CHERUB
Fitting in…
Disclaimer: I know I forgot these, but this goes for the rest of the story: I own nothing but Shadow and Melanie (hehehe, I'm not gonna tell you who THAT is yet!).
Thanks to everyone that reviewed!
On with the story
Chapter 4
Forty-five minutes later, I walked out of the building, and tried to follow Mac's directions to the canteen, rotating her immobilised arm carefully. It wasn't that I minded written work, but I preferred being outside.
The crowded canteen was strange after Nebraska Home. Everyone was chatting, and the food actually looked edible. I picked my food carefully, and chose a seat to the outside of the mob. Bruce came over a few minutes later, sitting opposite me. I took no notice, wondering why on earth he wanted to be around her.
"Are you ignoring me?" He asked.
"No, I just have no wish to talk. Why are you talking to me anyway? Most people just say 'Can't talk to orange'."
"Orange shirts are for guests, and you have to have special permission from Mac before you can talk to one."
"So why did you ask for permission to talk to me?"
"I wanted to apologise for breaking your shoulder."
"It's no biggie, I once broke both arms in my training."
"It still doesn't make it right…"
"Just drop it will you?" I said tiredly. Bruce shook his head.
"You're a hard one to figure out, you know that?"
"I was raised that way."
"That's probably why you're here."
"Maybe."
"Would you want to stay if you passed the test?"
"I suppose so." Bruce smiled at me, and for once, I returned it.
After lunch, I was back in Mac's office. There was a live chicken on his desk, in a cage. Bruce had escorted me there as I was unsure of the way.
"Do you like chicken?" Asked Mac. I shrugged in response. "I want you to kill this chicken." I grimaced slightly.
"Any particular way?" I asked.
"With this pen." Mac handed me a biro. I sighed, taking the pen. Reaching into the cage, blocking out me emotions, I gently took the chicken. With one quick stab, I put the pen through its jugular, killing it instantly. I backed away from the cage, disgusted with myself. Mac nodded before walking out of the room, signalling for me to follow him.
Mac led me out into the grounds, and pointed me in a direction.
"You have five seconds head start before we come after you." He said. I felt completely confused, and began to run, not caring about the direction. Five seconds later, I hit woodland, and heard the distant pounding of feet. My mind started to panic, but I tried hard to suppress it. I continued to run as fast as I could, weaving in and out of the trees in a desperate attempt to get my pursuers off my tail. The pounding feet seemed to come closer and closer, until I was sure that they were right behind me. There was a low hanging branch right in my path, and I used that to swing myself up into the trees. I leapt from branch to branch, gaining height before I came to a break in the branches that I could use to spy on what was happening on the ground. A few people sprinted past, apparently on the trail. A few minutes later, they were walking back, looking all around. One was speaking into a walkie-talkie.
"Mac? We lost her." He said.
"When you next see her, say that the test is over." Said Mac's voice.
"Will do sir." I listened carefully, picking up the sound of more feet. Three more people entered the clearing, looking all around. They were conversing quietly, and I decided to get a closer listen. Wrapping my legs around the branch I had been crouched on, I allowed myself to slip to one side so that I was hanging upside down.
"Mac said the test was over." Said the one with the walkie-talkie.
"Yeah, now we just need to find the girl." Replied another.
"Any ideas?"
"Where was the last time we saw her?"
"Disappearing up a tree." I smiled slightly. Mac had indeed said that the test was over, and I decided that this would be as good a time as any to sneak up on someone.
"Did it ever occur to you that she may still be up a tree?" I said. The group on the ground jumped and looked up to see me. I dropped from the tree, wiping the smile from my face.
I was led out of the forest, over to an assault course. Mac was waiting there, watching me. I glanced at the course, and knew what I had to do. It didn't take a genius to work it out anyway. I jogged over to the first obstacle, clambering under the barbed wire.
At least this is the last section of the test. I thought, running through the course.
