The Elect: Malevolent, a Dystopian Novel by Tamryn Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

footsteps, shuffling. Some other recruits have made it. I look at Jay. His expression has changed. He isn’t smiling anymore. His eyes are sharp now. Hard. “Welcome,” he says. He isn’t welcoming me. He isn’t welcoming the others either. His mien is far from welcoming. He shakes his head. “Pathetic. You recruits have a lot of work to do.”
    I turn to face the newcomers. Two boys I haven’t met lead the group. Alice is behind them. Three more kids follow her.
    Including me, that makes seven who have made it so far. Only seven. I don’t see Mattie yet. Was she lost? I hope not.
    Jay says, “My name is Jay. I will be your instructor for this portion of your initiation. So far only one initiate has met an acceptable time.” He motions to me. “Your name?”
    “Eva,” I say as I slide my feet out of my shoes. The inside of both shoes is coated with blood.
    “Eva has set a new initiate record. That’s the kind of performance we expect from all of you.”
    Clearly my fellow recruits aren’t happy about what they’ve just heard. My gaze meets one unfriendly scowl after another. I hope Mattie gets here soon. She might be my only friend.
    While the other kids drink water and jabber about what they think is coming next, I pace barefooted just inside the entry. The cool floor feels so good, like ice.
    Jay leaves.
    Does that mean he isn’t expecting any more recruits?
    After a while exhaustion sets in and I can’t pace anymore. It’s been a long day. I’m still worried about my new friend, but I’m so tired I can’t think straight. My feet are feeling a little better buy my eyes feel like they’ve been plucked out of my head, rolled in sand, and then shoved back into their sockets. Every beat of my heart is pounding in my head. The pain is almost enough to make me throw up. And the thrill of having set a new record is long gone.
    I sit on the floor, hug my knees to my chest, and lean against the wall. It would be so easy to fall asleep like this. So easy.
    But then I hear a sound outside. Voices. Are they more recruits?
    The door opens.
    One, two, three, four, five more recruits drag in. No Mattie.
    No Mattie?
    Crap.
    I watch the five newcomers stagger and limp across the room, accepting welcomes and water from their friends. That totals twelve. Twelve who made it and six who didn’t. Mattie is one of those six. She’s gone. My only friend. I let my head fall, resting my forehead on my knees. My eyelids won’t stay up anymore. I’ve never been so tired.
    I hear a noise outside. I guess it’s Claire, checking the area before closing off the outside trap door. Footsteps descend the staircase. Thump, thump, thump. I lift my head, even though I don’t expect to see Mattie.
    It’s her.
    I smile. “You made it.”
    She drops next to me. Her face is red. She’s breathing heavy. “I made it.” She sighs hard. “I can’t believe it. I made it.”
    I fall asleep next to my friend.
    * * * * *
    Coffee. I love that smell. Mother made us coffee this morning? Is it a special day? My birthday? I stretch. My bed is so hard.
    Hard?
    What?
    My eyes snap open, and for a few seconds I’m completely disorientated. Then I remember where I am. I’m not at home, safe and cozy in my bed. I’m in an underground safe house. I’m on the floor.
    I sit up and wince. I’m stiff from sleeping on the cold concrete. As I move, my aching muscles scream. Last night’s run has strained my body. If we have to run again today…ugh, I don’t want to even think about it.
    I slowly push to my feet, using the floor and wall as support. My body feels heavy, like I have fifty pound bags of flour strapped on my legs and arms. They couldn’t expect us to run again today. That would be unreasonable. No, that would be cruel.
    The table in the center of the room is loaded with food. My stomach rumbles as I shuffle over to it. Bread. Fruit. Some kind of dried meat. And coffee. I go for the coffee first, hoping it’ll spark some life in my