Chapter 2

7 1 0
                                    

I'm in the first group. We will start off our "journey" in the MAF. We were told to go and pack a bag to last a week, as at the end of each we would be able to come back and repack. With that everyone disbanded and groups of people walked off together chatting excitedly, and then there was me, still loathing the light, walking alone back to my room. I walk through the winding corridors, and listen to the receding footsteps of all the others.

                                                                                                                                                          

My room is generally dark, with no lights. I find the artificial light of the Voltron too harsh on my eyes, so my main source of light is candles. Not only are they weak lighted and warm, they help calm me down, though I don't know why. I step over the strewn blankets that are my bed and make my way to the set of draws. I don't have many clothes, and the ones I do only add up to around 7 different outfits. I stuff them into the old bag I keep next to the set of draws, in case I ever feel like leaving for a while. I stand in front of the cracked mirror for a while, just to remind myself of who I am. My long, black hair is in a long plait with a single long silver ribbon tied through it. This is my good luck charm, the last thing my late mother left me. My figure is thin, although you would never be able to tell because I'm always wrapped in bandages from my elbow, up to my shoulders and neck, and then down to my hips. Two different bandages cover my legs down to the knee. I keep these on to remind myself I am different, and that I don't belong, and also to make sure what is underneath is never seen.

I am wearing a long sleeved black top, rolled up to just under my elbows, with 3 quarter dark green cargo shorts. I have a plain black hooded jumper tied around my waist, in the event that I get cold.

My only outstanding factor is my eyes. They are a violet colour, and even here this is not normal to have as a natural colour. I don't know why they are violet, but it makes me seem outstanding, so I keep my fringe covering my right eye, an always try to look away from others eyes, so that they do not notice.

I've always preferred to not stand out, because I have suffered because I once did. I like not having a name, because it means that I can't be singled out individually, but soon I know that will change.

I know it is time to go, so I make a quick trip around the room to blow out all the candles and say goodbye to my home, because I will soon have a new one.

I walk out of the comforting darkness back into the harsh light, making my way to join the others.

~

Everyone from group one meets back in the auditorium. All the friendship groups quickly merge as introductions are made to the people they will be staying with for the next month. I watch this from the corner of the room, in a small patch of shadow. After being in my dark room for a while, the harshness of the light seems to have doubled.

I notice that all the girls have large suitcases, which confuses me since you only need a few pairs of clothes. Most of the boys carry ruck sacks, and others only small backpacks similar to mine, although they all seem new.

It amazes me how people can make friends so easily; they are so trusting of others, while I am only cautious.

We didn't actually have to meet until another half hour, but almost everyone has arrived. I guess they all just wanted to socialise before everything begins.

During the half hour wait, the last few people arrived, and every now and then a loud round of laughter filled the room, I guess someone told a joke that people found funny. That's another thing I don't have, a sense of humour. I guess it just comes with being wary of everything.

After a while, a younger man walks into the auditorium. He is wearing a loose orange shirt, with blue overalls and thick brown boots. He introduces himself as Pete, the representative from MAF and said he will be in charge of us for the next week.

His eyes sweep over the large group, and he scowls when he sees what the girls are all wearing. Ridiculously short skirts and tight tops adorn most of the girls, along with so much jewellery I'm amazed they are able to walk properly. Pete also does a quick head count of the group, and realised he was missing one. When he began looking around frustratingly because he didn't know who was missing, I ended up walking over to him. He didn't seem to notice me until I was right in front of him.

"We are all here"

Well, he certainly jumped at that. He let out a quick shout of surprise and stumbled back, shaking slightly.

“When did you get here?" Was all he could manage to say.

“I’ve been here the whole time"

He turns from me and looks at everyone, and says loudly “Now, why don't we start the trial for MAF?"

The race to the endWhere stories live. Discover now