Class of 2046

The double doors swung open wildly as students rushed into the cafeteria. Thew sooner lunch was done, the sooner we would find our placements. My friends and I sat at our normal table. It was close to a huge window that let the light of the sun come fiercely in. Looking out of it, you could see most of the schools' greenery, the training center where most students could safely use their powers when practicing; we could also spar with each other there.

The fries and milkshakes were better than what we used to get. Maybe the school wanted us to enjoy a small celebratory meal.

"If I am dropped to Hero support, I promise I'm going to contest it. I worked too hard on keeping my fire in check whenever Mr. Leon did everything he could to get under my skin" Elise muttered about to fling a fry at Marcus. Leo leaned in closer as if to whisper a secret as the fry hit Marcus " Do you think Kaelen is going to be a part of any groups?"

"Don't be silly Leo. Who's going to put that guy on any team." Elise scoffed

"I've been hearing whispers from people around school" Leo said, his voice barely audible.

"That's why you don't listen to school gossips Leo. The guy is in prison after what he did" Marcus said firmly.

Kaelen. The mention of the name had made our table quiet. He was the only one who had defected from the Advanced Placement Initiative for super powered teens. He had killed five of his friends during missions and on campus before getting caught by the head of the program Mr. Garrick. Whoever was saying Kaelen was going to be a part of any team was just spreading rumors. Why would the school make us work with a killer?

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch. Everyone rushed out to their respective classes where we would find our placements. I took my time while my friends rushed ahead. I really did not want to be on any missions that would take me to the field; with the way the teachers complimented my work my chances were slim. I walked slowly down the hallway, tech support or tactician would be good. I could upgrade armor, fix broken gear or invent new weapons. It would be quiet and unobtrusive.

As I crossed the threshold into class 1-B, I saw all my friends sitting at two by two desks, with Mr. Garrick standing in front of the board blocking the placements. I took a seat beside Marcus. The room felt too quiet for something as exciting as getting our placements.

“Ashley! Thank you for joining us!” Mr. Garrick said it with his usual bubbly demeanor but there was a subtle edge.

“Glad to be here.” I said quietly. For a moment I felt airy, kind of like a dream where I was present but not really. I shook my head and the feeling passed.

“You alright Ashley?” Marcus asked, leaning close to me.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I gave him a weak smile.

All the while Mr. Garrick had been watching us. He then stepped out of the way of the board I heard Elise inhale sharply behind me. The board read:

Elise Garrit – Hero lead

Kaelen Grimshaw – Hero support & Liaison I

Leo Sterling – Mission control & Tactician I

Marcus Savon – Medic & Tactician II

Ashley Diallio – Tech genius & Liaison II

Kaelen’s name was on the board. He was in our team. Why was he on our team? As if reading our racing thoughts Mr. Garrick said

“I know you are all shocked Kaelen is on there, unfortunately he isn’t disposable so he has been corrected and will follow orders.” He gave a smile and continued “You’ll meet him soon, long gold hair, green eyes and a tall frame, he’ll be impossible to miss.”

After three more hours of school, the bell finally rang to signal the end of school. My friends had their parents pick them up while I walked home. My house wasn’t far but I had this weird feeling my house was meant to be a bit farther. I shrugged it off. Airy head and this, I must be tired.

After dinner with my parents, I laid in bed trying to sleep. Thoughts of how and why Kaelen was back here, what did Mr. Garrick mean by corrected? All the teachers told us he won’t be coming back and now. I took a deep breath. Everything will be fine I’m Tech genius anyway, I won’t need to meet him often. I’ll be fine. I always was.

I drifted off to sleep listening to the quiet sounds of my parents turning of the lights in the house. Everything would be fine.

I woke up to a steady beeping. It wasn’t my alarm. Usually when I awoke there’d be sunlight on my face but not today. I opened my eyes. I wasn’t in my room. I sat up quickly then immediately regretted it as a wave of vertigo crashed over me forcing my eyes shut. There was a weight on my neck. I stayed still for a moment. When the nausea passed, I looked around, I really was not in my room.

It was a hospital room I think? I had tubes to my arms, a machine to the side of my bed showing my blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation. I was wearing a hospital gown and the weight on my neck was some kind of metal. A collar? Why was I wearing a collar. I swung my feet over the mattress prepared to walk to the mirror at a corner of the ro0m. My knees buckled and I had to hold the mattress for balance. Did someone kidnap me? Was I drugged? But why a sterile hospital room? I felt awful.

I dragged myself and the m0onitor to the mirror. I did have a collar it was cold and firm, I pulled and tried to take it off, but it didn’t budge. What was this? I could feel fear settling in the pit of my stomach. Was there a way to leave and go home?

I looked taller and not at all like a junior in high school but like someone halfway through university. This all felt wrong. Very wrong. I looked around looking for a door. There was one. I tried to steady my breathing as I gently turned the knob and opened the door.

The hallway was long and dimly lit. It was cool as if it had proper air conditioning. My heart was beating so loud it was the only sound I could hear in the hallway. I looked around there was no sign of people just doors and more doors along the hallway on both sides. I dragged the machine along with me as I went right and down the hallway.

I had found a stairwell. I only went down one flight to the next floor. This was a new set of doors, but it was brightly lit. The hallway was brightly lit. I turned left this time and started down. There was a bend ahead.

I heard something. I stopped walking. The sound came again. It was a dragging sort of sound like someone or something was finding it hard to move. Shadows were coming from the bend. I debated whether to go back to the stairwell or not. Going back will very much be the better option.

“It won’t be the better option.”

The voice was male. What was I still doing here. Wait how had he heard my thoughts?

He turned round the bend. His breathing ragged as he was dragging something. I couldn’t move. He came closer. He was stained with a lot of red, his gold hair was long and disheveled, some parts matted with blood I think? He was dragging a body in a lab coat. He was also in a hospital gown and he was bent dragging the body that was also stained with blood? Oil? Why was I still standing here. It was like I was frozen. I had to move.

There was at least four feet of space between us before he stopped and stood upright. He was tall. He ran a hand through his hair

“I apologize for not looking presentable.” He said the knife he was holding dripping.

Really? He was worried about being presentable? He had emeralds for eyes as he stared at me intently as if to study a specimen.

“Why are you awake?”

“I don’t know, why are you?”

He let out a long shuddering sigh as his shoulders sagged. He didn’t have a collar but there were heavy scars all over his neck. What happened to him?

“You need to go back to sleep” He said like he was giving orders as a boss.

“Why?” I took in all his physical properties, for some reason I felt he’d be an older version of Kaelen. Wait could he be Kaelen? If I looked older here, could he? I felt my heart drop. I.. I can’t be in here with him, could I? He killed his closest friends! Like some… some sociopath! For some blasted reason I still couldn’t move!

“You really think that?” He sounded dejected. He smiled weakly “Of course you’d think that. Truth has no meaning to them anyway.”

Before I could reply. There was a huge slow deafening boom of iron hitting tiles followed by a loud hiss of steam. It sounded a bit louder as whatever that was came closer. He gripped his knife tighter as we both faced bend.

“You should have really gone back to sleep.” He said