NewAge

Ashortdystopianstory By:NoelEgbert Screamsfilledthesmallorphanage.Menandwomendressedinallblackbrokethroughthedoors ofthetinybuilding.Ilookedcloserattheclothingthattheywerewearing.Onthetoprightcorneroftheir matchinguniformswasagoldensnake,whichistheirsocietysanimal.Isuddenlyunderstoodwhatwas happening.Theyregoingtotakeustotheguidance. Istartedtoscreamtoo.Someonegrabbedmefrombehindandstartedtoleadmeoutside.I whippedmyheadaroundjustintimetoseeapieceofwhiteclothpressedagainstmymouth.Everything becameablurofcolorandthenblackness. Icouldfeelmyselfmoving,ItriedtoopenmyeyesbutIcouldnt.IcouldthinkandfeelbutI couldn'tmoveanything,notevenmypinky.Imustvebeendrugged. Istartedtothinkaboutwhattheyweregoingtodotome.WhatifIgototheS.G.C?Iwondered. Iliveinahardworldrightnow,everyonedoes.Attheyoungageoftwoyoureparentsare forcedtojointheguidanceandyouareshippedofftoarandomorphanage.Theguidanceisapointless thinginmyopinion.Theguidanceislargegroupofmenandwomenovertheageof18thatworkforan evilwomenwhogoesbythetitleEmpressAndeline. Whathappenedisthatwhenthegovernmentshutdownthingsbecamechaotic,thecrimerate spikedup,andsicknessanddiseasespread.DuringallthisEmpressAdelinecameinlikesomesortof goddessandpresentedaplantoeveryonecalledtheguidance.Everyonethoughtitwasagreatidea,and atfirstitwas.Crimeratesleveledouteverythingwasundercontrol.Butthenthingsstartedtogetworse andworse,itwaslikethegovernmentshutdownalloveragain.Seriousdejavu. ThenAndelinestartedforcingpeopletojoinherpeacegrouptheguidanceandevenworse startedtodostrangehightechexperimentsonchildren.Peoplestartedtohateherbutprotestofanykind

leadtoanunfairtrialandcruelandunusualpunishment. EmpressAndelinecameupwithaprogramcalledS.G.C,whichstandsforSocietyofGifted Children.IdontknowawholelotabouttheprogrambutwhatIdoknowisthattheguidanceraidssmall orphanagesandtakeshandfulsofchildrenatatime.Thenyouresenttoalabwheretheyinjectdifferent chemicalsintoyouandexposeyoutohighradiationandseeifyoudevelopanysuperhumanpowers.If youshownospecialabilitysuchascontrollingelementsormovethingswithyourmind,thentheyeither executeyouorwaittillyoudiefromallthechemicalsanddrugstheyputintoyourbody. Andelinetakesthesegiftedchildrentothedifferentsocietiesandhasthemrecruitmorechildren andstealanypreciousmetalstheyfind.Nooneknowswhatshedoeswithwhatshegetsbutthechildren doastheyaretold. WhatifI'mgoingtotheS.G.C?Iwondered.Ibegantopanic.WhatifIshowdon'tshowsignof specialpowersevenaftertheexperiments?Whatiftheradiationdeformsme?WhatifIdie?Abunchof whatifsstartedtocrawlintomyhead.Istartedtogetdizzyandallmysensesturnedoff. WhenIwokeupIwasnolongermoving.Ilookedaround,everythingwasawfullywhite.Ilooked

downIwaswearingwhitetoo.Strange,Idon'trememberwearingwhite.SuddenlyIsawabigsignon oneoftheoddlyplainwalls.Itsaid"S.G.C"andbelowititsaid"societyofgiftedchildren"insmallprint.

Crap,wasallIcouldthinkof.Someonetappedmeontheshoulder.Iturnedaroundquickly. "Pleasegetinthefemalelinemiss"oneoftheguidanceworkerssaidtomepointingtoaline whereabunchofgirlsaround14waited.Ididn'trecognizeanyofthem. Inoddedandmademywaytowardstheline.Iwassurprisedthathecalledmemissanddidn't treatmelikedirtlikeanyotherguidanceemployee,butthenagainwhenyouknowsomeone'sgoingtodie soonIguesstheleastyoucoulddowascallthemmiss. AsIstoodinthebackofthegirlslineIlookedthroughtheboyline.Ionlyrecognizedoneofthem.

ItwasStrider.Hehadjetblackhairthatalmostcoveredhisstunningblueeyes.Hewasmysterioustoo,he doesn'ttalkalotandwhenhedoeshesaysthingslikeshutupandshh.Heskindarude.Idon'teven knowifstrider'shisrealname.Idon'tknowhimrealwell,buteversinceweweretwowe'vebeenatthe sameorphanage. Istartedtowonderwhymeandstriderweretheonlyonesfromourorphanage.Whathappenedtothe others?surelyweweren'ttheonlyonescaptured,Ithoughttomyself. Soonawomendressedinanallblackguidanceuniformcalledforourattention. "Ladiesandgentlemenwelcometothesocietyofgiftedchildren"shesaidwithanoverlycheerful

voice,"youmaybewonderingwhyyouarehere."Shecontinued,"Wehaveconductedmany...Er... Experimentsandwearepleasedtosayyouguysarethesmallhandfulwhopassed"shestatedwitha smile. "Whathappenedtotherestofthem"aboywithfieryredhairsaid,"Theoneswhodidn'tpass"he

finished. "That's,well..."Thecheerfulsmilewavered"Notimportant"shefinished,withahideouslyfake smileplasteredonherface.Nowifyoucouldallpleasefollowmethroughthesedoorsshesaidas begantoleadthetwolinestotwolargeplaindoorswithshinysilverhandles. Ontheothersideofthedoorswerefourtableswithmoreguidanceworkers.Theyspliteachof thelinesinhalfandsentthemtoatable.Weweresoonarrangedinfourneatlines,oneinfrontofeach cleanwhitetable.Onebyoneeachofushadtogivethempersonalinformation.Finallyitwasmyturn. Yourname?Amaleguidanceworkeraskedmewhenitwasfinallymyturn. ElIresponded. Yourfullnamehesaidrollinghiseyes. ElysiaMeritworthIsaidinaclearvoice. Gender?Heasked.

Female EyeColor?Hecontinued. Blue HairColor? Blond Helookedupfromthepaperexaminingmyhair. Yournaturalhaircolor?Hesaidafterawhile,obviouslynoticingmybrownroots. BrownIresponded. Age?Heasked. 14Isaid OkwellthatsitHesaid.Youmaynowgothroughthosedoorsandtothegirlsbunker,He saidpointingtoalargeplainwhitedoor. Islowlymademywaytothewhitedoors.IwascurioustoseewhatkindofgirlsIwouldbe sharingaroomwith.WhatiftheydontlikemeIwonderedasmyhandwrappedaroundtheshiny

occupied.silverhandle.Ipushedthedooropenandtherewasatonofgirls.Iwassurprisedhowmany
therewere.Althoughtherewasprobablyonlyadozengirlswithmeintheotherroomtherewasabout 50girlscrammedintotheroom.Someonesnappedtheirfingersinfrontofmyface. Hello?Sheasked. Ijumpedbackinsurprise.Ilookedatthegirl.Shelookedabout13andprobablyaround5anda halffeettall.sheworeacleanwhitedresswithasoftgreylacetrimatthebottom.Ilookedatherface. Shehadhazelbrownandunlikemyshortpixiecuthairherswaslong,straight,andbrownhairthatcame allthewaydowntothebackofhercalfs. Um....Youinthere?Sheaskedtappingthesideofmyhead. Er..Um..yeah...Isaidbrushingherhandaway.

ImZoeyShesaidwithasmile. ImElItoldher. Thatsacoolname.Shesaid. CoolIhadneverheardthatwordbefore. Yeah.Sorry,Igeussitskindaofanolderword.shesaid.Followme,youcangetthebunker nexttome.Noonesusingit.shesaidhappily. Sheleadmetothebackcorneroftheroom.Therewasrowsandrowsofoccupiedbunkbedsall tighttogether.Finallywecametoastop. ThisismybedZoeysaidwavingherhandatasmallbed. Ilookedatherbed.Shehadawhiteblanketandwhitepillowthatmatchedtherestoftheroom. Therewasalsoapileofbooksonthesideofherbed. Doyouliketobealone?Iaskednoticingthattheotherbedsaroundherwerent No...Shesaidsittingonthebed,Notalotofpeoplelikeme.Shefinishedpattingthespotnext toher.Isatdownnexttohernotknowingwhattosay. OhIsaidawkwardly. Itsnotbad,ShesaidHavingnobodylikeyou,ImeanIdontreallymindit.Shestatedwitha smile. Iwassurprisedathowoptimisticshewasaboutthis.Afteralongpauseofawkwardsilenceshe startedtalkingagain. Sowhatsyourstory?sheasked. Mywhat?Iasked. Yourstory,whathappenedtoyou?Howdidyougethere?Sherestated. ItsnotmuchIstartedBasicallyIwaslivinganordinarylifeatmyorphanagetilltheguidance cameandkidnapedmeandnowImhereIfinished.

ThanksforgoingintodetailZoeysaidsarcastically. Sowhatsyours?IaskedYourstory. WellIvebeenherefor5years,Shebegan,WhenIwas8theycametomyorphanageand tookmetothisplaceshesaidgesturingtotheroomIhadmanyexperimentsdoneonmeandatfirstI didntshowanysignofspecialpowers.Theyweregoingtokillme.Twooftheguidanceworkersledme tothebackroomwheretheywereIwasgoingtobemurdered,butastheygotthesmallclearsyringeout Istoppedthem,shesaidwithmypower.Zoeyfinished. What'syourpower?Iasked. Zoeysmirkedshethenfocusedherattentiononapileofbooksonthesideofherbed.Thebooks slowlystartedtofloatupandsoontheywereonthebedinfrontofus. Icancontrolthingswithmymind.Shesaidasifitwasnobigdeal. Sohowdidyoustopthem?Iasked. AllIdidwasusetelekinesistoshatterthesyringeShesaid.Thetwoworkersweresurprised andafterawhiletheytookmebacktothetestingroomandmademedoabunchoftestsandchallenges, andmyresultswerepositivesoIwasabletostayShesaid. Inodded,suddenlytheoverlycheerfulladydressedinblackcameintothegirlsbunker. LadiesShesaidgettingourattention.Allofthenewgirlspleasefollowme.Shesaidhappily. Weallgotintoaline.IwavedgoodbyetoZoeyandfollowedtherestofthenewgirlstoa separateroom. TheroomIwasleadtowasjustaswhiteastherestofthebuilding.Excepttherewasalotoflab equipmentandlargeglasscylindersthatcouldfitsomeoneinit.Ibecamereallynervous.Thismustbe wheretheydoallthetestingandexperiments. Anoldmancalledforourattention. Welcomeladies.Hegreetedus.Inoticedthattheguyswerenthere.

Asyoumayalreadyknowwehavealreadytestedyoutoseeifyouarestrongenoughtohandleany furtherexperiments.Hesaid.Allofyouwerepositive.Theoldmanpaused.Youwouldn'tbehereif youwerenegative.Hesaidlaughingasifdeathwassomethingenjoyable.NowIwillneedyour cooperation.HesaidIwillhavemyhelperscomearoundandinjectyouwithaspecialserumthatIhave created.Youwillthenenteradreamstate,whileyouareinthedreamstateyouwillbeabletofeeland thinkbutyoucannotmove.Youmayrecognizethefeelingfromwhenweextractedyoufromyour orphanagesHesaidwithasmile.Afterwecompleteseveraldifferenttestswewillseeifadaptedto yournewpower.Ifyoudoyouwillwakeupfromthedreamstate.SomeofyouwillnotwakeupHe laughedagain,Iwasbeginningtodislikethisguymoreandmore. Ladiesdressedinblacknurseuniformscameandinjecteduswiththeserum.Theymadeussit downandafterawhileallmysensesbecamefuzzyandthenblack.

Icouldfeelmyselfbeingcarriedintooneoftheglasscylinders.ThesoundsweremuffledbutI couldhearadistantbeeping.SuddenlyIfeltasurgeofelectricityrunthroughme.Iwasinsomuchpain.I triedtoscreamoutbutIcouldntopenmymouth.Iwantedthepaintoendbutitgotstrongerandstronger. AfterIthoughtIcouldnthandleanymorepaintherewasonemoresurgeofelectricityandthen everythingbecamefuzzyandinsteadofblackIsawwhite.

Tobecontinued.....