Top Level (on hold (im stuck...))

Chapter 1- The Ceremony

Chapter 1- the Ceremony

                                                                           Ella

Noise.

That’s the first and only word that appears in mind as I walk into the auditorium. There are hundreds of people sitting frozen on the rows of seats in front of us. Completely still except from their mouths and heads, which would not stop moving. Every person man and woman is wearing the same white overalls and long cotton jacket. All of the women had their hair in a tight bun tied with a black band. All except one man at the front of the room, he’s dressed in black.

As our line walks in unison to the front of the crowd a silence overcomes the room, there is no noise except the heavy breathing of nervous 16 year olds. We are told to stop and take a seat in the front row of seats. As we sit one by one I survey the people who have surrounded me since I woke. We are all dressed in the uniform of white overalls but without the jacket, one of the few differences between us and the adults behind. None of us are wearing shoes, as I look down at my feet I feel another pair of eyes on me. I look up to meet their gaze… his gaze. I notice straight away his hazel eyes, and the messy hair of the same colour to match. The fact that as our gazes lock, he begins biting his bottom lip. He’s nervous.

“I welcome you”

My head whips towards the voice, it is the man in black. He has walked towards the middle of the clearing and opened his arms, as if to welcome us into his embrace.

“I welcome the new awakenings,” he pauses to survey the front row.

His eyes silently cross the line towards the end that I am seated. As his eyes pass over me towards the next person, I shiver. His casual gaze is like ice.

“And I welcome you, my fellow 4th level’ers to the arrival ceremony” he put his arms down behind his back as an applause erupted from behind.

“as you all know,” he continued, breaking through the noise, “ that the children that sit in this front row had only awoken no more than an hour ago, they know how to speak, how to talk and most importantly how to behave. But they do not know who they are. I shall call them up one by one by their seat numbers,”

We all turned and looked at the back of our chairs to see our numbers, I am number 8.

“And announce their name and their dormitory number. As you all know, this is a very nervous time for them,” he paused once again and lifted his arms, “so please, I ask, help them through it.”

As he walked to the back of the stage I felt the boy’s eyes on me again. As I turned towards him, he abruptly looked away, making his hair swish onto his face in the process. I counted the chairs…1…2…3… he is number 5. I will find out his name before I even know my own.

As I look towards the front, the man turns and says, “Chair one, may you please stand.”

A girl with ginger hair stands up and clasps her hands at her front.

“I welcome you Fran, to the top level,” he walks toward her, then takes her hand, “Fran, you are now a member of dormitory 2.”

A sudden applause ripples through the audience making me jump, causing a piece of hair from my bun drift into my face. As I swat it away I notice, I have black hair. I look at my hand as it reaches toward my face, I see the pale skin- it’s almost white. I can hear the man declaring names and numbers, none of which I pay any attention towards… until I hear number 5.

“Chair 5, would you please stand,” he commands looking at the boy with the hazel eyes,

The boy stands, with his hands beside him.

 He’s biting his lip again.

“I welcome you Jake, to the top level,” The man shakes his hand, Jakes hand. “Jake you are now a member of dormitory 16.”

Jake sits abruptly and runs his hand through his hair.  I turn my head sharply when I see his hazel eyes noticing me once again. I begin tapping my foot, well I guess I have a nervous habit! Suddenly he is calling out my chair number, asking me to stand.

“Chair 8, would you please stand.” He asks as he begins walking towards me with those icy eyes looking into my own.

“I welcome you….”

                                                                            Jake

It’s her turn. As he walks towards her I can tell that she is uncomfortable. She is looking at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with him. His icy grey eyes, her bright green ones. Her eyes fit perfectly with her jet black hair, it looks purple in this light.

“I welcome you Ella,” he shakes her hand unwillingly on her part.

The name suits her. Ella. Yep… it fits.

“Ella you are now a member of dormitory 12”

That’s only four away from mine… I begin bighting my lip again

I wonder…

No. Stop. She doesn’t even know you. You don’t know her!

The man begins his ending speech, it’s about how the current residents must treat us and that we newbies will be going to a talk tomorrow about the rules etc. I zone out.

My head seems to have an electric pull towards her own as it turns once again… She’s gonna think I’m a stalker…  Those big green eyes stair back at me.

I will find her tomorrow…