Survival of the Fittest.

Make over

A woman with curly, blonde hair sat behind a large oak desk, looking at a projected image on the wall before her. Three teenagers were on the screen, a girl and two boys. They looked dirty, but determined. The older boy looked nervous and kept looking behind him. The woman picked up a phone and pressed two, "Emma, they are here." she put the phone down again.

A small girl in her twenties entered the office, "Abigail, what would you like us to do?"

Abigail smiled, "Give them the One treatment."

I felt like somebody was watching me, I knew Trey did too because he had looked behind him multiple times. A short woman with short, pixie-cut brown hair was standing in front of one of the buildings. Brady touched Trey's arm and whispered something, then both of them stepped behind me, forming a V-shape. "That's Emma," Brady whispered, "She is the lowest ranked leader, but don't make her feel unimportant, she is a nasty fighter."

"You must be Gia," Emma smiled, but it was not a friendly smile, it was a warning. A warning for what? "I'm Emma," I shook her outstretched hand. "Welcome to Ground." She looked at Brady with approval and Trey with little interest. "Let's go get you all cleaned up before you are seen by the civilians."

She hurried us into the huge building behind her. "Brady, you are dismissed to get ready in your living quarters." She waved her hand to shoo him and he walked away. I straightened my posture, not wanting to appear like a slacker. "So, Gia, who is this young man you have brought with you?"

"This is Trey, he is just one of the people I escaped from Base with." I answered her, my voice was stiff.

"Where are the others?" She looked at me suspiciously.

"They are on their way with Rachel," I nodded, not knowing why.

"Well, I can't wait until they are here." She stopped walking, "Trey, here is your room. It is a full apartment, so you have everything provided for you in there." I waved goodbye to the boy as Emma continued to walk. I followed the leader into an elevator, "You are this colony's biggest hope." She didn't look at me, "Be prepared for the tests, physical and mental."

"What did they teach you at your Base?"

"That they were the almighty and to fight. They actually didn't teach me to fight, that was my adult." A lump formed in my throat when I talked about Tom.

"You're Tom's girl aren't you?" She smiled a real smile this time. I nodded. "Yeah, I was, too." I was shocked, "I'm not that old, Gia." she laughed, now that she wasn't outnumbered, she was loosening up, "I'm only twenty."

"You just act so much older," I shook my head.

"I had to," she looked at me, "I remember when you came to us, it was two years before I left. I was five, you were only a few months old. Your eyes haven't changed."

"Do you know anything about where I came from?" I was surprised at how desperate my voice sounded.

"All I know is that Tom was a friend of you mother until she gave you up, then he never talked about her." She was apologetic, but didn't apologize. "Since you're here, I guess he's dead?" her voice sounded hollow.

"Yeah, his last wish was for me to take my little brother and get away from base. So, all of the others tagged along." The elevator dinged and the doors opened, we stepped into a hallway that felt very comfortable.

"This is your personal floor. There is your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room, personal gym, and guest bedroom," she pointed to each door as she spoke. "Please get ready, you will find clothes in the bedroom closet that will fit you. Somebody will be here to take you to dinner. Please dress formally for this, it is the first impression on the people." She walked to the door, "I'll see you there." I'm alone now.

I walked into the bathroom, this place looked like a mansion. The floors were heated, the shower sprayed from every side, and there was a perfect speaker system. I turned the speakers on and Smother by Daughter started to play. Stepping into the shower was a welcomed feeling. I was finally getting clean after a few days of feeling nasty.

After thirty minutes of the steamy shower, I went into the bedroom to get dressed. I opened the closet, there were more clothes in there than there were in the entire Base. I walked in a few steps to look at the dresses. My inner girl was going to work thinking about what I should wear. Something to compliment my skin, but make my eyes pop.

Then, I saw it. The perfect dress. It was black satin with lace sleeves, it went just above my knees. I slipped it on and looked in the mirror. I had no words to describe how I looked. There was a knock on the door and I slipped on a silk robe and went to answer it.

When I opened the door, a woman with tan skin and black hair stepped inside my suite. "I'm here for hair and make up," She said before I could speak, "I'm Emily." She turned to pick up a large suitcase and carried it into the bathroom. "What would you like done?"

"I wasn't going to do anything really," I shrugged.

"Let me see your dress." She seemed to be in a hurry, I wondered why, it was only three. I showed her the dress I had on. "Alright, sit at the dressing table and give me a moment." I did as she said. She laid the suitcase on my new bed and opened it, revealing hair products on one side and make up on the other.

She made me look away from the mirror, so it would be a surprise. After thirty minutes of sitting and waiting while she pulling and styled my hair. I turned to look at myself when she finished. My hair was curled and the top was pulled back loosely, with small flowers in it. It was stunning.

"Time for makeup," Emily smiled, but it was more toward my hair than me. She turned me again, brushes, powders, and liquids flew toward my face. It took about fifteen minutes. I turned and I didn't recognize myself. As I examined my face, my phone rang.

"Hey," Keaton was on the other end, "We are out here and there is a girl looking at us like we are criminals."

"Tell her you are with Gia and hand her the phone if she doesn't believe you," I waited as I heard some mumbled talking.

"Okay, she said she is going to bring us to you, so I'll see you in a few minutes." I could hear his smile in his voice.