How Do You Like Me Now?

Chapter Six~Is This It?

I bite into his filthy hand, and spit out the grime. 'Are you going to kill me,' I scream through tears, 'I trusted you! You made me feel...human! You're just out to trick me, like everyone else! I should never have trusted you and your weird bright orange hair. You really are an evil clown, and I d-'

'No.' I'm interrupted but a subtle objection. I open my eyes in confusion. I've never heard his voice sound so serious, so real. He's just standing there, observing his hand. 'W-what,' I stutter.

'No, I'm not going to kill you.' I begin to blush, the blood rushing to my head.

'What are you talking about? You're still trying to trick me? Have you no shame?' I wiggle up from the ground, staggering to my feet. 'You are sick.'

'No.' I cock my head, my eyes bulging.

'What do you mean? Stop it!' A flash of vibrant greens, purples and orange swoop across my eyes before I can blink.

My eyes blank out. Black. It's all black. I feel a large, freezing hand covering my eyelids.

'Shh.' He assures me in a subtle voice.  My once boiling blood cools down, my rushed breathing calms down, my twitching limbs go limp and my clenched fists relax. What's happening to me?  'Open your eyes.' The cold hand slides off my face. I feel myself sitting up and starring into the distance. The mob of trees begin to part into two groups. One group on either side of the crack running through the forest. 'What's happening,' I stutter, still oblivious to what is happening.

'Shh, just watch.' My top lip sits back down, comfortably on my bottom lip, as my eyes turn back to the distance. I feel my eyes fixating as the left group of trees swings forward, as if it were a gate opening from the inside. That's it, a gate! A giant gate! I stare in awe as the right mob of trees does the same. Well, they aren't really trees, are they? I look up at Vincent, muddled beyond belief. 'They're painted on,' he answers, before I can even open my mouth.

'How did you kno-'

'Most people ask about the 'trees'.'

'I see,' my voice wonders off as I catch a glimpse of what was behind the gate. Dark dirt and bark shifts into sand at the gate. Hundreds of tiny wooden huts line across a walkway, with giant wooden buildings positioned at the back. Young kids practice fighting with wooden sticks in a grass patch at the entrance. To be honest, I was expecting something a little more fancy.

'It's-'

'Amazing, I know,' I'm interrupted.

'Actually, I was going to say that it's no Hogwarts.' I turn to Vincent as he cheeks grow red.

'What do you mean?'

I swallow, 'Well, it's nothing fancy. I mean, stick buildings? Logs and obviously badly polished wood?'  I turn to Vincent, to see his fists clenched.

'I'll have you know I built some of this myself with my bare hands along with the legitimate founders of this camp. It has to be discrete, and we had to use the resources around us! I'd like to see you turn a patch of forest into this work of art, you have no idea how long I spent on that little building there, I had to go out into the forest and make my own s-' Vincent is cut off by a loud alarm, booming from the camp. 'Oh, we have to go, we can't leave the gates open too long, or we'll be exposed!' Before I can stand, I feel my wrist being lifted into the air as I almost glide along the ground. The forest becomes blurry, but I can see just around me, in a one-metre-radius. I must be a superhuman! I have super speed!

I glance down out my wrist, realising I'm being pulled along by Vincent. I knew it was too good to be true that I was the next generation of the flash.

'What's happening,' I bellow over the sound of wind swooshing past.

'We have to get there quickly so they can close the gate,' Vincent yells, without looking back.

He really has opened up, he's telling me things now. I feel my body jolt and plummet to the ground as my wrist is set free. I slowly look up, spitting out a mouth full of sand. My head falls back to the ground in exhaustion. 'Excuse me,' inquires a voice over the sound of the gate being closed. My head slowly rises as I realise where exactly I spat out the sand. 'I'm so sorry,' I begin, as I dust the sand off some polished looking shoes. A loud scoff grabs my attention and I finally lift my head above the ground. A tall, old man is staring me down with a scowl. He appears to be in his fifties. His dark hair is slicked back, matching his penguin like suit. 'Who do you think you are young boy?' I don't even bother correcting him, his eyes already appear to be twitching. I dust myself off and stagger to my feet, 'Um, my name is L-lainee,' I stutter, continuing to look down at the sand. I've memorised the names of every single child in this facility, are you messing with me boy?' Well, he still thinks I'm a boy.

'N-no sir, I'm new here.' I look up as his eyes burrow deeper down his face. Where's Vincent? 'So you're unauthorised, great,' His sarcasm causes me to clench my fists as I stare back down at the sand. 'Has no-one taught you fine etiquette? Newbies are supposed to sign up at the administrating building with their mentor! Are you inferring you're too good for that? Well you can get out, I don't have time for-,' My ears blur as I block out the bellowing voice. My eyes track around, kids and adults are all starring at me in shock. I feel like I'm a monkey at a zoo. My face boils red with embarrassment. I look back up at the furious man as my hearing comes to. 'Are you even listening to me boy?' I turn my back to realise Vincent left. Of course he did, he ditched me. 'Don't turn your back to me young boy! Answer me! Who is your mentor?'

'What,' I question, turning back around to face him.

'Who brought you here,' he bellows at my face.

'Vincent.' I reply, in a civilised tone.

'Oh, of course,' his voice turns from anger to disgust. 'Vincent! Come out here right now!' In the blink of an eye, a flash of bright colours flies next to where I am standing.

'Vincent, what have I told you about-' The voices become muffled again and I step back into the crowd that had gathered before-hand. What is this place?