Chapter 14: (3)Survival Test
As the second day of the test continued and the sun rose higher in the sky, the scene devolved into a strange spectacle of shouting.
"I'll swap my jumper for just a mouthful of water!" someone shouted.
"Hey you, I'll be your bodyguard tonight for that last sip in your bottle!"
"Fifty bucks to anyone who gives me a little water!"
In only a matter of hours, water, something that was almost worthless in the outside world, had become more precious than gold. Despite all the offers being made, hardly anyone was willing to give up the last bits of such an essential resource. Without it, how could anyone expect to make it through this ordeal?
A few hours later, Omega arrived with the rest of the exam staff, including the medic team. Alexandre had made the conservative estimate that the medics wouldn't interfere until the test ended, so he was surprised when several doctors entered the test zone to examine the candidates who were still unconscious.
'Interesting,' Alexandre thought. 'I guess that the people who made it to this point are worth keeping alive for a little longer. So the Hunters aren't quite as sadistic as I'd thought! Even still, the rest of the candidates would be fools to assume anyone's coming to save them from death at any time. Just holding out long enough for a doctor will take more skill than some of these fools possess.'
While the doctors were doing their work, Omega displayed his trademark, sadistic streak of humor. He opened a plastic cooler and withdrew several 1.5-liter bottles of water. He made a dramatic show of opening one bottle and seeming to fumble it, causing a stream of water to cascade to the ground. "Oops!" he said in a voice of faux horror. "Oh well, no use crying over spilled water." Omega took a long drink from the bottle, smacking his lips in appreciation.
The candidates watched this display with mournful expressions. One particularly exhausted girl began to cry as Omega dropped the mostly full bottle to the ground, letting the rest of the water dribble out.
Finally, Omega turned and removed more 1.5-liter bottles and set them up at his feet until there were ten bottles shining in the sun. "What's with all the sad expressions? It's just water! The most plentiful substance on the planet. All you have to do is step over that dividing line and you're welcome to all the water you can drink!" He gave a hearty laugh.