Saving Insanity

Chapter 6: Hopeless Imaginations

"Sorter to floor one."

The announcement came out of the ceiling in muffles, calling for my presence downstairs. I swallowed down the large lump that had grown in my throat. The task was difficult. There was rarely ever a voice that poured out of the speakers, it was on the rare occasion, and it was usually when something had gone wrong.

I lifted myself out of my seat, walking slowly around the desk before I made my way down the elevator. As I passed each Watcher and Escort, their wide eyes followed me closely. They knew who the Sorter was, everyone did. I was the best child District A had ever seen, the one that Idols of the facility whispered about and watched as I walked by, the one that everyone assumed was strange.

Holding my chin as high as my fear would let me I approached the front desk in the center of the first floor, the woman glanced up only for a moment before recognizing me. "He wants you in his office," she breathed the command without a second thought, returning to her computer screen before I could even look at her with a befuddled expression.

She needn't remind me of who she had meant by he, there was only one man in District A that no one even bothered to say the name of. Not out of fear, but simply out of laziness. Bahrain was the head of District A, placed in the Exam Facility with his own office. He was fifth in command in the entire New World. His power was unmistakeable. He spoke to few, cared about little, and smiled almost none. His sole purpose in life was to keep control in the Districts, especially his home in A.

I had seen him before, even looked straight into his dark, beady eyes. But I had never spoken to him. I approached his office, inhaling a large amount of air before I tapped lightly on the door with my fist. There was silence, followed by heavy footsteps before the door swung open. I lowered my eyes out of respect. His tall form hovered over me, his face even more uninviting than usual.

"Mr. Bahrain," I nodded slightly, fumbling with my fingers behind my back. He pulled the door all the way open and stepped aside. I slowly entered the office, wondering just how many people had actually set foot inside of it besides Bahrain himself. He lowered himself into his desk chair before gesturing for me to sit across from him.

I slid into the seat, wondering if he had even taken the time to learn my name, or if I was just simply the Sorter of District A. Bahrain cleared his throat, demonstrating his power with his head held high and his shoulders opened broadly, "Miss Sorter, or, Ireland, I think you are called."

"Yes, Sir," I barely breathed the words, feeling the room to drastically be getting warmer. He leaned forwards, clasping his hands together on his desk, "There seems to be a decreasing number of children being sent to the Institutions, when only weeks ago it was skyrocketing. Care to inform me on a possible reason to explain this occurrence?"

I opened my mouth to speak, closing it quickly again as I thought. My tampering with the results had become part of my daily routine. I had lowered the percentages by almost 6% in the last two weeks. Clearing my throat I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, "I can assure you that I do not have a reason, Sir. I only place the children where their results tell me to put them. Maybe they are simply getting more brilliant."

He let out a laugh, causing me to flinch. He rose to his feet, beginning to pace the back of the room, "Miss Ireland, Mutts do not have intelligence. They are nothing but creatures with a high level of insanity. I doubt very much that their brains are developing. Most children are Mutts, that is the way our world is shaped. Their sanity levels should not shift so quickly."

"Maybe they can," I whispered the statement, looking up at Bahrain. He stopped pacing, eyeing me closely before he took a step forwards and sat on top of the marble desk. "Excuse me, Miss? Maybe they can?" he chuckled again, "Please inform me on how a Mutt can possess such intelligence."