The Company

Chapter Twenty: This Is The Real Reason I Don't Have An Oscar

I opened my eyes and tripped forward. I was in a different place. No more music, no more liquid, no more Not-Michael.

I'm in the...Academy?

I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows. I was a little confused, though. It didn't really feel like my jacket.

I looked at myself in shock. I had on one of Their creepy-looking sweater vests, not to mention the full outfit. My phone was still in my pocket, not one of those Pipit things from before We left.

My head kept swimming. How did I get from the woods to the so-called "Darkness" place to the Academy within a span of God-knows-how-long? It was downright unnatural. It was terrifying.

What was happening?

I wanted to get out of the Academy and that awful uniform as fast as humanly possible. I needed to get back to some kind of safety, and that was definitely not here.

You've gotta blend in, Michael, I said to myself. If you wanna get out, you need to blend in.

I stood up a little straighter and plastered the worst fake smile in the whole universe on my face. I marched like I learned in band: heel-arch-ball-toe, heel-arch-ball-toe. Glide, don't have too much movement.

I went down the hall, weaving through Them. Weirdly, They walked like people drove, forward was on the right of the hall. They all walked like I did, thank God. I thought I'd messed it up.

How do they all march so perfect without any kind of training? Seriously!

I just prayed and went along. My cheeks started hurting a little bit, but I rolled with it. I had no idea a fake smile could hurt that much. But oh well.

I needed some kind of music to keep me going right now. Just something. I didn't even care at this point if it was "Trouble" or anything like that. I would've even listened to "Boots" at this point. I just needed a lyrical motivation.

I closed my eyes and ducked into a bathroom. When I went in, I noticed a guy that looked very, very familiar with a very, very familiar outfit.

Blaine.

My legs almost buckled from surprise. My best friend since I'd arrived, my best friend almost all life, had been turned into one of Them.

I almost couldn't help myself when I said it.

"B-Blaine?"

He turned from washing his hands. It was almost robotic, but insanely terrifying. I was just completely shell-shocked by the way the smile on his face went to a frown.

"Unit 85. Are you malfunctioning?" he asked.

Get back into character, Michael-Freaking-Einstein!

"Denied," I replied robotically. "Request...denied."

Blaine cocked an eyebrow. "Understood. Back to usual activity."

"Understood." I went into a stall and waited until he left.

Blaine. My head wouldn't wrap around this. He couldn't have volunteered! He'd even told me it was stupid on occasion.

Blaine was the guy that never volunteered for any of the school-wide surveys or anything like that. He didn't even volunteer for the one about different types of pencils, and they would've paid him for it! How in the heck did he think about volunteering?

That was it. It all made sense. That was why there were so many of Them in the halls. That was why the numbers were growing exponentially.

He didn't volunteer. He was taken without any form of consent. He had no choice.

They were taking people.

I need to leave.

I peeked between the stall doors to see if anyone was there. Thankfully, and I mean thankfully, the coast was clear, so I decided to get a move on.

Back into the fire and flames.

I'm ready.

It was all a forward march from there. I went down more halls than I thought were even in the Academy. It even took longer than I thought it originally would.

How big is this freaking school, anyway? It's gotta be like a whole freaking state at this point.

I was stuck in there for so long that  when it started off as maybe midday, it was sunset when I was out.

I went into the woods, all huffing and puffing with lungs and legs burning. If I wasn't ready for the marching season before, I was definitely ready now.

I found a clearing maybe a quarter of the way in and plopped down on the grass. It seemed like a good place to stay until morning, which was when I planned to get moving.

I took out my phone and put the music on, leaning back against a tree. I put my arms behind my neck as I looked up to the sky.

I hummed along to the music as it played. Man, if this wasn't what I needed after a day like that.

This is my heart, it's on the line...

I nodded my head to the beat of the song. It was always a good way to help me relax or calm down. The beat is just slow enough...well, enough out of that.

I let the music, the stars, and the forest just take me in. I was so thankful for this, more than I'd been for a long time. Even before, when I was in the bell tower, I was not as relaxed. All I could was absorb the moment and absorb it as much as I physically and mentally could.

Moments like these needed to be cherished. They were holy...nah. I don't need to ramble on about it. I guess my talk doesn't really take on much, does it? I'll just get on with the story.

I woke up around eight or nine in the morning. It was kind of early. I'd fallen asleep with the music still playing. Some soft Green Day poured into my ears, just "Still Breathing."

Now if that didn't describe my situation perfectly. Still breathing. I...ugh. No. I'll let this go on.