We ran through the thick forest, kicking up mud from the previous downpour. Our breathing was heavy, and our legs were begging for us to stop, but we couldn't.
Behind us were the echoing barks of about three or four dogs, not too far behind. I pushed tree limbs out of my way, and got scraped here or there, but I was fine.
My mind was racing rapidly, not sure if we could make it this time. Whether or not I made it back alive I had to make sure that my friends were safe.
Just as we inched closer, I heard something pound into the ground and immediately I twirled around. Stephen, who was just behind me, turned around as well, and the two of us sped over to Erica who was sprawled out in the mud.
"Go!" I screamed at Stephen. "Go on, we'll catch up!" Stephen nodded and took off, trusting me with Erica. I bent down and struggled to help her to her feet. She was bleeding from her forehead, and looked dazed.
I threw her arm over my shoulder to support her weight, and we began walking slowly. I glanced over my shoulder and bit my lip once I seen two vicious black beasts emerge from the forest, their barks echoing off the silent trees.
Erica whimpered as we moved faster. Just a little closer and we'd be safe, but I was smarter than that. Even if we were just three feet away we'd never make it, not with how fast those dogs were coming. I growled in anger and willed Erica to go faster, and, just like magic, she did.
It wasn't as fast as I wanted her to go but we ran, ran for our lives. In the back of my mind I was cursing myself for being so stupid as we ran through the door and instantly closed it shut, and the barking faded away.
I took deep breaths for air as Stephen appeared at Erica's side.
"You okay?" he asked in a short breath. Erica nodded in pain as she slid down the wall to a sitting position. I licked at the dry blood on my lips and turned around to face several men and a few women who rushed into the room.
One man roughly grabbed my right arm and examined my number, not as if he really needed to since everyone knew who I was.
"Number 101," he said, scribbling down on a piece of paper. "Test passed." I watched as he then rushed over to Stephen, number 112, and then Erica, 124.
The other men and women then ushered us out of the room and into the main hall of the so called school for boys and girls. We were escorted to the front desk where a woman behind it took our blood for tests. Sometimes I wondered if we were really living in 1900, since everything here seemed so…smart.
I held in the urge to scream as we were taken back to our bunkrooms. I shared a room with Erica, and Stephen shared his with a kid named Grey.
We had to clean up our own wounds, and I was sure that Ned was going to send for me since I helped someone…again.
I helped Erica clean up the blood dripping down her forehead. She winced here and there, so I had to be careful. I was different, though, because I was used to pain. It didn't bother me anymore. You could cut me in several places with a knife, and it wouldn't really affect me. The only time that I was in actual pain was during my punishments for helping others. They hurt me in a different way.
After I had cleaned up my wounds, the door to our room opened and I didn't have to question why. I instantly put the white bandage around my wrist to hide my number as the man dragged me out of the room.
We walked down long corridors and up never ending flights of stairs. We then came upon the punishment room, my home sweet home, and entered carelessly.
Ned stood in the middle of the room, waiting for my arrival.
"Ah, Anomie," he greeted me. I sent him a disgusted glare and approached him. He smirked down at me and motioned for me to sit in the chair behind the big white table. I reluctantly obeyed him and sat down, glaring intensely at him.
"For the umpteenth time, one hundred and one, you have disobeyed the rules," he said coolly.
"Oh come on! All I did was help her!" I yelled angrily. I wasn't afraid of Ned. He could hurt me all he wanted to, but I'd never obey the rules. Ned narrowed his eyes in anger and slammed his hands down on the table, not affecting me at all. I held his same cold stare in hatred.
"The rules clearly state that any student here at my school are not to help anyone but themselves!" he yelled. I rose to my feet and copied his position.
"I am not a student, I'm a prisoner, and this isn't a school it's hell!" I yelled back at him. Ned chuckled slightly and forced me back into my seat.
"You may be a leader to them, Anomie, but to me you are the key," Ned whispered evilly. "For years before you showed up here I never thought I'd find the one person who could outsmart me, but now I think I have."
"Anyone could outsmart you," I said, staring at the wall before me.
"Really now? Your friend, Erica, can't seem to," he said. I tensed up once he mentioned Erica and clutched the arms of the chair.
"Keep her out of this," I said coldly. Ned chuckled and patted my shoulder.
"You're heartless, Anomie, why do you need friends?"
"Just get this over with!" I snapped, not even looking at him. Ned nodded and ordered for a man to escort me to a room. Well, at least they weren't going to beat me senseless.
The man roughly pushed me into the windowless dark room and I heard the door lock on the other side. Punishment code 1708 locked in a dark, cold room overnight. Oh yeah, real frightening.
I sighed and sat in the corner on the hard floor and leaned my head against the wall. I hated this place, it was so ridiculous.
I sighed deeply and closed my eyes to be met by more darkness. Everything in this world was messed up.
I awoke to the sound of talking, and blinked open my eyes. I crawled over to the door and peaked under the small crack where little light shown. There were two sets of feet visible, but I couldn't tell who they were.
"Who's next?" a lady asked.
"Erica Cassidy," I heard Ned's voice. I listened closer at the mention of my friend.
"What test?" the lady asked. I could tell that Ned was smiling, and all I wanted to do was hit him upside the head with a pole.
"The fire," said Ned. I narrowed my eyes in anger and suppressed the need to hit the wall. Erica couldn't survive the fire; not alone anyways. I bit my lip and backed away from the door, and sat back down in the corner right before the door opened.
"Anomie," Ned said with a laugh. "You are free to go." I pushed myself to my feet and walked past him, not even glancing at his disgusting face. I stormed to my bunkroom and inserted my key into the keyhole. I pushed hard onto the door and it barely just budged.
I pushed the door shut hard behind me, which woke Erica with a jolt.
"Anomie!" she said, jumping to her feet and wrapping her arms around me. I didn't return her hug, and just stared out the window behind her.
"You're next," I said lifelessly. Erica pulled away and looked at me questioningly.
Next for what?" she asked.
"You're next for a test! They're going to put you by yourself through the fire!" I said angrily. Erica flinched in disbelief and watched me walk over to the window.
"I'm going alone?" she asked. I made no movement.
"They'll do whatever it takes to bring the scores down between at least five people," I muttered. "Their goal now is to get rid of the weak ones."
Erica appeared at me side and patted my shoulder. "I'll survive," she assured me. I shook my head and plopped down on my bed.
"You won't if they don't want you to," I told her. Erica was frightened, I could tell, but she'd never admit to it. She was too good for that, and she got that from me.
"They can't get rid of me that quick," she said sitting beside me on my bed. I glanced at her, and then shrugged.
"I need to clean up." I rose from the bed and left the room, walking towards the girl's washroom.
After everyone else woke up, Erica, Stephen and I left the "school" to get breakfast at Joy's diner. I didn't get out as much as my two friends since I spent most of my life in the punishment room, but when I did I spent every moment of it with my friends.
We entered the diner and the little bell at the top dinged and we took a seat at a table right in the middle.
I leaned back in my chair and studied the menu, not too pleased with the food, but pleased enough to eat it. The little bell went off once more as a bunch of rough looking boys entered, all sweaty.
Erica's eyes lit up as she watched one of the boys with much interest, following his every move. I turned my head to see who it was she was drooling over, and furrowed my eyebrows.
"Who's he?" I asked, looking back down at the menu. Erica blushed furiously and I heard Stephen laugh.
"His name's Blade," Stephen told me. He grinned at Erica and then looked at me. "He's a newsie."
"A what?" I asked, placing my menu down onto the table.
"A newsie," Stephen repeated. "You know, a newsboy – someone who sells newspapers to make money."
"Oh," I said, shrugging. "And Erica is fond of this Blade character?" I asked.
"I am not!" Erica snapped.
"What kind of name is Blade?" I asked curiously, laughing to myself.
"Newsies have nicknames," Stephen told me, looking down at his menu.
"Uh-huh," I said, sending him an odd glance. I ran a hand through my brownish blond hair and rolled my eyes at the commotion from behind me. I scanned the area with my bright blue eyes, and then glanced at the "newsies" behind me.
Some were smoking cigars, and I saw one pull out a stack of cards. I cocked an eyebrow, but turned my attention back to the menu before me. Stephen grinned and motioned for somebody to come over.
"Hey Spot," Stephen said, shaking hands with the boy who walked over. Erica grinned and nodded towards the boy.
"Heya," the boy said coolly. I guess he didn't know how creepy his voice really sounded. Well, I can tell you one thing, he didn't know about our secret lives. Nobody did. It was a rule not to tell anyone about the tests, and if he knew, then surely he'd say something about it.
"How are things going?" Stephen asked, carelessly throwing his menu down onto the table.
"A few problems with some newsies, but everythins goin good in my territory," the boy known as 'Spot' said in a deep Brooklyn accent, with a tint of Irish. He sounded so proud of himself, and it disgusted me.
"That's good," Stephen said. "Haven't seen you or your boys lately."
"Might not wanna, Cromwell, more fights are springin out," Spot said, sitting down in the chair beside Stephen. I glanced over at him, and frowned. What a waste of good looks on such a careless fool.
"Oh, Spot, I want you to meet my other friend Anomie Parker, and Anomie this is Spot Conlon-"
"Leadah of Brooklyn," Spot finished for him. I sat upright in my chair and looked straight at this Spot fellow.
"I don't care," I said coldly. Spot returned my cold stare and leaned forward as well.
"Well now," he said. "Aren't you da little devil." I narrowed my eyes and gently placed the menu down onto the table.
"I am many things, Mr. Conlon, and I can assure you that I am far worse than the devil," I said icily. Spot leaned his head back and squinted.
"Yer brave ta speak ta me like dat," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "It'll be smart ta keep yer mouth shut."
I moved my hair out of my face and stared at him blankly. "I don't take orders from street rats." From that one sentence I knew I got to him, but he wouldn't show it, and he probably even knew I could see it.
"Oh, I'm sorry we all can't be rich and spoiled like you. We don't all have parents dat'll get us everythin we want," Spot said calmly.
"Well, then maybe you should." I sent him a mock smile and then rose from the table and calmly left the diner. I could always eat breakfast with my friends another time, but for now I needed to come up with a plan for Erica.
Author note: Okay, I know this sounds confusing right now, and hopefully you'll get it by the next, or maybe more, chapter.
