Wasn’t it?
We shared an ominous look.
“Come on,” he said. “Forget it for now. We need to get you warmed up.”
I nodded, but my heart pounded erratically as Cody guided me to the tent. Inside, cloaks and plain clothing were folded neatly on a wooden table, where a hanging lantern flickered nearby. I grabbed some, shamelessly tearing off my damp garments and pulling on the fresh ones. With a fresh cloak, the cold was cast away for the first time.
A cold burst of air hit me as the tent flap whipped open far too soon.
“All recruits are to gather,” said the tall, armored man.
Cody glanced at me. “This should be interesting.”
I swallowed. “Yeah.”
We gathered with the others around the fire. There were perhaps seven or eight dozen of us, some in better condition than others. One person looked ill, their lips too red and skin too pale.
“You think she’s going to be okay?” I whispered to Cody.
He glanced at the frail girl huddled in her cloak. A grim look settled over his face.
I found a space near the fire that raged several paces away. The man dressed in leather armor paced before the fire, waiting for everyone to settle.
“Welcome,” he said, his voice deep.
I massaged my hand as the nerve endings fired rapidly like tiny darts into my muscles. This was perhaps the least welcome I’d ever felt in my life.
“I am Commander Jaden Everson of Nightfall. The fact that you are here means that you have passed your first task. In completing that task, you have proven you are not entirely inept, nor lacking all intuition. You made it here. Some of you got clues. Whether you used them is another matter entirely. Still, less than a quarter of recruits who accepted the first task have made it to The Valley of the Lost. That leaves around a hundred of you.
“This land aptly gets its name because many have succumbed to the elements after becoming trapped here,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. Apt indeed. Because nearly freezing to death clearly wasn’t dramatic enough, we needed it spelled out for us with a name like Valley of the Lost. Everson’s deep voice droned on.
“While it is difficult to enter, as many of you have learned, it is more difficult to escape. In your second task, you will be tested on your physical ability to survive. For those not up for the challenge, this will be your last chance to turn back. The second task will begin when those who wish to leave are escorted from the valley. I will not be fielding questions. Should you wish to continue, enter the tent. For those of you who will return to your mundane lives, stay where you are,” he said.
Angry shouting erupted. I flinched.
“What! That’s not fair!”
“We’re starving! How can we do another task like this?”
Annoyance threatened to trigger my impulsivity, but I stifled it and swallowed the sarcasm trying to fly out of my mouth. How could anyone, after what we went through, think he gave one fuck about how we felt about this?
“Silence! Make your decision,” Commander Everson shouted. “And one more thing. Only the first fifty recruits will be accepted.”
Several others started shouting. They were right. This entire situation was a hit young adult book from the aughts. It was stupid to argue with him, and yet, they were going to do it anyway. All of this was absurd, and we were probably going to die out here.
I didn’t want to listen to it. My nerves were fraying and retwisting into knots as the noise increased, my head pounding. If I had any chance of surviving the task, this chaos was the last thing I needed.
I stood abruptly and headed for the tent. The noise was bothering me more than anything Commander Everson was saying. And, of course, they were going to weed us out. It made little difference what the next task was—it was going to suck, and the less I thought about it, the better my chances would be.
I went into the tent, relieved to find that I was alone for a moment.
Why were the others trying to get into this place anyway? I knew why I wanted to get in, but how many people here were trying to find answers for their completely messed-up existence? What was their excuse for putting themselves through this?
I leaned against the support beam, grateful for the moment alone. A few moments later, the door flap shifted.
A young woman entered, her dark curls spilling over her shoulders. Rosy cheeks. Bright brown eyes. Confident andbeautiful. Not nearly wretched enough for what we’d been through.
