The Insiders

Chapter 4*

Chapter 4- Sharlene

We land on a tarmac outside of a big concrete building, which I assume is headquarters. As the others get out of the helicopter, I have time to see the building does not have any windows and is located next to a steep cliff. I try straining my neck to see what is at the bottom, but I can not see.

"Sharlene follow me please." Steve says. When I look back, I see the helicopter is already gone and the other teenagers are being escorted to a door in the concrete building by the other men in black. I nod and begin to follow Steve towards the door, which is giving off the only light in this dark night. When we enter the room, I am taken back slightly. It is a big room with dark grey concrete walls and floors. There is a line of kids in the back side of the room and more people with black clothes walking around that line. The kids ages look like they range from thirteen to eighteen, but there are some six to ten year olds. All the kids are covered in dirt, burns or blood like me. They must have gone through the same thing I did. I wonder how long it took them to leave their homes. Suddenly Steve puts his arm on my back and guides me to the far right side of the line. I take a big step so he is not touching me. While we are walking, I finally get a good look at Steve. He has dark spikey hair and pale skin. He looks about my parents age. He has taken his glasses off which reveals his dark blue eyes. As we walk, I search for the teenagers who were in the helicopter with me, but they have disappeared into the crowd of people. 

"Just wait here." Steve tells me and places me  in the line beside a boy with light black hair and black rimmed glasses. It is the boy from math class that Mr. Rasdear always picks on, it's Thomas Fergunson! He does not appear to have a speck of dirt or debris on him, unlike everyone else here. He looks normal in this very foreign setting. I am about to say something to him when another boy is placed on my right side by his man in black. This boy has short sandy blond hair with bangs and a bob at the bottom. He is slightly tan and is incredibly muscular. He has a cut along his eyebrow and on his knuckles. He has dark ashes in his hair. As far as I can tell, he is vey attractive. The boy captures my eyes and I can not help but stare. His people in black leave him, but I hardly notice. I can not explain why, but I am mesmerised by the beautiful boy. The boy looks at me just long enough for me to explore his green eyes. We hold the gaze long enough for it to turn into more than just a look. I turn my head quickly and look at the floor making sure I do not make eye contact with anyone else.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" The attractive boy asks me in a slight mumble. I look at him, but when I make eye contact with him again I gasp. He is intense and staring at me in a way I can not explain.

"Um," I pause. I should not tell him what I heard. How would I explain that? Will I have to live with this feeling from now on?

" I heard some people talking about headquarters." He interrupts my panicked thoughts.

"I've heard that too." I relax and look back at the ground.  I guess that is the truth. It is close enough at least. As I relax, I start looking around the room. All the people in black are now standing in a clump with their backs turned to us  and are having relaxed conversation. There is more children on the other side of the attractive boy, but I do not pay a lot of attention to them.

"I'm Coren by the way." The boy continues our conversation. I look back at him wondering why he is still talking to me.

"Sharlene." I respond. Now he is the one who looks away. This guy is weird. He goes from being quite bold to being very shy. Maybe I am just over analysing. I am about to say something else to the attractive, weird boy named Coren, when a woman with bright red curly hair in a black skirt and dress shirt walks into the middle of the room. All the people in black stop talking and turn to her, so children in the line do the same.