I awoke to the sight of squinting, black eyes staring at me. I jolted up, hitting my head on the bunk above. The glare came from my roommate – the blonde one. I didn’t know his name, though I assumed he was twelve years old like me. We were instructed upon admittance not to divulge such personal information to the other students.
“You okay?” whispered the blonde one. I gave a stiff nod and then quickly looked away. We weren’t supposed to speak to each other, and direct eye contact was discouraged. “I wasn’t being creepy you know. I was just looking. You had a bug on your face.” I kept looking straight ahead. I wouldn’t encourage his behavior. I wouldn’t be that guy. The last time I was discovered exchanging words with a student, I was sent to the cage for a meeting with the headmasters.
I sat absolutely still in the large antique chair the butler sat me in. I didn’t dare turn my head to look around me, but I saw the place well enough while being pushed inside. The chair I was sitting in was the sole piece of furniture within the cage. The door could only be unlocked from the outside. I felt like a prisoner rather than a student. It fit the twisted personalities of the people that kept me here, but I had no right to complain. I chose to come despite everything I knew about them. About the monsters that they were. Each time a finger twitched I thought I would be punished. “Like a statue,” the butler told me. My black hair, drenched in sweat, was sticking to my forehead and neck, and the scar on the knuckle of my ring finger started itching. My mouth was dry, and my stomach hurt. I had been too scared to eat. My body wanted to move to release the tension that had built up in my muscles, but I kept myself still. I couldn’t appear afraid. These men were not men of mercy. They wouldn’t mind getting rid of me. And they were powerful enough to do so, and it was because of that power that I came to them. The only people that could get me what I wanted.
Suddenly a loud clank broke my train of thought. My head snapped up and panic set upon my heart. The door slowly began to swing open. This is it, I thought. I closed my eyes, only daring to open them after I heard the door shut. Even them I could only stare at the floor. Before me were Headmaster C and Headmaster Smith, the two men who founded The Facility, my new school.
“Good evening Mr. Connors. We understand that you broke a school rule. That is correct?” I squirmed in my seat. I had not dared to look at the two large men standing in front of me until now. Both wore clack suits and shoes. Headmaster C was six feet seven inches. I knew because I read about him in a magazine. His black hair and beard were neatly trimmed, and his black tie was tight. His broad shoulders and solid build reminded me of the giants the librarians would read to the kids about on Saturdays, but his voice wasn’t as loud and frightening as I had imagined; instead it bled with indifference.
“Yes sir.” I did my best to sound braver than I really was. It was the same way I talked to my parents before I moved to the school. Headmaster Smith leaned forward when I spoke. He was taller than his partner at seven feet three inches but much slimmer. He had a slick look about him and smelled fresh like he had just taken a shower. His clothes were wrinkled, and his tie looked like he had put it on on his way there. His curly, chestnut hair was unruly and untamed, much like the man himself, according to the New York Times. But I couldn’t take my eyes off his blood red tie, and I couldn’t help but think that it had been stained with real blood.
“Mr. Connors, you came to us for want of an education.” True, but only partially. “When we admit a student, it is with the expectation that he or she will comply with the rules. To avoid confusion, they have even been posted in the cafeteria. Headmaster Smith gave me a somewhat cruel smile. His hands were behind his back. He took four steps towards me until I could smell the mint in his breath, which was cold against my skin. “We understand that you were accepted under…special circumstances, but you are still subject to the same law as every other student.”
“What Headmaster smith is trying to say is that if you have some sort of ridiculous notion that you can bend the rules and get away with it, you are mistaken. The Facility believes in order. The Facility believes in discipline. You will be punished, and the punishments will only increase with each added offense. Should this child’s play continue, your stay here just might be cut short.” That was the only time I ever saw Headmaster C give the faint hint of a smile. The dark room grew darker. Everything began to spin around me, but I just gripped the arms of the chair and forced myself to look them in the eyes.
“I…I, “ I began to stutter, “I understand. Sir! I understand sir.” I had practiced this a thousand times in front of the mirror before getting called in. But I had underestimated the presence of the two men. They emitted a supernatural greatness that left me speechless. And amused look came across Headmaster Smith’s face.
“Good!” His voice was uncharacteristically cheerful. “Then you will report to detention for the next three weeks. Make sure this doesn’t happen again.” He turned around and marched towards the door, but Headmaster C marched towards me.
“If we do catch you breaking the rules again, I swear I will beat you until my belt bleeds. The Facility believes in order.” I was caught in his eyes, which gave the occasional twitch. He was sweating. “The Facility believes in discipline.” With that the two men left and closed the door behind them. I didn’t check to see if it was locked or not. I couldn’t move. I was still caught in his gaze, paralyzed. I couldn’t cry. I just stayed in that chair all night asking myself why I ever enrolled.