Blue

3: LIKE ALL OF US

I am sitting inside a classroom that doesn't feel like one. There are tables and chairs but also sofas and blankets and it is lit with candles. It feels so cozy that I might have dozed off by now if I wasn't recovering from the shock I just received a while ago. Not just my name, literally everything, how? I think about the clothes I was wearing earlier when I got on the bus , the clothes with splashed tea all over it , the clothes I wore this morning to university not knowing it will be my last day there. Then how? Was I wearing my student Id card by any chance? But I clearly remember throwing it in the trash on my way to the bus station.Then I remember those other few kids who just like me were not wearing the uniform and seemed foreign , I tried to remember their faces but I can't as I was too tired and slept most of the journey. It might have taken like 45 whole minutes to reach here by the estimate of my mind clock and my mind clock has almost always been right thanks to anxiety. I am lost in my thoughts when someone taps on my desk. "Hey do you mind If I sit beside you? I am 97" He gives me a full teeth smile. I can't remember the last time I smiled like this. He has the blue eyes that you can't look into , the stare feels like sunlight focused through a lens at your soul. I nod at him. I have so many questions to get answered about this bizarre place and making a friend won't hurt anyway. "Do you need a blanket?" he asks me while settling down. A blanket? I stare at him in confusion.Then he unzips his backpack and pulls out a comfy blanket which seems new and not completely worn out like the ones present in the classroom." Here , I just bought it today but you're a freshie so consider it as a welcome gift." He grins at me, handing me the blanket. I look around the classroom and suddenly catch a glimpse of the 177 guy sitting on the bus beside me. He is sitting beside the girl who gave me her seat , I try to read the tag on her shirt. It says 176. Woah, they must have joined together. 177 catches me looking at them and gives me an eyeroll. I eye roll back and look away. Rude asshole
"Are they , are they related?" I ask 97 who is resting his head on the desk and doodling circles on it while he hums a song I can't comprehend. He looks up at my question. I point at 176 and 177 with my eyes. He gets up follows my gaze. "Oh them. Yes they're related"
He says matter-of-factly. "How?" I question, wanting to know more.
He looks at me all serious this time, examining my face. My face feels like burning.He looks away after a while. " Like all of us are." He says putting his head back on the desk. Like all of us are? God this is going to take patience.

"Welcome to salvation to those of you who are new here ." The teacher says with a warm smile. He is a chubby guy in his mid 40s , wearing a worn out blazer. That's the ugliest sweater I have ever seen, I think. Hold on , salvation? Is this what the school is called ? " Yes that is the name of the school , it was written over the board outside but you might not have understood it as it was in code script." I turn my head sharply to look at 97. How did he know what I was thinking? It's like he read my mind and what is code script? The teacher continues speaking so I look back , "Raise your hands sweethearts so we can have a little introduction." Nobody raises their hands. I look around to find everyone staring at me. Where are the other kids? Were they new or just not in their uniforms? If the latter case is true I must be in trouble then. Maybe they are in other classes. I reassure myself and raise my hand slowly. "Would you like coming up here sweetheart?" he asks kindly. God I hate this. Why do I even have to introduce myself? I am not even sure how long I am going to stay here. "Dont worry its not going to be what you expect." 97 whispers to me. I get up and walk to the front of the class barely finding my way because of the dim lighted candles. "Okay 109 , just tell us three things you like , it can be anything , even a person." The class laughs in unison. Doesn't he get tired of smiling? I wonder. My throat feels completely dry. I don't know how to answer this question. If I still liked something about life, I wouldn't be here.

I am walking in a hallway so narrow that only two people can walk beside each other at max. The class ended 5 minutes ago and it was the most unusual lecture I have ever sat in. When the teacher wrote biology on the board I had groaned inside because of how much I hate this subject but it was quite different from what you study in actual biology. He told us about how humans are a different being than others and the reason for it is our brain. He said that our emotions are nothing as compared to our thoughts and how our thoughts are the reason we even have human emotions in the first place. To be honest it sounded simple but also quite insightful and I didnt feel sleepy even in such a drowsy environment. That is a first for me. "Where are we headed to?" I ask 97. He is walking beside me but busy in a conversation with some kids who are behind us. They are talking about some cool place they went to, excitedly that I have no idea about. "The hunger hall" he replies, continuing his conversation with the other kids. The hunger hall? If this is what they call a cafeteria then it's bonkers.

It is a huge hall with no tables or chairs like a usual cafeteria. The floors are covered with dark blue rugs. The room is completely packed with kids and they are hunched over silver bowls gobbling their food as if they have been starving for days. I stare in disbelief. No sight of a phone in hand, kids in conversation , or bullying like what happened in my school cafeteria. "Are we going to sit on the floor? And where do we wash our hands..?" I ask 97 while still examining the room, but he is no longer by my side and is down on the rug filling two bowls with rice. "Missing your warm meals already freshie?" someone says mockingly passing me by. I realize it's 177 , he intentionally bumps his shoulder with mines as he passes by. "Ouch" I mutter. Of Course it's him. Jerk. "Sit down quickly unless you want to sleep on a hungry stomach dude," 97 says, pulling my hand to motion me to sit. I am contemplating whether I should sit or go look for a bathroom at least so I can wash my hands because I clearly remember falling flat on that dirty bus floor earlier, when someone pushes me aside and sits down next to 97 taking the bowl he filled for me. "Hey 97 , wana hang out tonight? We all are going, it's going to be a lot of fun?" She has the same high pitched voice as the girl I used to have beef with at university. I don't have the energy to deal with another one of the same kind of people so I turn back to exit the hall to find a restroom. As I am leaving I can hear 97 reply to her faintly , "I don't feel like it tonight , plus I have someone to look after for now , wait where is 109..." I leave the hall.

The crowded hallways are all empty. That means everyone must be in the hunger hall. It's a perfect opportunity to explore this place. I pass by a giant wooden wall clock as I look around , it says 9:00. Thankgod something is not in that damn script code here for once. Suddenly I come to a halt as I hear a familiar voice around the bend. I hide behind the wall and try to listen intently.
"Didn't you see her earlier? She looks like she has given up completely." someone says in an angry whisper. I don't recognize who is speaking.
"No, she is just tired. I got her name on the list. I told you this before , she'll stay" , I immediately recognize this second voice it's the bus conductor.
I wonder who these two men are talking about.
"Matthew we can't risk this-" says the other man, still disappointed.
Matthew interrupts him "This is the final word, Carla belongs here." He says sternly.
I cover my mouth with my hands.