—----------------------Chapter 2—-------------------------
The soft chime of the bell washes over the place, calling us for our daily shower.
The icy-water taps on my back and falls past my hair. I turn the handle, stopping the cascade of water.
"Before we break our fast," the announcer says, "we will please ask you to go to the salon."
They never let our hair pass our shoulders, but this is earlier than usual.
Strands of my cinnamon hair fall on the ground, and clips fill the room as they cut our nails.
"Please come to the cafeteria to take part in breakfast," the recorder says before disappearing.
People enter the cafeteria through different doors in lines. Then they arrange behind different stations and a cover lifts up to let out a tray containing their food.
I take my tray, filled with scrambled eggs, bacon strips, a bowl of stew, and bread, with a glass of water to gulp everything down.
I hear clutter, and without turning an eye I know who it was - Mark.
He settles beside me and starts, "I heard Linda awakened her powers."
Linda - we haven't met her since Day Care; after puberty boys and girls are separated. The only time we meet is at lunch. Though we've parted since, I can tell Mark still has a slight crush on her. But the information doesn't amuse me.
"Good for her," I say.
He leans his head closer to me. "Almost everyone has awakened a power. What about you?"
I gulp my food down and lower my head, eyes closed, harvesting my frustration through my hand, carefully lifting my spoon. I didn't get my power yet, not that I cared, but having to be reminded every time was exhausting.
"Don't worry, you'll get it soon."
I savour the silence before hearing a faint sound. Looking up, I see Marcel, who didn't even dare to look back at me. He silently sat before us, quiet as a mouse. It's hard to say he is of age with us, as big and tall he is. Though I think it was a little cute…
"Attention!" The speaker crackles, lifting every head. "Today we will be dismissing class." It pause before saying, "You may take extra Play Time."
Cheers rose.
Good grief.
Socialization isn't my strongest suit, and I'd rather learn sums than try to develop my communication skills.
Our Play Time is covered with chalk-drawn flowers, filled with teddy bears and children's books - nothing changed from when we were kids.
But I sit at the upper gallery of the library, above the towering shelves, a leg hooked over the other, reading my book.
Faint chatter hums behind its walls.
No one is here, only me.
I close the book—Haily the Teddy bear—before rising up and walking towards the back shelves.
With the pull of a book, the walls groan, and the shelf turns, bringing me into an abandoned room.
The books in the 'library' are easy to get sick of once past the age of 10, filled with pictures and of little words. Trying to find a decent one at the age of nine, I stumble across this secret passageway, though hardly anyone comes into the library; it wasn't like anyone would've discovered it before me.
The walls are of muted grey and old children's drawings.
The exit sign dangles above the locked door, its wires dusted and cold. A title hung that read:
"Children's Academy."
The bean bag where kids are supposed to sit lies swollen and empty. The tiles underneath are moldy. The lights dead.
The air here is heavy but thin, dust slowly drifting down.
This is the place where I read my books.
On one of the walls, an image of a child holds onto his parents hands, smiling as he hovers above the grass.
I walk towards it and place my hand on his head.
Parents…
Where are mine?
The institution is filled with parentless kids.
How did we exist in the first place?
What is our purpose in life?
Am I going to die like this?
My heart flutters.
Through the walls, I heard the faint voice of the announcer say, "Attention! Dinner will be held early."
After dinner, I retreat to my bunker where I sleep, looking at the ceiling, head lying on my crossed arms.
Something is off…
The schedule changed…
That night, sleep didn't come easy.
The bell chimes as the speaker speaks in a calm voice, "Stretch your arms and feel that morning breeze," with the sound of a calm background.
We do our normal routine - until it was lunch.
"After lunch, we will deplete our curriculum and go off to our Assembly Hall," the voice said. Smoke enters the cafeteria. "Once done, follow the Androids."
White Spheres with a large lense for an eye come hovering in. They rise to the ceiling, waiting for us to finish eating.
When the bell rings again, and the announcer says, "Our meeting begins," they lower and station at a door, in front of every line of children.
We trail behind the Androids through the hallway before they paused in front of a door.
With an enlargement of their lens, the door opens, and they dash into the room.
We follow them in, darkness wrapping around us.
When I enter, different doors open, letting in light, as other rows of kids flood in.
A speaker in the room screeched. "You may now wait."
Minutes pass by, and as kids get more impatient, chatter rises.
The room-widescreen turns on. A man with a face mask stares at us.
"Welcome," he says, his voice deep.
"You may be wondering why you are here - and who I am. Well, let me tell you: Long story short, my name is Conquest, and I have gathered you orphans in QENHE, which stands for Queer Exponential Non Human Experiments." Chatter buzzes in the room as people whisper to their shoulder mate.
"Silence!" the masked man shouted, and people froze.
"A long time ago, exactly 17 years ago, a great war happened here which was once called Earth, between the people of Panama, devouring our civilization." Silence. "You, though, lovely children, whose parents died under the flames of the war, are our last hope ....Our next generation. You have lived most of your life in comfort, and now, it is time for the real game to begin."
The revelation strikes like a hammer.
No one dares speak.
"You have two choices: Stay here for ever, or—"
Then a video of green strands and a bl
ue ceiling with sailing cotton plays.
"Freedom."
Freedom…
The word echoes in our mind as the video of the Outside World plays.