Hey! I'm happy with the traffic this fic has been getting. I would hope to get some reviews to know what people do and don't like. As I mentioned previously, if any of my readers would like a cameo, they can simply request to do so in a review. Since there are plenty of mutants to be created and mentioned, there's plenty of room for OC mutants! As always, read and review.
Sleep overcame us quicker than I think any of us had expected. I don't know what it was, but once we had dinner, we had all begun to get very very sleepy. So as soon as our heads hit the pillows, we were practically out like lights. My sleep was deep, heavy, and I hardly dreamt: what little dreams I had were hazy, confusing, and filled with the images of the armed guards that were posted in the halls. In the dreams I felt small, caged, and simply uncomfortable. You could call it a nightmare. Thankfully, though, I didn't wake up screaming or anything-just tired and grouchy. We were awoken by another sort of alarm-a screech, like the one from last night. I jolted awake and hugged my pillow closer to my face, not wanting to fully wake up and take in the reality of where I was. Unfortunately, I couldn't fall back into my almost-nightmare. I just lay there in the stiff bed, as my surroundings bubbled forth. I felt the blankets entwined around my feet, and there was a strand of hair in my face that started to tickle. Opening my eyes, I brushed the strand away and sat up in bed.
From across the room I heard Mari groan in annoyance. She curled up in bed and mumbled something about not wanting to get up. I scooted to the edge of my bunk and rested my face in my hands.
The more awake I became, the more I began to feel waves of anxiety wash over me. What would today consist of? This is the first official day at Mutant Training-so what would we have to do? Would those guards usher us around like prisoners all day? Would we be forced into physical exams and experiments? Would we be subject to manual or mental labor? I want to go home, I thought to myself as I squeeze my eyes shit, I don't want to do this. I opened my eyes and inhaled a long, deep breath. Looking around the room, I saw the other girls stir uncomfortably and I could hear the creak of the bed above me as Deanna-the girl who's bunk was above mine-awoke.
Slowly, I stood, stretching my limbs in an attempt to ward off some of the panicking sensations that had begun to wrack my body. It didn't work. Unsure of what time it was, I searched the room with my eyes-the walls too-only to find that no such clock existed here.
"What's wrong?" I heard Marilyn ask as she sat up in bed, throwing her blankets off of her. I guess my face must've given off my confusion and annoyance.
"There's no clock in here."
"What?" She looked around and didn't find one either. "That's weird. It's morning, though...I wonder how early."
"Too early." One of the other girls muttered.
I began to dress myself, back towards the security camera that was perched in the far corner of the room on the cieling. I dressed myself in my favorite jeans-a pair which had gained a large rip on the left knee, simply because of natural wear-and-tear-and a black t-shirt. I brushed through my knotted hair as the other girls continued their routine, grumbling about their lack of privacy and sleep.
There was a line at the communal bathrooms at the end of our hall, but could you expect anything else from teenage girls? Some showered, some did their business, and some just brushed their teeth. I balked at the ones who put on make-up-who were they trying to impress? The guards who pretty much hated our guts? Or maybe they hoped to find a sexy mutant boyfriend here. Who knows-I certainly didn't.
After the first hour and a half of morning essentials, another alarm rang out. We were all told to go to breakfast. That sounded good-and the prospect of food in my belly eased my anxiety.
We were given the option of a small variety of food stuffs to choose from. Cereal with a carton of milk and some bread or fruit, or something that resembled oat meal. I went for the first option, and so did a majority of those who first got there because it ran out fast, leaving everyone else with the oat-mush.
I learned from the strangers-and Mari-at my table that I wasn't the only one who slept like a log last night. Most everyone seemed to have gotten just as groggy after dinner. There were whispers about the table, then. "Do you think they drugged us?" I heard, and that was enough for me to eye the food I was eating suspiciously. Then logic kicked in-why would they drug us in the mornings when we had things to do? At night it made some sense, at least. I continued eating my Cheerio-knock-offs with caution, but much hunger. Mari would have preferred pancakes and coffee, as she continuously complained. I agreed with her. That sounded much better than this.
"Ugh, and my mom just bought a package of Godiva chocolate coffee, too..." Her speech was interrupted by a sip of juice. "I would kill for some of that."
"Woah, now! You don't wanna' spook the big guys-they might punish you." I said with mock fear.
She shot me a glare and a smile.
Meal time was always the calmest time-even though we seemed to all be conspiring and complaining about the guards and government that decided to put us here. Another way of passing the time was secretly showing off our abilities whilst trying not to get caught by the guards patrolling by the tables. Marilyn was seen as a wonderful mystic when she showed her gift. She'd hidden the contents of my cereal bowl with a layer of shadow. She then demonstrated another feat by swirling her hand over the table top, making little shadows swirl and dance around her fingers. She was gaining popularity fast, and every time people awe-d and ooh-d at her little show the proud smile on her face grew more.
Now it was my turn, and I smiled modestly. I set up a mini demonstration using the plastic silverware and milk cartons and spoke: "It's not as cool as the shadow queen over here-" Mari giggled, "But it's something."
I put my hand out in front of me and with the other, gestured towards the sporks on the table. "Throw one at me."
The boy with the acne and messy brown hair sitting across from us was more than happy to oblige. He picked up the spork and glanced around for the guards. Mari scooted inward, shielding their activities with her torso from any onlookers who might see. The boy carefully aimed and then threw the plastic towards me. I flinched, naturally, but kept my hand still. The plastic hit a barrier, the force of impact giving everyone a glimpse at a purple-ish color that went away as soon as it came. The spork bounced back from my barrier and fell on the table.
"Force-fields? Really?" Someone asked excitedly.
"Yeah, I can even project it." I said, though was a bit unsure on my ability to do so. If I thought they would move on and not demand a second demonstration, I thought wrong.
"Can you show us?"
"Yeah, it's still your turn,"
"Okay, okay. Let me concentrate." I flexed my fingers and stretched my neck. It only now occurred to me that I was feeling much more relaxed and at ease than earlier. Oh, the glories of social contact. I chose the brown haired boy who'd thrown the spork at me to assist in my demonstration once again-only this time he was the target. I focused on him, and he laughed nervously. In my eyes, I could see the barrier that began to form in front of him. No one else noticed. I marveled momentarily at the barrier I'd created, it was pure energy, from what I could feel, and was tinted a purple-ish color. The energy surged in waves, the light in the room reflecting just so against it.
"What now?" Said the boy.
"Throw something at him." I said.
And so they did. A spork first-it hit the barrier with the same effect as the first time. Then an apple slice-the same effect. I was about to warn them I was taking the barrier down when another boy reached across the table and flicked the transparent barrier-visable energy surged from where his fingers touched it. He gasped and smiled, doing it again, and again.
"Stop, I'm taking it down. You're making it obvious," I warned, a little annoyed. As I watched the energy fade, I felt it in me-refreshing as it surged into my being invisibly. The brown haired boy laughed, but his smile quickly faded when a shadow appeared to stretch across the table behind me.
"No powers!" Shouted one of the guards. I jumped and turned around. He stared down at me with a cold glare and then let his gaze wander to the other mutants. "No. Powers." He repeated again for emphasis. I nodded quietly.
I noticed the disgust on his face when he leaned back and looked away-how rude!
"It's not like we were hurting anybody," The brown haired boy muttered in annoyance. The guard turned around.
"What did I just say?" He snapped.
"You didn't say no talking." The boy retorted with more power behind his voice. "You said no powers-which doesn't make any shitting sense because we weren't hurting anyone. It was just for fun."
I could see the anger build in the guard's face-already I could tell he didn't want to be here, but this just made things worse. I shook my head slightly, mouthing for the boy to shut up, my eyes wide.
"You listen, here, you mutie freak-what we say goes. And we say: no powers." The man snarled as he approached the boy, leaning over him and staring him down with disgust. Apparently our table wasn't the only one that noticed the commotion, because from around us things got louder.
"He called him a freak!"
"How dare he!"
"He can't do that! We don't need to be disrespected!"
He realized the commotion he'd caused and straightened, turning around to face the masses of offended mutant teenagers.
"I should be able to use my powers if I want to!"
"Yeah!"
It was like a riot was about to begin, and I felt panic rising in me. Without realizing, a barrier of energy surrounded me in a protective bubble. Mari shifted, feeling the bubble I was hiding in and glanced towards me. I brought it down and pulled her closer, encasing us both in an energy force field. I said I'd protect her, even if there wasn't any obvious danger, yet. The weak barrier would protect us if things got too out of hand, I hoped.
"Enough!" Came the sound of a female voice, the sudden loud noise making those in the room go silent. There was a collective whispering as people searched for the search of the command. At the end of the mess hall was the same blonde woman from yesterday, with a man by her side. She held a megaphone and her face was taught with stress and frustration. "Keep quiet! You are to listen to your superiors' orders for your own safety. Please,-" The word sounded bitter coming from her mouth. "-exit the mess hall and break off into your classes. You will meet outside at the designated areas. You will not cause any disruptions and you will not use your powers." The room was silent. "Proceed."
Our breakfast time had apparently been cut short by all of the craziness. We'd exited the mess hall and had been greeted by the harsh Californian desert sun. I could hardly see. A shade formed above my head and I looked to my right to find Mari. I smiled thankfully, but remembered the words of that angry guard and aging blonde woman. "You should probably put that away-it looks like we'll have to suffer in the sun unless we want more trouble." Mari nodded, pouting, and waved her hand. Our shade disappeared from above us and the sun beat on us with it's powerful rays once again.
We stood in sections defined by our mutant classifications. Alphas, then Betas, Deltas, then Omegas and the rest. I personally didn't know or care much about the classifications we were given-to us, we were mutants, and we were people. We didn't like being classified as anything other than that.
The blonde woman stood in front of our groups in the dirt courtyard we were standing in. She stood with the older man I'd seen before. He wore a grey suit and stood straight like he was the most important person here. Maybe he was.
He held up the megaphone when we had calmed down and began to speak. Once he began I noticed a familiarity about him. He was a politician wasn't he? I knew him, then, I realized. In the chaos of things I hadn't expected anyone with such authority to be present.
"My name is Graydon Creed."