Moon Angel

Chapter 18: The Facility

Chapter 18: The Facility

After the success of our first two missions, Mr Carter and Miss Dunn were assured that we could handle ourselves. Instead of going in one large group, they started to assign us in pairs or threes, depending on what skill set the mission needed. This meant that sometimes we would stay at Omega for up to two weeks or even a month without going above ground. We would spend our days waiting for a mission, eager to prove ourselves, to prove that all the training wasn't for nothing. In trainings, we even started to compete against one another. We would train longer and harder, building our skill sets so that we would have a higher chance of being chosen on the next mission. But no matter how much we competed against each other, we were still a team and we still had one area that we excelled in, a place no one else could take. For those missions we were always chosen without fail. I think that the competition between us was more to give us something to do while we were underground.

One year after we arrived at Omega, the next recruits arrived. We saw them as they were shown through the corridors by Miss Dunn. Had we looked that nervous when we had arrived? Just like us there were four boys and four girls. It was strange seeing that we were no longer the youngest ones there. We were experienced compared.

***

I opened my eyes. The lights were harsh and bright. Where was I? What had happened? My wings rubbed uncomfortably against a hard surface. I tried to move my hands, to shield my eyes from the burning glare but I found they wouldn't move, constricted by something but I couldn't work out what it was. The light continued to shine in my eyes, unrelenting. It made me disorientated, confused. I couldn't see past its glow. Where was I? I closed my eyes to try and orientate myself. I heard a door open somewhere nearby. I opened my eyes again, but shut them quickly. The light was still there. Why couldn't it leave and give me some peace? As if on my command, something stepped in front of the light, giving my eyes much needed relief. As my eyes adjusted I could make out a silhouette of a woman. Because of the harsh lights it was only a black image. I was unable to make out anything more. The shadow moved. I flinched as something brushed against my skin. I could now make out the woman's hands undoing the item that had constricted my hands- a leather strap. She moved again and undid the other side. I tried to sit up, to move, but my mind was numb and my limbs were heavy. I felt the woman slip her arms underneath me and my body lifted off the hard surface I had been lying on. I closed my eyes again and let her take me away. The brightness suddenly dimmed and the hot glare of the lights moved away. I heard a door close behind me and cool air flooded over my skin. I felt a draught brush fabric against my body. Wherever I was now, it was better than where I had been. I tried to open my eyes again to see where I was but I found they were heavy, too heavy. I heard a door open. The woman and I stopped moving and she lay my body down onto a soft surface this time. I was so, so tired. I heard yet another door open, or maybe it closed. I couldn't tell anymore.

The scene changed and I was in a dark room, lying on a small mattress in the corner. I sat up, my eyes adjusting. Where was I? I still didn't know. But at least it was dark this time. I had always liked darkness. There were no windows that I could see, only one solid door. There was a sink and a small table next to the bed, but other than that the room was very empty. A small concrete box.

I tried to remember how I had gotten here but all I could remember was the bright lights, being tied down. I shivered. Something about this place scared me. My hair fell over my shoulder in front of my face and I wondered who had removed it from the braids it had been in. I tucked my knees up under my chin and huddled on top of the bed. I wanted Mamma. Mamma... I remembered now. On the street. The soldiers, her teary face... why did I have to be born Lunair? Why did the Zorkan hate us so much?