Jamie

Thomas led me through the cafeteria to the line for food.  It actually looked pretty decent, definitely better than the food at my school.  I grabbed a tray, but there was nobody behind the counter to serve the food.  Suddenly, a person popped up from under the counter and grabbed the serving spoon, shoving some on a plate, and put it on my tray.  I mumbled a thank you and Thomas and I were on our way to find a seat.

I saw the kids from the classroom earlier and decided it would be a good idea to sit with them.  Instead of Thomas leading me, I was leading Thomas.

The kids at the table went silent when I sat down.  “Hello,” I said in a small voice, realizing this probably wasn’t the best idea.  

“Hey, you’re the new kid, right?”

“Um, I guess so.”

“Soooo?” The boy asks, as if he is expecting something.  When no answer comes, he asks, “So, how did you get here?  What’s your story?  Tell us about you and that stuff.”

“Oh, um, of course.  My name is Jamie, Jamie Falks,” as I say that I reach out for a handshake, but get nothing in return.  I put my hand down and continue, “I’m thirteen years-“

“You’re so young!  Everyone else here is at least fifteen, besides Thomas,” a girl across from me says.

“I’m from Connecticut.  I live - well I guess lived - with my parents and eight brothers, until this happened,” I say, gesturing around me.  “We were celebrating my birthday and then there was this wave and my hands started to spark and men came to take me away.”  I tried to say it as fast as I could, not wanting to remember anything from that night.

“Wow, everyone here was an orphan until Michael picked them up.”  So that’s why everyone was surprised I had a family.  The boy turned to me again, “Sparks?  Nobody here has fire powers.  You are special.”

“What power do you have?”

“Telekinesis,” he shoots his hand up and a water bottle flies to it.  Well, I guess it didn’t fly there.  “I’m Rob, by the way.”

“That’s cool.  What about you?” I ask the girl across from me.

“I’m Tilly and I don’t have powers, none of the guards do.  I’m Rob’s guard and best friend for life!”  I guess some people here can be happy.  They make me remember Scott.  We were supposed to watch that space movie this weekend.

“This is Thomas, he’s my guard.”  I hold up my hand as if he couldn’t hear me say, “He’s a little quiet.”

“Everyone knows Thomas,” Tilly says, “He is the youngest guard.  Fitting for the youngest student.”

“What do we do here?”  I ask, not really wanting to know the answer.

“Half the day is training, both fist fighting and using our powers.  Your guard generally helps you with that. Then, we have school classes for the other half.  You won’t know what you have until you get your schedule.  Though you are younger than all of us, so I don’t know what classes you will be joining,” Rob explains, though isn’t as enthusiastic as Tilly to be greeting a new student.

“I was in your room earlier, though.  Maybe I’m in your classes?”

“I doubt it,” says Tilly, “That was homeroom, there are kids of all ages during homeroom.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you joined Thomas' classes.  He gets special one on one classes since he is so much younger than the rest of the guards.  You two are close in age and probably close at academic levels.”

“That would be so cool,” I say, internally rolling my eyes.  I can’t even get two seconds away from this guy.  A loud bell rings, interrupting my thoughts.

“Dinners over, see you tomorrow!” Rob and Tilly both say as they stand up and walk away.

I just sit in silence until Thomas picks me up from underneath my arms and sets me on my feet. 

“We need to go back to our rooms for the night.  I have put your nightly needs on the desk.”  With that, he walked away and I followed.

Once back in my room, I changed out of my uniform into the pajamas Thomas apparently picked up for me, brushed my teeth, and layed down in the bed.  The second my head hit the pillow, I was asleep.