He was uncertain how to proceed and decided to ask Adam. He tapped Adam on the shoulder to get his attention. Adam removed his headset and turned to Ian. "Yes?"
Ian expressed his confusion, "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do."
Adam smiled reassuringly. "Just press one of the languages and a course will begin. There's a guide at the top left corner if you get lost. You can read it for help."
Ian nodded. "Oh, I see." He had been so overwhelmed by the eight languages that he had not noticed the guide. He continued, “Are we supposed to learn all of these on our own?" while gesturing towards the languages on his screen.
Adam nodded, then continued, "I'm not sure why, but we have to. If we don't complete the lessons within a specific time limit, we'll be punished."
Ian's eyes grew wide with fear. "Punished?!” He turned his gaze back to the screen searching for the timer. “I don’t see any timer.”
Adam explained, "Once you start a course, a time limit will appear in the top right corner of the window."
He nodded at Adam’s explanation. “But What kind of punishment?" his voice betraying his growing sense of unease.
Adam shrugged. "I'm not sure. I never failed any lessons and I don’t know anyone who did, but I have heard rumors from some of the staff talking that there's an underground dungeon equipped with various torture devices for those who disobey or fail their lessons."
Ian's eyes widened and his complexion turned ashen as he struggled to digest this information. What kind of place is this? His thoughts became jumbled and panicked.
Adam, noticing Ian's distress, sought to calm him with a comforting pat on the shoulder and a reassuring smile. "It's just a rumor, Ian. I don't think it's actually true. I've never seen any evidence of it, so you don’t have to worry." Adam replaced his headset and added, "We should get back to our studies." He offered Ian a comforting wink, to ease his worries.
Ian focused his attention back to the screen and began his first lesson, following Adam's advice to not overthink the rumors of the punishments. He donned his headset and started his lesson in learning French. To his surprise, the language didn't seem too difficult and he was picking up on the language at a rapid pace. With each level of the lesson, he felt more confident and the fear he had felt about the rumors of the punishment faded away. As he progressed through the course, he found himself absorbed in the learning process and completely forgot about the passing of time. Before he knew it, three hours had passed.
"Time's up! Move to your next class," announced the lady.
The sound of the woman's voice drew Ian's attention away from the computer screen, causing him to look up in her direction. Is it already time? That went by quickly.
The three boys got up from their seats and left the classroom, with Ian following behind Adam and Zack, who appeared unfazed by the experience. Despite their nonchalant demeanor, Ian still felt strange and disoriented in this unfamiliar place, and his unease was only compounded by his lack of memories from his past.
Ian caught up with Adam and asked, "Where are we headed now?"
"Next up is our Biology and Pharmaceutical class," Adam replied.
Ian raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Pharmaceutical? Like, pharmacy stuff?"
Adam nodded. "And after that, we'll have a 45-minute lunch break. Then, we're heading to the Dome."
"The Dome? What's that?" Ian asked.
Adam rubbed the side of his cheek and tried to explain. "It's a huge Area that looks like a park outside the facility, where we could use and practice our abilities. And I was told the structures are made of the same materials as the devices on our necks." He gave Ian a reassuring smile and playfully nudged his shoulder. "You'll see it soon. I’m sure you will like it."
As they made their way to the next class, Ian couldn't help but notice that Zack was quiet, devoid of his usual snarky remarks. Looks like he is lost in his own thoughts.
The classroom they entered next was presided over by a male instructor who seemed to defy all conventional norms of a typical teacher. Dressed entirely in gothic attire, his hair was dyed jet black and his eyes were lined with black eyeliner. Numerous piercings adorned his nose and ears, and a silver stud gleamed on his tongue. However, despite his unconventional appearance, the instructor appeared indifferent to the presence of the boys, not bothering to acknowledge their arrival, like the previous teacher.
The classroom was a stark departure from the previous one; as individual cubicles had been replaced by egg chairs, equipped with VR headsets and magnetic gloves. The Biology lesson appeared to be completely immersive and focused on human anatomy, delving into the shapes and forms of the body, as well as the locations of internal organs.
Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical lesson was focused on the potential hazards of various medications and chemicals, as well as their applications. Both subjects included multiple levels, each ranging from beginner to advanced, and a timer began the moment Ian started the first level, the same as it was in the language class.
Yet again, Ian found the lessons to be highly comprehensible, and he had no trouble whatsoever memorizing the complicated terms presented to him.
After another three hours had passed, the boys found themselves in the afternoon, making their way to the dining hall for a brief 45-minute lunch break. Most of the other kids with enhanced abilities emerged from a separate classroom, with the younger ones aged 9 to 13 attending scheduled classes together, while the older ones had their own separate schedules. However, Saffi and Luca, emerged from a separate classroom from the other kids.
As they walked through the hallway, Ian's stomach audibly grumbled, causing Adam and Zack to turn towards him.
"I have never heard such a loud rumble," remarked Adam with a surprised look.
Embarrassed, Ian's face turned bright red, and he covered it with his hand. "Urgh… sorry, I didn't realize my stomach could make such a sound myself."
Zack couldn't help but snicker at Ian's comment.
Ian noticed Zack snickering. Oh, he can smile.
Adam continued, "I suppose all those lessons must have made you quite hungry," before bursting into laughter.
As they entered the dining hall, Saffi and Luca came into view, standing in line to pick up their food from the buffet. With a wave, Ian and the others joined them, queueing up behind. As Ian waited for his turn to select his food, he noticed fleeting, odd glances and glares from some of the other children. He dismissed them as a figment of his imagination and continued on with his selection.
After they got their food, they sat on their usual table, Saffi broke the silence, turning to Ian. " So, how were the classes, Ian? I'm sure you have some questions. I had a few of my own when I first came here too.”
Ian glanced down at his plate, where pickles, salad, a baloney sandwich, and chips lay. "Yes, I kind of do,” he began uncertainly, "I don't quite understand the purpose of these classes. Something feels... off to me. I know that I don’t remember anything from my past, so it’s hard for me to tell what’s normal and what’s not. but there's a nagging feeling telling me that these classes are not typical." Frustration crept into his voice as he continued. "I can't make sense of it, really..." Ian sighed heavily. "Honestly, I'm not sure what to feel."
Saffi turned to Adam and Luca, waiting for one of them to respond to Ian's concerns.
"Will--" She began to say, but was interrupted by Zack.
"Of course, it's not normal," he cut in. "This whole place is not normal. We're being trained for something, they're just not telling us what it is. And it's frustrating not knowing." He paused for a moment, as if deciding whether to say more. "I have my own assumptions, but I just can't find proof."
"Assumptions?" Saffi asked, looking puzzled. Luca glanced at Adam, who shook his head, indicating that he was just as confused as Saffi.
"Guys, stop thinking too much about it," Luca interjected, trying to reassure the group. "We're going to leave this place when we turn 16 anyway."
"16?" Ian looked at Luca in bewilderment.
"Yes, the staff here calls it graduation or something," Luca explained. "They give us a final test on everything we've learned, and then we're allowed to leave and never come back."
"Adam and Luca are lucky!" Saffi chimed in with excitement. "They only have one year to go. I have two years left, and I can't wait to leave this place.”
I wonder just how bad this place really is. As he thought to himself the constant feeling of unease weighed on him.
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