Trapped

New Recruit

I walked the last block to my house thinking of how next week, I will be working in one of the most important Pathes in the country.  I also couldn’t help thinking about the taste of Drew’s lips, and how I had missed them the last few days.

When I walked into the house Oscar, my gray American Curl kitten, greeted me.  I named him Oscar after a character in one of my great grandfather’s favorite shows, The Proud Family.  “Hello, Oscar.  How was your day?”  He purred in response and I laughed at how adorable he is.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bowls.  I filled one with Oscar’s food, and the other with leftover spaghetti from last night.  I sat at the kitchen table and wondered about how in one more week I will be in another place, probably an apartment a lot closer to my job, and I will have to pay my own bills.  Since my parents are gone, the government Pathe is paying my bills but as soon as I start working I only have myself to depend on and I won’t be living in the entertainment Pathe anymore.

My mother and father were both models and so even though I want to work in the government Pathe when I get older, I get to stay closer to my parents… and Drew.

Still lost in my thoughts, I cleaned the dishes and Oscar’s litter box and got ready for bed.  Soon, everything will change, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for it.

            “To your right, you will see the Spy Headquarters, where,” the tour lady paused as she looked at her sheet, “Gregory Brown, Thomas Forks, Elizabeth Greene, and Ashton Murphy will now leave us.”

            We all walked through the glass doors and was amazed that what we saw through the glass was completely different than what was actually behind them.  From the outside, it just looked like cubicles.  When we walked in, we realized that there was a huge globe in the center of the room, and no chairs or cubicles in sight.

            “You must be the new recruits,” a tall, lanky man said.  He looked no older than us with his auburn hair, pale brown skin, and dorky glasses.

            “Yes,” Thomas said.  I’ve never seen him around school before and everyone who wanted to be in the government Pathe has to go to the same school.

            “Okay.  I’m Kris.  Follow me.”

            We followed Kris into a room to the side of the large room.  Inside were four large desks each with our names on them.  “Sit.”

            We did as we were told and then the desks came to life.  “Hello, Ashton,” my desk greeted.  I was surprised and speechless.  Thomas chuckled from the desk beside me.  “Didn’t you read the packet they sent us in the mail?” 

            “Um… No,” I answered truthfully.  I started but it seemed like I knew everything already, so I just skipped to the list of important dates.

            “We have orientation for the first two weeks, we’ll be staying here.  Your things will be in your room later.”

            “Thanks,” I said.  I still wasn’t too sure about Thomas.  There was something about him that seemed off.

            “Welcome to your new Pathe,” the desk continued.  “My name is Susan.  Here is your list of assignments for the day.”  I list of ten things popped up.  “Your first assignment is to tour this building.  In the back of the room is a cubby with your name.  Your second assignment is to go through the cubby and gather your things….”  SUSN continued to read off assignments, and I was happy to know that we would all be spending the first day together and not doing separate tasks.

            Kris continued the tour with us, showing us the costume room, the fitness room and world-wide surveillance camera room along with anything a spy can dream of.

            When we got back in the room, we all went to our cubbies to find tablets, new phones and a watch.  “Once you learn how to use those, you will get more things,” Kris told us.

            We spent the rest of the day reading manuals for the gadgets and playing mind games on SUSN.