In the Name of Order

Chapter 5: Feel No Pain

Someone slaps me. I sit up and force my eyes open to see the person who decided to disturb me at this hour. My curtains are ajar, allowing the sunlight to show me the panic in Mathea's dark brown eyes. If it weren't for me shining a torch into her eyes a few years ago, I'd still be claiming her eyes are black.

I now notice Mathea's irregular breaths, and Mathea, previously towering over me, bends her body to rest her arms on her knees and closes her eyes. She remains in this position for some time which causes her thick black hair to fall across her face.

"What time is it, T? Is something wrong?"

"I saw them from my window. I heard them talking too. House-ma B kept telling them they'd cause a scene if they did this now, but they wouldn't budge. They kept saying they had to do it, Wills. The guards kept talking about their orders, and when House-ma B told them to shove it, they pushed past her. That's when I ran here for you. I ran as soon as they pushed our housemother," Thea's rambling comes to a stop as she walks over to my room door and presses her ear against it.

"I don't know what to do now that I'm here. Maybe," she hesitates, "you should hide, Wills."

Her voice suggests she doubts her solution. I now hear faint footsteps in the hallway and move my duvet off of me before placing one foot onto the floor, causing the tile to squeak. Thea rushes to me, somehow managing to do this quietly, and places her arms on my shoulder to hold me in place.

"Willow, they're coming for you," her voice cracks as she says this.

I pull my sister closer, and she curls herself against me as I hold her against my chest. I didn't think this is how they did it. It doesn't make sense to kick me out of the program at this hour instead of contacting my mother during the afternoon to come pick me up and have her sign some forms that would surely put us in debt.

The quickness of my dismissal is also unexpected; it's too soon. Sure, I've shown no improvements since the previous year, but I thought they'd decide my fate at a later stage. I thought they'd wait until, at the very least, my third or fourth evaluation. Maybe they hoped I only needed the holiday as rest and would be back to normal for the New Year.

Still, everything seems too quick. I've never been fond of the Gifted Program, but now that I am about to be forced out; I cannot say that I am happy to leave. Perhaps I fear what waits for me outside of this program, because it is all I've known for a long time. This program has been a large part of my education, even before I was even accepted into it.

Perhaps I'll go to that culinary school now. However, I know Thea doesn't like this, and for that reason, I wish to stay here longer.

The footsteps are louder now. Mathea moves her head from my chest and faces me, looking more panicked than she did when she woke me up. I point to the closet, and she quietly moves across my room to hide in it.

I lie back in bed and wait, wondering if they'll knock and give me time to pack my clothes. If so, the best place for Thea to hide is not my closet. Maybe they'll barge in and drag me out of my room. Maybe I'll scream and wake up everyone in house.

There isn't a knock. The door opens slowly and I can't tell how many people have entered my room. Someone shakes me with the same strength I imagine Mathea used on me before she decided a slap was the best method to wake me up. This person will not get that far. I stretch my legs out and take some time to open my eyes, as I would wake up if this were a regular morning. There are three figures standing on the opposite end of my room; all men.

The man in the middle speaks, "Willow Bare, you need to come with us now. There is no need to change your clothing; all necessary items will be sent to you. Please know, we are authorised to use force if you try to resist." The man sounds as if he has been practising that speech.