Before slipping back into sleep a few days ago, Oriana had hoped that what she was experiencing wasn't real. How could she go from sleeping at home to waking up in a different place, one that was intergalactic and way into the future? It was all like a long, elaborate dream, except this was one she could never wake up from.

The scientists treated Oriana differently from the others because she was the last to wake up and leave the cryopod. It was like she was delicate, and if they pushed her too hard, she might break into pieces, like fragile glass that had to be handled carefully. It was a deep contrast to how they had treated her when she had first awoken. It didn't help that her voice still hadn't returned from the time she left the pod.

Most days, she spent her time having multiple tests done and had scientists monitoring her until they were sure she was ready to join the others on the outside. The ones from before had been roaming about the lab and were more accustomed to life here. Oriana had a lot to catch up on and soon would have to train for the trip above ground.

Alongside the scientists, the Keepers would come by now and then to check on the new recruit and would talk to her about the world's current circumstances. Knowing her condition, they gave her a pen and paper to write on. Resources were scarce, and things had to be used sparingly, but there was no choice if they wanted to communicate with Oriana. There was no knowing when she could speak again, or if her vocal cords would ever recover.

Nothing of the sort had happened to the other Auroras. Only minor issues had occurred during their long-frozen sleep, and after some time, they had recovered. Perhaps the far longer-than-expected duration of Oriana's sleep made the aftereffects more noticeable and permanent. It was disorienting for the woman, who had gone from speaking happily to her family before going to bed in her own home, to wake up in an unfamiliar place and lose her voice, unable to speak to anyone.

Late morning, someone released Oriana from the experiment room and guided her down a long corridor. Curious eyes peeked out at her from behind tightly closed doors, and she had to force herself to focus on the person ahead of her. For months, it's been nothing but tests, leaving her exhausted and with no time to recover. With her mental state deteriorating, she lacked the energy to care for others.

Her footsteps felt heavy as she tried to stay awake and not falter as she walked. Rough and uneven ground, along with the windowless dirt walls, highlighted how unwelcoming this place was. They built it to keep the Aurora in a secure place and to train them enough so they can survive whatever dangers awaited them when they went above ground.

The Keepers and scientists weren't here to be their parents or friends. They had to shape the subjects, mould them, and eliminate any weak ones. The Aurora were tools for them to use as they pleased and discard at their will.

The corridor ended at a heavy iron door. Her guide stopped, pulled a set of keys from their pocket, and the lock clanked open. Oriana flinched at the sound - it was loud in the stifling silence. Coming from a time of electronic keypads and digital locks, the old-fashioned keys and padlocks felt archaic, almost deliberately intimidating.

Inside was a room that resembled a classroom, though the familiarity of the setup offered little comfort. Long tables and chairs were in neat rows, but the whiteboard at the front was a mess, with bits of paper pinned haphazardly and scrawled notes overlapping, as if someone had abandoned order long ago.

The bare, stony walls stood in stark contrast to the chaotic mess on the whiteboard. Oriana’s curiosity tugged at her, urging her to step closer and read the scrawled notes, but the Keeper’s sharp gaze cut her short. In that moment, she realised the truth: nothing here was hers to control. Obedience was all she could offer for now.

She swallowed a sigh and retreated to the nearest table. As a newcomer, everything felt alien. How had she fallen asleep in 2xxx only to wake up in this future? What had become of her family, of the people she once knew?

Countless questions swirled in her mind, yet only the Keepers had the answers, but whether they would ever give them was currently unknown.