Sickening Thoughts

Chapter 11

Aurora stirred, confused by her surroundings. She was in a small wooden house with the peak of daylight shining through a small glass window above a table. It smelled faintly of rain and smoke. There were three chairs around a table and a kitchen area with cupboards, a sink, and a small stove. She slowly got up and the wood creaked under her light footsteps. Beside her she saw James, fast asleep on a torn leather couch. 

"What is this place.." Aurora mumbled to herself. James sat up on the couch, seeming confused as Aurora.

"Auri.. where are we?"

"I don't kn-"

"Ah you're finally up" a woman said as she entered from a dark hallway. They both flinched at her voice, startled by where they were and how they got there.

"Where are we?" Aurora asked the woman.

"You guys really don't remember? I guess that poison the doctor uses does work on children.."

"Poison?!" Aurora and James said simultaneously.

"Relax, it didn't harm you guys at all. It's more of a serum rather than a poison. Let me elaborate-"

"Please, do" Aurora replied, sitting on the couch next to James. They both looked at her; she had their full undivided attention.

"Well... oh where do I start.. okay. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember getting caught by the guard then we went to the doctors office and he gave me a shot... everything blurred, then I woke up here" she said.

"Yeah, that's basically what I remember too" James added.

"Okay, that shot not only made you fall asleep, it also made you forget quite a lot of things. The doctor brought you here to join the armies. Although-"

"Wait.. the doctor said we would be on different armies. Why are we both here together?" Aurora questioned.

"Well you need to train before you enter the fighting stage. There are things beyond your dreams or imagination here. Magic, potions, monsters... Anyways, that's why you're here. Everyone trains together, then they are divided equally into opposing armies. You will be living here until you are ready to fight, then you will be sent on your way."

"So.. we'll still be separated?" 

"I'm afraid so". Aurora and James looked at each other, then their glare was focused on the ground. After a while of silenced thoughts, Aurora spoke.

"One last question... did anyone named Mary Denze join the army perhaps?" Aurora asked, a glint of hope in her eyes.

"Auri.." James began

"James I need to know" Aurora replied, looking at him, then back to the woman. 

After hesitating, a bit suspiciously, she said "No... not that I've heard of. You've never seen your mother, have you?"

"No" Aurora said "My memory was erased of her, I don't know how, but it was..".

"A shame" the woman said, though she looked slightly relieved. Aurora pushed this moment to the back of her brain.

"What's your name?" James asked the woman.

"Marylin" she replied quickly. "Anyways, it's time to begin training so let's head to the main square". She must've noticed that they looked a bit confused so she added "Don't worry, everything will be explained when we get there".

They climbed into a car and were driven along a bumpy brick path to a large diamond shaped area. People were surrounding a stage in the middle of all of it, seeming to be waiting for instruction.

When they arrived, they climbed out of the car. 

"Alright everybody gather round, gather round! It's time to begin your training but first, I must explain why you're here and how."

They walked into the crowd, as eager to listen as everybody else.