It's raining outside the dome. Rain is thundering, pounding against the glass. But it is dry inside.
The sky is angry because it's dry inside. The sky wants to wet the Complex and everything inside. But it has the dome to deal with, so therefore it is angry.
"Wouldn't it be easier if the sky sends thunder on the complex?" I wonder aloud. Elle sits beside me at the window, staring up at the dome.
"No, the sky can't send thunder on the dome because it is under strict regulations from the sun to only use rain." She says. A boy nearby rolls his eyes.
"You do realise that thunder is the sound? Lightning is the thing that does the damage. You should know that of all people Electra."
She frowns at him. "How do you know my name?"
He gestures to me and smirks. "She has been calling you it. But why Electra?"
She shrugs. "It's better than Buttercup."
He nods. "Very true." He looks at me and smiles, his teeth showing. He has the look of a 7 year old like Elle and I, however he feels like older. "Who are you?" he asks me.
I puff out my chest and pretend to look like an adult. "My name is Maedana."
At that very moment, the teacher calls me. "Jemima, Ms Rathe asked me to remind you to hand your assignment in to her after break."
The boy smirks. "Jemima? That's your name?"
I frown. "I go by Mae."
He looks over me and smiles. "Ok. In that case, you can call me Sorrel."
"What's your real name?" I ask.
"Gordon."
"Sorrel's better." I state and he smiles, and leans in close to us.
"Hey, have you heard about the Silents?" He whispers. We look at each other and then back at him in excitement.
"No. What are the Silents?" He grins at us.
"They are hacking the system. They plan on leaving the complex, but every time the Complex goes after them, they can't find them."
"Then how do you know about them?" I ask questioningly.
He laughs. "I know them."
Our eyes widen. "What?"
He grins. "yep, I know them. I get to escape with them."
We look at him in awe.
"I can hook you up if you want. You want to escape?"
We nod intensely.
"Meet me back by the door up to the main complex at midnight tonight. And don't be late, they don't like late people."
We nod, excited.
As the boy leaves, Elle looks at me with her shining eyes.
"Freedom." She whispers.
-*-*-
I make it to training the next morning early. A few of the trainers are already there, but Glore hasn't arrived yet.
Calix is there, and he grins at me when I walk in, but I avoid his gaze. Yesterday was kind of blurry after the kiss. I remember going back to the dorms, and Calix being confronted by a guard, and forced to stop 'escorting me home'.
I remember slightly the brief conversation when I came home to my roommate Reese, and she drilled in on me how I shouldn't get involved with the newbies. I had just shook her off and she hadn't pushed it. She knew not to mess with the F.
I remember then just flopping on my bed and staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Then I had to go on duty, just perimeter patrol, and I had seen something. I try to recall details but it was blurry. Strangely blurry. And not just because I was dazed from the kiss.
The next thing I knew, I had woken up back in my bed, completely disorientated.
I felt strangely slow today. And I felt like I was being watched. More than usual.
I walk to a quiet corner of the large gym like room used for training, a corner right near the shooting range, and lose myself in thought, staring at no certain place in particular. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Calix staring at me but he doesn't make any move to come see what's wrong.
Yesterday was blurry. In fact, come to think of it, the feeling was familiar. I'd gotten used to it but it was just like the feeling I had whenever I tried to recall what happened outside the wall. I remember clearly running down the dark tunnel, Elle, Soren and I just a bit behind the adults, and I remember reaching the end of the tunnel they had dug and climbing out, and looking back at the outside of the dome. I remembered shouting with Elle and Soren and laughing, and I remembered the feeling of being free. Then we had started running into the forest and a fuzzy blurriness came over my mind, the memories becoming fainter and then all I remember is Aril's voice in my head.
There is no such thing as freedom.
Her voice is like how they described a siren in one of Elle's old books.
The sound of an angel, making you want to be with them, but at the same time a devils undertone, whispering for you to that it's wrong, whispering that it's too late.
It's too late. I am already the complex's pawn. They are already controlling me and I can't do a thing about it.
The chatter flled room suddenly becomes silent as Glore walks in. All the newbies, trying hard to conceal their yawns and droopy eyes, turn to stare.
Glore raises his gun and points it at the nearest newbie. Gun shots echo through the room. The girl is stunned. Then she screams. She doesn't realise that she's wearing her vest, and she doesn't realise that she's making herself look like an idiot. Glore points his gun at a different person an they flinch as the bullet hits them. Then they scream, the force of the bullet hitting them painfully hitting their chests. Glore does the same for the other two and their reactions are similar. Then he points it at Calix and shoots. Calix doesn't even flinch.
Glore lowers his gun and curiously looks at Calix. He walks over at looks into his green eyes, sizing him up.
"What's your name?"
Calix levels him with his stare. Glore, although they are grey, has the most intense eyes in the complex. The eyes combined with the muscly stature and the intimidating way he looked down at you could make anyone wish they weren't around him. Rumours said that Glore was so scary that he scared the own hair off his head, resulting in the bald bowl where his hair should be. He had a scar from his right eyebrow to his lip, that barely missed his eye.
Most were scared at the sight of him, but I'd found him drunk in the dark hallways of the black building more than once, singing about unicorns and rainbows. You weren't really scared of him after that.
Calix looked Glore in the eyes, unintimidated. "Calix. Calix Theon." He replies, not moving an inch.
Glore starts starts to circle him, looking him over.
"Mark?" he asks. Calix doesn't answer, his jaw clenched.
Glore raises an eyebrow. "Your mark?" he said, a little more forcibly. Calix still doesn't move. Glore moves to his sleeve and pulls it up, not at all gently. Calix winces. A smirk etches onto Glore's face.
"An E huh? I bet you aren't too happy." He pulls down the sleeve.
"What did you do? Attempted murder? A grand heist? It must have been pretty bad if they gave you an E. E's are tough. You tough kid?" he asks, smirking.
Calix doesn't answer.
Glore frowns. "I asked you a question kid."
"It's Calix." Calix corrects through gritted teeth.
"Alright then, Calix, are you tough?"
He glares at Glore and then, abruptly spits on his shoe.
A look of rage goes over Glores face, but then it's gone, replaced by another smirk.
"So you do think your tough?" he laughs. "Look everyone, Calix Theon thinks he's tough." He looks Calix in the eyes and Calix continues holding his gaze.
My god, this boy had courage, I think to myself. A sick feeling comes through my stomach. Calix had no idea what he was getting himself into.
"How about we see how tough you really are."
Calix's eyes fill with fear. "What do you-"
Glore cuts him short, smirking widely.
"Welcome to training Calix."