Chapter One: The Plan

27 4 1
                                    


I could hardly breathe as I ran down the steep mountain side, I panted so hard my lungs felt like they were on fire, my brown and green highlighted hair kept sticking to my face and the wind was pushing me around but I couldn't stop, I had to get away from here!

"Stop!" A man yelled from behind me.

There was no way that was happening, I was too sick of all same routines every single day in that secured facility but I found a way out and now I am getting away.

"Opal!" This time it was a woman's voice, she was my mentor, Kathryn, the only person I ever got close to in this God forbidden hell, only now I know all they really want from me was my gift, gosh I was so naive, but it is all I know and have ever known.

"Opal! Please, just let me explain! I know it's confusing but I will explain why we have done all of this if you would just stop." I kept running but I then started to wonder what it all is for, maybe if I just go back and find that out, then run away, but I might not get away again, what if they found how I got out.

It was no use, there was no way I was out running this bunch anyway, I know them way better than that. I decided I would be better off just submitting to them, I mean what was I thinking running away in broad daylight, I guess it was a bit of an impulsive decision. Hopefully third times a charm.

Slowly I came to a halt and turned toward my mentor, I felt defeated but I was sure sick of running. Kathryn sped up when she saw I turned toward her then she grabbed me into a big hug, as angry as I was with her, she was practically my Mum. After I lost my parents when I was four, I was taken to an orphanage, and it was there that I first discovered my gift of being able to manipulate earth, apparently I was playing in a sandbox  with my bucket  and my teacher was keeping an eye on me when I suddenly formed a big mound of dirt that came out from the bottom of the box. Somehow word got out to this secret facility called 'The Organisation of the Powerfully Gifted' or (OPG) for short, of course I doubt the orphanage would have known who they were when they 'adopted' me or more just took to see how I can perform these powers. I actually don't remember any of it, it's just what Kathryn has told me.

"Darling, I am so sorry, I know you are tired of all this training and the tests, but we just want to figure out what gives you this ability, you defy science in every way, you're magical!" Kathryn whispered to me as she hugged me.

I felt annoyed with her and wanted to pull away but decided it best to stay on her good side for now.

I just looked at her with a glare but my expression softened when the organisations leader walked up. Mark Dowel, I always thought he was such an interesting person when I was a kid, he was a bit of a father figure for me (well what I think a father would be like). But he still was the main reason I am stuck here, all I want to do is go and see what it's like to be a normal kid, to have friends, to know what other teenage kids do and look like, I've only ever seen the scientists with their white lab coats and test tubes, it was so boring living the same day over and over again! But it wasn't until today when I hacked into one of the scientist's computer (I saw him type in the password once) and read what they have me here for. Turns out I am just a project, they wanted to find out how I have this ability and then it clicked in my child-like brain, not knowing anything of what it is like to be normal, realised this isn't normal! So I went into his internet browser, never had I had anything to do with such a thing, it was hard but I found this saved link called 'National News' so after some time I clicked on it and read all these stories of the outside world, it's fascinating there was a whole life I have been missing and yet stuck behind glass walls felt like enough for me all these years!

After this thought I was fuming, I looked at Mark and did everything I could not to yell and complain about everything he has done, how he has wrecked my life but I bit my tongue, turned my face into a guilty smile, pretending I am the one in the wrong, I don't want them to know I read the news and why I am running away, so it's better to be discreet.

"Opal, why on earth did you run away for the second time this month?" Mark questioned.

"Uh, I guess I just realised that I am nothing but a project to all of you, I am sick of all the tests, the training and all the silly things I have to do when all I want to do every now and then is go out here," I gestured to the mountains surrounding us, the pine trees covering them and the big river at the foot of them. "I want to feel the leaves of the trees, the touch of the grass, I don't just want to stare at it from a window anymore."

Mark looked over at Kathryn as if  he was blaming her for something, then without even acknowledging me he walked over to her, whispered something then looked at me.

"Well, maybe you could come out here for an hour every day, but you must be accompanied by a security guard to make sure you don't do anything unreasonable."

The last part of that irked me, but I put on a smile and thanked him.

Two guards came over to me and walked behind me, while Kathryn and Mark were in front, no getting out of this one I guess.

After a couple hours had past we arrived at the massive facility, we walked up to the huge doors, then Mark went over and did a retinal scan, typed in a password and a fingerprint scan, pretty funny, me a sixteen year old girl got out of this place without a hassle and it takes him longer to get in. I looked over at the long wide cage that offshoots from the building, it was where they trained me to try and control my power, even though they really don't know how it works themselves!

Finally we were in the building, I walked over to an elevator and clicked on the 5th floor, at least I could get away from them for now. I walked out and went along the white hallway, found my door and went inside, it was a small room but I guess it would do, I had a single bed against the wall, where a big window belonged, it was bullet proof glass and solid with the wall, so I could never get out through there. Then I had a small desk next to my bed all of it was completely white, my bathroom, of course it too was all white, then finally the only other thing in here was my closet, where I had seven sets of the same outfit and it too, was indeed white.

I sat down on my bed and looked over at my book of science, though if there was anything in there about people or normal lives it had been blacked out or the page would be ripped out altogether, I now know why they did that!

Then I heard a knock at my door, I walked over and pulled it open.

"So have you two come to tell me everything? And I mean everything no more lying?" I asked sternly.

"Look just go sit on your bed," Kathryn gestured over to my boring white bed, "I admit we have not been completely open with you about everything."

"When you came here you knew nothing about what real life was like yet, you were just a sweet little girl who hadn't learnt of reality so we thought in order to keep you happy you'd be better off not knowing about it while you were here, so we prohibited you of computers or anything that would connect you to any reality, kept you believing this is what life is like, I have always wanted to tell you, I felt like such a horrible person for not doing so but I'd be even more so if you did know what you could have and we are keeping you here, I am sorry hon, I really am."

I watched as she cut the conversation short and walked out the door followed by Mark, so they just avoided telling me anything anyway! I have to go out and find these normal people and see what it's all about! And are there others out there like me, people with powers like mine? Running away like I have the last two times obviously haven't worked so I need a much more strategic plan! I can do this!

I ended up going to sleep later that evening although I did toss and turn a lot then I woke up to my door creaking, I look around but it's still dark and I couldn't get my eyes to adjust. I could hear them tip toeing over to my bed and I quickly jumped out and tried to go sneak over toward my bathroom then I heard a voice.  


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors Note:

Hi! Thanks so much for reading! Please leave feedback on what you think I should change, and any suggestions are welcome! I will do my best to update as soon as possible! Thanks again!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terra VelocityWhere stories live. Discover now