the game

hurt feelings

KATIE

I'm standing at the platform to army. It's the towering building next to the other one, meeting with the arena in the middle. It's such an odd sight I don't know what to do about it. I gulp and step inside.
The whole place smells metalic. I can hear the sounds of people passing by, cranking from machines just out of sight. What they all do it's hard to say. Looking up though, my questions are shortly answered. There's staircases moving on a timer marked by an alarm.
"That can't be safe. What if you fall," I feel myself trying to back up. Then I feel a hand at my back.
"Katie we've got our crystals. Oh yeah speaking of we need our regeneration pad," Amy starts walking away. I can only assume what she might be talking about.
Im still frozen to the floor. This place. It looks like a large engineer had placed each part—each classroom. It's a silver beast in process.
"Most of the bridges or analyzing students come here," a deep voice speaks behind me. My eyes shift up to see a man. He must be in his late thirties.
"But you're not here because you don't have powers; are you?" His eyes squint like he's trying to pin down my motives. I blink.
"You're one of my students," the man smiles.
"Have a good day," and then the man saunters away.
"Come on," Amy shouts from the other side of the building.
I laugh and catch up to her.
"They'll have a spot for our regeneration pads in the closet Im sure of it," Amy speaks as if in fact.
"I guess They'll have to link us somehow," she's still speaking jibberish.
She looks over at me as we approach the elevator.
"Oops," My body rams hard into something. I look up and my heart slams into my throat. "Sorry Katie, my mistake, how can I make it up to you?" It's Ken smelling as woodsy as ever.
I blink. I forgot we was in this dorm.
His hand reaches down and feels the back of my hand.
"You're as rejuvenating as ever," and then with a wink he walks away.
Im frozen in place.
"What the hell," I say under my breath.
"I thought you said he hated you?" Amy whispers back.
"He does!" I shout. She jumps back.
The elevator doors open and she pulls me inside.
Amy looks at me expectantly as the door closes.
"It's nothing. Im sure it's nothing," I gulp. It has to be nothing. Something is very very wrong with this picture. I thought for sure he'd be with kally and Luke this year in Jaden university, so why is he here? He wants to be in the guard too. This is wrong.

TERRENCE

I don't know where to start.
My eyes are looking at a piece of paper I keep stuffed behind my pillow.
When the projected future members of council were announced at the celebration I wrote the names down.
There are only a few left graduating in our year.

Tigris is a void. Someone who absorbs energy through their body on command.

Dimitri is a gravity warper. He picks and angle and pulls in a small radius. It changes based on his optical perspective.

Katie is an electrode whose crystal is as powerful as an original's.

And Kassie.
It's odd to put Kassie on this list. She can't have anything to do with my dad's death.
But it's odd to think about Katie that way either. But of all of the names above. I have a sickening feeling I'll have to ask the two of them the most.
I gulp.
The other two I'll have to get to know once I'm on the battle field.
The one I wish I could talk to first is Katie. But she's in army university. The only way to communicate is during the game.
And that isn't for a few weeks.
My pulse is racing but before I can do anything else the light on the ceiling goes out.
"Lights off is mandatory from 11am-6pm." The panel in my door states.
I stuff the paper back under my pillow.
It's odd being here. It's almost like home. It feels cold. Lonely and soaked in dread.
A prison for my soul.
I will not rest until I kill the person responsible for this though.
I will not stop until their neck is between my fingers.
I close my eyes.
At least I have one thing to live for. A goal to chase. Something to keep my mind off of the hole where my dad should be.
It's been a year now since I've seen him home. Why did he do it? What could possibly be more important than staying around for your son? It's not fair. None of it is. And there has to be some way to make it better. To make it back to where is was before. To make. But I can't wish that. My dad is never coming back. He's gone for good. I'm alone now.
There's no way to make him regenerate.