Mirror Image (Under MAJOR editing)

Chapter 1

"Follow me," down the dimly lit, bare hallway. It looked like prison and it would have bothered Marley except that she had lived in this kind of environment her whole life. She walked on in silence, knowing that there was no use in talking. These people around there couldn't keep up an intelligent conversation if their lives depended on it. Her black flats squeaked on the grey linoleum floor, her grey backpack hanging from her shoulder, as she followed the boring guard.

The Guard was 6'2", 68 kg, had crooked teeth, greasy mouse brown hair, a big nose, had a slouch, and an extremely annoying voice. You know the voice... The one that is kind of nasally with a bit of a whine? That was his voice.

Marley was stopped outside a large wooden door. "It looks better than my old room. Upgrade?" Marley smirked and then looked at the door. Her old room was half the size of this new room. The guard opened the door and led her inside. "Nice." There was a table in the middle of the room with one chair on either side. Then, there was two beds, one on each side, having the table separate them. A dresser stood at each foot of a bed with a mirror and drawers. The walls were, well, supposed to be white. Now they were a dirty grey as well as the ground. "Roommate?" Marley turned around and looked at the guard.

"She will be coming shortly." And with that, he slammed the wooden door and locked it shut. Marley set her bag down on the counter in the dresser and pulled out her laptop. She set that on top of the counter as she pulled out her white PT shirt, black PT shorts, white socks and shoes, and her unmentionables and put them in a drawer. Then, she pulled out her toothbrush, toothpaste, and brush. Marley straightened out her blazer, admiring her apparel: button up white shirt, grey slacks, and black flats with a black pea-coat that went to her knees and a grey scarf. They weren't allowed to wear colors for it separated people. Marley thought that was just BS but whatever.

She still didn't understand why she had been moved to a different room. She had thought it was because she was getting promoted, but alas, she was still Intel 2. She was stuck behind some punk boy that was best friends with Charles, the previous Intel 1. She had been training for this position for the past four years and she knew she was going to get it but at what time, she didn't know. The last Intel 1 had met with an unfortunate accident and died during a Physical Fitness test. Everyone thought she killed him but she didn't. She kept running past him as he struggled to cross the river. He did the exact same thing to her when she was twelve; almost killed her in the process.

Marley ran down the path, knowing that she was only a few seconds ahead of Charles, the Intel 1, her main competitor. He was eighteen but she was just as smart, if not smarter. Marley ran across the little log that crossed the river. It was flowing well that day as Marley crossed nimbly. This was the one thing that scared her... crossing this river. So many people had died by falling into this raging river that she knew she had to be careful.

Marley slowed her pace down as she got in the middle of the log. Marley took a deep breath and as she let it out slowly, she felt someone's hands on her back, pushing her over the side. Marley screamed as she was launched off her feet out into the air. As she felt herself plummet into the water, she felt a strong hand grasp her shirt and hold her a foot off the water. Marley struggled to grab onto the boy's wrist. She knew who it was.

"Charles! Let me go!" Marley yelled, feeling herself slip out of the t-shirt that was two sizes to big. There wasn't a shirt that was long enough but fitted around her tiny torso. 

"Hmmm... Okay." Charles jerked her downward, having her squeeze her eyes closed and hold her breath. She heard chuckling as she slowly opened her eyes. "You told me to let you go. You know, you should probably find better word choice. I'm only trying to help."

"Why are you doing this?" Marley's steady voice asked as she looked up at her superior. "Is it because you need to eliminate the one person that can and will take over your job?"