Know thy friends

Chapter 1: Names are called

All things have a beginning, my "thing" began at the winter formal of my Junior year. Everything happened so fast; I was standing around with my best friend Lanna. We were watching everyone dance. Things were going smoothly, the blue and silver decorations covered the gym quite nicely. Then bam two men in black burst through the doors and immediately my life changed.

"I want everyone in a single file. Up, up, up, up!" I don't know where the man came from but all of a sudden he had the whole hall lined up against the walls. He kept going around to the people still sitting with an annoyed air about him, moving his hands in an upward way to get them up.

I was in the line closest to the door, standing next to Lanna. She was wringing her hands and tapping her foot. Fear. I looked around the room, fear was everywhere. I mean, of course, but it was a different kind of fear.

"OK Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to call ten names. If you're one of the chosen you get out of line and go stand with my buddy Vince here" Vince smiled and waved. Okay.. "If your name is not called you stay where you are. Got it? Okay let's do this."

As he called the first five names I noticed they were all guys. All teenagers. What kind of organization uses teenagers? That's messed up yo.

Now the other five. "OK I want the girls on the left side of Vince, so when you come over stand on the left side. Okie Dokie let's go. Livia Walters, Lanna Crew, Bella Flaugh, Sarah Merney, and,-" He flipped closed his note book cutting himself off. Lanna had already walked over there nerve wrecked beyond anything. I was starting to get really nervous. The leader walked over to Vince and said something in his ear. Vince started escorting the guys outside. Leaving the girls. He just stood there, waiting. Finally Vince came back and took the girls. The leader then opened his note book and cleared his throat.

"Can Ariana  Hollan please come forward?" He asked it like I had a choice, like he was nervous. Why would he do that?

I walked forward slowly. Once I got there he handed me a note.

You're the key. Please follow orders. We don't want anyone hurt. Your friends are safe.  

I looked up at him and he coughed into his hand. I folded the piece of paper and followed him out the door of the gym, stealing what was to be the last glance at that room.