Hidden Society of the Talented

Chapter 1

Pain. The only thing I could feel. It was odd, really. The last thing I remember was snuggling under my covers and falling asleep. Now everything was different.

I was in a large moving vehicle. The road was bumping and jolting the large.. bus like.. van. That's what it was. Bounds were tying my wrists together tightly, as well as my legs. I've really never had this happen before. It's like something I would read from one of my books thousands of times. 

I tried my best to sit up but found that I couldn't. When I opened my eyes, all I could see was black. Something was either covering my eyes, or it was pitch black. Most likely the latter. I thought. I shook my head to keep out my dark thoughts.

It's only a dream, it's only a dream..

Cries were starting to become louder as I became more aware. There were multiple children, I realized. I was really starting to think I was going crazy. It felt like hours. The road stretched on, and on, and on. It was nightmarish at this point, the wind howling outside and rattling the locked doors. What was it now, five am? Pfft.. I had no idea.

Maybe I should introduce myself. Even though it's obviously what none of you came for. I'm Mat Finch. Obviously not my real name, but this is going on the internet. I'm a boring thirteen year old girl. Who'd want to kidnap me, anyways? I'm so sensitive to the point it's stupid, lazy, and boring to hang around. Talented? Not me. My day consists of role-playing with a few really amazing online friends, watching YouTube, building Legos, drawing, and reading. Online school drives me crazy, and I'd honestly much rather be going to a physical building. At least there I had a chance of making friends.

Now I could feel the vehicle coming to a slow stop. My heart was pounding a million miles an hour, and my breaths were short and shaky as I started to panic.

No, Mat. Stay calm! Calm your breathing, take in your surroundings. Find. An. Exit.

I did so. It turns out, I never had something covering my eyes. I could now see a bit of sunlight through the cracks of the large doors in the back of the van. Silhouettes of shuddering figures were all around me. God, it was horrible.

What made it even worse is that I sucked at everything having to do with physical activity. Yeah, I played tennis for.. two years. Then I had to stop. Then, in the process of moving, I was taken. Great. Absolutely no strength was going to be torture, most likely.

Strength was not my forte. Thinking, I was definitely better at. But I still sucked at all those escape room games on the App Store, so let's just say I really just don't have a strong suit. Having OCD, yeah that didn't help with anything either. Who cares about that random crap though, right?

I tried to scoot towards the doors, but there were forms in front of me, blocking the path. I let out a huff, watching my breath come out in soft fog against the black background of shadows. One loud bang made almost everyone jump. I'm pretty sure it was one of the.. kidnappers? Captors? I dunno. One of the people who took us.

There was a loud rattling of chains before the doors flung open. I ducked down and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to still act asleep.

"Get 'em out. I'll meet you at the Base." One gruff voice demanded. Quiet and hesitant "okay"s sounded after.

Did these people even want to do this? Were we going to die?