The Program [COMPLETED]

Chapter One

Aiden jolted awake, his eyes flying open and beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.

The nightmare was still fresh in his mind; the battered cages, the toxic water and the boy's dead body. Gradually, he sat up, placing his head in his hands and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Aiden was accustomed to nightmares. Most Programmers were. However, they were forbidden to talk about them, and those who did speak of them were severely punished. Aiden had learned over his past twelve years invested in the Program to respect the rules, and so he did. His nightmares were his to face alone. 

His body felt shaky as he rose from the bed, his feet touching the ground and immediately retracting from the cold. Creatan winters were always harsh, but Aiden had never grown used to the bitter winter weather. Just as the summers were hot and dry, the winters were the exact opposite. He sighed, treading quickly to his bathroom, where he peeled off his sweaty clothes and stepped into the sanctuary of his hot shower.

Warm water bathed over him as he stood amongst the white, industrial tiles that lined the shower. The realness of his nightmare was beginning to ebb away now, as it usually did. Aiden wasn't sure just how terrible other Programmers' nightmares could be, but he hardly believed that they could possibly be any worse than his. In addition to the dreams, Aiden would get pounding headaches that left him virtually incapacitated. He would see glimpses of things he couldn't understand, but never be able to piece them together. Small things he could never quite grasp. Sometimes the thought made him sad, but he knew it was for the best. He was a Lieutenant of the Program, and he was indebted to serve the people of Creatan. He couldn't serve his country to his fullest potential if he carried baggage with him. The Program knew that any soldier with a family would be vulnerable to opposing forces, and might risk the security of their Unit. Therefore, all knowledge of their past lives were taken from them to prevent such a crisis.

Aiden turned off the shower and stepped into the bathroom, steam billowing around him. He dried himself off with a towel and ran back into his bunk to change. He quickly chose a gray t-shirt and navy army pants. His dog tag hung on the hook beside his metal dresser, and he grabbed it before returning to the bathroom. He changed into his clothes and stared at himself in the mirror.

Aiden ran his fingers through his damp brown hair. He brushed by the scar across his skull, from where his surgery had occurred when the Program took his memories. He brushed his teeth and quickly combed his hair. He kept an eye on himself the entire time, his grayish eyes methodical and calculated. He felt the sides of his face, stubble scratching at his fingertips. He frowned. He figured that he should shave sometime later tonight, before bed. The idea seemed to satisfy him, and he splashed water onto his face before exiting the bathroom and entering the remainder of his bunk.

Aiden had one of the standard bunks the Program offered. His small room consisted of a large bed, a metal nightstand, a simple dresser, an extra chair and a bathroom, complete with a shower, sink and toilet. It suited Aiden just fine, and he'd called it home for over six years. Other, more sophisticated bunks were provided for the higher ranking recruits, such as the Colonels and the Lieutenant Generals. Lieutenant Generals were known as Officials, and they avidly roamed the Units, patrolling and keeping the other soldiers in line. They served the head of the Program, General Dominic Xylem himself - just as every other Programmer did - but with far more authority than an average soldier like Aiden.

He checked a nearby clock on the wall. E
Oh-eight-hundred hours. Breakfast time. He checked a slot on the wall, which supplied him with his daily schedule along with regular news from Creatan. He let out a deep sigh as he noticed the date. How could he have forgotten it was Consignment Day?

Just then, he heard a loud banging on his door. Aiden turned around, rolled his eyes, and pressed the door entry button on the wall. In walked Virgil, Aiden's best friend. He was Aiden's age, with sleek black hair and warm brown eyes. He was a strong recruit; handsome, and often favored by the girls in the Program. He leaned against the doorway, grinning.