CHAPTER SIX

The island we are ferried off to is a smaller one. It has a similar structure to the previous island with a forest on the outer edges of the island and cabins and large buildings in the center.

As it turns out, there are only a few of us assigned the number zero, and as the counselor explains to us on our way to the island that is supposed to be our new home now, those with the number zero are the delinquents.

“Aren’t we all supposed to be delinquents?” I mutter under my breath to Beth who has been clinging on to me ever since she saw me back at the island. She has a nasty-looking bruise on her forehead, but she won’t tell me where she got it from.

Cheerleader Barbie overhears my comments and gives me a cool smile. “It means you lot need the most work.”

My insides tighten at what clearly sounds like a threat.

“Work?” I repeat, slowly. “You wanna explain what that means?”

“There are five islands, each island for a specific number. The island you landed on is Level 1. The island you are going to is Level 0. Level 0 is for troublemakers who need to have a watchful eye on them.”

I decide against asking any more questions and remain silent until we land.

The harbor the ferry is docked at has a number of small boats already. I eye them, carefully, as we are led through the forest.

I stay with Beth at the back of the forest, my newly healed hand by my side, clenched into a fist. In that fist is a piece of chalk that I had pickpocketed from the side of the welcome board when we had first entered the Level 1 island. I make sure to walk close enough to the trees to number them.

This whole place is giving me a bad vibe.

Beth doesn’t notice what I’m doing and neither does anyone else.

Quite a lot of students had been injured on the test, and those in charge were treating it like it was nothing. There is something off about this. I don’t think staying here would be a good idea. At the very least, I should have a way through this forest to the harbor.

It takes us a good half hour to reach the cabins, and one look has me realizing the stark difference between the cabins back at the Level 1 island and here. The buildings are more worn out and dirty. There is a musty smell that lingers in the air as we approach what I can only call a barracks.

Annabelle opens the door, and we walk into what is a dirty-looking room with four bunk beds.

The smell is positively nasty, and I immediately throw open a window before glaring at the counselor. “You can’t be serious. You’ve decided we’re delinquents all on your own, and you’re going to treat us like this. This place is filthy.”

Annabelle shrugs. “There is a supply closet a little distance away. You can clean it if you want. Or you can just sleep like this. It’s really your choice.”

The way she looks at us, her cheery demeanor gone, makes my blood boil. It’s almost as if she considers us worthless. It’s like being back at the trailer.

Anger simmers within me, but I don’t say anything. My jaw tightens as she sneers at my silence.

“It’s best that you fall in line and stop talking back. In this place, you Zeroes are at the bottom of the pack.”

So, I was right.

I hold my tongue even as Beth flinches.

“Where’s Anderson?” I whisper to her. “Shouldn’t he be here?”

Beth shakes her head. “He was bleeding a lot, so they took him to some infirmary.”

“No talking!”

I snap my mouth shut.

A quick glance around shows me defeated faces and wary eyes. All of these kids have resigned themselves to their fates. And it’s evident that Annabelle expects me to do the same.

I give her a cool look.

I didn’t leave one hell to walk into another.

There is no way I’m staying in this place.

***

Once Annabelle leaves, we get to cleaning the place up.

The barracks, as she referred to them, is dirty indeed, but the shared toilets and shower space is even filthier. I can see the reluctance on their faces.

Even I don’t want to touch the place.

It’s Beth who takes charge here.

“We’re ten people in total,” she steps forward. “Let’s divide the work by taking the toilets, the floor, the sinks, the mirrors, and the showers.”

I follow her direction, as do the others.

At least we’ll get clean toilets out of this.

***

By the time we’re done, we’re all exhausted, and the sun is close to setting.

Who knew that cleaning toilets would be such a good ice breaker?

“Do you think we can shower now?” One of the students, Lucian, looks at me, his face miserable under all that grime. Lucian’s team ditched him after they got the first flag, so he was assigned to be with us.

“Yea—”

My voice is cut off when a voice from outside shouts, “Lights out in ten minutes!”

I look outside to see an annoyed-looking counselor.

“We just got done cleaning,” I tell him, irritably. “We need to shower. And what about dinner?”

He sneers at me. “Zeroes aren’t allowed to use the mess, so cook whatever you can find. But lights out means lights out. I don’t care how dirty you think you—” When he sees us, he bursts into laughter. “Oh, man, you lot are filthy.”

“That’s why we need to shower!” I hiss.

He gives me a smirk. “No. Get to the barracks.”

“Are you serious?!” I demand. “Look at us! We can’t sleep in other people’s shit. And none of us has eaten yet. Where are we supposed to get the food? We’re also starving!”

“Not my problem,” he shrugs. “In the barracks now!”

My fists clench, but the way he reaches for the stick by his side has me glancing at the others.

There’s no way in hell we’re not going to shower.

We shuffle off to the barracks, and I can hear the counselor make cruel remarks about the smell coming from us.

One of the smaller girls, who couldn’t be more than fourteen, bursts into tears.

The counselor just laughs.

When we enter the barracks, he orders, “Get into bed!”

It’s obvious that he wants to see us dirty the clean beds.

Everyone hesitates, and a few of them turn toward me. I just nod.

Seeing that we’re all obeying, he smugly exists, slamming the door shut behind him.

I wait until I hear a door slam nearby, meaning that he’s left the barracks area completely.

“Get up,” I hiss.

When startled faces look at me, I take out a flashlight from my bag, “Wait ten minutes and then start heading to the showers in pairs. Don’t make any noise. Take a few minutes to shower and then come back.”

There’s fear and shock on everyone’s faces.

When nobody moves, I give them an annoyed look. “Just because someone tells you to do something, doesn’t mean you have to do it. Do you really want to sleep like this?”

“I want to shower,” comes Beth’s voice. She sounds scared but defiant at the same time.

My lips curve. Soon enough, the rest also reluctantly voice their desire.

“Just make sure you don’t fall and break your neck,” I warn. “And don’t turn on the lights!”

The first two kids, both boys, climb out the window with the flashlight guiding their path. While they go, we start cleaning the few beds that have been dirtied. Thankfully, the supply closet did have bed sheets and covers that we had simply shifted to one of the empty drawers in the barracks.

I keep glancing outside, and Beth must have noticed because she sidles up to me. “What’s wrong?”

“We can’t stay here,” I mutter under my breath.

She follows my gaze outside the window to where the forest is, and her voice is hesitant, “Where will we go?”

I keep my voice low, as I glance at her this time, “I saw some boats. I think we can make it to the harbor and take one of the boats to get back to the mainland. If I leave, do you want to come with me?”

She’s quiet for a full minute before nodding her head, sharply.

“Okay,” my voice is grim. “Once everyone is asleep, we’re going to make a break for it. I don’t plan on staying in this hellhole.”