Extraordinary: The Academy

Chapter 2- Awakening to Confusion

THE ACADEMY
2022, PRESENT DAY

That very day, something changed.

I found myself slowly coming to consciousness, welcomed by the silence around me.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

I called out, the uncertainty in my voice echoing throughout the unfamiliar room.

The steady hum of various machines was the only response I received, leaving me with an eerie sense of isolation. My limbs ached and protested as I tried to move, the weight of my body seemingly insurmountable.

I strained my ears, attempting to catch any hint of movement, but the thrum of equipment continued to dominate my senses.

Then, without warning, the sound of footsteps approached, growing louder as they drew near. My heartbeat quickened, and a strange mixture of relief and apprehension coursed through me.

A young woman dressed in a school uniform appeared before me, her black jacket stark against the sterile white surroundings. Her headphones rested casually around her neck, contrasting with the careful precision of her attire.

She looked just as surprised to see me as I was to see her, her eyes wide with shock. "You're finally awake!" she exclaimed, the words both an accusation and a greeting.

"Take it easy," She advised, coming closer. "You've been out for a while. 4 years to be exact"

"Ah, sorry for the mess," she said, picking the wet rag from my lap and placing it on the table beside a basin of water.

"It seems you had a fever last night. He must have just left this here when you got better." Her words were gentle, almost like a soothing lullaby that tried to make sense of my foggy memories.

"Who are you?" I asked, the words slipping from my lips before I could stop them. My mind raced, trying to connect the dots and make sense of the situation. But instead of answering, she simply stared at me, her gaze unyielding and piercing.

"Call me Sophie," she said, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

My mind raced, trying to reconcile the dissonance between what I knew and what I was experiencing. It felt like someone had taken the pieces of my life and thrown them into the air, leaving me to scramble and pick them up, unsure of how they fit together anymore.

"Where am I?" I pressed, desperation seeping into my voice.

I needed answers – anything to ground myself in this confusing reality. The hum of the machines seemed to grow louder with each passing second, their relentless noise threatening to swallow me whole. The room was pristine and sterile, smelling faintly of disinfectant. It looked like some kind of medical facility.

"You're in the school's infirmary," She explained, her brown eyes filled with concern. "After the earthquake, you were brought here."

"Earthquake?" I muttered, trying to recall any memories of such an event. Fragments of chaos swirled through my mind, but they were disjointed and indistinct. Despite my confusion, I couldn't help but notice her genuine worry, which made me all the more curious about what had transpired.

"Elise, we'll fill you in on everything later," She assured me, her voice soothing. "For now, just focus on getting better." She offered a small, reassuring smile.

"Okay," I agreed, feeling a mixture of relief and frustration. Though I wanted answers immediately, I knew She was right - my body needed time to recover.

Slowly, with the girl's help, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and attempted to stand. My knees wobbled, but She steadied me, her grip surprisingly firm for someone so slender.