Strange Disappearances

CHAPTER TWO

Murmurs in the corridor outside wake me up and I sit up stretching my arms and back. I put my shoes away and the clothes I had in the bag into the washing machine that's in the corner of my room. I beg that my washing privileges weren't taken away, since I only had four outfits, and this was one of them. Luckily, it beeps and all is good. I yawn, and stumble slightly into the bathroom that is attached to my room. In there I wash my face with water, brush my teeth and have a five-minute ice cold shower to rinse off the dirt and grime from yesterday night. Or this morning.

I change into black cargo pants and a sports bra, and then a baggy dark green tank top over it. I slip on my running shoes and throw my curly brown mop into a bun. My bronze skin glows slightly when I open the curtains.

I get my ID, and attach it to my waistband as well as the mandatory items. I go out of my room and am met with slight commotion in the hallways. I stop Zara while she passes me.

"What's going on?" I ask her, glancing around at everyone's panicked faces.

"Surprise mandatory room check. Everyone's quickly cleaning things." She answers, before running back to her room, which was diagonally opposite mine.

I understand what she means immediately. Nobody is cleaning, they're all hiding the banned items that they have in their room. I shut my door and check my room to make sure no one has decided to frame me today. I find nothing, but the inspectors do a much more thorough job.

I then stand outside my door, with it open as the rules state. Mrs. Smith comes down the hall with her heels clicking. She has the team behind her and one by one they check each of our rooms. I get shivers when one of the people in the Apiarist beekeeping suit. They wear these because it's students in suits, and they don't want fights breaking out if a student finds something in another student's room. I've never found anything, except for in Annora's room. I didn't blab, though, since it was so spectacularly hidden that it was hard for me to even see it from its hiding place in the floorboards.

Something in a bag is given to Mrs. Smith and I see the anger in her face. "Who has dared to defy the rules, and buy this m-monstrosity."

I slightly raise an eyebrow. She has a pack of cigarettes in her hands, and a pack of condoms. Normal teenage things, but they are strictly forbidden here.

You're not allowed condoms in this sector, since sexual activities are forbidden. And cigarettes aren't allowed anywhere since we have to have healthy lungs for all the athletics we do here.

"I know who it is, so you better fess up. It'll lessen the punishment."

It won't. She's lying, it'll be the same but it works when you think 'I could be getting worse than this, how bad is it here'. I know who it is as well, it's one of the two new sixteen year old's.

"I-it was me." I watch as the girl with pink streaks in her hair steps forward. She's shaking slightly, yet I distinctly remember her telling us she wouldn't care if she was found out. Nobody helps her for that reason, not that we would have helped her anyway. You're on your own here, and it isn't a lie to help people be selfish. Everybody knows it.

Two security guards , males, show up and drag her away. She starts breaking down and sobbing while falling onto her news. She starts screaming and she's about to turn the corner when she screams for help. Nobody does. We're not stupid. If we help her, we won't help her. We'll just receive the same fate as her, and she'll get worse than already planned.

Then something stupid happens.

"STOP! That's not right!" The other sixteen year old screams. I let myself roll my eyes slightly. This girl is probably having a main character moment, playing games in her head that announcing it's not right will work. We all know it's not right, but the only thing saving us is people from the outside. Not the inside. And we all know it. Sometimes, you can't save yourself.