The Unthinkable

Day 186. Year of 4020.

Light bursts into my eyes as I wake up from the best sleep I've had for a long time. The first thing I see is the ceiling so I sit up finding myself on the top of a bunk bed covered in blankets. The room around me is made of pure silver metal with no windows but instead unnatural ceiling lights. There are two other bunk beds either side of mine, all the same with white covers and pillows and cold metal bed frames. I look at the two doors on either side of the room.

Pulling off all of the heavy blankets and climbing down from the bed, I walk towards one of the doors. I haven't had a chance to look around our room yet, since my evaluation kind of got in the way so I open the door. It leads straight to an open room connecting three different areas. On the right, there is a lounge which has three long white sofas surrounding a fireplace and table. To the left is the front door which gives me shivers as it reminds me of the evaluation. And straight down must be the kitchen where I hear everyone else talking.

I decide to walk back into the room. I probably look a mess and I really need to wash. I open the other door that leads to a bathroom.

Everything inside is made of the same dull metal except the shower cover which is a white cloth.

I wash my face in the sink and look up. My reflection again. Something I am still getting used to seeing. My lips are dry probably from the evaluation and my nose and ears are still red standing out against my pale skin.

I brushed my fingers through my short brown hair neatening up my clothes.

'You are strong Lils. Don't let them get to you.'

I whisper to myself trying to stop my eyes from dropping weak, scared tears.

I nod breathing deeply. From yesterday I learned that this was only going to get harder. If I show that evaluation 1 destroyed me then I would never survive this place.

I walk into the kitchen finding Anna and Xander on the left side of the table whilst Josh and Freddie were on the other. They all had their backs to me too engrossed in a figure that sat facing in my direction.

'What did I miss?'

They all turn around and Josh gets out of his seat to give me a hug. I hug him back nestling my nose in his neck. I trust Josh and have come to be so comfortable around him in such a short time. It is something new to me and I don't know whether to be scared or happy.

'You okay?'

'I'm good Josh, thanks'

He steps back motioning for me to sit in the seat opposite the stranger which I do. I had felt the stranger's eyes on me as soon as I entered the room and it was making me uncomfortable but curious at why he seemed so interested. I look over to Freddie who is more interested in an apple than anything else.

'Freddie, what's going on. Who is this?'

She takes a bite from the apple and starts speaking with her mouthful as if nobody was here.

'Remember when that doctor mentioned that subject 7 or whatever was in the sky lands already? Well this is him'

I snap my head over to the figure again inspecting him.

A sky lander.

He has brown hair and dark brown eyes, he is extremely good looking but he is a sky lander. He is wearing a navy v neck t-shirt with black jeans. He seemed well built but not as built as Josh so by my assumptions he is more of a runner than a lifter.

'Finished checking me out?'

He says cockily, laughing. I just scowl at him.

'Typical sky lander. Always thinking they are so superior when you are really just selfish pigs'

I spat the words at him earning a shocked reaction from everyone else. I shove my chair backward stomping out of the room probably looking like a child having a tantrum.

Yeah, I might have been a bit harsh but he was so cocky and annoying. I sit down next to the freshly lit fireplace wrapping my arms around my legs.

Fire has always seemed to represent something important to me. Like a burning hope fueling off of the strong words of confidence. There is fear that you might burn yourself but comfort from its presence. Without it you see nothing. Without it you are cold.

It represented my hope and my strength. They were important because they were all I had left.

'Hey, Lilie right?'

Him

I don't look up keeping my eyes glued to the orange waves splashing over the nearly demolished logs. I watch the flames dance around each other in perfect sync attacking their prey, the wooden logs. We had contained them but they were in control.

'What do you want?'

'I know you don't seem to like me right now but I'm in the same boat as you'

I turn around looking at him. He had his hands in his jean pockets as he stared at me with a look that I couldn't work out.

'When were you ever the same as me? You don't know who I am or what I've seen'

'I'm not saying that. I'm saying I was forced here. I didn't have a choice. Same as you'

I shake my head laughing slightly and looking back at the fire.

'Exactly what I said you don't know me. I chose to be here'

It's silent and soon I start believing he's gone but then I see a figure in the corner of my eye. He sits down to my left still staring. God mate, can you not stare at me all the time?

'Tell me about yourself'

I look at him seeing he's serious and laughing.

'Yeah, not going to happen'

I cross my legs moving away from him slightly. My fingers start fiddling with the zipper on my jacket as I hope and pray that he gives up and walks away.

'How am I meant to understand you if you won't talk to me?'

I sigh looking back at him.

'What if I don't want you to understand me?'

He looks away from me staring at the fire in deep thought. I'm now the one staring. Waiting for a response.

'Well I am 18, and have for my whole life hated living in the sky lands. My...doctors found I had a new blood type so decided to put me here with a bunch of others like me to find out what makes us different-'

'What are you doing?'

He looks me in the eyes.

'I'm letting you understand me'

I smile. I know, I know. Like 15minutes ago I called him a selfish pig and now I'm smiling at him. I couldn't lie and say I wasn't curious about the guy. By what I know he is the only sky person in the final subjects. There has to be something special about him. So I ask him a question.

'Do you have any family?'

'A mother. Who makes me stay in the sky lands. She doesn't let me leave because she doesn't want me to make a bad choice. Well...that's what she says but I think she doesn't want me to find out about something. I want to share what we have left not take it all for myself...We should all be coming together not pushing each other apart, you know?'

I nod. I still don't trust him but I'm warming to him, or maybe it's the fire. If what he says is true then he didn't understand what happens on land. He really wasn't who I expected him to be but me being the very closed off, stubborn person I decide to just enjoy the silence and not apologize for assuming.

Then I remember something so obvious that hasn't been mention, asked or introduced to me. How could I forget the most important question to ask when meeting new people?

'What's your name?'

He looks over at me turning his whole body in my direction and holding out a hand.

'Charly, Subject 7'

Charly