Follower [Ben Drowned]

Absolute Demands

It was midnight and Adonis panted heavily, form crumpled from exhaustion. The lights blinded his sensitive eyes, bright white, jagged-edge equipment all around. Currently he and thirteen others, the children of Quo facilitation, were engaged in a relentless training regimen and his breath had gone out for the seventh time. He didn't think he could take much more of it, the punching and swinging, the harsh battering of legs. His arms felt like jello as he weakly swung at a thick levitating punching bag, dark rings under his eyes akin to those on his peers.

"Can we go to sleep yet?" One of them mustered, a boy with thick red hair and chipped teeth in front. He was yawning as he kicked away at a mat, looking much like he'd rather camp out on it than continue.

"No." Unnaturally bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, their physical instructor of the day, a woman named Veronika Chekosnvinskis, or Vhekko for memorization purposes, responded with a smile. She waltzed over and effortlessly roundhouse kicked the mat off chain hinges, sending it sprawling across the room. "You will practise until you sweat blood, little one."

Everyone was used to her jokes, though they had always been rather intense for the children's liking.

Vhekko grinned and ruffled the boy's hair. "Only kidding. At 1001 hours, you are free to go sleep. Okay?"

Eyes shutting at the comfort, the boy gulped slowly and nodded, before earnestly smiling back. His cheeks were slick with perspire and his long appendages just as noodle like and achy as everyone else's. "Kay." Wise words from the most enthusiastic of the bunch.

By the time it was over Adonis was on the verge of passing out.

He trudged in exhaustion with his classmates, arranging himself in a line. Several caretakers sat at the front of the line occupying thin plastic chairs. An array of supplies to tend to the children were by their side. Mr. Dove was among them.

Adonis filed in the line quietly, watching with deep, drowsy eyes as the kids ahead of him were dismissed, one by one going back to their rooms, rubbing multi-coloured hues in exhaustion and relief that it was the end of the day. Then they had several long hours of sleep, and back to their studies once more.

It was his turn and Adonis met Dove's gaze tiredly, the sharp-featured man gesturing for him to take a seat. "Go on, Adonis." He beckoned gently, waiting until the child had deposited himself. Adonis sank into the plastic chair opposite to his, offering his shaky forearm to the caretaker without words.

A small pinch was felt and he shut his eyes in relief as he began inserting the dosage they received before they slept, packed with vitamins and minerals, and comforting supplements. Thin black streamed from the needle's passage, his arm warm as it drank the nutrient thirstily. When Dove finished, he put a small band-aid on his arm before sending him off.

"Good night."

The room was dark when he entered. Pitch black, lightless. It soothed eyes so used to the blinding white of the training centre, and Adonis relished in mindless shadow until he was satisfied. With trembling hands the boy reached forwards and tapped on the lights. They flared with soft, night-time glow, vivid blue bordering the edges of the pod and illuminating just enough to see, though not be stung by sight.

Slowly Adonis stumbled towards his drawers, opening them with a scan of his wrist and retrieving thin sleep clothes from its depths. He changed and gave a small yawn, blue violets closing on their own as he made his way to his sleeping pod.