Mali

Chapter Eighteen: Past

I woke up in a cell.

A cell...a grey, cold cell.

The very thoughts and moments leading up to here came rushing back.
Digby, M.P.A, Fire, Ryder...

Ryder. Where is he? Did they bring him here too? God, I hope not. He doesn't deserve to be here, none of us do.

I looked around, but through the dim light bulb that swung above my head didn't help.

I went over to the wall and it was padded. Like that padding you would think be in some asylum. That boring, white cloth that kept the room 'safe' from the person being held in it.

I stood up and got a better view. The room was actually quite small. A single twin bed set in the corner, a tiny table in the other corner, and a toilet with a mirror that hang over a sink.

How sanitary.

I approached the door that was the only exit from the room. There was a slit to where I could look out if only it was open. A plate kept my view shielded and could only slide open from the other side.

At that exact moment it slide open and a pair of dark brown eyes stared back at me.

"Rooks are needed in The Pit.", he instructed me as the door clicked opened.

It all felt very odd. If I get this timing right I could hit him before he even knew it. Make a break for the door, or just run.

It's a stupid plan especially when I know nothing of what's on the other side of this door, but I refuse to stay here.

I pushed it open and was about to punch him straight in the jaw, but he grabbed it before I even moved an inch.

He pulled out another syringe from his shirt pocket and stuck it in that same arm.

"Hey!", I screamed at him, "What was that for?"

"It's to null your powers for the next twenty-four hours, you will get one of these every single day.", he assured me.

He let go and moved onto the next door to my right. I looked to the left and found the other 'Rooks', or whatever he called me, being led away. I quickly caught up and stayed closed behind.

I took in my surroundings. The place was larger in length rather in width. It all seemed like an endless row of level after level as you looked up and down. It was big, that I was sure of.

We met the end of the row to a large spiral staircase. We walked down the many flights, keeping the straight and organized line intact. I counted each level that we passed just to see how exactly tall it was. We seemed pretty close to the top, so this was the best estimate I would get.

We reached the bottom at a total of thirty-four floors. The thought of having to walk those flights up made my stomach queazy.

The first floor was quiet large and open. Tables and chairs were pushed against the walls with doors that lead to who knows where. Signs hanged above each, but it was all too far spread out to read them all.

There were a lot of us. We moved into a crowd with shoulder to shoulder in lines that faced the front where a small stage stood tall over us all. Everything continued with the pattern of black, white, or grey. The room was filled with people talking to their neighbors, or just themselves. There was easily thirty kids here. Ranging ages from what looked like ten to twenty somethings, but we were all young.

I found my spot to where I would stand next to a tall boy who looked a little older then me. He looked straight ahead and showed no emotion you could almost say he was a mannequin, but what stood out was his eyes. Very dark brown eyes that you could almost say were black.