In the Eye of the Cosmos

Chapter Seven

I stand frozen in the middle of the hallway, unable to make a single move.

The same question repeats in my brain, over and over again - should I stay or should I go?

"Tell me what you're doing here," the voice demands once again.

Maybe I can go, make a run for it, pretend I was never here - but there's nowhere to run.

I turn around reluctantly, a defeated look on my face.

I can almost feel myself floating away as I turn. The old me is now gone, to be replaced by someone I never thought I could be - Luna Bishop, a Heliosan, someone privileged and snide.

The boy looks at me confused.

I regard him slowly, in an attempt to compose myself. Be cool, Luna. Be cool.

Before answering, I take in all his features. His thick platinum blonde hair sweeps to the left in a flawless quiff, his piercing eyes stare back at me in confusion, as grey as steel. The porcelain hue on his skin complements the razor-sharp shape of his jaw, sunken like a vampire.  He reminds me of a Snow Leopard : fierce, handsome, stealthy and intimidating. But I must not be intimidated, I am Luna Bishop now, unapologetically confident.

"What are you doing here?" he repeats, harsher this time, his pale brows knitted together in frustration.

I stand up straight, taller - more confident than ever before.

"What are you doing here?" I retort, my voice as cold as ice.

The guy looks slightly taken aback. It worked.

"That's unimportant," he pauses, "the more pressing matter is that you're not supposed to be here."

I continue to stare back at him in a similar demeanor, unwilling to utter a single word.

He sighs defiantly, "Some mentor instructed me here, to guard the area. The normal guard couldn't make it so they just picked a random camp attender," he pauses then scoffs,"like I'm not going to ask questions, this place is peculiar."

"Y-you're an attendee?" I ask, my demeanor now so instantly shattered. It makes sense now, the clothes, the vocabulary - he's clearly Heliosan.

"What? You thought I was a Selene?" he asks, incredulous.

"Obviously," I state matter-of-factly.

"Oh, so that's why you so obviously chose to talk down to me? Let me guess, you're going to be nicer now because I'm privileged," he scoffs, "these places are all the same, filled with the same entitled snobby people."

The boy storms past me and into the nearest lift, making sure to bump into me as he goes.

He's right. A Heliosan - right.

I stand there, shocked at the person I just became.

Just because I have to pretend to be Heliosan doesn't mean I have to stop being myself.

Suddenly, I feel myself running towards the lift, desperately hoping it hasn't gone down just yet.

Swoosh.

The iron doors slide shut with one swift move.

There goes Leopard Boy.

I let out a defeated sigh, the one chance I had to make a friend in here - wasted.

Suddenly, a voice bursts into the room, interrupting my rather depressing thoughts, "The vessel has landed. All attendees please report to the front of the ship, trackers will be placed in order to establish constant security during your stay. Please proceed to Main Hall inside the Camp once the process is complete. Welcome all, to Planet Oestraedea"