message. Three times it sounds in my head. On the last time I click the button in my hand.
Amber gently removes the earphones and halved ping-pong balls. Then she turns to her computer and places her hands on the keyboard. “Please tell me the message, if any, you received.”
I don’t hesitate for a second. I’ve been repeating it in my mind so I don’t forget it. “Shuman said, ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.’”
Amber records this with no reaction of confirmation. “Thank you,” she says, tapping one last key. “You’re all done.”
“When will I know my results?” I ask as she removes the sensors.
“After dinner.” Amber hastens opening the door, causing the startling bright light from the waiting room to slice into my eyeballs.
Chapter Seven
W ith half an hour to kill before the next task, I decide to explore the Institute. Oddly, everything’s spread out in this place. The Institute must take up an entire city block. It also seems we’re pretty free to go wherever we want. Even so, numerous doors don’t open when I push the button beside them. Arrogant key card scanners stare back at me, snobbishly blocking my way. Still I explore multiple passageways, all with brushed stainless steel walls and blue carpet. Something about this place is strange, besides the fact I almost killed myself to get here. Each floor goes on for miles. And the numbering isn’t always consistent.
I somehow end up on the fifth floor, which is colder than all the rest. A voice behind me calls out, “Umm, miss, are you lost?”
I wheel around. An older woman is poking her head through an open door. Her loose curls are pinched in barrettes. The lavender scrubs hang loosely off her bony frame.
“No, I’m just exploring.”
“Hmm,” she says, bristling with quiet disapproval. “Well, I’m not sure if this is the right place for that. Are you a contender?”
I hesitate, trying to figure out what she means. Then it dawns on me. “Yes.”
“Well,” she says, her withered hands fidgeting. The wrinkles in her face are deep, but her hair and eyes give the impression she’s just a girl. “You see, the thing is, this level is really to be kept without disturbances.”
She’s trying to be polite. It seems to hurt her to even say what she’s said so far. For this reason, I simply agree and retreat to the elevators.
The doors open and I walk forward without looking up, running straight into Trey.
“Excuse me,” he says, stepping back. “I didn’t expect anyone.” Hesitation muddies his expression for a second before he recovers. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just leaving,” I say, stepping into the elevator.
A worried look passes across his turquoise eyes. “Did you have business down here?”
“No.” I bite my lip, embarrassed. If we aren’t supposed to be down here then why don’t they block it off with the ample security devices they have? Trey nods and walks down the hallway.
The button is under my fingertips when something registers. I step back out of the elevator and stride after Trey. He’s halfway down the hall by the time I catch up with him.
“I’m sorry, but did you say ‘down’ here?” I ask when I’m a couple feet away.
He turns, looking startled. “Why yes, I did.”
My eyes catch the yellow and blue medallion he wears around his neck. It looks like curly-yin-yang-type waves. “But we’re on the fifth floor?”
“Level,” he corrects.
The woman in the lavender scrubs returns to the door, looking at me with disapproval. A beeping sounds off behind her.
“Mr. Underwood,” she calls urgently. “I think you should get in here.”
He turns to me. “Roya, I believe your second task is about to begin. We’ll talk later.”
As I head for the second task, I mull over what has happened over the last few minutes. What did Trey mean by level? How’s that any different than floor? And what’s that
Amber gently removes the earphones and halved ping-pong balls. Then she turns to her computer and places her hands on the keyboard. “Please tell me the message, if any, you received.”
I don’t hesitate for a second. I’ve been repeating it in my mind so I don’t forget it. “Shuman said, ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.’”
Amber records this with no reaction of confirmation. “Thank you,” she says, tapping one last key. “You’re all done.”
“When will I know my results?” I ask as she removes the sensors.
“After dinner.” Amber hastens opening the door, causing the startling bright light from the waiting room to slice into my eyeballs.
Chapter Seven
W ith half an hour to kill before the next task, I decide to explore the Institute. Oddly, everything’s spread out in this place. The Institute must take up an entire city block. It also seems we’re pretty free to go wherever we want. Even so, numerous doors don’t open when I push the button beside them. Arrogant key card scanners stare back at me, snobbishly blocking my way. Still I explore multiple passageways, all with brushed stainless steel walls and blue carpet. Something about this place is strange, besides the fact I almost killed myself to get here. Each floor goes on for miles. And the numbering isn’t always consistent.
I somehow end up on the fifth floor, which is colder than all the rest. A voice behind me calls out, “Umm, miss, are you lost?”
I wheel around. An older woman is poking her head through an open door. Her loose curls are pinched in barrettes. The lavender scrubs hang loosely off her bony frame.
“No, I’m just exploring.”
“Hmm,” she says, bristling with quiet disapproval. “Well, I’m not sure if this is the right place for that. Are you a contender?”
I hesitate, trying to figure out what she means. Then it dawns on me. “Yes.”
“Well,” she says, her withered hands fidgeting. The wrinkles in her face are deep, but her hair and eyes give the impression she’s just a girl. “You see, the thing is, this level is really to be kept without disturbances.”
She’s trying to be polite. It seems to hurt her to even say what she’s said so far. For this reason, I simply agree and retreat to the elevators.
The doors open and I walk forward without looking up, running straight into Trey.
“Excuse me,” he says, stepping back. “I didn’t expect anyone.” Hesitation muddies his expression for a second before he recovers. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just leaving,” I say, stepping into the elevator.
A worried look passes across his turquoise eyes. “Did you have business down here?”
“No.” I bite my lip, embarrassed. If we aren’t supposed to be down here then why don’t they block it off with the ample security devices they have? Trey nods and walks down the hallway.
The button is under my fingertips when something registers. I step back out of the elevator and stride after Trey. He’s halfway down the hall by the time I catch up with him.
“I’m sorry, but did you say ‘down’ here?” I ask when I’m a couple feet away.
He turns, looking startled. “Why yes, I did.”
My eyes catch the yellow and blue medallion he wears around his neck. It looks like curly-yin-yang-type waves. “But we’re on the fifth floor?”
“Level,” he corrects.
The woman in the lavender scrubs returns to the door, looking at me with disapproval. A beeping sounds off behind her.
“Mr. Underwood,” she calls urgently. “I think you should get in here.”
He turns to me. “Roya, I believe your second task is about to begin. We’ll talk later.”
As I head for the second task, I mull over what has happened over the last few minutes. What did Trey mean by level? How’s that any different than floor? And what’s that
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