The Mysterious Door

Chapter 1

The light sends needles prickling throughout my entire body as I open my eyes and my limbs wake after who knows how long. I try to find the source and block it with a flailing hand before I manage to open my eyes completely.

I take in the entirety of the white mass in front of me. I seem to be in the far left of a line of rooms, each one completely white except for a wooden desk and chair. Glass sliding doors at the foot of the bed lead into a hallway where another line of rooms mirrors ours. To my right my room and the next is split by a single sheet of glass. This room, however, is occupied by a girl sitting on the bed, her head resting on her knees, black hair is flowing down around her.

I throw my legs off the bed, my bare feet shuddering at the unfamiliarity of the wool carpet. Tiny pins tickle my feet in their waking, traveling all the way up to my thigh as I make my way over to the window. "Hey there," I say awkwardly "Do you know where we are?"

There's no change in her posture, so I knock on the glass. She lifts her head, slowly brushing the hair out of her face. Our eyes lock through the glass and I can see the confusion in them as she scans my face.

"Hey," I try again, "Where are we?" she says nothing once again, only shrugs, putting her fingers to her lips and points at the glass dividing us. It must be soundproof. I nod, not sure what to make of this situation.

I walk to the sliding doors, examining the occupants of the rooms within my line of vision. Across from me is a boy with dark brown hair. His eyes are closed while he leans against the wall, holding an object that glints as he twirls it around in his hand, a knife!

Next to him, another boy with bright red hair is pacing back and forth between the door and the far wall. By the look on his face he's either going crazy or has a fear of confined spaces. Whichever it is, he doesn't seem to be holding up too well.

The last room across the hall that I can see is occupied by a frail looking boy. His body is as thin as wire, the skin stretched tightly across his bones. The outline of his ribcage is clear through the sweat soaked white shirt clinging to his body. He looks like he hasn't eaten in days. I really hope they aren't going to starve us. I already miss my dad's cooking.

I look to my right, locking eyes with the girl in the chamber two from mine. Her lips twist into feint, reassuring smile. She turns around, walking away from the door, pink hair swaying behind her.

How the hell did I get here? Wait! Maybe this is hell! Yes, that must be it. I fell in the duck pond, hit my head on a rock, drowned and ended up here, in this never-ending white captivity, doomed to spend the rest of my time staring at the sullen faces of the other captives.

I get a sudden shock vibrating through my bones as a voice penetrates through the walls, from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, "Good morning, candidates, and welcome one and all. I think it's about time I properly introduce myself now that everyone is finally here. Please make your way to the training room at the end of the hall. The proceedings will commence immediately." The sound stops abruptly and is quickly replaced by a collection of hisses as all the sliding doors open at once.

I step over the threshold into a long hallway adorned with what must be two dozen confused faces. I scan through them quickly, looking for a familiar one, but find none. I start walking, my legs following the flock of footsteps towards the door and my mind a million miles away, when I am stopped by a sudden blur jumping in front of me, sending me sprawling back, fighting to maintain my balance.

"It's Cindy," she says, "And you are?"

"Jake," I say, trying to regain my composure, "Do you have any idea what this is about?"