Chapter 8 Shadows of suspicion

Olivia and the nurse both froze, their eyes locked at each other with a knowing gaze.

Alexa walked closer to them, only to find the nurse bandaging her wounds. Olivia grimaced as if she was in pain.

" Take this pill, you need to get heal fast"

Alexa handed her a small box with a blue pill.

" You will be jumping and kicking by this time tomorrow."

Olivia collected the pill from her, but strangely she felt that was not the only thing the pill can do. There was more.

" Go on, take it."

Alexa's voice sharpened with impatience, deepening Olivia's suspicion. She didn't want to take it.

Cough, cough.

" This pill must be very potent, I am so weak, I don´t think my body will be able to take it."

Cough cough. Olivia feigned weakness, subtly eyeing the nurse to step in for her. The nurse, getting the clue, stepped into the conversation.

" Leave it to me Flame wielder" the nurse swallowed hard, the glare she was getting from Alexa was making all her hair stand in protest.

" And why should I do that?"

The nurse bit her tongue, she knew that if she opened her mouth, she was going to tell the truth. She looked over to Olivia, her mouth threatening to open.

Her eyes stung from the pressure of suppressing the words.

" Why do I have to take the pill in front of you? You made it look suspicious"

Olivia teased jokingly, but she was hinting that Alexa was suspicious, and the message was gotten clearly by Alexa.

" I am just worried about your health, you are the only survivor we have this year, so i must make sure you are in perfect health"

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, her eyes telling her to take the pills.

" Sure, you are right"

She took the pill. She knew if she dragged out more, a lot would be at stake, the nurse is already etching to speak the truth, she was at a disadvantage.

"Good."

Seeing her mission accomplished, Alexa walked out of the room.

The door shut.

1,2,3,4,5,6…

Olivia jumped down from her bed, racing to the restroom. Her fingers dug down into her throat, but she could not vomit it out.

The nurse came behind her, her hands wrapped around Olivia´s waist, she pressed hard on her stomach.

Blarghh.

She finally vomited the pill that was already dissolving. She drank some water, her hands tugged further than her throat.

Blargh.

She vomited again.

" That should have done the trick right"

Olivia rested on the wall. Her chest heaving up and down.

" Yes, that should have done it."

Olivia slid down the floor, her eyes staring at the nurse, whose face was already red from the pressure of suppressing the truth.

" Thank you for your help… What is your name?"

" Abigail"

The nurse answered as she sat on the floor beside her.

" Abigail, nice name, I'm Olivia."

" I know, in fact everyone knows your name."

" Really, how?"

A surprise flickered through her eyes. 

" You are the only survivor from the Z Squad, and you survived an attack from the S level monster and you made your way back from the den of monsters and you got shot, yet you still survive…."

" Hold on, my head hurts"

Olivia massages her head. Her head was buzzing from all the talking from Abigail, she looked at her, her mind wondering how someone could talk that fast without taking a break.

" Are you sick?"

" No, but I fear I might be, if I continue listening to you?"

"Oh"

Olivia saw how deflated Abigail was like a balloon, her lips were pressed into a thin line, slowly fidgeting with her hand.

" So you are saying that I am famous because I am the only survivor?"

Abigail nodded her head.

" The pills, there is something wrong with it right?"

" I don't know, but all the survivors from the their first battle with the monsters have taken it"

Olivia brows knitted in suspicion. She felt something was wrong about the drug, but she couldn't pinpoint what. 'I will add it to my to do list'

Abigail rose to her feet " I will get going now, before it gets suspicious."

Olivia gave a curt nod.

" Tomorrow…. I don't feel good about you."

~~~~~~~~~~

Thud thud 

Olivia could not stop her heart from hammering against her chest. She was walking behind Alexa who is going to introduce her to the rest of the survivors.

She knew that the survivors would be from section 1 to 10 or 12. The people from the lower section have never made it back alive from the monster's den, except a few people like Alexa who have broken the trend, and now her.

Her eyes darted towards Alexa who was leading the way, whenever Olivia looked at her, she had the inexplicable feeling of being trustworthy but at the same time not trustworthy. She can't get her hands around it completely. It was best if she stayed far away from her. 

But something tells her that would be difficult to do.

They stepped outside the bunker, the cold air biting against Olivia's skin. After walking a few minutes, they finally arrived at a massive building surrounded by high, reinforced gates.

The Survivor Academy.

A school where survivors are trained into warriors to fight, survive and kill.

Above the entrance, an inscription on the plaque reads:

" From the ash, we shall rise. And in the blood of the monsters, we shall bathe."

Olivia unknowingly swallowed, she knew at this point, she would no longer be the naive and innocent person she once was. She was hesitant, scared to take this step.

She felt a heavy pressure on her chest, something unnatural was waiting to be unleashed. Fear of the unknown, fear of the future and fear.. of her own self weighed on her.

" Come on in," Alexa said. " It's normal to feel overwhelmed. Let's go"

Olivia exhaled shakily. She felt Little White curling inside her pocket, as if sensing her hesitation.

' This is it, I will rise from the ashes'.

Steeling herself, Olivia stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the academy.