The Circle- Taken

by Sage Sask

  “A phone?” My gaze jumps from the phone to Serafina and back in disbelief. “I thought only the four agents carried one.”

  “I have decided to make an exception,” Serafina says. “You will have one call. Same circumstances as the others. Use only in an emergency, and if the situation is dire, it may be too late.”

  Unsure, I take the phone but need an explanation. “Why?”

  “You came to the Circle very late and without the benefit of years of training like the others. It is not the Circle’s way to purposely put one of our people in a situation they cannot handle,” she says. “The Evaluation is more than a test of strength. It is a test of character.” Her face tightens, and I wonder if she regrets her decision. “My only requirements are that you keep the phone confidential and you are the only one allowed to use it.”

  She watches me slip the phone into my bag then walks away before I can thank her.

  EVALUATION

  Wary of the dark

  shadows dancing in the night

  Hide in the day

  Sunlight reveals our wounds

  Beggars deceived to believe

  as blood drips a trail

  from our hearts to our feet

  Search for a stalwart in my stead

  But ghosts dig the graves

  of those desperate in need

  voices silenced

  memories betrayed

  Leaders inspire with whispers

  command from a stage of quicksand

  Beholden to those with the noose

  a leash tightened as lambs led to slaughter

  We will dance to your refrain

  never plead for water

  We lift your sword

  heft the heavy weight

  a distraction from the future

  Knowledge a burden to bear

  a constant reminder

  the twist of an arm

  flicker of an eye

  orders given to shatter us forever.

  - Alexia

  THE EVALUATION

  VENUE ONE: DAVID

  Ian

  Oliver

  Jackson

  Melanie

  Victoria

  Adele

  Derrick

  David

  Cameron

  Jackie

  Zoe

  Ella

  Mark

  VENUE TWO: RYAN

  Shane

  Sawyer

  Gavin

  Alexia

  Phoenix

  Liana

  Levi

  Ryan

  Henry

  Cassia

  Samira

  Evelyn

  Hudson

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  Outside we are greeted by a line of jeeps. Friends crowd into the same one until Michael orders a max of six per vehicle. In hopes of avoiding Jackie and her friends, I head toward the one filled with stragglers. I climb onto the back bench and throw my pack on the floor.

  “Hey.” Gavin climbs in and takes a seat next to me. Seeing my surprise, he explains, “You looked lonely back here.” Wary, I stay silent. Gavin nudges my shoulder with his. “Jackie didn’t have a choice.”

  Having no desire to talk about it, I avert my gaze from him. “It doesn’t matter.” The jeeps start us on our journey. I grip the side as we hurtle over rocks and grass. “What’s done is done.”

  “It matters because out there,” Gavin points toward the ocean, “you’re going to need backup. We all will.” He pauses for me to digest his words. “She didn’t ask anyone else to join on her assignment. She brought you into the group so you would have friends.” He sighs when I don’t respond. “We are your friends. The question is — will you let us be?”

  His words gnaw at the place inside me that yearns for friendship. For belonging. At the same time, I struggle against my defenses and instinct. A lifetime of protecting myself proves challenging to change.

  “Harrison threatened to cut off the antidote to her father,” Gavin adds quietly.

  Shocked, I finally turn toward him. The night at the Sanctuary, I had seen Jackie through the window pushing a man. Was that her father? “He’s sick?”

  “Badly,” Gavin answers. “Jackie was scared. Put yourself in her shoes.”

  I am in her shoes, I want to say. My mother is sick and desperate. Ironically, both of us are anxious and willing to do anything to save someone we love. We have more in common than either of us realized.

  “Do you know which zone we’re headed to?” I ask, trying.

  “No one knows. Right now we are going to an island.” He winks, clearly pleased that I’m talking. “From there we take a flight to the zone.”

  I glance outside as the jeep keeps speed behind the others. The Circle’s headquarters shrink as we head further out. The path takes us off the main road and alongside the ocean’s edge.

  “How do we get there?”

  “I’m guessing that.” Gavin points toward the ocean. A large vessel rises from its depths and breaks the surface of the water. “Looks like a submarine.”

  I take a deep breath and will myself to stay calm. The jeep decelerates before slowly coming to a stop. From inside the vehicle, we watch as the vessel fully emerges from the water and idles on the surface before docking on the shore. The engine sputters as the captain decreases power. From the front load, a large ramp folds out. A woman and man, both dressed in orange vests, take their positions on the ramp. They guide the jeeps one after the other onto the boat. On our turn, Michael steers us forward.

  “You all right?” Gavin eyes me as I clutch the side of the jeep.

  “Fine.”

  “You’ll do great,” Gavin assures me, thinking my anxiety is about the Evaluation.

  Unwilling to admit the truth about my fear of water, I say, “Yeah, I’m a given.”

  We follow the others into an interior hold area. A voice over an intercom orders us to stay inside the vehicles. Like sardines, we cramp into the dark and windowless compartment. A metal door rolls over the opening and shuts us in.

  “You’ll feel shifting as we lower the vessel into the water.” The man in the vest points to the air vents located high on the walls. “There’s plenty of oxygen in the room.”

  “The ride will be about fifteen to twenty minutes.” When there’s a bump and then a grinding sound, the woman reassures us it’s normal. “That’s the vessel picking up speed.”

  We are deep inside the water’s depths with no way out. I clench my fists as I exhale quick spurts of air.

  Gavin looks at me strangely. “You sure you’re ok?”

  “Have you ever thought about dying?” I ask, my mind refusing me a reprieve from my anxiety.

  Startled by the directness of my question, he pauses before admitting, “Every day. But you know the risks when you start training.”

  “Did you want to be a reader?” I strain to keep my mind off the water surrounding us. “You said your first love was planes.”

  Clearly happy that I remembered, he says, “My dad is my idol.” Oblivious to my inner struggle, he continues, “The strongest, smartest man I know.” Pride emanates from his every word. “I admire him helping to keep the world safe. I wanted to do the same.”

  “You’re sure the Circle is the way to do that?” I envy him his sense of place and of knowing what he wants. Not sure of my own, I wonder about his.

  “It’s the only thing I know,” he says. “So I trust it.” He assesses me. “That doesn’t make sense to you, right?”

  I imagine lying and telling him what he wants to hear, but given his honesty, I change my mind. Instead, I test the truth. “I had a life before coming here. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine.”r />
  What I don’t say is that in the last few days and weeks, everything has changed. My only option now is to pass the Evaluation and get back to my people. Like a marching band in my head, it drowns out all other thoughts.

  “The Circle has good people trying to do the right thing,” Gavin says. “Serafina constantly pushes us to be better.”

  “You trust her?” I ask.

  “With my life.” He points to the other jeeps. “With my friends’ lives.”

  I process what he said as the vessel speeds us toward our destination. Minutes pass before the man warns of more shifting as we break through the water toward the surface. The boat rocks as it comes to a full stop. The outer door creaks as it rises. Light from the outside pours in, blinding us. I blink rapidly to adjust my vision.

  “Roll them out,” the man announces.

  The woman stands at the top of the ramp. Her neon orange vest glows in the dark interior. With hand motions, she directs each jeep down the incline and onto the pavement lining the shoreline. Michael waits for all the others to disembark before following. Once parked, we start to exit with our packs in tow.

  Michael does a quick count of heads. Satisfied, he hands out folded papers. “Maps of the zone,” he explains. “They are your guides to the tests. Keep them safe.” Once everyone has one, he hands us another map. “The planes will be here tomorrow. They’ll find you when they arrive. Until then, this map will give you an idea of your surroundings.”

  “We’re stuck here overnight?” Ian demands.

  “I’m afraid so.” He motions toward the island. “Stay safe.” Michael runs his gaze over the crowd. “Good luck to every one of you.” He hesitates, and I wonder if he wants to say more, but instead, he jumps back into his jeep. Motioning the others to start theirs, he silently follows them back up the ramp and into the submarine.

  The submarine shuts its door then slowly lowers into the water before disappearing into the heart of the ocean. Bubbles left in its wake cover the surface of the water before getting lost in a wave. We are now all alone.

  THIRTY-NINE

  “Let’s find a place to make camp for the night,” Ryan says, taking the lead. I open my map along with everyone else. “From there we can plot out our next steps for food and water.”

  “Are we staying together?” Adele is one of the stronger readers. At all times of the day, she can be found in the library reading or practicing her psychic skills. “Or divide into our groups?”

  “Stay together.” Victoria avoids looking at Ryan. “At least until the planes arrive.”

  There are murmurs of agreement. “Looks like we decided.” Ryan keeps his gaze locked on Victoria but, when she continues to ignore him, he sighs and moves on to the group. “For now, we stay together.”

  “There’s a clearing just a half a mile or so from here.” Derrick points it out on the map. “We could head there first and see what we find.”

  Like the others, I study the map to try and understand our situation. The beach extends past our landing point to circle the island’s perimeter. A forest of trees and shrubbery decorate the heart of the island.

  Ryan and Derrick take the lead, and the rest of us follow them through the sand and into the brush. Bugs swarm furiously around us as we push leaves and branches out of our way. Those in the lead use axes to slash at the overgrown foliage to clear a path.

  The midday sun beats down, cocooning us in a bubble of heat. In hopes of conserving energy, we barely speak as we walk. I use the opportunity to take stock of the surroundings and memorize our route. Old trees with thick trunks tower toward the sky. The ridges around the wood indicate a lifespan that is unseen in the zones. Their extended branches offer us a canopy of shade from the sun’s hammering rays.

  The lead group slows down as fatigue settles in. “We should take turns.” I move ahead of the others toward the leaders. “I can take over from someone.”

  “Why not?” David drops his ax into my hand. The weight of the handle bends my wrist backward before I drop it to the ground. Smirking, David grabs his water bottle and takes a healthy sip before heading toward the back. “Don’t cut yourself.”

  Others join me to take over. Ryan hands his to Sawyer. “Watch out for the branches with thorns. They’re impossible to cut.” He takes a healthy swallow from his bottle before wiping a stream of sweat off his forehead. “The clearing should come soon.” He heads toward the back, pulling out his map as he goes.

  Sawyer and I work in tandem together. Side by side, we cut through the thick brush while watching our step on the uneven ground. Sweat slides from my neck and down my arms. I switch hands in hopes of fighting off the fatigue.

  “If we don’t die here, the test should be a breeze in comparison.” Sawyer swats at a blood-sucking insect on his neck. “We have maybe a few hundred feet left.”

  “That’s all?” I take only a sip of my water, resisting the urge to swallow more.

  He cranes his neck and squints over the wall of green. “If I’m not hallucinating from the heat, there’s an opening up ahead.”

  Motivated, we push harder, wielding our axes in sync with one another. Around us, the others do the same. With muscles in both arms begging for a break, I start to ask for a minute when Sawyer mutters, “We’re here.”

  We push past a final set of interwoven branches into a clearing surrounded by bushes and smaller trees that offer shade. A cave with a wide opening sits in the far back. Packed dirt mixes with patches of green grass.

  “We’ll check out the cave.” Ryan motions for Derrick and Jackie who follow him into the dark space.

  “We should divide up and search for food and water.” Gavin runs a sweaty hand through his hair, driving it straight up. “Before it gets dark.”

  “You look like you put your hand in an electric socket.” Shane watches with amusement as Gavin tries to pat his hair back down. He sprays Gavin in the face with his water bottle. A stream of water trickles down Gavin’s face and into his furious eyes. Shane shrugs. “Was aiming for your hair, mate. Thought it would help.”

  “You missed,” Gavin returns.

  Shane takes a deep swallow of his water. “Clearly.”

  Gavin lunges for Shane and knocks him to the ground. They roll around, throwing punches at one another.

  “I’ll take the lead on water,” Melanie announces over them.

  I jump to the side as the two nearly knock into me. They lob a few punches, but exhausted from the hike, they keep missing one another. With no clear winner, they finally help one another off the ground and take a seat side by side. Brown dirt streaks their hair and faces.

  Melanie pats the ground near a flowering bush. “It’s packed and damp, which means it’s pulling water from the roots.” On her knees, she surveys the area with a quick glance. “There has to be a water source nearby.” She runs her hand along the stem of the bush and the roots. “They’re pointed that way.” She motions toward the area opposite the cave. “There has to be water over there.”

  “Excellent.” Gavin stands up and offers a hand to Shane to help him up. “Who wants to go with Melanie?” I raise my hand along with a few others. “Good. Now we need a group to scavenge for food.” He searches the area. “There have to be fruit trees around here somewhere.”

  “There might be fish in the water source,” Hudson adds. “I’ll go with them to see if I can catch anything.”

  The two groups ready to head out when Ryan, Jackie, and Derrick emerge from the cave. “It’s clear of anything alive.” Ryan stuffs his ax back into his pack. “The ground is warm for sleeping. We’ll only be able to fit a few inside tonight, but it’s workable.”

  “Those sleeping outside will need a fire.” Cassia breaks off some loose branches to pile together. Others pitch in until the stack is large enough. Once finished, she glances at Hudson. “We’re ready for the fish.”

&n
bsp; “No pressure,” Hudson answers.

  “Did a bird build a nest in your hair?” Jackie starts to pull grass out of Gavin’s hair. “Or is this a new look?” Embarrassed, Gavin runs both hands through his hair while Shane chuckles nearby. “You don’t look any better,” Jackie throws out, silencing him.

  “We should get going.” Ryan glances at me then spots Victoria with the other group. “I’ll go with the food crew. Let’s meet back here in one hour. Agreed?”

  I ignore the jab of hurt at him making a choice, knowing she is the obvious one. I grab my pack and join Melanie. “How do you know what to look for?”

  She points to a set of leaves on a bush further out. “See how the tips of those leaves are brown, but these,” she fingers the leaves of a plant on our path, “are green. That means the plants aren’t getting the same amount of water. If they were, it would be from rainfall.” She continues to point out plants along the way. “Notice how lush they are? That means we’re on the right track.” The path starts to narrow. Birds fly high above us, their chirps filling the silence. “Another sign,” Melanie says. “Animals instinctively stay close to water.”

  After about a quarter of a mile, the sound of rushing water greets us. Anxious, we all move faster until we spot a fresh stream.

  “You did it!” Sawyer exclaims, more excited than I have ever seen him. Even Derrick smiles in response.

  Melanie takes a few congratulatory high fives. While we fill everyone’s empty canteens, Hudson steps onto a rock near the water’s edge and peers into the stream.

  “There’s fish,” he announces. “We will eat tonight.”

  He rolls up both pant legs before stepping into the ankle-high flow. He slips one hand into the water and waits. When a small fish swims by, he makes a grab for it, but it wriggles out of his hand and escapes into the water.

  “You were saying?” Melanie asks, laughing.

  “So little faith.” Hand in the water, he waits patiently. When another small fish swims by, Hudson grabs it with both hands. It twists left and right in a fight for its freedom. Hudson slams it against a rock until it falls limp. “Dinner.” He holds it up like a prize.