The Orbist

Chapter 12

    "Wake up!" I heard our guard shout.

 My eyes flipped open. I sat up and saw Teo was already putting on his shoes. He looked at me, seeing I was confused.

    "You have to wear your uniform." He nodded his head towards under my bed. I took out a blue shirt, khaki pants, white underwear and black shoes with white socks. They all looked pretty cheap.

    "Wake up!" I heard our guard shout again.

    "We're dressing!" Teo yelled back. He looked at me. "Take off those dirty hospital clothes, Jesus. I won't look."

 I did as he said, with him looking at his bed. Then I put underwear, pants, shirt, and finally my socks and shoes.

 Teo looked back at me.

    "C'mon it's breakfast time!"

 Teo and I stepped out into the hall and found a huge line of kids of all ages with our uniforms. I followed him to the back of the line. Then we walked forward, then left, and opened two bright green doors. Inside was somewhat of a cafeteria, with a lot of guards, and rows of long bench-seats. Then everyone in line, walked over to the serving area. As we were waiting, I started to ramble.

    "Can I ask questions now?"

    "Sure."

    "Where are we?"

    "The E.O.H.C.C. It stands for Ecators Organization Headquarters Care Center. We're like the basement of the actual building."

    "Do you like it here?"

    "Do you like garbage coated with sugar? They try to make it seem like what they're doing to us isn't completely twisted with, well, this." He nodded towards the food. "Cowards that are too scared of kids that have special abilities. Second I get the chance, I'm wiggling out of here."

 He grabbed his tray of food. I grabbed mine too. Everyone was getting the same breakfast. Eggs, orange juice, and a biscuit. We sat down at a bench close to a door that wasn't an exit nor an entrance.

    "Listen, man. There is only four rules here. One, there are two bathroom breaks for everyone." He nudged his head towards the door I was looking at. "During mealtimes is when people usually do it, since it's close and easy. Second, curfew is at seven, and they're really strict about that. If you can't go to sleep, you have to try to pretend that you are until you actually do. Third, anyone who uses their powers or fights at all face 'immediate consequences.' And fourth, don't try to escape. But to get out of this crap hole, I might have to break the last two."

    "How long have you been here?"

    "Too frickin' long, that's for sure. Two months, maybe."

    "How many kids are in here?"

 He looked around for a second, then turned back to me.

    "Counting you, 305."

    "How'd you-"

    "I can count fast." He grinned. "Not the coolest power, but comes in handy at times."

    "What about Rule #3?"

    "Rule #3 can go chase a rainbow. As long as they can't tell, I'm cool."

 He looked me up and down.

    "What's your power?"

    "Well, I don't know." I replied.

    "Well, aren't you special?" He smirked. "I didn't know my power for the first few weeks. You'll find it eventually."

 I sulked my head.

    "Hey, are you always this depressing?" He frowned.

    "No, I'm usually kind of happy-go-lucky I guess." I sighed. "It's just yesterday, I got beaten the heck out of, had to say goodbye to my only friends, witnessed two men die, got blindfolded and taken to a building, then blindfolded and taken to here, and I'll be here for the rest of my life." I looked up. "Am I being annoying? I feel like I'm being annoying."

    "No, listen, we've all been through what you've been through." He said, patting my shoulder. "They blindfolded you all these times so your orientation would be thrown off, and you wouldn't have a clue how to escape. Of course, I was a clever goose, and I was able to find a map of the building and I keep it under my mattress. Every time they check my room, I take it out, and throw it in an empty room across from me and hope to god they don't check the empty room too. And so far, they haven't."

 I smiled. "Of all my ten days of living on this planet-"

    "What?" His expression turned into a quizzical look.

    "Well, I was formed by nuclear atoms twisting with oxygen like a week and a half ago-"

    "Okay, buddy, we all have our theories of how we came to be, but that must be the stupidest one I've heard so far."

    "You're saying I wasn't formed by-"

    "Yeah. About a hundred percent sure. I'm pretty positive that whatever you just said isn't even scientifically accurate." He interrupted.

    "But my friends-"

    "They were lied to. Or one of them made the idea, and shared it with the others."

 Brian instantly came to my mind. Then my mind hopped.

    "Sorry, there's one thing that's been bugging me. Can I ask you something?"

    "Fire away." He grinned.

    "Do you ever feel tile when there is none?"

 His eyes widened when I brought it up.

    "Orange tile? I saw it in a dream."

 Though I only felt it, not seeing anything, I had a feeling we were talking about the same thing.

    "Do you know why this happens?"

 And for the first time since I met Teo, he didn't have a response.