The international singing sensation, Ghost Bird, is a name known around the world. No one knows who the mysterious singer is, but everyone knows her music.
Sang Sorenson sings to escape the reality of her hard life. Locked in a house with her mother...
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A ring splits through the air, jolting me out of my sleep. I leap from my bed and look around the room wildly, fear and adrenaline coursing through me as I gain my bearings and look for the threat.
"Calm yourself," Cleopatra groans, rolling over on her bunk. "It's just the wake-up alarm. It's way too early today."
A wake-up alarm? Can't they just tell us to wake up at a certain time? I've never needed an alarm to wake up, I always wake up at the same time.
Cleopatra, tangled up in her sheets and blankets, rolls off her bed and hits the ground with a thud.
"Are you okay?" I cry, worried that she is hurt.
Cleopatra waves me off. "Don't worry, this is how I always wake up. Best way to wake yourself up."
"Okay..." I say.
Real people are far different from the people in the books that I've read. It is becoming frustrating. It is almost to the point where I am questioning what is and isn't real. I know how big the Earth is, or do I? I know how to greet a person properly, or do I? I know the population, or do I? I know the various types of volcanoes, or do I? I know how to pilot a helicopter, or do I? I've learned all these things through books, but the real world is looking more and more different than the world I have learned about through books.
Biting my lip, I stand there awkwardly as Cleopatra climbs to her feet and heads to the closet. Thankfully, she understands my plight and tosses me some clothes. I dress quickly in a faded pair of drawstring shorts that have to be tied to stay on properly and a pink shirt that fits right. Cleopatra calls the shirt a "crop top," whatever that is.
"Come on, Sang!" Cleopatra calls, handing me a pair of shoes and socks. "We have to get you to your testing!"
Nervously, I tug on the shoes and tie them off in my favorite knot, unsure of what exactly I am supposed to do with the ends of the shoelace. I've never worn or even seen a pair of lace-up shoes. Mother preferred heels or slippers and Father when he was alive, only wore his fancy business shoes. Tying shoes is something that was never explained in the books that I've read either.
Silently, I follow her into the maze of halls and memorize the route that we are taking, slowly beginning to understand the layout of the place. We arrive at another one of their unmarked metal doors and Cleopatra shoves the door open, motioning for me to go ahead of her. Inside, the room is enormous, like a giant cave almost. The place is completely empty, but it is clear that it gets lots of use.
Cleopatra says, "Good, no one else is here. You'll have some privacy at least for your testing."
"Welcome!" A voice booms from behind us, causing Cleopatra to jump.
Having felt the air shift when they came in, I merely turn and look at the man. He has warm skin and dark hair with a slight curl that perfectly frames his square face perfectly. His brown eyes are warm but calculating. He is extremely tall and muscular, the build of someone with great access to food.
"Are you Sang?" He asks, his eyes focusing on me.
I nod slowly, unsure of what to make of him.
"My name is Luther," He announces. "And I am here to run your physical evaluation."
"Hello, Luther," I greet him, extending my hand for him to shake, recalling that this is the proper way to greet someone.
Luther gives me a funny look and hesitantly shakes my hand, making me feel as if I did something wrong.
"Well, come on then," Luther directs. "First is running."
He has me run on a treadmill at several different speeds until I am left gasping for air and feeling light-headed.
"Not bad," Luther remarks. "But you can definitely work on your long distance running."
Still breathing raggedly, I nod, knowing that I've never had the chance to run far since the time I was seven. That was the day that Mother caught me and punished me for trying to escape. I haven't tried to leave the house since then. Now, I am in a completely different place, surrounded by strangers. I wonder what Mother expected when she sold me. Was she expecting me to end up in a place like this? Or somewhere far, far worse?
Next, Luther has me lifting weights, small ones. I manage all of them, much to his surprise. Living with Mother is not easy. I am always cleaning, moving things around, and working. Mother does not tolerate laziness. Somewhat stunned, Luther has me lift heavier and heavier weights until I cannot anymore.
"I don't know where you came from, Sang," Luther declares. "But you are certainly not what I was expecting when I first saw you."
"Oh?" Is my only response.
"Yup. I must admit that I was not expecting you to do this well at all," Luther explains.
I shrug slightly, not caring, really, what he thinks of me. I've had a whole lifetime of insults and beatings to thicken my skin.
Cleopatra enters the room then, asking, "Is she done for now, then?"
"Yup," Luther answers. "Make sure she remembers to come tomorrow as well."
With a small wave, I leave the giant room, following Cleopatra again.
