Chapter 3
Name
The armed men transferred us into another facility where we bound to see a long steel table glowing with different kind of foods served in it. Fruits, vegetables, and desserts but none of us fall onto their baits because of what we have seen earlier that what we see isn't something that could save us but kill us and terminate in the process eventually. I couldn't still help to believe that my friend lost her chance to go through Rebirth because of having food poisoned. I couldn't blame her for getting into temptation and eating because that what's a human being, we aren't strong enough to hold our grudge in case of something we hold on to, we still stand on our decision.
Most likely, there are still hundreds of people got through to the start-up room, there were just twenty or more people failed to it but all these people got through the temptation are fighting for their lives. It is what this process for, the survival of life to be reborn in a new city with a new life.
A High Council member stands in front of us and stopped the commotion rising up because of the food served in the tables. We got only stopped to speak out when those armed men lay up their weapons, ready to shoot on individuals who are opposed to the High Council's word but with that threat, we come in silent and listen to them.
"Y'all have come here with a purpose, to be reborn with such greatness and responsibility. As I have seen the determination of all who go through the primitive tests, I officially welcomed you to the 87th Rebirth. The nine months of taking in place in different place, tests and trial will deliver you to become stronger, intelligent and brave. As you will begin your first trimester, the High Council gives you a special sumptuous meal and as for everyone's attention, the food served was free-poison and enjoy your meal. Have a rightful path and may your lives change forever." She left and escorted by the armed men and as we were left and got lost by the view we see and the grumble of our stomach as the smell lingers all over the room, we immediately got into our seats and enjoy our festive.
I didn't mind who are the people whom I get to sit but just to enjoy the food served in front of us. I didn't mind everything that had happened before but to look forward to what I could've done to survive this process. I got some little conversation with some people, didn't asks their names because before all this happened, we don't have names. We're nameless people.
Becoming nameless is what we've come as Null People, not worthy or have no validity because they look at us as people who aren't capable of doing things, making great things but the only thing we could do that is to go through process and when we passed, we got to be named as well, that's why it is called an identification process where they determined your skills, personality, and attitude.
Dylan is what the name they gave me and I don't think it is bad but it suits me very well. So sad that I couldn't get to know my friend's name but nine months isn't a long time and we could get to see each other again and I will do everything in my power to get her, also what my vision for my Mother.
"Look at that girl." The I don't know his name pointed a black dreaded hair girl whose seating two steel tables from us were being isolates by herself. He smirks as we get to see who was him referring to. "They were afraid to talk to her because I heard she's hiding something."
"What is it?" the person seated beside me asked.
I looked back at the guy and he just shrugged, "don't know but she's into something."
"Maybe she was just gripping into surviving, no?"
They looked at me with curiosity on their faces, they didn't answer but shrugged off their shoulders.
"I won't be teaming up with her, in case there will be one." He added.
"She looks strong and smart."
"Remember the rule, boy? Looks can be deceiving and falling for it might kill you."
I didn't get to respond on him and stay quiet, just keeping my thoughts alone by myself and maybe giving a lot of what you were thinking maybe putting myself in risk doing that kind of thing alone. I don't think doing team-ups in this kind of process isn't a good thing because trusts cannot be built just by having the same goal to achieve—because what might you not know, in the end, the one you thought was helping you put you in danger.
I glanced at the girl they were referring too and I don't think something's wrong with her or maybe because they were intimidated by her looks and can't stand to lose by some girl with a lot of determination to fight for her life.
I stood up from my seat and pick up my tray. The people on my table asked me where I'm going too and what will I do with my food.
"I don't think the person I'm with on this table are coward to talked behind," I said and they just followed seeing me walking towards the next two steel table and come with the dreaded hair girl they've been talking about. "Hey..." I said and by that, she looks at me without context, "can I sit here? I can't stand the people I'm seating with."
She just nodded at me and I placed my tray at the table and sit beside her and as I look back at the people who I'm seating with earlier were confused and they were shaking his head, maybe they think I'm a fool to think that nothing's wrong with people when you look at them, it is bad when you think it is.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, still her eyes were on her meal. "Does they bother you telling me who am I?"
My brow raised by what speculations she stated, "no..." I said, "but do they actually know you? 'Cause I don't think they are... they were actually afraid of you."
She looks at me, not surprise but of course, intrigued to what I said. "Why would they?"
I shrugged off my shoulder, "they were saying—"
She interrupted me before I could say my next few words, "oh, so, they were actually talking about me, huh? Stupid people."
I smirked on what she said, "I know..." but she just looked at me and I feel like a fool doing that, "but hey, listen, they were saying that you were hiding something."
She stopped eating her food and faces me with intimidation, I don't get easily intimidated by that but she's like a strong one who doesn't actually type of a person who's gonna lose just because people are trying to strike her down. I might say, she might be a good alliance.
"You know what, every one of us here had their one thing to achieve and I don't waste it by sharing to other people what's my purpose here." She said with contradiction. "So, if you see me as to be one of your enemies, get out of my way now as it is still early to blocked me away." She stood up from sitting.
"Where are you going?"
"Why?" she said, "knowing what people's doing is one of your agenda? Can't tell 'ya kid."
"I'm not a kid." I said, "we're all legal age in here, so I guess, don't bother calling me like that. If you thought you were strong enough... believe me, you needed me."
She smirked, "you wish." She said and turned back on me, but I get to call her one more time but she didn't look back. "By the way, my name's Dylan!" I shouted but she just shakes her head, got nothing to do with me. As I looked at the others, they were looking at me and obviously stopped doing what they were doing. They were staring and so I just bowed my head and stay silent but I heard some sneakily laughs and when I glance at it, those are people from my previous table. They really wanted to do this, huh.
The one seated beside me poke me and I looked at him, "they were staring at you because you don't suppose to announce your name to everybody..."
My brain stopped working for seconds to process that up, I didn't even know that. No one tells me that rule or the staff just slipped it off and forget to tell me that thing because she almost forget to tell my name and that might be it... but still, you have a name, but why I couldn't say it proudly?
I shook my head, "I didn't know why?" I asked him.
He has this feature of brown skin, black eyes and pale lips, a person whose like came from the pearl of the orient but he doesn't come too strong like the dreaded girl but he is something more than that, I think.
"Didn't they tell you?" he said and shook my head, "you should've asked... but yeah, you supposed not to tell anyone your name until you reach the Noble Land."
"How will that supposed to happen?" I asked.
"In Rebirth, most good and bad things happen, just like in a mother's womb, having a miscarriage is the most painful thing that could happen," he explained.
"What's the connection of it to this process?"
He sighed, maybe he's not fond of explaining things to people who didn't even know things. That's the only thing I didn't even know and I'm so sorry about that because this is all new to me. I know my Mother told me a lot of things but I didn't follow what she said, I have to come in my own way... not to follow anyone's same path... even if it's on my family.
"We are like semen here," he stopped because he sees that I'm gonna laughed by it and I go back serious because I think it offended him. "Laugh all you want but it's true, we're just on a phase finding our home and as we grow, there's a lot of things could happen. In this process, death is the only thing that could go wrong and by that, you would never be alive after the Nine Months."
"But why I cannot say my name?"
"It is not really official," he said, "Yes, okay, you were named Dylan but once you're dead and never reborn, the future ones who would take the Rebirth will be named also that name."
"So you're telling me if I go dead, no Dylan will be reborn in nine months?" he nodded, "and still, they will use my come up name for future initiators?"
"You got it." He said, "that's why us, some people, never told their name. Some say it's luck for them but I don't really believe in it, because if you are really determined to survive, you have to fight for it and claimed your own name."
"So, what's your name?" I asked.
He smirked, "you can ask me anything but not that kind of question."
"Smart," I said.
He nodded, "that's what they said... the smart one who never fail but the always gonna be the weak one."
"Who would say that?"
"Everyone." He said.
My forehead creased on what he said, "I think you're not weak... but you know, I find you something more than that and I think you have to find it on your own."
"That's why we're all here, right?"
I nodded and chuckles, "yeah... the only thing that will make us powerful."
He stared at me for a minute but then immediately looked away and I don't know what that means. I continued what I'm eating and I saw again the dreaded girl and actually seated right beside me. I eat in silence, observing what happening and thinking that this would be our last time on gonna see each other because the next time we'll see our faces again, is on the lifeline of saving our own asses.