The Cracks in the Crystal Ball

8. The Extermination

"Left dead again and nobody cares
Carved out my dignity and left in despair
You know I gave it all, embraced the fall
I sewed myself together just to slit the throat of pressure"- Buried Alive~ Get Scared

——————————
Dream/ flashback
——————————
Jack had my left arm and Amber had my right. They were dragging my limp body backwards towards my room. I was 'defective'. I remembered that much, everything else was just a haze.
We passed Jessie's room, Isaac's room and Lola's room before we got to mine, except they were all sitting in their rooms the same. They were sat on a stool in the middle and were looking out of the 'window' to their right (the window actually was just a glass square on the wall with the concrete bricks behind it, as the rooms were next to each other) at the painted scenery. Their faces were blank and lifeless, the light I had once seen glisten in their eyes had faded, the dazzling smiles they held were no more. They looked... Broken almost.
Jessie was a pale, ginger girl who had a bright and bubbly personality. She had experienced problems as a toddler but now, at seven, her life was seeming better.
Isaac was a tanned (I think from Mexico), dark haired boy who was very quiet and shy, yet I had the pleasure of knowing his true, and kind side. He came out of his shell when he was around me or Jessie, he never cared much for Lola.
Lola was by far the prettiest girl out of us three, and she was my first crush. She had long, mousy brown hair that cascaded down her back. She was slender yet tall, with striking green eyes. She was also my best friend.
But now I barely recognised them, without their sparkling eyes or bright smiles, they seemed broken. As we approached my room Jack and Amber tightened their grip on my arms, we kept walking.
I was great friends with Jack before we were taken and I only met Amber in this place.
I looked over at him, using my eyes to beg him 'no'. I couldn't spend another night in that... That hell hole. We approached the dark room and I pulled at my arms, desperate to break free. The doorway grew closer and closer and my hope faded. Jack was brainwashed, he'd never help me. I felt the hands travel to my wrists where I was handcuffed and then I was thrown forcefully into the padded cell. With my hands behind my back I had no way to break my fall, I fell straight onto my face, and I was pretty sure I broke my nose. I could feel the blood rushing down the back of my throat and out of my nose, dripping off of my chin slowly. I grimaced, I hated blood. The black padding that surrounded me was barely visible as it was, and then the door was shut. Bang!
And that was it. The torture begun. My anxiety came on almost immediately. For someone with a fear of the dark, and claustrophobia, a pitch black, circular, padded  room was my worst nightmare. The only light I had was when the latch was opened to have food pushed through, or orders shouted. I wasn't allowed to sit or lean on the walls during the day and at night I had to lay in the centre of the room, if I did anything else and was caught a guard would come and bang on the door and shout an order through.
Sometimes Lola would try and communicate (as she was the last room before mine and then the dark room) by tapping on the pipes or on the walls but I had no way to talk back. I tried to count the days one time, scratching into the wall with my nail, but they saw me and blindfolded me while they changed the padding. Then they did my monthly check, like they always do. They used to sedate you, and as the wheeled you away on the gurney, you could just make out the faces of the doctors taking you before it faded to black.
After six monthly checks, I was let back into my normal room. I finally began to relax. I spent that day looking at a picture I had drawn of the four of us together, not just that, but happy. We were all holding hands and smiling. I had stuck it onto the back wall where I could sit and imagine it was real, with it was real. But it wasn't.
The day went as usual apart from one thing, the bell. We normally have a lunch bell but that day it went off too early. I heard the bell and stood by my door, waiting for it to open, and I heard the other doors open, but mine didn't. I put it down to certain people being taken to do something, like be briefed or do a job.
When it got to lunch that day I ran straight out into the courtyard without getting food, like I always did, and scanned the area. No Lola, no Jessie, no Isaac. Actually, there was no one there at all. I shrugged and walked over to the kitchen to get my food. I approached the lunch lady and grabbed a tray, but it was only as I set my tray down in front of her that I realised she wasn't the usual person- Belinda, and she wasn't dressed in the uniform. By then it was too late. I turned to run, but I was grabbed by two men I'd never seen before. One was wearing a red ski mask and the other a blue. They both had black suits on. They tied a piece of cloth around my head to act as a blindfold and led me out of the room. I guess they thought I was stupid because they spoke to each other about the organisation and their intentions extremely openly. I didn't quite catch all of it as they were barely whispering. I picked up on a few interesting things. Mr. Red spoke first.

"Did you hear about the extermination?"
"What do you think we are doing, dumbass?"
"Oh, right, I guess so, she's the last, isn't she?"
"Technically yes, but we still have to dispose of the others."

Dispose? I thought. Hmm, was I being taken to be disposed? And others? What did that mean?

"What happened to the chosen one?"
"Who, the boy?"
"Yeah, him."
"He's in final testing."
"I can't wait for him to become leader."
"New world could do with someone more experienced I think. I'm surprised Major didn't chose one of the guards or seniors."
"What like you? That's rich."
"No, not me. Maybe Caleb, or Casper."

Casper... Amy's Casper? Final testing?

"Yeah, Casper's been assigned though, hasn't he?"
"Well Major wants him to infiltrate the whole family, and keep them all in check. Make sure no one remembers enough to incriminate us."
"Good point Steve, they might remember too much, the serums worn off before."
"It's time Ben. We have to get going. Now."

All of a sudden we started running, I must not have been running fast enough as quickly I was picked up and slung over one of their shoulders. After a few minutes they came to a standstill. The sounds of car doors echoed around me. Then I felt myself being bundled into what I can only assume to be a car boot.
The air smelt musty and I found it very hard to breathe. Luckily my hands were free so I could stop myself from hitting the walls as we went over bumps and turned.
After what felt like forever the boot was opened, sending a rush of cold, fresh air in. I took a deep breath as I was picked up once more and waited to be put down. When I was my blindfold was pulled down so it hung loosely around my neck. Finally I could see the two men properly. Mr. Red -Ben- took his mask off to reveal a man of about thirty with messy blonde hair and brown eyes. He had a few wrinkles but he was well kept. He was broad and muscular with multiple tattoos, I assumed he had been the one carrying me. Mr. Blue -Steve- took his off as Ben did. Steve was a young man, probably around mid twenties, with jet black hair and bright blue eyes. He was no where near as muscular as Ben but he was still kinda scary. It didn't help that he was covered in scars, including one that went from the tip of his eyebrow, across his eye, and finished at the centre of his nose.
I also noticed that we were standing on a beach. It was early evening, the sand was a dark gold and the sea a clear blue.
Ben's phone buzzed and Steve looked over in concern.
"The major." Ben said, shrugging.
He answered the phone and instantly his calm expression changed. The jokey smile he had shattered into tiny specks and a wave of fear rippled across his face. He glanced down at his flashy watch and then ran his hand over his face.
"Okay boss. Understood." He said quickly and put the phone in the back pocket of his jeans.
He placed an open hand on my back and forcefully pushed me down the sea front. We walked slowly, but at a steady pace. The silence was deafening. I pleaded mentally for one of them to say something. Anything is better than silence. The waves crashed against the shore quietly, calming my panicked mind ever so slightly. We reached a small shack, on the edge of the stone path, covered in graffiti. Steve gestured for me to go inside with his scarred arm. I walked forwards slowly and pushed open the grey door. Inside was a single chair, placed at the very centre of the hut. The floor was muddy and the walls were bare wood. Pieces of broken glass were scattered across the floor, along with rubbish and a single child's shoe by the back wall. I felt myself being pushed into the room so I complied and walked in. I walked over to the chair and looked over my shoulder at Ben and Steve, they both looked down at the chair so I sat. The cold metal caused goosebumps to rise upon my skin and I shivered. Ben grabbed my left wrist and slapped a handcuff around it, and the chair arm. Steve did the right wrist. I sighed and slid down in the chair as they walked away. I closed my eyes and waited as the darkness submerged me. I gasped for help, drowning in my own fears. In the darkness. The pain.
I suddenly thought about my friends, we're they suffering the same fate? Or was it worse for them? I didn't want to think about it but I did. I couldn't help it. What if I never saw them again?
Mere seconds lasted an eternity, my toes and fingers grew numb and I lost track of time. There wasn't any daylight, not even a slither, until the door cracked open...