Project ELE

by Rebecca Gober & Courtney Nuckels

PARTMENT. Ewwww, I think to myself.

  My dad must agree because he groans. He looks over onto my screen. "Runner? They're making children work? What is a Runner anyway?" He looks up at me confused. I just shrug my shoulders.

  "It's okay dad, I don't mind." I really don't. I've never worked before, this may be cool, especially if there's money involved.

  "You should be in school." He starts ferociously typing into the question box on the tablet. He hits send and we both sit there waiting for a response. People slowly file by us to exit the auditorium, but we remain seated. There's really no use in joining the masses to wait in yet another line to exit the place.

  An answer pops up on the screen. "You will find an app labeled EDUCATION on your tablet screen. This will go over our shelter educational programs. Do you require any additional service?"

  My dad types in "no." He looks at his tablet and doesn't see an education app on it. We look at mine and find the app in the lower left hand corner. I press on the icon that looks like an apple. We watch the presentation on F.E.M.A. education opportunities. They call the program, "Learning For A Brighter Future." I'm not sure how bright it will be with only four hours of class per day. Only children under the age of fifteen are eligible for full day classes. At the end of the presentation an online application pulls up. It is there for me to apply for Select classes. This would grant me a full eight hours of classes in substitute of working.

  I look to my dad hoping that he will allow me to just close the box. "No honey, you are applying." My dad says.

  I let out an exaggerated breath. I don't mind working. Of course I've never had to work before so I don't know what to expect but I do know that I wouldn't mind not having to go to school for eight hours a day. It's not that I don't like school or anything, I just often find myself bored. With a photographic memory, I learn quickly and find the repetitive assignments and lectures annoying. Going to work would be a new adventure. Plus, it would keep me busy. If I'm busy then I won’t have time to think of my mom or my brother. I push back the tears and begin filling in the applicable fields. After I press send we both stand up and head out of the auditorium.

  The line to exit is much shorter now and we find ourselves in the hallway a few minutes later. Outside we locate several tables set up with cereal bars and cups of water. We each grab a cereal bar and a cup of water then head back in the direction of our room.

  I nearly drop my cup when my tablet vibrates in my hand startling me. I look at it and see a schedule reminder flash across the screen. Report to room 231 for class. Great, another odd number. The time on my tablet says 9:00 am. I look over at my dad who is looking at his tablet as well.

  He looks over at mine. "Okay honey, I guess this is where we part ways. Will you be okay finding your room without me?" We both learned during the orientation that we are only allowed three tardies per month. He shakes his head and says, "Never mind, I'm walking you there."

  "No dad. I can find it, don't worry. See, this GPS map will lead me there no problem." I show him the flashing map on my screen. The green dot shows us where we are and the red dot shows the room that I'm supposed to report to. It's on a level above us. I don't really need the map since I've already memorized most of the layout, but it's nice to have.

  "I don't like this at all. I shouldn't be leaving you alone. Are you going to be okay?" His eyebrows furrow in worry.

  "I'll be fine dad. I've got this. I'm fifteen, nearly sixteen, remember? I can certainly find a room on my own." I smile even though I do feel the building anxiety at being separated from my dad so soon.

  He looks at me and smiles. "Yeah, fifteen going on thirty! I have to remember how mature and smart you are honey. I know you can get there. Just stay safe. Find a friend in your class and try to stick together. I'd say don't talk to strangers but most everyone here is a stranger. So I'm going to say to go with your gut. You'll know who you can trust and who you can't. If you get any type of uncomfortable vibe from anyone just get as far away from them as you can. Okay?"

  "Okay dad. I love you but we both have to go." I give him a hug and then we both take off in opposite directions. I look around and see other kids my age walking alone but the smaller ones are escorted by their guardians.

  My stomach twists in knots as I walk along. I feel engulfed by the crowd and I have to work to control my breathing in order to avoid another panic attack. I take the stairs to my right and at the top I'm herded into a hallway filled with mostly children and teens. I look down at the timer on my tablet that says I have only a minute left to get to the room, so I pick up my pace. I reach room 231 with only seconds to spare and find that it looks like any typical school classroom except it's about three times as big. I slide into a seat in the back next to a girl with hair so blonde that it looks white. She looks really uncomfortable and avoids eye contact by pretending to be absorbed in whatever is playing on the screen of her tablet.

  The bell rings and I gaze around the room to see that there are more than a hundred students. Even still, the desks are crammed so tightly together that we have very little personal space.

  I set my tablet and my cup of water on the desk then open up my cereal bar. I stuff it down as quickly as possible not knowing the rules for eating in the classroom. I have to follow it up with water since the cereal bar was dry like cardboard. Yuck. On the flip side, at least my stomach won't be growling in the middle of class.

  "Good morning class." A woman calls out from the front of the room. "My name is Ms. Thomas and I will be your teacher for the semester. We have only a short period of time together, so we will be working hard and fast during our allotted time. This class seems packed to the rim but many of you will be transferred out tomorrow when the Select class assignments are handed out."

  A boy runs into the room out of breath, his back is facing us.

  "Tablet please." Ms. Thomas holds her hand out stiffly. He hands it to her. "Reason for tardy?"

  "I'm sorry ma'am. I had to take my sister to class and it was on the other end of the hall." He says apologetically but his posture remains stiff and straight.

  "Your guardian should take her next time." The teacher says sternly to him.

  "Yes, ma'am. She only met her guardian yesterday. Our parents are not with us. I promised her that I would take her to her first class. I won't be late again." He answers.

  Ms. Thomas's facial expression softens. She presses a few things on the screen then hands his tablet back to him. "I understand. Today's tardy will be excused. Please be timely going forward. You may take a seat now."

  The boy turns around and starts heading towards the back of the room. I suddenly realize that it's Connor; the boy I met in the cooling tent outside. My heart hurts for his loss. Both of his parents are gone. I think about his little sister with the orangey red hair. That makes me think of Sebastian and I am barely able to contain the tears that threaten to flood my eyes. I can't imagine what Connor must be going through. He doesn't have his mom or dad anymore. And now he carries the responsibility of his little sister with him as well. The thought pains me.

  Connor takes the desk next to mine. He seems surprised at first to see me, then his face softens and he gives me a half smile. I return it then we both turn to listen to Ms. Thomas's lecture.

  The lecture drones on for an hour and a half. Most of the kids around me begin to get fidgety after thirty minutes or so. I watch as Connor draws furiously in a notebook completely ignoring Ms. Thomas. His legs shake violently up and down; you can tell he's trying to fight the urge to get out of his chair and run. I simply take my time observing others. The girl with the 'almost white hair' seems lost. Her hair covers her face and whatever it is she is doing with her tablet.

  I pick up my tablet, which we are supposed to be taking notes on and turn it up so Ms. Thomas can't see. Let's see if this sucker has any games, I think to myself. But, alas, the screen is completely locked so I am forced to stare at the boring slide show flashing by at a snails
pace. Note to self...bring an alternate activity next time.

  "So as you can see class, some of these problems are national and some global. However they can all be tied together through arithmetic and simple science." My eyes fight to stay open while Ms. Thomas drones on. She is starting to sound like the teacher in those ancient Charlie Brown cartoons at this point.

  Suddenly my tablet goes blank and so does everyone else’s. "So for tomorrows class, you will meet here first thing and I will be sending you our syllabus."

  A small bell rings in the classroom signaling our release. Everyone pops out of their seat and begins stretching their arms and legs. I look at a clock on the wall and note that it's lunchtime. Although I really don’t need a clock to tell me this…my stomach is protesting already.

  My tablet vibrates and a new schedule reminder pops up on the screen. REPORT FOR WORK ASSIGNMENT: HEADQUARTERS ADMIN OFFICE 213. I groan inwardly, what's with all of the odd numbers? Also, where's lunch?

  I remember my dad's advice about making a friend and sticking together. I catch Connor staring down at the map on his tablet. "So where are you headed?" I ask.

  He looks up and his dark eyes lock onto me. I catch myself staring at them like I did the first time we met. I really haven't seen eyes that dark before. They're interesting and a little bit eerie.

  "Um, I guess Headquarters." He looks back at his tablet to study the map. His finger taps the side of the tablet over again. Man, this guy's quite fidgety.

  "Oh. I'm headed there too. I can show you where to go." I say.

  He looks back at me and tries to offer up a smile but it falls short. "Thanks. I'm a bit directionally challenged."

  "No problem, I am a human compass. Let's go." I say gesturing for him to follow me. Connor stops cold when we step out of class. He stares down the hall in the opposite direction and shuffles from foot to foot. He looks like he wants to bolt. It takes me a minute to realize what's going on and when I do, I place my hand supportively on his shoulder. "Hey, she's going to be okay Connor. Is that where Lillie's class is?" I nod my head in the direction of his stare.

  He looks back at me surprised that I knew his sisters name. It takes a second for him to register that he introduced her to me once before. He clears his throat. "Yeah. I just...I don't know. I don't like leaving her there. She's scared." His eyebrows furrow together like he's contemplating what to do.

  Aren't we all? I think to myself. "I'm sure she will be fine.” I say trying to reassure him. “She's young and has probably made several friends already. You know how easy it is to make friends when you're little. She's safe in there." All kids deserve to feel safe. I push down the pain that strikes my chest at the thought of Sebastian out there somewhere.

  Connor nods his head and then suddenly he notices my hand on his shoulder.

  I feel the heat flood into my cheeks and I awkwardly remove my hand. "Well, we should get going." I start walking towards Headquarters. Without looking at my tablet he follows me as we twist and turn down some hallways, a flight of stairs and finally end up in the middle of Headquarters with a few minutes to spare. I look around at the sea of colors that surround me. People are bustling about, walking fast in their colorful scrubs to wherever their assignments are. I don't see any children like the first time we came here. I guess most of them are still in classes. We walk towards an escalator and get off on the second floor. I start heading toward my assignment then it hits me. "Oh, I should have asked. Which office do you have to report to?"

  "Two-thirteen." He says looking at the address numbers on the outside of the administrative offices as we pass.

  "That's where I'm going! Are you a runner too?"

  "Yeah, I guess so." He looks around, once more seeming uncomfortable then walks ahead of me towards the office.

  So much for small talk. I guess I can't really blame him. This whole place, this new life, it's overwhelming. I've not been separated from my parents in a long time and my guess is Connor hasn't either. Most children have been home schooled like myself and have rarely left the house. Our social lives consist of only what we've managed to maintain online through our computer. I think about how I put my hand on his shoulder and inwardly kick myself. That probably was really awkward for him. My parents were very hands on, total huggers who have no problem invading your personal space. With the virus spreading the way it did, physical contact is very few and far between, especially between strangers. I make a mental note to keep my hands to myself.

  Connor pauses at the administrative office labeled: 213. He holds the door open for me and I pick up my pace as to not make him wait much longer.

  "Thanks." I say with a half-smile. I look around at the room that isn't much bigger than the classroom we were just in. The walls are stark white and there are ten office desks that line the exterior walls. Adults sit behind the desks typing at the speed of light. They seem either oblivious to us or they just don't care. My guess is the former since looming stacks of files sit piled high on each desk. Several metal filing cabinets, a copier machine and a small break area make up the rest of the office.

  Connor and I join the group of about fifteen others who are huddled in the middle of the office. They all surround a table with several sack lunches. We both grab one and start munching down on the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and veggie sticks. I pull out a small juice box and down it really quick not noticing the particular flavor. This lunch set up reminds me of elementary school, except we are all standing and trying to devour our nourishment before our work assignments start. After I'm done I gaze around at the other people in the room. Nearly all of the people in the group appear to be around our age. I notice the girl from my class, the one with the pale blonde hair, standing apart from the crowd. She keeps her head down, looking at her tablet. Her nearly white hair once again covers her face. One of the teens in the group tells a joke and a lot of the others laugh loudly. Not feeling like much in the joking mood, I make my way over to the loner girl.

  "Hey," I say. As if I yelled it out at the top of my lungs, she nearly jumps out of her socks. "Whoa, I didn't mean to startle you." I say looking at her surprised.

  She looks at me with wide doe like eyes. Her eyes are an icy pale blue that makes her look all the more fragile. With her petite frame and porcelain skin color, she looks like a doll. Her mouth hangs open a bit awkwardly as if she doesn't know what to say.

  "I'm Willow." I offer all the while forcing my hand to stay at my side. I had been taught to shake hands when I introduced myself but I don't want to break this poor girl. She already seems shocked enough that I'm even talking to her.

  I stand there with one of my eyebrows raised in question. She takes a second and then offers quietly, "Claire." She pushes her hair behind her ears.

  "Nice to meet you Claire." I say carefully. "This is Connor." I point out Connor who offers a silent wave. She looks at him then quickly darts her eyes away. I barely catch the pink rise up in her cheeks before she lets her hair fall in her face once more.

  I look over at Connor as if he could help but he just shrugs. This girl is probably the most skittish creature I've ever seen.

  A man clears his throat and announces, "May I have your attention please." I look up to see a pudgy middle-aged man with balding black hair standing near the entrance of the office. His black scrubs make him look drab and his voice comes off as overly bored. "Thank you for coming. My name is Mr. Blake. I am the head of the administrative department. You have been selected as runners based on your age and estimated energy level. Runners are required to move at a fast pace throughout the entire shift, as you will be given multiple assignments to complete each day. Most assignments will be in the form of deliveries however you may be utilized in other forms of grunt work. This may include filing, cleaning, supply retrieval and so on. Basically, you will just do whatever you are assigned to do. Since this is a fast paced, on your feet type of job you will receive an extra allotment of shoes, which you can switch out as
needed. Does anyone have any questions at this time?" The look on his face shows that he's not really interested in answering questions.

  A tall lanky boy with red hair and a face peppered in freckles raises his hand.

  "Yes." Mr. Blake drones.

  "Um, sir, since this is my first job and all...um, does this mean we all get paid, like real money?" The boy asks. I perk up wondering the answer myself, not that I would even know where to spend the money in a place like this.

  Mr. Blake looks at the boy as if he were a filthy, putrid smelling rag. "What? Are you saying that you don't want to serve your country, to pitch in for your community?" His voice starts to escalate. "Is it not good enough for you that you have been provided shelter, safety, food and clothes on your back?" He counts the blessings on his fingers as if he bestowed them upon us himself. "You could be on the outside! Do you really think that you deserve money for your services in here?" His harsh tone makes me jump.

  The boy's shoulders slump and he looks like a scalded toddler. "No, sir. I'm sorry sir."

  The boy cowers beneath his stare as Mr. Blake gives him the stink eye for a few more moments.

  Mr. Blake asks again, "Any more questions?" He stares us all down one by one, sizing us up in the process. We all shake our heads profusely. "Good. Now, I do not have the time to sit here and hold each of your hands. I have already assigned Alec as a leader for this shift." A young man steps forward. I hadn't noticed him before. He's tall and muscular with caramel skin. His hair is the same color as Mr. Blake's, but that's where the resemblance stops. He has intense emerald green eyes that stand out in comparison to his dark features. He looks to be around seventeen years old.

  Mr. Blake gestures to Alec and then continues. "You will each receive your assignments via your tablet at the start of your shift. Alec is here if you should have a question or if you require assistance at any time. You may see him shadow you on occasion. In order to run a smooth operation we require dedicated, hard workers. He is here to ensure that you are performing efficiently. Under performance can result in negative repercussions on your work history and could also result in other corrective measures being taken. Please remember that in three years, when we are released, most of you will be of age to work full time. Your performance inside this facility could dictate your job assignments out in the real world. In addition you will receive a small allowance for your services at the end of each week so I suggest you use it wisely." He glares at the boy who asked the original question. "With that said, I will leave Alec to finish with your orientation. If you need my assistance in the future you can find my contact information on your tablet. You should however, refer to Alec for your day to day operational questions." Without another word he turns and walks out of the office.

  Alec stands there a bit uncomfortable at first. After a second a light bulb must have gone off in his head because he stands up straight and puts on his most adult-like tone to address us. "My name is Alec Blake and I will be leading your shift." Someone in the crowd groans. Instead of ignoring it, as I would have done, Alec cuts the person off at the pass. "Who has a problem?" The perpetrator is singled out when several people turn to look at the same lanky boy who had asked Mr. Blake about pay. This boy must have a death wish or something. "What's your name boy." It should sound funny having someone Alec's age call another kid boy, but it doesn't. He stares the boy down and rightfully displays his authority.

  The boy shuffles from foot to foot and then answers, "Josh."

  Alec stands up even taller than before and says, "Josh, I'm taking it that you have an issue with my obvious relation to the Head Administrator. I know what you are thinking, that I'm just in this position because of my father. You are probably also thinking that with your extensive experience and work history that you should be the one leading this team. Well then, since you are so ready to run things boy, why don't you finish leading this orientation?" He taps his foot and waits for Josh to step up.

  Realizing that he wasn't asking a rhetorical question, Josh answers, "Um, I don't know how to."

  "You don't know how to?" Alec raises his brows in question. "I thought that you knew everything? Way more than me at least." He points to his own chest jokingly.

  Josh's eyes open wide and I nearly feel bad for him, but the boy's got to learn not to stick his foot in his mouth. "No, sir. I'm sorry, sir." He stutters and his face reddens as he's put in his place for the second time in less than five minutes.

  I find myself surprised to see Alec nod his head and move on. I kind of took him for the tough guy who will continue to drill the point home but he just earned a few respect points in my book for letting it go. "You may all address me as Alec. I figure that most of us are near to each other in age so there is no point in calling me Mr. Blake. With that said, I do still expect for each of you to respect my authority and to follow my directions. I have run small shifts before at my father's factory and you will find that while I may hold high expectations for each of my team members, I am also fair. Our motto as runners is 'Get it Done.' I expect for each of you to live up to our motto and to get the job done to the best of your abilities." For a young person, Alec does surprisingly well with public speaking. He makes eye contact with each of us as he's talking and remains in control. "If you will all look at your tablets at this time you will see that your assignments have been uploaded. Your assignments are pretty cut and dry so you should not need much direction to complete them. If you do need direction or if for some reason you are unable to complete your assignments in the allotted time, then you will need to contact me. You can page me by typing into the IM box at the bottom right hand side of your screen. This will activate your locator and I will come to assist you as quickly as possible. Your assignments will be linked to your GPS so you will receive directions on how to get to your destination. I hope that within a few weeks you will commit our shelter's map to your memory as this will help you complete your assignments much faster." Alec turns around and grabs something from a table behind him. He holds it up. "Each of you will receive one of these. This is a holder for your tablet which can be worn on your hip like this." He straps the black holder around his waist and then sets his tablet face out, into it. I try and stifle a laugh; it looks like a fanny-pack. "Since you will often be carrying items, this will allow you to have your hands free to complete your task. You will also receive a pair of earphones so you can get audio directions to your destinations. You will not have time, or free hands, to continually look down at your tablet map." Alec hands us each a holder and a set of white earphones. I don't know if I imagined it or not, but he gives me a short smile when he hands me mine. "Alright. Unless you have any questions, you may disperse and begin your assignments."

  Nobody asks any questions. I strap the holder around my waist, taking notice of my awesome sense of style lately and then look at my tablet to find my first assignment.

  There’s a note on the top of the list to pick up supplies in Mr. Volmer’s office to take to the library. I find a map posted on the wall showing office locations. I pin it to my memory where his office is along with the names correlating with the other offices in this space. Mr. Volmer is located at the far end of the Administration ‘building.’ I put the tablet in my ‘fanny-pack’ and kick it into high gear. There’s no telling how long this day will be or how many errands I’ll be running.

  After an exhausting amount of twists and turns I finally end up at the corner office. There’s a nameplate on the door with Mr. Volmer’s name on it and underneath it says, “Historian.” Hmm, I think to myself. I wonder why this facility needs a historian. I knock softly on the door and wait ‘till I hear a deep voice telling me to come in. I try and open the door but it stops after only a few feet. I attempt pulling back and opening it again only to be stopped short. “Umm, Mr. Volmer?” I ask.

  “Yes, yes, come in,” he says.

  “Well, that’s the problem sir. I can’t seem to get the door open.” It seems like Captain obvious
came for a visit now. I hear some shuffling behind the door and what sounds to be crates of boxes being moved. The door opens a few inches more and a frazzled head sticks out. I’m assuming this is Mr. Volmer. He has white frizzy hair that sticks up in the places he isn’t bald. He's sporting a serious case of male patterned baldness. His bottle cap glasses that cover most of his face magnify his eyes in a creepy mad professor sort of way.

  “Yes, yes what can I do for you young lady,” he asks while sizing me up.

  “Uh, yeah, my name is Willow and it says here that you have something that needs to be delivered to the library?”

  “Ah, yes! Hold on just a minute.” He disappears behind the door and I hear more shuffling followed by sounds of several different book avalanches. Seconds later the door opens a little bit and I’m being given a large stack of books. “Here you go,” he says as he nearly slams the door in my face.

  “Um, thanks,” I say to the door.

  There are about ten books or so in the stack and they all have heavy brown leather covers. I shift their weight in my arms so they’re more easily carried and set off through the labyrinth of offices.

  It seems like forever since I've been to a real library. Obviously being holed up in the house for a few years made it hard for me to go to my favorite place. There's something about the smell of books that speaks to me. I still read a lot on my e-reader back at home but there's something about holding the paper in your hands. I take a second to enjoy the sight then I drop off the books to a librarian who barely glances up at me from her book to acknowledge the delivery. She signs off on my tablet and then sticks her nose back in her book. I can't say I blame her. I make a mental note to find my way back here when I have free time.

  My next assignment blinks on the screen almost immediately after I step out of the library. Another delivery. Argh, my feet already hurt but I keep moving along. To be honest I haven't even thought much about my mom or my brother today. While I don't want to forget them, I'm still grateful to have the busy work. It takes the edge off.

  Two and a half hours later, I've completed my tenth delivery. A message pops up on my tablet stating that my daily assignments are complete and that I may return to the Administrative Office. I walk in and find Alec sitting behind a desk, typing something into a computer.

  He turns and looks at me with eyebrows raised. "Don't tell me, your tablet GPS malfunctioned. That's been happening all day. Give it here." He rubs his temple with his index finger and holds his other hand out for me to pass him my tablet. His face looks slightly annoyed at first but then his expression changes to wonderment when I hand him my tablet. "You're done?"

  I look from side to side wondering if I did something wrong then say, "Um, yeah. I mean, yes sir." My dad always taught me to respect elders but it still seems odd calling a boy only a few years older than me at the most, sir.

  "No, don’t call me sir. You can call me by my first name."

  "Oh, okay Alec." It's strange calling a supervisor by their first name, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. He gives me a funny look and I realize he might not remember my name. "My name is Willow."

  "I know." He clears his throat then looks down at my tablet. I'm instantly grateful for the lessening of eye contact because it was strangely intense there for a moment. He looks back up a second later. "Well, Willow, I think there might be an issue with your tablet."

  I look at him questioningly. "I haven't noticed any issues. "

  He takes my tablet and connects it by a USB cord to his computer. "Well, most of the other runners are still only half way through their assignments."

  "Do we all have the same number of assignments?" I ask curious.

  "Yes you all received ten assignments." He checks the screen, which hasn't loaded yet and then looks back at me. "Look, you couldn't have finished all of your assignments yet."

  I don't know why, but something about how he said that last part sets me off; especially since I know that I completed all ten assignments. "Well I did! It's not my fault the others are slow. I got the message stating that I've finished and that's why I'm here." I throw my hand up on my hip to add that extra emphasis.

  He studies me for a second with a look that I can't quite place then he checks his screen again. He turns back to me a few seconds later with his mouth gaping open. He mouth's the word how.

  I shrug my shoulders and add with a little attitude, "Am I dismissed then?"

  He just looks at me with wide emerald eyes and says, "Um, I guess." He sounds uncertain but I don't sit around to wait for him to think on it further. I've got a library to check out. I turn on my heel and leave the office and Alec behind.

  I don't have to look at my tablet to find the library again. I've already committed its location to memory. I round the corner and end up accidentally running into someone. I look up to find Connor standing there stunned. He dropped his tablet during my accidental attack so I bend down to help him grab it but end up bumping heads with him when he makes the same move. "Ouch." We both say in unison while rubbing our heads. I let Connor grab his own tablet this time as to avoid crushing our skulls again.

  "Sorry." I say apologetically.

  Connor looks frustrated and overwhelmed. At first I'm worried that it's aimed at my clumsiness but then he sets it straight. "It's okay. So what assignment are you on?"

  "Oh, I'm done." I say but instead of feeling proud that my first day went so well, I actually feel kind of down. Now I have time to think and I don't feel like thinking.

  "What? I'm only on number four. This is taking forever! As if I don't have enough issues with directions, my GPS keeps acting up. I swear that I've passed this same hall four times now trying to find the medical station. I think it's broken again."

  I feel bad now that I just told him I was done. I definitely didn't want him to feel like he's doing anything wrong by how long it's taking him. "Hey, I can help you if you want. I know where the medical station is."

  His dark eyes brighten just a bit. "Really? That would be great Willow. Thanks."

  "No problem at all. I've got nothing to do." I say. After all, the library can wait.

  I lead Connor to the medic station and then help him on several more assignments. We don't really talk much along the way but it's not awkward or anything. It would probably be with anyone else, but there's a type of comfort level between Connor and I. It's one that comes with having something in common: loss.

  "We were only messing around, you don't have to get your panties in a bunch!" A high pitch girl voice calls out from a room down the hall. Her giggling sounds like a Hyena.

  "Yeah sorry, we were just having a little fun with you runner girl! What, you didn't think it was funny sugar?" A guy adds, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  The Hyena girl giggles annoyingly again. I hear a sniffle sound coming from the room.

  I look to Connor and he nods back to me. I don't even have to say it out loud. We both start towards the room where the harassment is coming from. We don't make it far before Claire, the one who sat next to me in class, comes barreling out of the room slamming the door behind her. Her hair is still in front of her face and it must have obstructed her vision because she plows right into Connor. The force of their collision pushes him back half of a step.

  "Sorry." Claire sniffs. She tries to move to work her way around us but Connor grabs her gently by the arms.

  "Hey, what's wrong? Did those people hurt you?" Connor asks seriously. His face is a mask of concern.

  She looks up at him and behind all of that white blonde hair covering her face you can see her tear filled frosty blue eyes. Something in my chest pangs knowing that someone who looks so fragile and innocent is hurting.

  "Did they hurt you?" Connor asks again a little stronger this time.

  "No." She whispers then turns her head and starts wiping at her eyes.

  "What happened?" I ask in a soothing voice. Maybe staying calm will help her open up.

 
; She looks at me with a look of surprise. It's that look again that asks, are you really talking to me? I wonder what would make this beautiful, yet really strange, girl so skittish and self-conscious.

  "It's okay, you can tell us." I say again gently.

  Connor is still holding onto her arms so he takes this second to carefully let her go. He seems ready to catch her if she tries to dart though.

  "They were playing a trick on me." She said.

  "A trick?" Connor asks, his eyebrows rose in question.

  She looks to him and then back at me. "Yes, they were messing with my GPS. They kept re-routing me here."

  "How did they mess with your GPS?" I ask.

  "Anything can be hacked." She says while wiping her eyes one last time. This time she looks at me with a bold certainty I wouldn't have thought she'd have. "They think I'm stupid; that I wouldn't know what they were doing. I am not stupid!"

  I don't know Claire that well, but I like this side of her. She should show it more often instead of hiding behind all of that pretty hair. "Of course you are not stupid." I say matter of factly.

  "How did you know that they were messing with you?" Connor asks pleasantly surprised by her short show of confidence too.

  Claire looks at him and blushes again, looking down at her shoes. "I know a lot about computers and stuff. When I circled this block for the third time, I heard them laughing in the computer lab. I put two and two together and knew that they were messing with my map."

  "So you went in there?" I ask. I really can't believe that she would confront them.

  She looks thoughtful for a second then says, "Yes. It wasn't the brightest move. I was just so angry. My feet were aching from running circles and they were just sitting in there having a blast at my expense!"

  Connor's eyebrows furrow and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what he's about to do. He side steps around Claire and stomps off down the hall.

  It doesn’t take me more than a few moments to realize I should probably follow him in there. “Stay here,” I say to Claire and hurry to catch up to Connor.

  Connor skips the pleasantries and immediately turns the door handle. It's unlocked and he marches right in; I follow behind him.

  The teens inside the room turn to look at us in bewilderment. I count six of them, all guys, hanging around. In a normal room that many people would result in overcrowding but this isn't a normal room. I take in the layout of it with my mouth hanging open in awe. This isn't a simple bunk bed set up like my dad and I have. No, this is a plush layout that has to be at least five hundred square feet of semi-luxurious furnishings. Two queen-sized beds are set up on opposite sides of the room. They have decorated blankets and throw pillows, which are starkly different than our grey and white linens. In the middle of the room is a mock living area set up with a couch and a chaise lounge. There is even an intricately designed ornate rug on the floor. A large desk with a full sized computer is set up against the wall. Instead of plain white walls these walls are painted in soothing earth tones. A few framed oil paintings of natural landscapes are set up around the room in such a way that they look like windows to the outside. It's quite beautiful and much more fancy than my room or even my old house. How in the world does a person get a room like this? In comparison, this room makes my room look like a prison cell.

  One of the boys steps towards us with his hands raised. He looks like a Ken doll with bleached blonde hair and big hazel eyes. His muscles look too proportionate to have come from real hard labor. Instead they probably are the result of months spent with an expensive personal trainer. “Hey man, we were just having a little fun,” he says. I can tell from the sound of his voice that he was the one talking to Claire earlier.

  I look to Connor to try and gauge his reaction. His eyebrows furrow and his eyes get all beady looking. It’s kind of scary if you ask me. “Look pal, don’t you have anything better to be doing than to be messing with this poor girl? Some of us have to work around here.” Connor says nearly spitting in his face.

  The guy he is talking to says, "I'm not your pal, the name's Zack." He says pal with a disgusted look like he wouldn't touch Connor with a ten-foot pole. Then with a mischievous grin on his face he turns to the others. “Hey fellas, this guy here wants to know if we have anything better to do.” He hikes his thumb back behind him pointing at Connor. They all laugh in unison like it’s the funniest joke in the world.

  I hear that hyena laugh and see a tall blonde who looks like a life sized Barbie doll, come out from the bathroom. I catch a glimpse of the bathroom before the door closes behind her. From what I can see, there is a garden tub and a double vanity in there. A small amount of envy creeps up at their luxuries and I try to squash it quickly. The girl must have seen my stare though because she speaks up in a haughty tone, "What? See something you like?"

  My cheeks burn with fury at her calling me out. "No." I say and give her my best rolling of the eyes.

  She sticks her hand on her hips then looks me up and down with her big baby blue eyes. "I saw you eyeing our place, you must be one of the less fortunate ones." Her voice drips with a false sense of pity.

  "First, I'm not less fortunate, I'm Willow. Second, green's not really my color so no, I wasn't ogling your place." My chest aches when I remember how often my mom used to tell us that green doesn't look good on us when we were kids and saw others getting more than we had.

  She doesn't respond, instead she lets out another hyena laugh. Wow, how can someone who tries to look so perfect on the outside have such an atrocious laugh? I let out a small giggle at that and she gives me the nastiest look that only makes me giggle more.

  Zack smirks at me then turns back around to Connor. “In answer to your question, no, we don’t have anything better to do. Well, unless you count twiddling our thumbs or taking a nap. But hey, now that you mention it, maybe twiddling our thumbs does seem more fun about now. Whatcha think fellas?” They laugh at his banter again and my frown deepens.

  Rage is bubbling up deep inside of me at this guy’s blazé attitude. “Seriously,” I pipe up. “You have nothing else to do? No job? No school? There has to be something you guys are good at other than messing up someone’s day here!” I know, it doesn’t deserve an Oscar, but that’s all I’ve got. I keep my eyes focused on him holding his gaze. I notice that he has the same hair color and the same shaped eyes as the Barbie hyena girl. I assume they are related.

  Zack sizes me up before answering. “Yeah, we go to school, but only in the morning today. Tomorrow we start our Select classes. Now as to jobs, no, of course not! Well, now that you mention it, you may be able to count what we’re doing now as a job. Teaching you both the art of technological hacking. May do you good someday." He looks back and forth from Connor to me then settles his eyes on me. "And as for you, I can give some private lessons if you ask really nice sugar." He reaches his hand out as if he was going to grab one of my curls and I swat it back down with a smack. He laughs. I don't have a mirror, but I can bet that my face is the color of cherry pie right about now. I'm fuming!

  “Now, if you’ll be on your way, we’re late for our appointment.” He says the last part with a note of sarcasm.

  As he starts to shoo us out I catch a glimpse of a photo above the girl's bed. The girl and Zack are in it. They are a bit younger and standing next to a woman who I'm assuming is their mom. I try to look a little closer because something's caught my attention. It's strange, in the photo both children seem to have the same golden brown eyes as their mother. Maybe it’s just the lighting or shadows.

  Before I can get a better look, Zack blocks my view. Then, in the blink an eye, he’s ushered us out the door and has slammed it in our faces. I blink a few times trying to clear the cobwebs out of my head. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” Connor says.

  Claire is still standing in the hall where we last left her. She looks like she's trying to figure us out. "Did you both just defend my honor in there?" Her eyebrows are furr
owed in thought.

  "Well, we didn't do that great of a job, but I think they got the point. Not that they took it to heart or anything." Connor replies.

  "They're just being jerks." I say.

  Claire studies us with her icy blue eyes then gives a small smile. "Thanks guys. Nobody has ever really done anything like that for me before. Usually people just act like I don't exist. Sometimes I think I must have a secret layer of camouflage because people often look right through me. I'm not noticeable I guess. " Her smile drops.

  Connor surprises me by saying under his breath, "I doubt that."

  Claire must not have heard him since she didn't blush at his compliment. I add, "Well that's what friends should do for each other."

  "We’re friends?" She says the word like it's foreign and I instantly feel horrible that this poor girl has had to feel this alone in the world.

  "If you want to be. I think we can use a support group in here. Especially if we have to deal with people like that." I point back with my thumb towards Zack's room.

  She cocks her head at me and studies me for a second then says, "Yeah, I think I'd like that." She smiles which lights her face up in a new, beautiful way. Connor and I catch it like it's contagious and find ourselves grinning too.