Chapter 2, Part 2

A student of the future faces overwhelming odds during a life-threatening tournament.

At 2100 (9:00 pm), my Warden announced to the crowd that it was time to get ready for bed and wind down; we were allowed to explore our new surroundings, our new “home” for the next year, as he put it. As long as the door wasn't marked with a certain type of symbol or locked, we were able to roam freely. 2200 (10:00 pm) would be when we all need to be in bed, lights out. After several minutes of the others milling about, I finally broke away from the crowd and went to explore.

 

Everywhere I went seemed to have an Alice-in-Wonderland feel to it. Infinite hallways of different shapes and sizes, many tempting doors, interesting people that I passed by. Though I was relieved to be alone, my mind kept wandering back to how I had died this morning. Am I really going to die again tomorrow as well? What about the day after that? And after that? Determination and the courage to do what was right and/or necessary had gotten me far, but the odds started to seem a little suffocating.

 

Maybe I didn't want to be alone after all...

 

No. I loved to be social, but I needed this time to think. To strategize. To plan. As I blindly walked down yet another hall, I practiced the hand motions that we had learned to activate certain settings in the field until I was as fluid with them as I was with speaking. I barely noticed where I was going, who I walked by, what I walked by at all while I was thinking, while I was planning. Though the forest offered cover, the forest also wielded the unknown. Maybe I should try the ocean... I had done some traveling, I noticed that most of the population couldn't swim very well, and that's where I had another advantage, as I was from Florida and used to be a part of a swim team. If I take every second I have and dive to the crystalline water, swim as far as I can... Maybe I could outlast the others. Should there be a storm in the field, though, I might be in trouble. Holding my breath was never one of my strengths, and if the waves grew too big I might grow overwhelmed...

 

A fifteen-minute warning was announced over unseen speakers, so I decided to hope for the best and get the best rest I could. I may have died today... I drew a shaky intake of breath... but I would not let today's defeat mar tomorrow's victory.

 

In less than three minutes I found my way to the bathrooms, and after relieving myself and cleaning my teeth, I took off my shirt with the intention of stripping till I was nude for sleep.

 

After I took off my shirt, though, I paused and gazed into the mirror.

 

Clothed with a modest sports bra and loose-fitting workout/swim shorts, I got to fully take in my body for the first time since I had died. I didn't know what to think. I had always been strong, but... never toned quite like this. My used-to-be soft belly sported neat lines, boasting of previously unheard of abdominal muscles. My breasts were tighter, healthier, attached to strong pectoral muscles. Raising my arms revealed a nice lump at my shoulders, and after touching one, I realized it was a rock solid combination of muscles. Flexing my biceps, I gave a wry chuckle. Nobody could bear hug like me, that's for sure.

 

I turned around, and my hourglass-shaped back now obviously had muscle under a thin layer of skin. I raised my arms, touched my toes, did all sorts of stretching. I was more flexible and well-toned than I had ever been in my athletic and educational life. Though I was muscular, I hadn't gotten masculine, I was still feminine. My previously round and now lean face contorted into a confused frown. The tense and intense eyes of the girl in the mirror searched my own.

 

What the hell had Minerva done to me?

Author's Note

This is an old work of mine, written when I was fifteen, inspired by a dream that I had. I discovered the work recently and liked it, so I have decided to revisit it. I will likely do a lot of editing and may add on to the story, or I may scrap it entirely. I would love constructive criticism over every aspect that could be improved.

Reviews

[Perdition]

I've only started here but getting inside of Jade's head I can certainly see more than just potential..this reads like a journal/inner dialogue. I guess the only question is what in hell happened to you at 15..it seemed to have been a very productive year..trolls and science fiction and not even past the second chapter? The background of Jade was lightly brushed over in the prologue and so no criticism or help as of yet but I'll keep reading, Although...this is reminiscent of the Hunger Games it bears a different quality and a good story is a good story. A sort of same yet developing intrigue that draws the reader in with specifics and techniques that are usually found in the poetic genre...it's good writing and has definitely caught this reader's eye.
What more except once I find a flaw you will be the first to know...respectfully of course. Amazing ...at fifteen? Pretty good...pretty neat! Sorry I couldn't be of more help but I think at least a push or tap saying something that has impressed, even a simple poet as myself, I think helps. Just my input. Reading on.