Forbidden Enchantment Series: The Virus

The Mosaic Doors

 I woke the next day to the sound of a woman's voice over the announcement-intercom stating the time, nine o'clock. I groaned aloud, I had slept in. The first part of the "growing up" course is attending an assembly-training where all the transfers come together, and explore the possible careers to see which they would most enjoy. There are leaders, trained for the position, that help guide their patient's decisions. This assembly began at ten, and it was mandatory that I was there early to complete a few procedures before the meeting. I cast my coverings aside and the bitter cold surrounded my bare feet. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and glided over to my closet. It was a big closet, big enough to fit two people and still have elbow room. The shelving lined both sides and at the back was a hanging rack. I slipped off my nightgown and reached for the outfit I had laid out the night before. Black jeans, black and grey shirt, grey jacket, and black boots. We couldn't stand out at the assembly; everyone was required to wear grey and black. After I dressed I quickly braided my hair into my usual French braid. I had hoped I would've had time to curl it and apply some makeup to my blotchy face. My small alarm clock read nine fifteen; I had to leave now to make it in time. I walked out and saw Willow a few houses down also coming out. She looked beautiful with her soft red hair gently wrapped around a black headband, her freckled face lightly brushed with blush and foundation, and her lips touched with a soft bronze lip color. She wore a grey shirt, grey jacket, black jeans, and grey boots. She looked in my direction and I suddenly felt embarrassed at my own appearance. Her green eyes sparkled as she saw me. Her feet tucked in the grey boots skipped over to meet me. My face turned crimson and I hide it in the collar of my jacket.

"Em you look gorgeous" she said smiling. I looked at her sternly.

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not, I promise" she said wrinkling her brow.

"Well you look absolutely ravishing Will and that's more that could be said about me" I said brushing her cheek with the back of my hand. She looked at her feet and flushed. "Now we must hurry or we'll be late" I stated grabbing her jacket and pulling her with me.

We walked swiftly to a large building on the far side of the housing-community and walked through a heavy set of glass doors that were probably about ten feet in height. Willow grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. We made eye-contact and smiled nervously. A lady in a small blue coat sat at a wide dark-stained work-table, her fingers busily pressing the keyboard in front of her, staring at a computer screen, floating in the air. As we approached her desk she looked up. I smiled warmly, but it was returned with a cold stare.

"Ember Fremont and Willow Adara" Willow said smiling. There was a moment of silence. Then the lady looked down at her keyboard and began typing, saying nothing. I examined her blue coat closer and spotted a name tag. In small black letters was her name "ZOE DURAND". Her figure was straight and strict, far from comforting. Her hair was a single-toned brown twisted and clipped up. Her eyes were the same boring brown. They moved from side-to-side as she read the contents on the screen. Finally she tapped the small levitated mouse to her right and the sound of a paper-inker sounded. She grabbed the papers from the machine, straightened them, fused them, and handed a small stack to each of us. I looked at first page. It had my name on it, along with information about me. My parents, my old segment, medical history, and school grades were all included in the file.

"Down the hall and through the large doors, there your decision assistants will be waiting to take you to your first career section." She said without making eye contact. I felt like she was in her own world, and cared not about the people around her. It frustrated me. I clenched my fist and thanked her. Willow sensed my frustration and tried to remove it with a concerned smile. We followed her instructions, and found our assistants. They greeted us with warm smiles and I was glad they weren't stiff and strict like the lady at the desk.

"Hello" the girl on the left said bobbing her head a little and grinning wide. "I'm Kendra, a volunteer that has been trained to assist you in making your career choice." She was talking to Willow. I was half relieved. Kendra was a bit too cheery for me. She continued on with her obviously-thought-out speech to Willow. I looked around the room we were in. The doors were about five feet behind us. Across the small square room there was an identical set. Both had stained glass triangles close to the top of the frame, the only thing that set them apart from the doors behind us. It was the only color and dimension in the room besides the two water fountains on either side.

I stared at the intricate pattern of the mosaic stained glass. The vibrant reds, blues, greens, and yellows caught my attention. The colors shone on the floor by Kendra's feet. I wondered what lied beyond the unusual panes. Willow elbowed and glared at me. I hadn't been paying attention. I gave her the look to tell her so, a questionable look. She raised her eyebrows and looked past my face. I studied the direction her eyes took and realized the man to the right of Kendra was signaling me to follow him. I reacted, skipping into his shadow and trailing him towards the glass doors. I was more motivated now, eager to see what lay beyond the vibrant doors that had captured my attention.