King of Dauntless

Chapter 22: Sleep

A week. A week of fears. A week of everybody in constant terror. Nothing was normal any more. After that second day of fear sims we then were given all our fears full force. We are supposed to learn how to overcome them or at least handle them the best we could. It was supposed to get easier, but it felt like it just got worse. Most of us don't sleep much any more and when you do get to sleep you wake to the night terrors, some your own and some being others waking with their screams. Or you could be like me and just stop sleeping all together. I couldn't even go to sleep with all the others crying and whimpering but even if I could the nightmares would keep me awake with the memories. So instead of sleep I spent all my time working out just trying to release my frustration hoping that exhaustion would just take over sometimes. A couple nights Four came to convince me to sleep, but just ended up patching up the wounds on my knuckles.

Pax hasn't been his happy self for a while now; Nobody has. He just doesn't want to talk or have anyone around, so I spend my free time talking with Four or Kai trying to keep my mind busy.

Four always likes to remind me of my impressive time though. all because I only have four fears. Apparently there has only been one other person who had four fears and it's the lowest amount of fears to have. But I don't care about that, I just want to stop these fears. Watching it over and over again finding no solution. it takes its toll on you.

I find myself back in the gym working out just like every day. I work myself to the bone trying to find an ounce of exhaustion just to get even a minute of sleep, but nothing helps. With all my fears and lack of sleep I haven't been eating, so it's the perfect combination for irritation and anger to fester in.

My temper has gotten really out of hand that nobody wants to be near me or even look at me worried about what I'll do to them. I've been so irritable that if someone breathes wrong I'll snap. I think I have now been deemed scarier than Eric at this point.

I start lifting weights when I feel the same feeling that has been on me all week now. I choose to ignore it now since I can never find them. It just made me feel paranoid like I was going crazy. I know I'm not crazy though because one day I tried to catch them in the act and they knocked stuff over when they left in a hast. I finish up my long work out and clean up a little to make myself a little more presentable to humans. I then slowly drag my feet to hell. It Doesn't matter if I went slow or not the outcome is always the same; I go last, so I decide that I will just show up a little later than usual. As I enter the cold white hallway I look around watching as people avoid eye contact and some shrink away trying to blend in with the wall.

"Nice of you to join us, King." Eric sarcastically grits out through his teeth.

I just waved him off as I take my spot next to Pax who looked like he was about to cry. I carefully lean my head on his shoulder trying to give him some comfort. Eric calls his next victim, but I didn't hear who. I stopped paying attention a long time ago and I almost felt numb to the whole thing.

I take a look around to see zeke or alex only to see they are already gone, which left pax by himself and his thoughts. No wonder he looked like he was about to cry.

I feel his hand slip into my grasp as I just lay there on his shoulder both seeking comfort from the other. I slowly feel my eyes flutter shut letting the sleep finally consume me, but right as my eyes fell shut they snap back open with the sound of that damn door.

Next thing I know I hear Pax's name leave Eric's lips. My grip on his hand tightened, tempting to keep him here at my side and never let him go. He slowly stands and my hand slowly slipped from his. I watch as he goes to the room until I can't see him anymore. I started to become anxious the more he was in and I silently listened to the clock tick by every unbearable minute.