The Boarding School Experiment by Emily Evans

our skill and speed. Lefty’s team hated us. They turned and glared our way, four brawny guys, and my suitemate, Nevaeh. They had been the odds-on favorite and they were not proud to come in second. They were watching us now, but we were too high to care. I didn’t even mind when the Alaskan folk music the coordinators liked to play kicked on.
    The director said, “Such an exceptional job.” Everyone clapped except team Lefty. “Team Thane has earned the first reward.”
    The crowd cheered. I stilled, leaning forward. Kaitlin’s arm tightened on mine.
    “Those of you who voted for Team Thane to win will of course get a pass on an exam of his or her choosing.” A few weak claps sounded through the auditorium. The director waved for the crowd to quiet, as if they’d been loud. “In addition, Team Thane members have won a day outdoors—a nature hike.”
     
    ***
     
    Two days later, we exited the habitat for the first time since orientation. The sun sank into my skin, and I nodded, almost giddy at the sensations. Fresh air. I breathed deep and shared a grin with my teammates.
    “We’re number one,” Geneva said.
    Kaitlin did a victory dance.
    Declan rolled his eyes. “I’m headed down to the lake.” He took off on a downward slope through the grass.
    Kaitlin’s face lit up. “I want to see the water.” She headed down to the lake with Declan.
    Man, we had a pool inside. “I’m going up,” I said, pointing to the cliff, almost dizzy on the thin, fresh air.
    “Hikes will be escorted until you know the area.” Coordinator Steele tucked a strand of hair into her bun and scanned the heavy trees as if they were about to attack her. She snagged white berries from underneath a bush and started sucking on them.
    “You can’t eat those,” Thane said.
    The Enforcer ignored him and continued gnawing. With a sigh, she set off, going upwards at a slow trudge, flinching at every piece of brush.
    The branches flew back and we had to dodge them as we hiked behind her, taking the worst route on absolutely the best landscape: cold air, fall colors. I reached for some of the white berries myself, plucking a few from under some leaves.
    Thane slapped them out of my hand. “You can’t eat those.” He pointed to some dark blue, nearly black, berries. “Blueberries. Eat those.”
    I snagged a navy one and popped it in my mouth. Ripe, sweet, bursting, the flavors exploded. The fruit didn’t taste like any blueberry I’d ever eaten at home in my fast food yogurt. I grabbed a few more.
    Thane opened his mouth and I fed him one, remotely registering how odd that action was. What a wonderful day. I bent my knees and stretched, looking up at the pale blue sky, the white puffy clouds, the mountain. “First one to the top,” I said.
    “No.” Coordinator Steel’s voice was sharp, but we all ignored her.
    The three of us sprinted, leaving the guide behind. We weren’t in it for the race, just the freedom, the sensation. Geneva’s laughter and Thane’s heavy steps came from behind me.
    I ran until my side hurt, until I couldn’t draw the thin air into my lungs anymore, until my legs burned, and then I sank to the ground. I rolled onto my back, sucking in the oxygen, enjoying the bright rays of unfiltered sun on my face. When my breath came easily again, I ran my hands over the ground. The soft puff of wildflowers surged above the rough green grass. I hadn’t pictured wild flowers in Alaska. I’d imagined mounds of snow and rocky edges. Flowers dotted the mountainside.
    Fast breathing and steps alerted me to company. Thane came into view, wearing his own wide grin. Hands on his hips, he wasn’t as winded as me, but he wasn’t as fast either. Red brushed his cheeks and he pointed. “Look,” he said in a hushed whisper.
    Holy crap. I stilled and stifled an instinctive retreat. A moose grazed in an open glen not far from us. Huge. Majestic. Real. For me, they had an almost imaginary status, seeing one up close was