Chapter 5

Chapter 5

GALINA

After a very restless night, I woke up early since sleep decided to part ways with me temporarily! Last night after my long stroll, Katrina had laid to us that today was the big day! The day of the Entrance Exam!

The idea of what that might potentially mean and the endless questions regarding my vision made it all impossible for me to sleep a wink. I tossed and turned all night trying to make out what might go down during the testing and how that may affect me. Or anyone! There were rumors. Like always! Very unsettling rumors about the renowned Testing! But I didn’t want to believe the negative words of others. Because that's just what they were! Rumors and nothing more.

From all I know, it could be just a dang-ass difficult test with mind-wrecking questions that would make you doubt whether you have actually been to school or not. And I believed that it couldn't be worse than that. That's what the exam meant right?

The day before, I studied for some time, just to ensure that I still had my shit and that I was going to slay the exam. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I wasn't going to take any chance. It was my future at stake here!

The sun streamed across the room from the little split of the curtain which I hadn’t fully closed last night before going to bed. I had sat beside the window and just blankly stared outside into the thick dense forest behind! My roommates probably thought I was one hell of a weird fella, but I was thankful that they gave me my space and didn’t get in my way!

I contemplated getting up to shut the curtains and prevent the harsh morning light, or just go with the flow and relax in the luxury of my very warm and comfortable bed and forget about the world! Some soft murmurs erupted telling me I wasn’t the only one disturbed by the light. I decided to be the bigger person and got up to shut them; only to be stopped by one of my roommates;

“It’s alright Lin. We have to be up by the way!” Klara, one of my three roommates; croaked getting up from her bed and stumbled her way to the bathroom. I chuckled a bit and sat down on my bed. For the next hour, my mind was filled with small conversations of my roommates about handsome guys at school, boring girl squads, and stuff. It was indeed the typical college drama. We got dressed neatly and soon left for the Testing Arenas.

The hall was huge and majestic like I had fathomed it to be. The interior was the bright shade of grey with black accents, added with the big in-sole light bulbs that illuminated the whole pace with so much light. At the end of the hall was a huge stage and 6 different doors stood proud behind the stage. Each door was heavily guarded by two men clothed in black, one on each side of the door. They just stood there, looking like statues, and didn’t even move an inch. One would even think they were not breathing from how rigid they stood!

In a matter of minutes, the hall was full and buzzing with freshers from all over the world. We were still in our clothes since the Testing determined what kind of uniform we would get. I had settled with a pair of comfortable track pants, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. I had on a pair of sneakers and felt good!

“Okay, everyone. My name is Belladonna Oregon, a third-year senior and the one who will be directing you throughout today.” A very tall and rather elegant lady in a deep red Scottish skirt, a white shirt, and a black-tie announced. She had on very dark makeup and I was kind of taken aback that makeup was allowed. However, she looked good and I knew for sure that beneath that heavy makeup; laid a beautiful face!

“I hear she’s the campus belle. Sharp and sometimes ruthless.” Some freshers whispered by my side and that is how I got to know that she was the Belle. It was funny how the news traveled fast. But then, she indeed exuded that aura that made one want to play far from her.

“The Entrance Exam is divided into 6 respective rounds. If any one of you completes the 6 rounds then s/he will gladly be admitted into Varagrafena University of the City of Gold. However, if you don’t make it in any of the rounds, you will be eliminated with immediate effect. First of all, you are going to be divided into groups of 5, and each number within the group will form a line and go through all of these doors starting from this one over here. There will be invigilators who are watching your valuation so you shouldn’t try to pull up any stunt. Now chop. Groups of 5.” She clapped her hands and everyone obeyed. We formed millions of groups and named ourselves according to our numbers. I was given the first number which meant I was going to be on the first line. Anxiety and some thrill coursed through me as I realized that things didn't go the way i had thought. From my understanding, I thought we would gather in the hall, sit down and then start the "exam". But things seemed really strange so I braced myself for what came next.

When everything was all said and done, we stood in our respective queues and were told to take off our clothes; and remain with our undergarments. There was a whole new commotion of defiance among freshers while some like me; just acquiesced and went with the flow.

But things were getting weirder with each passing second!

“No one is going to give a shit or two about you and your unclothed bodies. We care less about how you look or how much fat you have on. The clothes restrict the testing and make it a bit difficult. Just take off the baggy sweaters and stay in your pants and t-shirts.” The belle barked orders and we all shrugged out of our clothes. The girl held so much power and honestly; she was intriguing. But they were right; she had that bite in her!

I glanced to the side to find Katrina holding a gadget and scrolling on it. She was dressed in a blue Scottish skirt, with a white shirt which was clamped neatly with a red tie. Her hair was bundled in a tight pony and she looked beautiful. She felt my stare and looked up at me; then smiled and waved.

“Now we will begin!” The belle announced clapping her hands as a signal for the guards of the first door which was the first one on the far left to move. The heavy metal door creaked against the hard ground creating a very unsettling sound as it opened!

The line began moving, birthing anxiety and excitement to tear through me. Before I knew it, I was the one who was supposed to enter.

What I found inside the door was something I did not expect. It was a huge room which was the size of a hall. It was a well-insulated, soundproofed room with about a million cups containing a clear liquid.

We were instructed to take one each and chug it down. My face scrunched up painfully as the bitter liquid spread all over inside my mouth and went down my throat, settling heavily in my stomach and almost turning them inside out! I yelped when a scream tore from somewhere around the room, followed by many! I glanced around with a confused look and helplessly stared as some of the students fell to the ground clutching their chest, wailing painfully. For a second, I could've sworn I saw something like a small gust of smoke coming out of their mouths; but I am sure it was just the illusion created by the becursed liquid I just drank.

I embraced myself for the pain to come but it never did which I found really strange. The tormented screams of other students were deafening, so I decided to help one who was wriggling by my side looking like he was fighting for air!

“Hey hey! What’s happening?” I asked in a terrified voice as I clutched his hand and watched with concern, his eyes bulging from their sockets.

“They… its... wolfsb…” he tried to form words but I couldn’t hear what he was trying to say. The pain which was caused by the liquid was driving him insane and I hated myself for being helpless!

“It’s okay! Try to stay calm.” I consoled brushing his head. The others seemed to be just as pained, but others just stayed like me; unaffected by the bitter-tasting liquid we had. The ones who were still on their feet tried to help others and that was rather fulfilling. Their tortured wails were really heart-wrenching!

Just when I was still trying to figure out what was going on; Belladonna entered the room with yet another group of guards.

“If the liquid didn’t hurt you, congratulations. You are moving to the next round. If it did, try again next time! Guards! Seize them!” She called out proudly and we were all chased out of the room leaving the others wailing and snaking on the floor.

I had passed the first round yes, but what the hell was happening? Was there a point where I was going to be in pain as the guys from this round?

But most importantly, were the rumors about the exam, not just "rumors"?