."

He frowned. "I don't have French. I have Spanish."

"Oh. It must be someone else then. Never mind." But I was sure it was him. Why would he lie about it?

But then I haven't been exactly myself from past few weeks. It could be someone else I confused with him.

Whatever any of us talked, we all remained steer clear of the tortures of BMHS. None of wanting to disrupt this fragile happy harmony among us.

I also noticed Christopher was having a bit familiar structure. If he really wasn't in my French class then how could he seem so familiar?

I asked if I had known him from before and he refused. Though his blue seemed oddly familiar.

There was a big deep cut on his right hand's palm.

I asked him about him that and he rudely shut me down by saying "None of you business!"

A bit cruel.

But maybe I shouldn't have touched a sensitive topic.

Maybe it was due to some punishment in BMHS.

So I decided to keep my mouth shut and enjoy my next two days of joy.

And that's what we all did for the next forty-eight hours.

It was the best forty-eight hours of my life in last three months.

But little did I know that it was the calm before the storm.

And when the storm came, it wrecked me apart and scarred me for the rest of my existence.

.

.

So how was the chapter? A little bit of happiness in tragic times? A ray of light in the darkness?

*Are you interested in knowing what lies ahead for Christopher and Anastasia?*

Please review and you can read the start of Pinnacle Race in less than forty-eight hours!

Don;t forget to drop a comment.

Love ya all,

Happy Valentine's Day,

~Christina Springs~ xoxo