The Darkest Minds - "I'm a red,"

7.

We continue to stay in our cells, waiting. I have no reaction to the trainers. They will fix me.

The men throw bread in, water, medicine for my pain. "Yes. Tell us you're broken. So we can fix you,"

That's a command, isn't it? I listen to that, yes. That's what gives me direction. Obedience is key.

"Yes. I'm broken. I'm wrong," I say, my voice void of emotion. I need a command, something to follow. That's what I should be doing.

Finally, the door to my cell opens and a trainer comes to the door. "Up. Follow me," he commands.

I stand obediently, obedience is the key. Following him is hard with my restraints but no matter, this is what he wants me to do. He's fixing me.

The man takes me down and out of the cellblock, I can hear the screams of other kids, newer ones. But I don't react. The connection between my heart and brain has been snapped, my impulse and will drained.

He takes me outside of the building I was previously in, more trainers and PSFs litter our camp, going about their own business.

We walk towards the smaller buildings that are stationed opposite to the main building.

He goes to the second one and opens the door. Inside, I see a bunch of other reds, all standing at attention in front of perfectly made cots. Blank looks on their faces.

The trainer takes me over to a messed up cot, the sheets all undone and he releases my restraints.

"Every morning you're expected to follow the same routine and it must be perfect. Make the bed with no wrinkles or untucked corners. Wash up, put on your uniform and stand at attention until you're released. Make the bed," the man commands.

I take in his information before immediately following his order, making the bed perfectly and making sure there are no wrinkles. He watches me the entire time.

After I'm sure it's perfect I stand and he nods. Then he points to the bathroom at the end of the barracks.

I use it to wash my face and take a shower, removing all of the blood, grease, and dirt from my skin. After taking a five-minute shower I jump out to see a uniform sitting on the counter.

I put it on and braid my hair perfectly, walking back to my bed and standing at attention. The man smiles.

"You will wait here until you're released. Your real training starts tomorrow," I continue to stand as still as a statue, as he's commanded, not wondering what tomorrow holds. That's not my job.

After the man exits the room is silent, all of us standing still at his command. There's a boy next to me, they haven't separated us.

He looks young, maybe my age, I can't tell. His face is sunken like he once used to be much bigger.

The trainer re-enters our room with another one of us, going back through the same introduction as he did with me.

The girl makes her bed perfectly, going to the showers afterward to wash up.

She joins us, using the bed right beside mine. He gives her the same explanation before exiting once again.