The Dome [O L D]

Chapter 3

Location: Unknown

Subject: Cameron Pien

Date: April 8, 2027

Age: 10

A gunshot jolts me to my senses. I slowly turn my head and see a tall soldier pointing his black gun at my chest. A child lies, dead, across the aisle, his open eyes blank. Blood drips onto the cheap material of the seat.

I stare, horrified.

What could anyone do to deserve that?

I look up at the soldier's retreating back and breathe a sigh of relief. I'm still alive.

I focus on trying to look out of the rain-streaked windows. Where are we?

3:47. The minute of my birth.

Suddenly, my body erupts in spasms. I try to scream, but the seizures stop me from making any sound.

A white-coated doctor calmly walks up the aisle to me and pokes and needle into my arm.

The last thing I see is the view of the child lying dead on the floor of the bus.

***

"It's awake." a female voice says quietly. I groan and open my eyes slightly. The harsh light of the room nearly blinds me. I become aware of an odd ache in my back.

"It...?" I say, struggling to form the word.

"Yes. You are an it." someone sneers. "Don't you notice what's happened to you?"

I shake my head no. A male face obscures my vision as he says, "Then you need to see yourself. You're a freak." My eyes widen slightly. I see someone's hand resting on the man's shoulder.

After a few moments, someone wheels me out of the strange room and into a pristinely white hallway. I resist the urge to fall asleep again as I move through the hall.

We reach a room at the end of the hallway and the person pushing me opens the door and wheels me inside.

The door leads to another hall, this one not as clean, with metal bowls filled with rainwater and spots of rust lightly scattered throughout. Again a door is opened, but inside are two bunk beds with thin mattresses, no pillows, and threadbare blankets. An unpleasant odor occupies the room. I give a small smile when I see my suitcase lying on the left bottom bunk.

The person who pushed me in says, "Get up. Someone will come in a few minutes to explain your situation."

Confused, I sit on the bed, waiting.

After a minute or so, a tall man in a camouflage military uniform enters the room.

Unsure of what to do, I stand up and salute him. He nods and motions for me to sit.

"This is your home now." he says. "You should be expecting roommates arriving in the next few hours."

I nod and he continues, "You will be expected to complete the list of tasks which will be posted on the board." he points toward a piece of brown cork nailed into the wall by each of the beds. "As well as these tasks, you will train for combat daily. More information will be posted on your board later. For now, unpack and wait for your roommates to arrive. Then head to the gym."

I nod quickly. He adds, "I expect you to repeat this to your roommates." He leaves.