The Empty Soul

Chapter 1

Scarlett was sat at her desk trying to listen to her teacher over the noise of the other students. Tomorrow was recruitment day, a day every thirteen-year-old dreaded. The teacher, Mrs Kinsley, was trying to explain to her bubbling class about what recruitment day was.

"Settle down students!" Mrs Kinsley screeched out of anger, "I am trying to explain exactly what Soul Collection Day, or as you students call it, S.C Day, is about!"

All of Class 2B looked at Mrs Kinsley with anxious looks on their faces when she said the words Recruitment Day; obviously terrified at the mention of the day.

"Thank you," Mrs Kinsley responded to the sudden silence of her students, "As I was trying to explain, Soul Collection Day is a very special day in our society. Tomorrow you shall be taken from school and sent to The Soul Labs, once you are there you shall have your soul examined as the Lab is looking for the purest and impure souls..." Her speech drawled on as if she had repeated it thousands of times. She went on about how it was painless and that you wouldn't remember a thing; Scarlett knew that wasn't true. Her mother had nightmares every week before she had been sent to the Asylum, a place long forgotten now since its inhabitants were either crazy, had a mental disorder or remembered anything from their examination years ago. Scarlett was terrified because of her heritage, most remembered their experiences in her family, she was scared she'd be sent there. The Asylum was a one of the creepiest places Scarlett had been to yet. It had barbed wires that twisted around the raggedy, metallic, Victorian style fence that seemed almost menacing. It had been years since she had been there and years since she had heard anything of her mother.

"Scarlett, please can you explain why you're still sat in class when everyone left FIVE minuet's ago!" Mrs Kinsley practically screamed at her.

"I'm s-s-sorry Mrs Kinsley," Scarlett stammered, she hated talking to people because it made her nervous, "I w-was just t-thinking about y-your explanation."

Mrs Kinsley gave her an unconvinced look but told he to leave before she gave her a detention.

Scarlett started her long walk home, her empty home. Even though she was thirteen she lived by herself... kind of. Her father owned the house but was never there, he was always away in different countries and the only thing he cared about was money; nothing went to her. He just neglected her after her mother got sent away. The only comfort she ever got was from her mother and a stray neighbourhood cat that she had 'adopted'. It was the only thing that understood her.

Scarlett's house was small, it had a fiery red roof, beaten tan bricks and a brown wooden door. The windows were scratched, a few cracked and the house had a very dreary aura to it. None of this bothered her though, this was her house, her home, she felt safe there... but far from free.

When she gets home she does the same thing she does every day, strokes Noir, does any homework, eats then reads the same book she's been reading since her eleventh birthday. It was her mother's dream diary, that was how she knew about the dreadful nightmares her mother once had, and probably still had, it was also the only connection she had with her mother before she was sent away.

Oh how she missed her mother! Tomorrow was Recruitment Day and the one person who knew the truth was far away from her. Scarlett cried silent tears as she read through all her mum's entries, they contained stories about her mother feeling like all her limbs were being pulled off when they inserted the drug into her system through a syringe, the entries said she would cry in pain but the examiners would just pin her mouth closed, sometimes cutting her oxygen for a few seconds to shut her up. Scarlett was becoming more and more anxious and terrified from every word she read. She didn't want to be experimented on! 'I don't want to be in agony! I just wish I could've stayed twelve forever!' Scarlett thought running her fingers though her flaming auburn hair. Her face was flushed and tear stained, her glassy slate grey eyes started to prickle with tears again.

Out of nowhere Scarlett heard a knock. She knew that knock anywhere.

"I-I-I'm coming!" She shouted her voice shook as she did so.

Scarlett heaved the wooden door open to reveal a boy around the same age as her, he had ash blonde hair and electric blue eyes. He stood in the door way with a serious look on his face.

"H-hi Alfred!" she said to the boy eyeing him carefully,

"Scarlett Nova! I really need to talk to you, it's urgent!" Oscar's speech was fast and stern.

Alfred always called Scarlett by her first and last name, as he did with everyone else he met. She hated that about him, but loved it at the same time. She loved everything about him and the fact that he brightened her up even on her darkest day. But today it didn't work.

"What do you need to talk to me about Alfred Jones?" she asked matching his tone and stone cold glare. He didn't seem like his normal self, something was up.

"You didn't walk to and from school with me today, you always walk with me!" Alfred pouted upset, "Is anything wrong, because I know that you didn't get dropped off due to, personal reasons."

"Nothing's wrong!" Scarlett told him suspiciously fast, "Everything's fine! Nothing to worry about here!"

"You sure?" Oscar looked at her suspiciously, "I know it's S.C Day tomorrow and you don't really have, how should I put this, the best gene-pool to help you through it."

Scarlett rolled her eyes at Alfred. He was terrible at explaining things.