A fortnight after the arrival of Fae.
Lamark is sitting at a table in the cafeteria, poking at the remnants of his meal, turning the juice box in his hand over and over, contemplating it with a pensive look.As usual, the other kids are leaving Goatface sit alone, while they bunch up around one of the other tables.Abruptly setting down the juice box, he stares intently at an empty seat at one of the other tables.
[...]
Startled, he almost jumps up from his seat. He does manage to push his tray onto the floor.It was not really audible - in so much as telepathy can be considered audible, there was something there, though.Red-faced and muttering, he gets up and starts cleaning up the mess, to the unveiled delight of the other table.
Dylan walks into the cafeteria soon after. Papa Gregg walking side by side as he writes down on a page within the clipboard. "Alright Dylan. It seems your progress may be a little clouded.it takes a few days for some of the children's gifts to kick in. It'll come." He looks down at Dylan, smiles briefly pats his shoulder and walks away. Dylan looks around and sees Lamark on the floor picking up his tray. He walks over, waving at Josh and his group as he makes way to Lamark. He goes down on his knees and looks at him. "Let me help with that?" He begins picking up the plastic fork, and the packaged apples.
Lamark flinches as Dylan crouches down and withdraws a little. Seeing Papa Gregg there as well, he evidently resigns to accept the help. "Thank you," he says. "You didn't have to. But thank you." Between the two of them, the mess is quickly disposed of and Lamark nods in gratitude to Dylan. "Thank you, 18-8. You were very kind to help me." Dylan stands up and takes a seat in front of Lamark, his hair now a little grown. He smiles at Lamark, then looks back at his original group. "That's my group. I haven't spoken to my best friend in some time, kinda avoiding her. Would you like to come or would you like to sit here?" Dylan asks, opening up his biscuits, looking down at the packet. The packet rustling as it opens. Lamark eyes the distant table with a thoughtful expression. It takes a moment, before he answers. "Alright, " he simply says and takes the tray with the bits of food gathered from the floor with him. "Hello. I'm 13-2," he introduces himself. The group turns their heads and stop mid conversation analysing Lamark and his features. Linda and Roach were the first to smile, while Manny nudged Josh in the ribs to speak up. "Hey Dylan. Hello 13-2, I'm Josh, well since you're being a little formal I'm 13-5." Josh smiles in greeting looking a little nervous. He looks towards his group and introduced them. Dylan took a seat, patting the seat next to him for Lamark to sit down. "Sorry man this is so cool. Are we actually gonna sit with number one?" Roach says excitedly, whistling and chuckling. Linda pinched his leg causing him to jump and since when he hit his knee on the table. "You're embarrassing us." Linda looks at him, then at Lamark and smiled. She puts a strand of hair behind her ear. Fae sits on the other side of Dylan, and nods over to Lamark "Hey, kid." She says, smiling briefly at him. Dylan notices Fae taking a test next to him and he smiles. He chewed down his food and waved over the other members left in conversation. "Guys this is Fae, she's a friend of mine." Dylan says alerting the others, eyes falling onto the new member. After an awkward silence Linda leaned over Manny reaching out a hand and smiled warmly tucking a short piece of her cut hair behind her ear. "I'm Linda." As everyone looks as her, Fae snugs closer to Dylan for comfort. She holds out her hand, meeting Linda's "Hey, Linda." She shakes the hand and retrieves it back.
Everyone looked around and ate in silence. Manny looked at Lamark as he ate. He kept on whispering near Roach's ear. Dylan turned to look at him and noticed Manny shaking his head hesitantly. His whispers becoming louder and sharper. Words could be heard. Roach cleared his throat, Manny put down his biscuit and looked at Lamark."Hey man, you've been here longer than us. Anything you can tell us? Anything we ... don't know?" He looks at Lamark with a knowing look and a smirk finding it's way into his face. Everyone leaned in closer and listened. Linda wrapped her arm around Roach's. Eyes fell on Lamark. "I guess.. you could call me Lamark. But the Papas and the Mamas won't like it," Lamark half says, half sighs. His orangy eyes wander from person to person. There's an expression of weary longing in them. "I..am actually not sure how it goes for you. I mean people who didn't come down from the top floor. From infant to adolescent, I mean. St.. I mean 05-16..I guess I mean Stella. We grew up together. 8-12 was actually there before us. He could do something with I guess what you call phones? Electronics, I suppose. He's the reason the locks are mechanical now. Even if he's no longer here. When your.. gift has been thoroughly vetted and the Mama or Papa watching you is happy with your progress, the Fetchers come and bring you somewhere they call Topside. That's where you're supposed to live and use your Gift," Lamark surprises himself with a lengthy speech.
Self-consciously, he occupies himself with the dirty remains on the tray in front of him.
YOU ARE READING
Children of the New Dawn n-logy: Book 1 - Facilitated.
Fantasy"Walk in the world of those gifted, and live life as they do with what may be a curse. Years later, children have been diagnosed with strange abilities and live their lives serving for others. Forgetting and leaving their old selves in the past. Unt...
