Please Review and tell me what you think so far!!

Chapter 4

Something wasn't right. Even as I walked into my house I knew something was wrong. I checked my room. Nothing out of place. I checked Heg. She was playing absently with a toy, her eyes down. She wasn't alarmed. I slowly started to pack, but couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched. I changed my clothes to some jeans, trainers, a t-shirt and a zip up jumper.

"What's wrong?" I asked myself. "Did I do something wrong?"

I don't know. What did you do?

"Nothing!"

Then it's not your fault. Let's think. They managed to delete all your records, take you out of your school and take you away from your only living family.

I froze. "It's almost like they took me off the face of the earth. They've deleted my existence!"

Why have they done this? Think. You're a smart girl. You can work it out.

I snarled and continued packing. I took all of my valuables and put them about me. I didn't want to lose them. I was nearly finished when my doorbell rang, making me freeze. I looked outside of my window. A black shiny car with two people sitting in it was waiting in my drive. I stumbled back, illogical fear searing my veins.

"I don't want to go!"

You have to. You signed up.

I threw the rest of my belongings into my bag. I zipped it up quickly, shoving it on my bed. After checking my reflection I ran downstairs. The doorbell rang insistently. I wrenched the back door open. I started to run, the Voice yelling in my ears.

You silly girl! Well. It's too late now. Take a left, into Macrosty Park!

I veered left and ran down the steep hill into the park. I startled some dog walkers as I ran past them.

Suddenly, I tripped, and sloshed into a stream. Growling, I ran up the other bank, and ran across the wide park. In the corner of my eye I saw a black car speeding on the road opposite me. I ran faster. I ran past the playground. A few children called to me, but I was deaf to their complaints. I needed to escape, to run away.

Keep running!

I started up some stone steps. I couldn't see any more people, but that didn't frighten me. I've been alone all my life. Well. Not totally alone.

I burst into a road just as a black car screeched to a stop. The door opened, and two pairs of hands grabbed my arms and pulled me in. I screeched and kicked, but I was thrown into darkness. My face was pressed against the floor. I couldn't move. I felt the car moving. I tried to scream, but something hit my head. Hard.

Ow.

Get up! Get up now!

"I can't." I mumbled. "They're holding me too tightly."

I heard my captors stiffen and say, "What?"

Get up! Do something!

"You do something!" I snapped breathlessly.

This is your fault.

"My fault? You're actually blaming me?"

Something hit my head again.

"Shut up!"

I kept quiet. I felt scared out of my life, but my head throbbed too much for me to care. The Voice was silent. I closed my eyes.

This was too much. Please, anyone, someone, save me. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help other people, and not talk back to the Voice, even if I'm lonely…

I must have fallen asleep; because when I woke it was dark outside. The car had stopped. The men – I identified them as men – lifted me out. I looked around. And gasped.

I was standing in front of one, single large building with glass as a roof. I looked around. There were huge electric fences, with searchlights that searched the sky as well as the ground. I was towed towards a huge double door. I noticed that there were big circular pipes large enough for me to stand in set at regular intervals in the building.

Get out!

I started to struggle. They were dragging me now, my feet barely touching the ground. We reached the door. One of the men punched in a number in a security pad, and the doors creaked open. We were in a hall. I started to struggle again, kicking the men's legs. I started to screech, but the man to my left hit my head. I saw stars, and heard the Voice hissing in anger.

Suddenly. I heard a door open, and I was dragged across a room and thrown onto a floor. I was kicked viciously in the stomach, and then told in a gruff voice to stand up. Gasping, I staggered to my feet, and nearly fell over as I was prodded onwards. As I looked up, my eyes recognized something. I was in a small circular room with a door at one end. But that's not what made me halt on my tracks.

Other kids were there, all of them my age or older. They were clustered at the other side, some crying, others looking angry. I walked uneasily over to them. I looked behind me at the men. They were standing at the door, their faces covered with masks. I glanced back.

"Why are we here?" I whispered. "Who are you?"

The tallest boy, who seemed sixteen, stepped forward. "My name is James. We don't know." He said quietly. "What's your name?"

"Alice."

"Great. We know her name. Does she have any superpowers?" a nasal voice rang out. I looked behind him. A dark haired boy was lounging against the wall, chewing gum. I glared at him.

"You don't look very scared." I spat.

"'Cos I don't have too." He sniggered. "This is obviously a set up on a TV show. I should know. My whole family is in show business."

"Wow." I said sourly. "How'd you end up on TV? With looks like yours, you could end up on, I'm a pig, get me out of here."

He stiffened. His eyes flashed. "You little b–"

"Oi!"

We turned. A man in a white coat with several men with masks stood at the door. He didn't look at his men as he said curtly, "Get them to the Ultra-Chamber."

Suddenly, we were surrounded with black masked men, who began to herd us towards the door. I stayed where I was, but was pushed roughly forward. I was the last child through the door, and we began to walk down the middle of a large room that was empty save TV screens on the walls as well as doors marked with words I didn't understand. We clustered together as we walked. I looked around, my eyes narrowed.

Find an exit! Remember this room, Alyss.

"There is no exit." I murmured.

The girl in front of me looked at me strangely.

Do it.

"Fine! Give me time." I snapped. The guards looked at me. I kept walking, my eyes flickering side to side. Finally, we stopped, and four more people joined the white-coated man. They looked at us, one of them rubbing his hands.

"Right!" the ringleader announced. He looked at the clipboard he had in his hand. "This all?" he asked the men behind us. They nodded. He sighed and looked at his list.

"Okay. Jove, get the five strongest and healthiest."

A white-coated man dragged three boys and two girls out and put them in a small group. The ringleader adjusted his glasses. With his thinning hair and watery blue eyes, he looked pathetic. His nametag read 'Doctor Heffel'.

I sneered mentally at the name.

"You," Doctor Heffel glanced at the first group. "Will be put into Ornithology."

The five teenagers were ushered into a door marked, 'Ornithology.' I felt scared for them.

Ornithology is the study of birds.

"You tell me!" I hissed. Several heads turned in my direction.

"Jove, get the weakest." Doctor Heffel ordered.

Jove sized us up, his eyes resting on a pale, freckly boy with glasses. He pounced on him, and dragged out a girl so petite I thought she was at least ten. But she was my age. Doctor Heffel glanced at them before writing on his clipboard.

"Right. You two go in Neuroscience."

They were dragged through another door. As it slammed shut, I cringed.

Neuroscience is the study of the brain.

"Shut up!" I snapped. Again, heads turned, and I saw Doctor Heffel purse his lips before continuing.

"I want…no. Oh, wait…yes. That's it. You, there." He pointed to a girl next to me. "And you…and you."

He looked at me curiously before sighing. He swallowed absently. "You're going into Ichthyology."

Ichthyology is the study of fish.

The girl next to me whimpered as she was dragged off into the third last door. I felt sorry for her, and began to shake as I realized there were only five people left, including me. Three boys and two girls. I looked around. There were no windows! I started to hyperventilate.

Cool it! The Voice told me. You might be put into a sanctuary. Be calm. Don't lose your head. And don't think of the other children either. You can't help them. They're long gone.

"I think…ah. Yes. You four!" I froze as he pointed at me, but heaved a sigh of relief as the girl next to me was dragged to the front with the other three boys.

"You will be put into our newest unit." Doctor Heffel smiled slightly. "It's so new we don't even have name for it. So it is called, the Study Of Canis familiaris."

I thought I heard the voice gasp, but i had gasped at the same time, so I couldn't be sure.

The Study of Canis Familiaris basically means the study of dogs.

A boy reacted violently as he was pushed forward, and was slapped hard by one of the scientists. He didn't seem to feel it. He struggled, and I watched, open mouthed, as he was lifted and carried through the doors with the other children.

The door slammed shut.

I looked up slowly, my eyes meeting Doctor Heffels. What was I going to be put in? Laser treatment? Brain surgery? I started to sweat.

As I looked into those cold eyes, I knew it was going to be far worse than I'd ever imagined.