In the After

gripped them tightly, taking a wide stance as I was taught. This was real. That bastard Marcus set me up. I had to fight a Florae .
    Too fast, it ran into me at full force and I was knocked to the grass. Claws raked across my abdomen, trying to eviscerate me. My synth-suit protected me from being torn to shreds, but pain came every time the creature dug into my body. As it pummeled me, I took my knife and thrust upward, cutting into soft tissue. The Florae didn’t care. It continued to tear at me, trying to sink its teeth into my flesh. Hot putrid breath hit me. Panicked, I stabbed at its head and managed to slash the knife across the creature’s face. I thrust again and the blade hit its eye socket, meeting little resistance. It was like cutting through soft butter. If I could just get to the brain I knew I could kill it, but the creature pulled away.
    Screaming, I pushed with all my strength and the creature fell back awkwardly. I jumped to my feet. I only had a few seconds—but something about the Florae was strange.
    There was a glint at its neck, familiar but out of place. I didn’t have enough time to ponder, because the creature was on top of me again. It went for my face and the stink from its mouth made me retch. Its remaining eye looked right at me, yellow and milky.
    It tried to bite my chin and the force alone left me gasping from the pain. I sliced upward, aiming for its neck, knowing that was the only way I could escape, the only way I would make it out alive.
    I jabbed again and again, and I could feel the warmth from the creature’s blood through the synth-suit. It refused to give up. I delivered blow after blow, but each of my stabs was less effective.
    Finally I pierced the Florae’s neck and I dug in the knife. The creature fell backward. I dropped to my knees, sucking warm air into my lungs, fighting to stay conscious. I could breathe again.
    The creature’s arms and legs were wriggling, twitching disturbingly, and I was filled with a hatred so intense my chest burned. The Florae reached for me as I approached, but its head was twisted, half of its neck cut away. Its claws weakly scraped my leg, but there was no longer power behind its swipes.
    I brought my knife down again severing its neck while blood squirted onto the ground. A putrid scent hit my nostrils, like rotten eggs.
    Only when its head was completely removed did it finally lay still, its hunger extinguished. I collapsed on the ground.
    Eventually I heard someone calling my name. I looked up. Kay was running toward me from across the field. “Amy, I swear I didn’t know!” She was out of breath and looked more unsettled than I’d ever seen her.
    “Was that my test?” I asked dumbly.
    “Yes.” She crouched down beside me. “Normally we would do it in the Rumble Room with snipers trained on the Florae. I don’t know what Dr. Reynolds is playing at, but he forced this on us at the last minute. Said it would be more . . . true to life. I had complete faith in you and we made sure you were equipped properly, that you had a synth-suit and a gun.” She looked at the carnage of the decapitated creature. “The knives were supposed to be for backup.”
    I felt deadened from what she was telling me. Dr. Reynolds . “My gun . . . jammed.” I pointed to where I’d tossed it earlier and Kay retrieved it, examining it closely.
    “You’re missing the firing pin.”
    “Is that part of the test too?” I asked shakily. I was still working to process the information. That was my test. I could have died.
    “No . . . Marcus,” she growled. “That bastard must have sabotaged the gun. Why?”
    It all came together. Marcus did it because Dr. Reynolds wanted me out of the picture. Sure, my death would distress my mother, but she’d be proud if I died trying to defend New Hope. Better than having Dr. Reynolds commit me to the Ward, where I’d always be at the back of my mother’s mind. Better to get rid of me for good.
    “I think we should tell everyone that the gun malfunctioned.” I looked at Kay. “Tell them that I will make a fine Guardian. That I’m dedicated to defending New Hope.” I knew I’d have to make them trust me. I couldn’t live my life always looking over my shoulder, wondering which of the Guardians were trying to kill me.
    Kay studied me for a moment, nodding her agreement. “All right. That’s what we’ll tell the other Guardians, but I promise, Marcus isn’t going to get away with this.”
    Kay