Heshra

Chapter 2

In the train, I sit next to Jay. I was never really social in school and Jay was my best friend so all the other people around me are strangers. I look out the window to my right and watch as my city disappears from view. It will be a year before I see it again.

"Hey Myra," a voice from behind me says.

I whip around, surprised that anyone knows my name or that they even bothered to talk to me at all. I look at the face and remember that it was Liam Argon, the first boy to be called.

"What?"

"Do you want to play this game with us?" he says, scratching the back of his head like it embarrassed him to ask it.

I was momentarily shocked that someone wanted to do anything with me so I just stared at him for a little bit with my mouth open.

"So is that a yes or a no?"

"Oh, yeah, okay, sure," I say, fumbling on my words.

He and his sister taught me how to play games like 'Go Fish' and 'War'. I was winning a game of Go Fish with seven pairs when the train started to slow down. I glance at the window and see that we are nearing a train station.

"Thank you for playing," I say and hop up to grab my things.

I didn't bring much. Only the things I need like a jacket my Mom had embroidered with my name across the back and a card Penny wrote to me and told me to only open when I got there.

I follow Jay through the aisle and out the door. I am moved with the crowd to a dock. On this dock is a boat. A huge boat that could probably hold 200 people. I have never been on a boat but I have learned about them in school. I was always amazed by how they worked.

Suddenly, the crowd stops and a man in the front starts speaking and even though he doesn't have a microphone, his voice still carries all the way to the back of the crowd.

"Welcome Rivas of Heshra," he starts, looking over us, "You are gathered here today to start your training, my name is Damion and I am the leader of your training. After you get on this boat, you will learn to fight and to work and serve your community. You will work with kids from other Sectors in the year to come." He pauses

"Now one by one you will all get onto this boat. It is a three day journey to the island in which you will do your training so you will each be assigned a room with one other person. I will call you in pairs for you to have your roommate and you will then be assigned to a room. Do I make myself clear?" We all nod our heads.

"OK, here are the pairs," he says as he starts to call out names.

"Jacob Greenfeld and Liam Argon!"

Shoot! I'm not with Jay!

"Melanie Elion and Myra Greenfeld!"

But I'm with Melanie. Okay, good, I can do that. Melanie is the closest thing to a friend I have.

I start up the ramp that leads into the boat. There, there are two people waiting for me. One is Melanie and the other is probably an attendant due to the white tux and name tag. The name tag reads 'Dale'.

"Follow me," Dale says, "I will show you to your room."

I nod as I follow him and Melanie down many different hallways. There are railings along the sides. Probably for rough seas. I try to remember all the different hallways and turns but it is close to impossible because all the hallways look the same. Instead, I try to remember all the turns.

Right, left, straight, right, right, left, right. Finally, we arrive at a door that reads A16. Dale opens the door and gestures that we enter. In the room is two double beds, a painting and a small porthole to look out at.

"If you need anything, all you have to do is alert an attendant." Dale says.

"Thank you," I nod as he shuts the door.

"Well, I guess this is home sweet home for now," Melanie sighs and flops onto the bed on the left.

I giggle and sit on the one to the right. They are not the most comfortable but they will do.

"So, are you nervous for training?" Melanie asks me.

"Yes and no."

"Oh, I'm quite nervous."

"What about?"

"About not being able to do well and not being able to serve Heshra and Sestus."

Sestus is our city.

"And also, that Damion scares me," She chuckles and I join in.

"He is pretty scary, isn't he?"

"And did you see the scar on his face, right below his left eye. It goes all the way down to his chin." She says now sounding serious.

"No, I wonder what it's from?"

"Who knows? Do you want to tour the boat?"

"Why not? We need to be able to pick our way around this labyrinth of halls for the next three days."

She smiles.

"Then let's go!"