Lies & Harmony Trilogy

Chapter One: The Hospital (Part 2)

Ana reaches for the golden, curved handles. They are close to each other, and she pulls it down, opening the door with an easy tug. She then holds it open for me to enter. I walk through the doors. and the fresh air hits my face immediately. The sun is shining down, and a soft wind ruffles my hair. The burgundy design of the linoleum floor is a relieving change from the strict perfection of the rest of the hospital.

     I look up, always fascinated by this scene. There are glass catwalks bordered by the grey glass scattered all around the floors. We’re at the first floor so we’re at the bottom. The catwalks travel across to the other side where the open space ends and there are patients with nurses walking along it. Soft chatter can be heard from all directions. I stand there, mouth open, taking in the sights the way I did the first time. At the very top, above all ten floors, is an open roof that allows fresh air and sunlight to stream through. During the cold days (or ‘winter’), the automatic roof closes over, shielding us from the heavy sleet that falls.

     “Come on, Seven,” Ana says kindly, “let’s go.”

     I come to my senses, remembering that I’m supposed to be going to my Learning room now. I hope that I get a kind teacher. I hope I get someone like Ana. It’s doubtful, but I can hope.

     There are four exits from the bottom floor. The one behind me which leads to my room. The one on my right leads to the outside world. The doors are almost like the ones we passed through but larger. The exit in front of me leads to more rooms and the exit to my left leads to the Learning rooms.

     There are many Learning rooms to hold different people, and they are all on the first floor. A long time ago I was on the tenth floor, and I can still remember running down the stairs and trying to catch up with another nurse. She was always snappy with me and called me an audacious child for always questioning her. I tried to explain that I wasn’t questioning her and that I was only curious, but she would have none of it. That was the day that I learned to never express my true feelings. No one ever believes me.

     Ana starts walking to the left, and I follow her. The doors to the Learning rooms are much less fancier than the front doors but nonetheless have that swirl design on the grey glass doors. Ana pushes them open, and I step inside.

     These hallways are not so different from the other ones. The only change is that the doors are glass and there are large windows instead of white walls. We walk down the hallway and I peer in each classroom. They are very large and slowly filling with students. The first few Learning rooms hold younger students and a very strict looking Teacher. It reminds me of my first teacher, and I grimace at the thought. I didn’t like her much.

     We descend along the hallway, and the students begin look older the deeper we go, but they all have that same weary look on their faces. I catch the eye of a younger boy who is staring out at the window. He looks so worn-out and almost older than Ana but that can’t be possible. I glance at Ana and realize that she’s still beaming. Does the different expressions on your face change how old you look?

     We finally stop at Room 9, and Ana pushes the glass door open for me. I can already see the Teacher inside, and he is looking very nervous. There are a few students inside and they are all talking quietly amongst themselves. I frown because our previous Teachers have never allowed us to communicate amongst ourselves because it disrupts the learning environment and other students, but this Teacher isn’t doing anything to stop it.

     When I don’t step in, Ana frowns at me and follows my gaze to the students that are talking. Her frown deepens, and she looks at the lost-looking Teacher.

     “Come in, Seven,” she says, holding the door wider. I enter and to my surprise, Ana enters the room too.

     In all my times that I’ve been to Learning, the nurses never enter the class. They escort us, and then they leave. After Learning is finished, they come to escort us back to our rooms. The other students are also surprised because some of them gasp and point to Ana. The Teacher, a worried looking frown on his face, walks promptly over to Ana, his arms swinging at his sides.