The Singing Willow

Chapter 2

      The man escorted us to the entrance of the ninety-two-meter stronghold, gesturing us through and following behind. 

The walls of the fortress were marble and had a modernized touch, with a yellow-stained carpet trailing through the hall and a crystal chandelier that dropped from the high-cut ceiling.

"Welcome to Balkan academy, home to members with a thousand-year-old history and a school for providing knowledge to younger generations," he spoke, following our eyes. 

"My name is Alfred, and I am the current director of this school, and if you have any future questions feel free to ask at any point... I suppose we shall get to the first step into the program." 

We entered on the right side of the hallway, piling into a medium-sized room. Desks sat aligned one to another, chairs tucked underneath. On the desk was a graphite pencil along with a thick mass of paper that was neatly stapled in the top left corner. 

"This is your instructor Mrs. Kent, she will watch over and guide you through any questions. Each of you will sit at any desk available, reading and answering the questions thoroughly. You will be given 3 hours to complete it and hand in the test." 

Sitting at the nearest seat in the first row, I eyed the lower portion of the written paper. It had asked for all the relevant information regarding where I came from and who I was raised by. Turning the packet over, a basic screening test involving mathematics ranging from simple addition to calculus and other categories.

"All of you will fall into one of three categories, ingenuity, observational, and enthusiast. You will go through a series of tests including the one that is in front of you."

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Most completed it in a minimum of two hours, with few struggling to comprehend the questions. At the three-hour mark, we prepared to move into our dorm rooms. 

Mrs. Kent had walked us to the corridor and called off which rooms were ours. The males had the rooms opposite ours, three doors with three different symbols. 

"The door marked with the symbol of ingenuity will belong to Ellen, Nevna, and Mandy. Please, remain inside your dorm at all times until you have been called upon by me or other members. The opposite room will belong to Kane, Dan, and Parker."

Then with the click-clack of her heels, she walked back to where we had come from. I turned the knob until the door had freed itself from its hold. The room was a set of two bunk beds uniformly aligned up against the white painted walls. A room next to one of the bunks led to the bathroom that had a single stall and shower.