Strong and weak. Part one.

"I'll let you think about it some more. But if you accept my offer, not only will it be easy and good for you, but also for your friend," Bannard said, touching Arlo's cheek. "I think you're a smart guy. You understand everything."

Arlo had never been more confused than now.

Hearing Bannard's footsteps, he stood there until it was so quiet around him that the silence gave him a headache.

Managing to move, Arlo headed forward along a dark corridor, at the end of which was a staircase.

Not knowing where to go back to, where to stop, what to do next, he just wandered down these stairs.

He went down to the first floor, then up to the second floor, then to the third floor, and so on several times.

It was quiet throughout the building and only occasionally someone walked past him. He didn't notice who it was. He just wandered around like a ghost, occasionally probing the wall with his fingers to make sure he wasn't crazy or out of touch with reality.

It was as if studying every curve of that uneven wall and every step, he absorbed the atmosphere of the whole place.

"Arlo! Arlo!"

Not immediately he heard the voice of Zale, who grabbed his arm and looked up at him with a very frightened expression.

"I thought you were dead. You!"

Beginning to shake him by the shoulders and then hugging him sharply, Zale even began to cry, trying desperately to hold back the tears.

"What are you doing? Arlo, what are you doing? What's wrong with you?"

"That's enough. They might see us."

"I thought you were dead!" Zale screamed loudly, pounding the wall with his fist. A thin stream of blood seeped through his skin, leaving pain in its wake. "I thought that was it, that was the end. Arlo, why did you do that? Why?"

"I couldn't see it. The fact that they're just killing here, for no reason."

"Yeah, but look at you. You have no health, no strength. What are you even doing here? I'm already afraid you're going to die today or tomorrow. And here you decide to be a hero."

"Yes, I don't have that good health and strength. But I have a heart, unlike you. I didn't know you were so selfish. I'm sure you'll be just like everyone else in a month. I'm sure you'll even kill me to eat me," Arlo said, and at that moment Zale slapped him in the face with all his might.

"Well, I can consider myself without a friend," Zale said, horrified that he had hurt his only best friend who had fallen to the floor. Having said that, he was sorry and wanted to apologize and wanted to make things right, but Arlo was no longer around.

As he climbed to the third floor, Arlo felt such pain in his body that he just wanted to lie down. But going back to the room where Bannard was obviously waiting for him was not an option. So he simply found the far corner near the window and hid there until morning.

He didn't sleep until Bannard came out of the room. Without noticing him, he quickly headed toward the stairs.

Meeting the morning on the icy floor, looking out the window, beyond which he could now see a gray landscape of hills and broken trees, Arlo continued to want to spend the day in this place. But he knew that if he stayed here, he would surely be dead by nightfall. After all, skipping training was also severely punished.

Today he felt hunger more than anything else. Such intense hunger that he couldn't think about anything.

When he noticed that everyone was allowed to eat breakfast today, he sat down on the edge of the table without looking at anyone and saw a plate of sliced roots in front of him.

Chewing them quickly, he was glad of the taste, which seemed to him very tasty at the moment. Greedily and quickly devouring all the food, he looked up and found his friend far away from him.

Zale was sitting with his back to him, chatting with Blake, who somehow knew how to keep a good mood and even happiness.

He was the only one just glowing with happiness.

"You did the right thing hitting that Bannard."

Hearing this, Arlo looked ahead of him and saw a boy sitting in front of him. Unobtrusive, with the most ordinary facial features, this guy immediately struck him as someone he could trust. But Arlo remained silent, deciding that it was dangerous to make friends in this place.

"I wanted to hit him myself. But I'm not as brave as you. Bannard is a bad man. I've heard a lot about him. And believe me, be careful with him. You see his build? He's so strong and muscular because he eats too much meat. He eats the meat of people he's killed. People."

Listening to him, Arlo remained silent, looking at Zale. He desperately wanted his friend to look at him, too. He needed it. But Zale kept talking to his new friend.

"Well anyway, thank you. Because of you, we were all able to get some rest. Not that I don't think my heart could take it. In this place, they just want to kill us. I don't understand why they call this place a prep camp. After all, how can we climb a mountain and fight and experience all kinds of hardships if we leave all our strength in this place!"

"I don't know," Arlo replied, rising from his chair and heading toward the door.

"Wait!" the guy shouted and ran after him. "My name is Astro. And your name is Arlo. Our names are almost the same."

"I don't think you can make a friend here. Go away."

"I don't care about their rules, and I don't think you do either. You're the only one who's ever been able to hit Bannard. And you won't believe it, but your punch made him fall and give him a headache. I thought he was dead. Anyway, I don't think he's going to do anything now and anyway, we need to unite to rise up against everybody and change these rules. After all, there are more of us. It's just Bannard, that old judge and Isolda. Just three people and all of us. What do you think?"

"I don't know. Look, I can't think of anything right now, I'm sorry."

"I understand you. You're scared. Okay, I'll wait. But believe me, all the changes can start with the two of us," Astro said that, and quickly walked forward.

Once again in front of the field where they had been running, Arlo took a deep breath. Now he thought of nothing but what would happen today.

Each new day frightened him. Each day forced him to find shelter in the night to prolong the arrival of this new day. But now he was facing a new day.

Looking at the sky, which does not change color or let any sunlight through, which just looks like a dirty window, Arlo also looked toward the mountain.

The mountain continued to rise above everyone, frightening and mesmerizing at the same time.

No one could see what worlds were on this mountain and how this mountain was able to form completely different realities with different inhabitants. But one thing everyone knew was that there was a better world on top of that mountain.

Thinking of a better world, a new life, Arlo tried to find the strength to live another day.

"What you did was amazing," the girl suddenly said with a very tired expression on her face. Looking at her, Arlo noticed only circles under her eyes and dried lips. Sighing, the girl put her arms around her shoulders and lifted her head and looked forward. Her eyes expressed courage and strength, which he was a little jealous of. "I wouldn't mind hitting him either. Bannard is a bad man. I'm surprised he didn't kill you. I wonder why?"

Laughing, Arlo didn't expect to be able to laugh at this point.

"What's so funny?"

"You are the second person to tell me he's bad."

"He's the worst person ever."

"I'll remember that."

"Don't believe a word he says. He's cunning and dangerous. And how terrible it is that he will be our leader. I'm not sure we'll survive under his leadership," the girl said and stepped aside as everyone left the building, including Bannard.

Stepping aside, Arlo didn't even notice that he was standing far away from everyone.

Looking at him, Bannard could barely contain his laughter. Stopping in front of him, he stopped his gaze on him and began to speak.

"Well, since someone doesn't want to run, there's another workout waiting for you today. I hope no one hits me over the head this time. At least wait for the wound to heal. And then feel free to hit me," he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Abruptly brushing it off as if it were dust, Arlo was still as unafraid of him as the others. "Follow me."

Unwilling to listen to him, to follow him, Arlo waited until Zale passed him. And when he saw him, he caught his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm sorry. Zale, what can I do? I don't want to lose you. It's very hard and painful for me. You're the only one who reminds me of my home."

Without saying anything, Zale continued walking.

"Zale."

"Stop talking!"

At that moment someone shoved Arlo on the back, and he nearly fell over. When he turned around, he saw an unfamiliar guy walking and laughing quietly with the other guys.

"Arlo, are you like a girl in love? If that's the way you want a guy, I don't mind. Where should we meet? How about tonight at the library?" this guy said, putting his arm around his shoulders. "Don't look like that. Yeah, there's a library where everyone can get some privacy to..."

Pushing him away from him, Zale barely restrained himself from hitting him.

"What's the big deal? The two of us can use him together. What's the problem?"

Barely holding back, Zale still managed to keep his mouth shut.

"Hey you!"

"Hey you!"

Hearing Bannard's voice suddenly nearby, Arlo looked at him and the next moment he pulled out his dagger and plunged it right into the guy's back.

Screaming in pain, the guy fell to the ground. And the rest of his "friends" just walked away as if they hadn't noticed anything.

"There's training going on now. You can't talk during training. You think you can talk up there on the mountain!" Bannard shouted, kicking him with his foot.

Surprised by what he saw, Arlo realized that Bannard had just stood up for them. But realizing that he had done it for himself, he quickly walked away.

The weather today was not as usual. Everyone noticed and felt that there was no icy wind today. It was warm, and everyone thought about how nice it would be to spend time with family in this rare weather. But just as they were dreaming, Bannard ushered them into a cave that was at the foot of one of the five mountains that were around the building.

The five mountains were training sites, and when they found themselves in front of a mountain covered with black stones, Bannard pointed to the cave and said, "Today you will all be climbing up the wall, and I will make sure you fall down. This training will help you in the future. After all, climbing a mountain is no easy task. Between worlds we will have to climb up for months, maybe years. So, you should know what to expect."

As Arlo entered the cave, which was dark but had a fire burning in the middle, he felt weak in his body. For when he saw the high wall in front of him, which grew even higher as he looked up, he realized that perhaps he would not survive today for sure.

"No one will hold you. You have to survive on your own. You fall, it's your own fault. You help someone, I'll shoot you. Is that clear to everyone?" Bannard questioned, pulling out his rifle.

"I thought they were going to give us a rope. How are we supposed to climb up?" someone asked from the crowd.

Laughing, Bannard approached Arlo again, and as if there was no one else in the place, he answered only him, "You have to do whatever it takes to survive. Don't be gentle. Be smart and strong. I think you'll know what to do to survive."