The Different Ones

Chapter 1: Responsibility

My eyes fluttered open to greet another summer day. I pulled myself out from underneath the covers and stretched, trying to work the sleep out of my body.

The tower is probably the best part of the castle to be in. The majority of the castle is underground because it allows more protection from storms and it's almost unreachable to invaders. The tower is the only visible part, which means I wake up to daylight, when the rest of the castle lives by candlelight.

I hurriedly threw on my clothes and rushed down the cramped stairs into the main hall. From there I walked through the sitting room, parlor, and dining room into the kitchen.

The kitchen was full of life as everyone prepared for the engagement party tonight. They've all been up and working since roughly 4 AM this morning. I was greeted with 'good morning's' and 'hello's' as I strolled through the room.

"What are you doing down here so early?" Oros asked me. Oros is the only friend I have here at the castle. He's different like me, but he's not nearly as lucky as I am.

People who are deemed 'different' aren't exactly treated equally. In this kingdom if you're viewed as 'different' you're arrested and questioned until the government and everyone else can tell you're not going to use your differences against them.

The people who are deemed trustworthy go into a protection program, like me. The government takes care of you and gives you a place to stay, food to eat, and a job where your differences benefit you.

If you're deemed untrustworthy the government executes you as soon as possible. That's what puts Oros at risk.

People who have differences that aren't visible on the outside are normally killed, because you can't see all their abilities, so they can't be sure if your hiding something. Oros, just happens to be one of those people.

Oros is an element changer. He can control water at the blink of an eye, and I can guarantee that the government sees that as a threat to them. I know that Oros wouldn't use his powers like that, but the government doesn't.

So Oros does all that he can. He hides his powers and hopes for the best.

"It's Wednesday! I've got perimeter checks!" I shouted back in answer to Oros. We were both trying to work our way through the people. I eventually made my way into the servant's halls. I stopped at the entrance and turned around just before Oros ran into me.

The servants halls were disgusting, cold, stone, hallways that winding their way around the more luxurious parts of the castle. These halls are how servants make their way around the castle, they also lead into some of the villages around the main kingdom. They aren't the most pleasant part of the castle, considering the dampness, the mold, the bugs, and the smell, but you gotta deal with what you have.

"Do you know how you get to the upper level from here?" I asked Oros while holding my nose. He glanced over at me with his gray eyes.

"Shouldn't you know already? It's your job."

"You don't know, do you?"

"I have an idea. Not a very good one, but an idea."

"Alright. Lead the way." I gestured for him to go first.

I followed Oros trusting that he would eventually lead us somewhere. The halls twisted and turned before us. They lead us into places I didn't even know existed, and maybe if we were lucky they would lead us to the upper levels.

After 30 minutes of meandering about the halls Oros gave up.

"I give up. The upper level is too hard to find and we've been in here forever. I need to get back to the kitchen," Oros said exasperated.