I shift uncomfortably, feeling the cold rush of air run through the strands of my short hair, but what did I look like? I couldn't be sure in the darkness of the confined space I was in. Everything seemed to small and claustrophobic, and the oils and smells from the boxes opposite me turned my stomach sour with sickness, I was sure I was going to throw up. I look down at my hands, they're murky from the lift, but I can't see much else past my pasty hands, for the darkness was overshadowing everything. Harsh sounds of chains ripped and echoed around me, like a historical factory building, perhaps that's where I am, but I couldn't be so sure. I have no memory, but I have a working knowledge of the world, and that was the most frustrating thing about all of this, trying to piece my life together but I don't know, no face, names or places come to mind, yet I imagined things, trees blossoming with vibrant pink cherry blossoms, streets coated in thick sheets of snow, but have I been in these settings before? who knows?
My name is Elizabeth... I thought, but it's all I know, How old am I? what do I look like? Where am I? It all seems to hit me in a fast motion like an icy blast on a warm summers day.
I suddenly feel a surge of frustration, nothing made yet sense but in a way everything made perfect sense. I knew how to braid hair, but who taught me? and I know that the leaves on trees turn golden in the Autumn, but who showed me? I let out a cry of misunderstanding and utter confusion as I look around the lift. In the opposite corner, there were boxes full to the brim with supplies, I didn't know what supplies, but even if I dared to look I wouldn't be able to see a thing through the blackness that surrounds me.
"Someone help me!" I call out mindlessly, but all that comes back is an echo of my voice.
"Someone... Help... Me!" I scream louder, but echos bounced straight back, only this time they were louder. I wanted to cry, but instead I curl up into a ball in the corner of the lift, my arms wrapped around my knees and my face buried looking down. who the fuck am I, and where the fuck am I going?
Though moments later, I catch a glimpse of a thin slit of light reflecting from the bottom of the lift, I raise my head to see an opening, and finally the noise of what I assumed to be steel openings clank open. As the light stabbed my eyes, I squint them, but I don't close them for a second, anything could be up there waiting for me, anyone could be up there...
When I finally reach the inevitable destination, I am met with what must be millions of pairs of eyes - well, maybe not to that extreme, but it's certainly what it feels like.
"Is that a girl?"
"Well move out the way klunk-head I want to see!"
"I call dibs"
"I wouldn't she looks like she's been pulled straight outta hell"
"Dude it smells like your ass down there"
It seems like a million voices are all talking at once, some words register, others don't, and I feel like a huge chuck of my vocabulary had been
taken away with my memories. l myself close my eyes once more lightly and I inhale deeply before exhaling, trying to calm my racing heart and spinning brain, I felt lightheaded and weak, but when I opened my eyes again I am met with a sudden shock from realization.
They are all boys I exhale once more, they all seem young, ranging from ages of fifteen to eighteen, but I can't be certain, I can barely think straight never mind observe every single person surrounding me.
One of the boys dropped a rope of ivory from the side, and I walk over to it slowly and grab onto it before I am pulled up towards their ground level, arms come down to grab me and I am then hoisted the rest of the way, all the boys are silent now, as if I was a new species they had never seen in person before, I felt foreign, an outsider, and I certainly didn't feel all warm and welcome.
"Nice to meet ya, shank" perks up a deep voice from a hard looking boy with dark skin and a tough jaw, "Hope you enjoyed your one way ticket"
"What? Where am I?" It's strange hearing my own voice at it's normal tone, it's high, but not too high either, a little raspy from the shouting.
"Nowhere good" says the boy, "But this is the Glade, your new home, better be a quick learner Greenie, there's a lot to take in"