Drafted

When she awoke, she was more thirsty than hungry.

Zyra was relieved to see Kayle by her side; it meant they could rejoice because they had both passed.

The sisters hugged and what should have been a happy reunion felt like a dark cloud hovering over their heads.

Kayle looked so sad, it made Zyra sit up in the cot, and take note of her surroundings, her cot was one of many lined up in the medical tent.

All the beds were filled and it seemed like she was the only one with a guest.

No one else seemed to have a friend or family member with them.

She quickly checked to make sure none of her limbs were missing for fear that's what made Kayle sad but thankfully her body seemed whole.

Mentally was another story, just what exactly went down in the maze.

Zyra was about to ask Kayle for details about what transpired in the maze when Kayle put her finger to her lips doing the universal gesture for 'shhh.'

"Remember the rules, we aren't supposed to talk about what happened in the test."

"I understand but did Brian pass the test?"

Kayle shook her head and tears came to her eyes.

For as much as she used to chide and tease Brian, he had been her pupil for years and she was very attached to him.

Kayle would feel his loss deeply for some time.

"Is Brian the only reason why you are sad?"

"Funny, you should ask. I can't think of any way to soften the blow of what I'm about to say."

"It's like you always say. I'm a big kid. I can handle it." Zyra joked.

Kayle didn't laugh and her solemn face added to Zyra's growing fear and agitation.

"Okay, just spit it out."

"You've been drafted for the army."

"No way. Am I sporting a mustache? Is there hair under my chin? No way did I get muscular or grow balls when I passed from exhaustion, did I?"

Zyra was tempted to check beneath her dress for confirmation.

Kayle never refuted or even cracked a smile over the silliness of Zyra's logic.

She wasn't pulling her leg, Zyra was being recruited into the wolfbeast army.

Before she put any more thought into getting herself out of her latest predicament she needed to quench her thirst.

She pointed at the water pitcher and Kayle hurried to attend to her needs.

After her second cup, Kayle said no more.

She needed to save space for breakfast since she slept through dinner.

While she drank. Kayle filled her in with some details.

The maze was very easy for her and it didn't take long for her to clear it.

She was number 149 to make it out of the maze.

Kayle was disappointed in her ranking and had hoped to land in the top 100.

When the scoreboard hit 200 that's when she truly began to fret because Zyra was nowhere to be seen.

That's when the screaming began and Kayle started to panic.

No one had a clue what was going on inside the maze and the guards prevented her from trying to retrieve her younger sister.

When she saw 299 she thought Zyra was a lost cause but then she crossed the exit line at 300. T

hen the bells rang out loudly signaling the end of the test.

Kayle made sure Zyra got medical attention and she stayed while the doctor examined her.

Kayle only left her side once to go and eat dinner and it was at the behest of the nurse.

While on her way to the tent where dinner was being served.

She saw guards coming and going from the maze with garbage bags.

Curious, she followed them discreetly from a distance and saw what looked like a large blazing bonfire that lit up the night.

The bags were being tossed into it.

Nothing out of the ordinary, she would have assumed it was garbage until she saw a guard struggling to hold a bag that eventually tore wide open.

Scattered several severed limbs, both arms, and legs, all over the ground.

Another guard tossed the clumsy one a new bag and he hastily scooped up the body parts and sealed it before tossing them into the fire.

Blood was everywhere and the limbs had looked gnawed and chewed upon.

Kayle lost her appetite and had to force herself to at least drink soup for dinner because she didn't want to raise any suspicions or arouse any unnecessary attention by refusing to eat.

She told her all of this in their secret childish pig Latin voice.

They spoke very quickly so hopefully, no one would notice or catch on.

It was a lot to digest and Zyra stifled the urge to ask questions that would just go answered.

Perhaps, it was for the best because how would they explain the deliberate murder of around 400 humans.

Was the test just an excuse for population control?

There was no reasoning or logic behind this messy situation and she couldn't fathom what the wolf beasts were thinking.

She had no way of knowing if this was how the test regularly operated because no one who passed and made it within the castle walls had ever returned to the outskirts.

As for Kayle she too had received an envelope from the guard.

Hers said that she would stay in Terranite land. She would work in the Avalon household.

Avalons were one of the wealthiest benefactors in the land.

They had a hand in anything fashion related from clothes to jewelry.

Also, they were famous artisans and their work was sought after and highly requested.

Zyra was truly happy for her sister, at least she had managed to land a benefactor that was a match for her skills.

Her sister was talented and Zyra did not doubt that she would do well with the Avalons. Kayle expressed her shock upon opening Zyra's envelope.

She was hoping that Zyra would have been placed in a nearby Terranite household.

Kayle had hopes of visiting her sister during her free time and now those hopes were crushed.

Not much is known about the wolfbeast army.

No doubt, wherever they sent Zyra would be classified information.

"Kayle, you worry too much."

"Oh well, and you too little. So I have to do enough worrying for both of us."

"I promise as soon as I'm settled I will send word to you."

"You are assuming that you'll survive the wolfbeast army training."

"I'm a lot stronger than I look. Just have some faith in me as I believed in you Kayle."

"I do but I can't help but worry all the same. Enough about me, how about you wash up before we go and have breakfast together."

Zyra did just that. Having no other belongings she had no choice but to put on the same outfit she wore yesterday.

Well, at least she didn't smell.

Breakfast was a simple fair of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes with a glass of orange juice.

She even had seconds because she was famished.

While they were eating an announcer came on over the radio speakers.

He announced that at ten a.m. they would line up for their respective destinations.

They were going to be herded like cattle in the back of trucks to their respective destinations.

She and Kayle hugged and kissed and said their goodbyes for as long as they could before they had to part ways.

Kayle reminded Zyra of her promise and reassured her that she will make the Avalons proud so that Zyra can always find her with ease.

She waved Kayle off before going to join the long line for the soldiers.

To her dismay, there was no truck waiting on them.

Just one man, she recognized Rolf. It dawned on her, to her horror, that their mode of transportation would be their own two feet.

"Welcome to the Wolfbeast Army. You are here because you are the chosen few. The majority of you will be on foot patrol going about your mundane jobs and offering security services. Only a handful of you will become elite soldiers working directly with wolfbeasts. Any questions?"

"What about our truck?"

A man from the middle of the line asked. Rolf signaled to a guard on the left.

That guard then walked up to the man who asked the question and beheaded him.

A clean decapitation.

The guard wiped off the blood from the machete on his pants leg.

The man never saw his death coming and the rest of us just stood in shock as his head rolled across the dirt.

"Hopefully that answered your question. Anyone else?"

Silence.

"Well, now that housekeeping matters are out of the way. I have only two rules. Number One: Don't Stop and Number Two: Don't fall behind. Failure to follow those rules will end in the same result as our beheaded friend over there. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Sir." They all chorused.

Captain Rolf began to run and they had no choice but to keep pace with him and his soldiers who boxed them in and flanked also from the rear.

There would be no escaping, the guards made sure of it. What had she gotten herself into?