The Oblivion

the discovered

THE ALARMS WERE shattering, disturbing sounds that would give a sleeping person a nightmare in its dream.

The first thing that I thought of when alarms occur was a fire. Second, evacuation from a natural disaster. Or someone died or something. I wasn't really in the mood to walk outside and evacuate, then end up being told that it was a practice alarm for the future. For the first two minutes of the alarms ear splitting ringing, no one moved in the hallways and everyone remained calm.

I was just moodily half standing and half sitting in the lonely cubicle, wondering if I should take off.

"Remain calm. Remain calm," A deep voice came from the speakers, "This is not a drill. This is not a drill. Everyone report to the foyer silently in orderly fashion. Everyone is required to evacuate the school. Remain calm. Remain calm. This is not a drill. This is not a drill. Everyone report to the foyer silently in orderly fashion," et cetera. It took me a while to register that I had to get outside and follow everyone outside. I didn't smell smoke burning and didn't hear rain pattering outside to promise a weather disaster.

In a minute the sound of roaring and howls filled the hallways, and feet thudded past the bathroom door. People with jeering triumphantly at the opportunity to skip class, and maybe head home.

It was like there was a herd of elephants out there, and I was more than reluctant to get stepped on by the whole school. Anyway, if there really was a problem the school staff could handle it. Im sure that I wont get burnt by flames. Even though the voice mentioned that it wasn't a drill, I knew that I faced far harder coincidences than a fire or whatnot.

The voice stopped.

Instead, a new, shrill but deep and dangerous voice rang through the whole high school.

"This is the Next Generation team. Please line up in order of your classes. Anyone who disagrees will be shot on sight. Anyone roaming through the hallways or found in a classroom will also be executed. So I tell you again, line up in the foyer with your class."

Those words shocked me into seriousness. So shocked that I wanted to scream. But my nerves seemed to have nothing to do with me. The Next Generation followed me around the forest. Watched me at home. Took every step of my life with me. But stopped trying, and they are now following me in school. What did those innocent people do for them to command such violence against them? Wait, they're probably just trying to scare the teenagers. Of course they wouldn't shoot anyone.

The real question was: What would they do to me once they have found me?

Fear clutched and shattered my heart. I gripped the door handle of the door so tightly that it might shrink in my hands. I was on the thin edge of flying through the school and busting through the first exit. But for all I knew there could be a mass of NG troopers roaming around the entire place looking for me. I begged to them silently not to shoot anyone because of me. I needed to get out. The sound of kids shrieking wildly stopped, and the whole school was filled with a deadly silence. I wondered what everyone was doing now, lining up in single file with putrefied looks on their faces. By the time I went out of the bathroom the smell of putrescent flesh would be probably filling my nose.

Come on Cimber, a voice in my head taunted, today or tomorrow?

I ignored it and gnawed my fingernails anxiously, waiting for something to happen, maybe a miracle. I wished Ariana and Brook were beside me.

Ariana and Brook! Surely the NG would recognize them? Then what would happen to them? Would they force interrogation and threats upon them if they don't tell them where I am?

I felt a sickening tingle in my stomach begin to knot in my guts. I felt like throwing up. I felt like killing every single NG guard that lived. I felt like disappearing from the world and teleporting to paradise.

Wake up, Cimber, the voice came again, Stop dreaming and get out there.

I kept biting my nails. I bit them so fiercely that a piercing pain throbbed in my finger. I released it and began to notice the sweat that was calloused in my palms, and the sudden heat surrounding me.

WhatshouldIdo, WhatshouldIdo, WhatshouldIdo, WhatshouldIdo?

All I did was glare at the lines on my palm, watching the sweat gleam inside them to pass time. The bell ringing had stopped, leaving me accompanied by quietness. Deadly, suspicious quietness. I didn't know my way around school to get out.

I had two hypothetical options. A) I run outside and ignore everyone and everything thats an obstacle in my way no matter what, then rip through the first exit in sight or B) Get out there and line up then see what happens. I was reluctant and tentative to do both. The second option was suicide, wasn't it? But so was the first. Everyone would be shot on sight.

It was cowardice to wait in the bathroom until it was over. Pure cowardice. If by any chance someone came in and saw the lock on, they would immediately knock it down and take action. I made my shaky hands snap the lock open, but kept it closed. I tried to steady my breaths but it didn't help the worry drowning in my head.

I heard a noise.

Gunshot.

Then horrified screeches filled my ears.

I couldn't breath. No way. No way.

I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming. Once I start I won't be able to stop. I buried my face in my hands and wept.

Why me Whyme Whyme Whyme?

Someone already died because of me not showing up. I couldn't take this anymore. The fluttering heart in my chest was already jackhammering. I was already opening the cubicle door when another announcement burbled on the school speakers, "Cimber Coalers. Report to the foyer immediately. I repeat, Cimber Coalers, report to the foyer immediately, or else someone else will be executed."

I felt too numb and thoughtless to consume and take in what the voice just said. My legs propelled me onwards. They knew my weakness. All I felt as I went out the bathroom was hatred, resentment and an angry, roaring sensation deep down. I didn't hesitate as I pulled on the protruding handle to open the Ladies. I was surprised to see no guard wandering around. The foyer was somewhere around the main entrance.

I stalked there, utterly like a zombie. My feelings were just everything but happiness. Especially anger. It was raging in my chest, desperate to be acted on.

To release this hungry animal I had to kill one of those guards. The only way to feel triumphant.

But my feelings changed when I approached the foyer and billions of kids bobbed into view.

I gaped.

I wanted to run. Run back into the cubicle and hide. Turn away from all of this like I did in my dream with the dark barrier. Just escape all this madness and chaos.