X-Marks: Rising Shadows

Dorms

The two men in uniforms did not speak as the tall white doors of the elevator opened. Behind the door was a long gray hall lined with many doors numbered with silver plaques. Below the carpet was colored a rich green the color grass. We followed the uniformed men in the hallway as the doors closed stirring a breeze behind us.

"Is this where the committee is?" I turned and asked the men.

The others also turned, but the uniformed men continued walking. Not even a twitch rippled through their stony faces as the doors numbers passed by their tall heads.

2789, 2790, 2791, 2792, 2793...

This continued until we reached door numbered 2815 and the armored men stopped.

One armored man removed his black glove and pressed his hand against a flat black panel of the door. It flashed a red then green light making the door open. The two men stood back, focused their shielded faces at me and extended their arms into the door.

As I took my first steps into the room, I halted at the threshold. It was more spacious than anything I had ever seen. This room was also gray, warmed by the natural light that cut through the narrow windows stacked on the walls like bricks.

The lower deck of the dorm had more space than I had seen in some homes. In the back corner was a sleek kitchen with steel fixtures along a long glass counter. At the center of the counter was a glass bowl filled with colorful fruits. Beside the kitchen was a white desk and shelf lined with many books.

On the top deck, was a set of steel bars that led up to a large white bed. Around the bed, a lush green garden bloomed as the morning sunlight beamed through a large round window on the ceiling.

"It's it's -" I began to say when I heard the door close behind.

I was alone in a strange new room. This felt all too familiar.

Before I could explore the room any more, I was distracted by the swirling sound of a monitor. Behind the thin legs of the desk, a metal device that looked like a trash can on wheels rolled towards me.

"Good afternoon," the device said, its voice was wavy and artificial sounding.

"Wh-what are you?" I said and looked at the flashing blue and white lights of the device.

The device's wheels began to turn faster and towards me.

"An Integration Recourse Intelligence System," the device said, the round eyes on its face turned to half-moons, "You can call me, Iris."

"Um, Iris," I said, still looking at the door and it's handle for a way out, "I don't know what that means."

"I am here to assist you with using the accommodations found in your dormitory, but I am also a resource for any questions you may have until your committee meeting."

I had forgotten about the committee meeting. A rush of dread flowed through me again.

"I am sensing an increasing amount of cortisol in your bodily systems," Iris continued and scanned a blue light at my ankles, "Would you like me to contact the medical department to prescribe a medication that could assist with your anxiety."