The Flawed

Chapter 4: A New Face

I had somehow missed the first siren for Meal1 which resulted in me oversleeping. I had woken up seconds before the sirens for Meal2. I wasn't sure how the guards, or anyone else – hadn't noticed I was missing from Meal1. I still felt empty inside and missed Cressida deeply. I was also starving, which also must have played a part in my feeling of emptiness. I shuffled toward the kitchen thinking how lonely I'd be with no one to eat with, no one to share gossip with, no one to... trust.

After Meal2 I had ConcentrationClass, which I hated. We had no physical person actually present to teach us – but instead, a big electronic screen on the wall. It self-cleaned after every class to make sure there were no smudged marks and to keep it well polished. I remembered seeing it as it self-cleaned one time, after I stayed behind after Class and peeked between the crack in the door and floor.

Although all the doors were tightly sealed from the edge to wall and bottom to floor, I still always managed to find the slightest crack somewhere in the door. But I had to be sure the doors were locked before I went anywhere near them – because the doors automatically opened by sensor, as soon as anyone stepped near enough them. But the doors were always locked as soon as each class ended, so I guessed I was mostly ok when I wanted to snoop.

I headed off to class and sat down dreading what was to come. I knew everyone in ConcentrationClass, they weren't really my favourite people. All of them were so 'flawless' – or so they thought they were. As I glanced around the class and took my seat, I noticed a unfamiliar boy; one I didn't recognise. This was strange for me because there was less than 70 of us left, due to the flawed, and I knew everyone. I knew every face and almost every name too. But this boy, I had never seen before. Altogether there were 4 rows with exactly 7 seats in each row; placed perfectly parallel to one another. My seat was second row from the front and each desk had white tops with crystal-blue translucent glass surrounding the edges; the chairs were the same design.

The boy that I'd never seen before sat 3 seats to my left in the row behind. He had short scruffy hair with piercing blue eyes and deep cheekbones. He did look quite young for his age. I assumed he was 17 or 18 like the rest of us seeing as we're almost always the same age. This boy seemed to be smiling a lot I noticed, but not a pleased sort of smile – he seemed more to be almost laughing, or amused by something. I couldn't work it out though, seeing as there was nothing amusing about being down here. No one here inTheZone really seemed to laugh an awful lot. Most people would just have a pleased smile, or like a forced smile; part of their obsession with perfection, I assumed.

As ConcentrationClass finished, the sirens sounded for Meal3. I sat down at Cressida and I's usual spot at the TableTops, feeling sluggish and missing her as usual. I selected Meal3 from the TableTops, and as my food emerged, I felt a presence sit down next to me – In Cressida's seat. At first I was sure I was just imagining it, seeing as I was missing Cressida and all, but whatever was sitting in her seat, didn't move and I could feel someone's stare beating down on me. Still thinking I was going insane, I urged myself to look around. As I turned, I saw big blue eyes staring into mine and underneath lay a big grin full of perfectly straight teeth, smiling at me – with deep dimples carved into each side.

It was the boy from ConcentrationClass. I panicked in confusion. Why hadn't I seen this person before. My thoughts shot through my mind. Was this person a guard I hadn't noticed before? Was he one of us? Was he... could he be... some sort of a hologram? I stopped and tried to put my thoughts to rest, trying to do what a sane person would do – but the boy was still staring at me, with his big wide grin. I kept trying not to make eye contact, but he would not stop staring. What could he possibly want?