Division Forty One

Three - New Age

Suddenly, an awkward silence fell between everyone. Some stared to the opposite sides of the circle, and some looked plainly up at the sky. Others seemed to be darting their eyes around in fear. Almost a minute had passed since Flores had left the room. Belle felt the urge to break this great silence, but before she did so the fiery-haired girl next to her stood up and spoke.

"I apologise for saying so, but have you all forgotten how to talk?"

Her words seemed to ignite a chain of replies from the others.

"No, of course not", sarcastically said another girl, on Belle's right hand side. She was wearing sunglasses, and spoke in a mean kind of way. The sort of voice you'd associate with a popular girl, maybe even a bully.

Will then piped up. "I guess we have a lot to talk about. Where do we start?"

Silence ensued again over the room, before the girl who spoke first did so again.

"How about we all go around, starting here. We'll state our names, and when we were living before now. How does that sound?"

People were generally nodding. So it started.

The boy on the far left started. He was the one who seemed confused earlier.

"I-I'm Phil. Philip King. 1896. I-I'm scared. What is this place?" Belle seemed to be right about him being from the earliest period here. His eyes continued darting across the hall nervously. The redhead girl put her arm around him, smiling encouragingly.

"Oh, it's me next it seems. I'm Tansy Green, from 1934." She said this confidently, and in a way she seemed a bit ahead of her time.. Belle had already taken a liking to her. She seemed kind, and somewhat like a motherly figure since she appeared to be one of the oldest.

After she was done, Belle realised it was now her turn. "It's Belle Ashley. I'm from 2021." she exclaimed abruptly.

Will's turn was next. Simply, he said "William." There was a pause. "Everett.", and Belle smiled at him. He went on to say "Looks like I'm from what you all would call the future. I'm living in 2119."

People from around the room were looking around, mainly at Belle and Will. Belle assumed most of the rest of the people were from earlier periods than them.

Next was the boy sitting next to Will. He had shoulder length curtains of hair, his face partly draped with it. When he spoke he did so in a deep, attractive voice.

"Me? I'm Eddie Scott. From the amazing year of 1974. Hey, 2021. 2119. I've been meaning to ask you. Have you ever heard of this band? Always wanted to know if we'd get big. We're the-"

Sunglasses girl interrupted. "We can talk about that later, Eddie Scott. Let us all have a turn. Don't steal my spotlight." She stood up confidently and adjusted her glasses. Belle wondered where she had got them from when they woke up with no accessories at all. But her presence alone wanted Belle to look at her so she did.

"If you should know, Paris McKenzie. I'm not really used to introducing myself to people because back when I'm from it's hard to find someone who doesn't know me." she scoffed. "I'm from 2004, I must add." She opened her mouth again and started rambling even more.

"I don't think we need to hear any more of that, you little hypocrite. You told me to stop speaking, but my band is more important than whatever silly little clique you have at your damn school." It was Eddie speaking again.

"Do I look like I have even the slightest cares about your band? Hell, you're worse than the boys in my neighbourhood! If I only had what you call my 'little clique' here with you. I swear on my life, we would-"

"You two, let's quit arguing!" This time it was Belle, speaking up. "How about you go next?", she asked, gesturing to another girl who sat next to Paris.

Barely a moment after she finished speaking, the other girl spoke. She had thin slanted eyes, and her lips were pursed.

"Lucinda Machenet. 1948." Another moment of silence fell across the room. "That's all I had to say. What were you all expecting?" Silence again for about two seconds.

Tansy spoke up again. "Ok then... how about you introduce yourself now?" she asked as she pointed at the next girl.

She had a short stature, deep complexion and glistening black eyes which made her look sweet and also slightly innocent. She could easily have been younger than Belle. Maybe eleven years old? Twelve? "Clover Tilbury", she said, almost like a whisper. "I-I'm from 1912." Tansy nodded back at her in acknowledgement. "That's just a few years before I was born, actually."

Belle spoke next, looking at the girl at the end. She was the one who didn't have a unit partner, and was still sitting nervously, turning away from the others as if not to garner attention. Her hair was a plain shade of silvery grey. Coincidentally, her sweatshirt was the same colour

"Are you OK?", she asked. "Is it alright-if you introduce yourself?"

Still no answer came from her pale lips and she remained silent as a mouse. "You're from the 2940s, aren't you? That time period hasn't come up yet. Do you mind just telling us your name?" Still no answer from the girl. She continued sitting on her chair shyly.

"2940s?" asked Philip in shock. "I-I've never been able to imagine a time like that. Do people not just talk at that time?"

"I'm guessing it's probably run by robots or AI or something like that." stated Belle. Then to everyone's surprise the silver-haired girl spoke. She didn't do so quietly and softly like Clover, or loudly like Paris. Her voice wasn flat, and it seemed to be devoid of much emotion. But it did not sound in any way at all robotic.

"No, it's fine. We talk. Us humans, we still have a deal of control even if the world may not be fully our world anymore." she tossed a lock of her hair behind her shoulder, uncovering it slightly to reveal her deep grey eyes. She was undeniably beautiful.

Everyone was intrigued as to what the girl was saying.

"My name is 99999999. But please call me Melody." Wow, was the first thing Belle thought. She thought the numbers in Will's name were odd. But being called just numbers? Even weirder. Belle waited for Melody to say more but she had turned away.

Philip spoke up a few seconds after. "I feel pretty hungry. Hopefully it won't be a long time until we have our meal." The people in the room nodded.