Chapitre 56: Chapter 56 - The Beginning

After calming down her sister, Reya rushed back to the TV room. Mark and lucas had a forlorn look as they gazed at her.

"Did he say anything else?" she whispered anxiously and wiped the wet tear marks from her cheeks.

"N—no he didn't. He remained silent," Mark said, throwing worried looks at her.

Plopping down on the popcorn ridden couch, she peered at the man who was looking right at her. "Tell me, what if I wish to save everyone?"

"oh, obviously your wish is not omnipotent. You have to wish for something....attainable,"

"Attainable? Then can I wish for my sister to be cured,"

"Yeah, definitely. You can wish that,"

"What if I wish for my entire family to be saved? Will my sister be cured as well?"

"You really know how to play with your words. But sadly, she won't be healed. I told you. You have to be very specific of what you wish for. By the way, why are you participating, anyway? Won't my sister train you herself....." his face went blurry, and the TV went static for a second.

A brunet appeared all of a sudden and punched him straight on his nose. This brunette was someone Reya was well familiar with; it was Artemis. She glanced at her through the screen and said, "no, I won't let you go the easy way. If you want your wish, you have to work hard for it. Got it. Don't fail me," she said, pointing a finger directly in front of the camera.

Reya silently nodded. "but...what about my family?"

"We can work something out. Now concentrate on your tests. Work hard kid I'm rooting for you...." Artemis cleared her thought and pushed her frowning brother out of the screen.

She then brought out a small worn out book from the table and started reading the rules. "As my brother said, each of the youths will be assigned a test arena. The assigned locations will appear as a small mark on the back of your palm," she pointed to the back of her hand.

Curiously, Reya too looked at her hand. The mark she had seen three months ago reappeared magically on the back of her hand. It was the same coordinate, and the date was also the same. But this time the numbers that were smudged were complete.

Artemis on the screen peered at her. "This will be your test coordinates. Those of which the mark has appeared please find your test locations with the latitudes and longitudes and the test dates front the centre. More rules will be given at the test locations. Good luck," she said, and the screen went black.

They have lost signal again.

The room was eerily quiet. Mark and Lucas glanced at her and sighed. "Reya, are you going to do this?" mark whispered with his hands on his forehead.

"I...I have to,"

"You don't have to. This sounds very dangerous. I'm not sure your mother will approve of this..."

Reya stood up and shook off all the pieces of popcorn stuck to her. "I will still do this. This is my decision to make and I'm deciding to risk it all," after making her decision known, she rapidly ran over to Clive's room.

The crazy scientist was fiddling with some mechanical motor with his glasses hanging low.

"Clive!"

"I know what you are going to say. I got the location too, but mine is different," He said without looking up.

Reya rushed over to him and held his palm close. His mark was not blue but red with different coordinates as he had mentioned. "Are you participating?"

Clive scoffed and finally glanced up at her. "Of course I am. I have my idiot brother and my butler to protect," he said as a matter of fact.

Reya was even more confused. She squatted next to him and peered at him. "But you didn't train....it's all because of me.."

"Oh, stop your pitiful speech. I don't need muscles for this... I have this," he pointed to his head. "I have my brains. I can beat any kind of test, so don't waste your worries on me," he said wiped his sweaty forehead. "Hand me the wrench," he pointed to the toolbox next to him.

Without a word, Reya assisted him in building one of his creations.

Days flew by and it was finally the day of the test. That morning her mother tearfully woke her up before the sun rose to the horizon. Reya swiftly finished her bath ad rushed down with her hair still dripping wet. Seeing this, her mum helped her dry it and tied it up in a French braid. Her mother's face remained impassive, but her trembling hands gave away her fear.

Reya gripped her hand tightly and kissed her knuckles. "Mum, it's going to be fine,"

"Reya, don't go," she cried, hugging tightly onto her shoulders.

"Mum I have to.... for Mina I have to," Reya hugged her back. This was going to be their one last hug before her long journey. Her test centre was nearly ten miles away. She did not know what kind of dangers lay ahead in her test.

But she knew that she has to pass through those storms to protect her loved ones.

"All done?" Clive whispered from behind.

Momma jade tearfully nodded, letting go of Reya. "Clive, you too take care," she whispered.

Clive nodded and was about to shake hands with her, but he was pulled him into a tight hug. "You are just as precious as my child, so be safe and come home soon," she mumbled.

With a red face, Clive nodded. He awkwardly went over to his brother and waved him goodbye, but there too he was hugged tightly.

Clive patted his red cheeks and rushed over to Reya. "Shall we go?"

But Reya was too distracted glancing up at the mansion. Mina did not come to say goodbye. After the news got released, she started to distance herself from others, always shutting herself in her room.

"Reya?" Clive's loud voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Reya took one last glance at the fluttering drapes of the window in first floor and got on the bike. Taking a car was quite inconvenient considering the badly maintained roads. So they decided on an off-road bike. Clive sat in front with his helmet on and handed her one as well. Silently, Reya wore her gear and held onto him.

Clive also did not say a word through all this. He silently started the bike and drove away. The gates closed behind them, shutting out the tearful image of her mum hugging Mr. Mark.

"Goodbye mum, Mina, Mark, Lucas..." Reya waved at the closed gates. "Hey, we are coming back. Don't be so sad. It's pulling down my mood," Clive grumbled from the front. He veered the bike to the left, trying to avoid the rubble on the ground.

Mommy jade wiped her tears away and walked up to the first floor and slowly knocked on Mina's door. "Baby, your sister just left...she will come back soon so don't fret," she whispered.

There was no reply from eth other side so she slowly peeked in. the room was empty. Even the bed was complexly made without any crinkle. "Mina!! Where are you? Mina!!"

Unknown to anyone a small figure jumped out the gate and slowly walked away. Mina clenched her fists and glanced up at the sun. "If Reya is making a wish for me, then I will make a wish for her."

The ride was bumpy and tiresome. By the end of the second mile, Reya's butt almost fell off from pain. "drive slowly, for goodnes's sake. My back is killing me!" she shouted.

"The roads are shit. How can you expect a smooth ride?" He rumbled back yet still he slowed down at every bump and ridges her drove on.

Soon a huge stadium came into view. Reya watched this nervously. The huge stadium walls were fully covered in metal bars and looked fortified for war. No one knew what was inside, but the exteriors itself looked intimidating. "This is my test centre," she whispered, directing him closer. The gates were wide open, but there was no crowd outside.

Clive wordlessly drive to the open gates and dropped her off. Reya walked in without any hesitation. He parked his bike nearby and locked it and rushed over to her. "Wait, ill escort you in," he shouted. But as he walked closer, a weird force held him out the door. He touched the delicate looking transparent membrane in awe. "Looks like I can't go in.." he mumbled.

Just then a startling sound of helicopter rippled through the sky. Reya swiftly walked out the gate and stood protectively next to Clive. The chopper hobbled and landed nearby on the empty ground. And twenty or so young boys and girls jumped out. All of them looked very clean and crisp. Their clothes did not even have a single fold on it, showing how privileged their live was after the world collapsed.

Clive pulled her back and hid her with his towering figure. Without looking back k he whispered, "Shit, how did these people survive," he warned lowly.

"What do you mean 'how they survived?'?"

"They were members of one of the bunkers that I was assigned to. The bunker that I assumed was fully killed by the outbreak... Reya make sure to stay away from them," Clive answered gravely.

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