Welcome to the Nest! Thank you for considering The VC Sanatorium as an option to treat your Vanishing Complex.
You never have to feel sadness or pain ever again, we'll make it all go away. We're here to receive you with open arms and when you're rea...
Wesson reached out, his fingertips almost touching her shoulder. Suddenly, she bolted, ripping past his Kevlar vest. The material scraped against the skin of her arm, sending a chill down her body.
Why did they wear Kevlar?
Wesson's deep voice called after her, agitation evident. Her feet pounded on the linoleum floor, her heart beating ever so loudly in her ears. She could hear her breath echoing off the lockers. Rebecca covered her mouth, hoping it hadn't been loud enough for Wesson to track her. Where to go, where to go?
Wesson was close behind, the hairs on the back of her neck told her so. She made a sharp turn around a corner, an empty hallway stretched before her. She could see the sunlight pouring in through the window of an exit door. The coast was clear, if she could just make it.
Wesson's boots stomped somewhere a few feet down. Rebecca propelled herself forward, small pains shooting up her calves into her knees.
Almost there.
She reached out, the tips of her fingers brushing against the cold metal rod. Her hands gripped it, then her body weight pushed the door open.
The sun was blinding. She held up an arm, shielding it from her face. Birds and bees in the distance, it relieved her to hear only them and not Wesson's boots. She took a step forward when suddenly a heavy hand snatched her arm away from her face. She stumbled, falling into a thick and hard body. The material scraping against her bare skin, so familiar. Kevlar.
Her eyes, suddenly no longer bothered by the sun, took in the shape before her. A Falconer. his sunglasses reflected her frightened face back to her. Wesson made it onto the steps and walked up behind her.
She relaxed her muscles in defeat as the other Falconer released her into Wesson's care. He pressed her against the back of the van, and handcuffed her. The cool metal was a relief against the sun, but the heat coming from her body was becoming unbearable. Pure, unadulterated fear was pumping through her veins.
Wesson pulled her back and she glanced up at the second story windows. Fellow students looked down as the Falconers carried off with the other students they had gathered.
I should have done it when I had the chance, Rebecca thought. A quick jump off the building and none of this would have happened. Ms. West wouldn't have reported me.
The van she had been pressed against opened up, and Wesson pushed her in. Rebecca stumbled, careful not to lose her balance and slumped on the bench that was screwed into the wall of the van. Her eyes met Wesson's, despite the black shades covering them. She could still tell that his icy stare was lingering on her.
He turned away as more students were brought in. She pressed herself into the very corner, keeping her head down. When there was no space left for another student, a Falconer shut the doors, turning a key to lock them inside. Darkness shrouded them until their vision adjusted and they could barely make each others shapes out.
The engine started up with a gurgle that turned into a roar. It lurched forward, out of the parking lot down a smooth road. With no windows in the van, their direction and their final destination was anyone's guess, but they all knew where they were headed.
Rebecca heard a sniffle coming from the end of the van. Through the darkness she couldn't quite tell, but she was sure it was a girl. Her instinct was to assure her that everything would be okay, but she wasn't too sure of it herself.
After a few minutes, the van came to a stop. Her heart rate quickened, beating faster than it had when she'd been running from Wesson. The gears of the van groaned as the driver set it in park and cut the engine. Keys jingled outside of the back doors before they were opened and sunshine cleared away the darkness.
Rebecca shut her eyes as Falconers began hauling students off onto the pavement. When it was her turn, the urge to resist was almost too strong to fight, but when she looked up and realized it was Wesson, the urge disappeared fast. He dragged her out and set her upright shutting the doors. Dozens of other students had been unloaded from other vans and were waiting outside of the large metal gates.
It made Rebecca's stomach churn as she realized that more than one school had been targeted. She glanced up at the gates as the group was pushed forward.
It wrapped in spirals with three letters in the middle VCS. The Vanishing Complex Sanatorium. A guard was standing on the inside of the gates, radio in hand as Falconers flanked the edges of the group. As the vans drove off, the metal gates creaked and opened inward. Wesson called everyone to attention leading them inside. They passed through a long driveway, lined with cherry blossom trees. Squirrels and chipmunks hopped from tree to tree or chased each other. The grass was perfectly groomed, a light layer of water coating the lawn.
Cameras were posted every few feet, the lenses following the group as it entered deeper into the grounds. A large building came into view. It's stunning white pillars and giant windows made it look straight out of The South.
Wesson stopped the group, just before the steps that led onto a 20 foot porch. Lace curtains flanked the inside of the windows, the lighted chandeliers exposed through the glass.
The front door opened, and a woman stepped out. She wore a crisp white coat over her black skirt and pink blouse that was tucked in. She walked down the porch steps, stopping beside Wesson. A name tag hung from her breast pocket reading Dr. Flores.
She smiled at the group and lifted up her arms, spreading them wide as if making a grandiose announcement.
"Welcome home! Welcome to The Nest!"
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Hi guys! Welcome to the first chapter of The Vanishing Complex!
