suddenly feel shy.
“That’s awesome.” She smiles broadly and asks for my necklace. As soon as it touches her hand, the reddish-orange light disappears and it looks like ordinary glass again.
Very cool.
I see Krista fumbling with something behind the desk and then she produces a smooth, rectangular shaped piece of glass, about the size of my palm, much like the pass I was given for the Training Department. Except this one is black. Now I remember from training what card she was referring to.
"Piper, this is your Assignment Card…please be careful with it, we have only one per case and they are not replaceable." Krista smiles at me while she carefully hands the fragile card over.
I turn it over in my hand and it has the same organic look as the incandescent floor. As if the color wants to swirl and move inside the glass. Now I'm absolutely terrified that I will trip and drop it, so I clutch it to my chest with both hands.
“I can show her to the Depot room, Krista. Thanks.”
Mallory smiles fondly at her before guiding me away from the counter. As I turn and smile at Krista, she gives me a toothy grin and a thumbs-up sign.
“Your Intake Specialist usually takes you the first time…do you know where Niles is?” Mallory asks me.
“No.”
I wish I did. Right now I could use his gentle demeanor and encouraging words. As we make our way through the room which suddenly seems crowded, I listen to Mallory explain the Depot room and its functions. From what I understand from training, it’s an arrival and departure portal. I have no idea how it works and feel too nervous to ask.
We turn left when we exit the room and I follow Mallory as she guides me to the end of the long hallway. As we stop in front of the last door my nerves jerk in my legs.
Mallory takes a deep breath. “This is it…the Depot.” She reaches out to hold my hand and squeezes it gently.
“Are you nervous?” My voice is just above a whisper.
“Always a little. Are you?”
“Extremely.” We both laugh.
Mallory opens the door and I step carefully over the threshold. I am not sure what to expect, but Mallory seems confidant and relaxed while she tugs me next to her as we approach a long wall, flanked by the only two doors in the small room. There are hundreds of slashes on the white wall, and as we get closer, I see that some are occupied by the same shiny black glass that Mallory and I both hold. They stick out slightly from their docking places in no particular pattern and it reminds me of a rock climbing wall.
“Your card goes in one of the slots - it doesn’t matter which one. And a door will open for you to enter. Inside is pretty dark and the first few moments are uncomfortable, but before you know it, you’re with your Assignment. When you come back, you’ll exit through the same door and remove your card from the wall. It won’t look the same, it will be grey.” Mallory carefully runs her slender fingers over a few of the glass cards that protrude from the wall.
I struggle to imprint every word she just said into my memory but I'm afraid I'll forget something important.
“Are you ready?”
I take a deep breath. “Yes, I think so.”
“I’ll go first, so you can see what I do…okay?”
I nod and watch as she slides her glass card into one of the available slots. The door to our right slowly opens and Mallory walks confidently toward it. With her hand on the knob, she looks over her shoulder at me a final time and smiles before closing the door.
That’s it?
I stare at the wall, looking for the slot I want to use, and as I reach up to slide my glass card into the spot I've picked, the door behind me flies open. Niles stands in the doorway, looking frazzled.
“Niles?”
“Piper! I’m glad I made it before you left!” He takes a deep breath before entering and walks quickly to me. I return his hug and when he steps back he takes another breath before talking.
“I’m really sorry I’m late. I had a New
“That’s awesome.” She smiles broadly and asks for my necklace. As soon as it touches her hand, the reddish-orange light disappears and it looks like ordinary glass again.
Very cool.
I see Krista fumbling with something behind the desk and then she produces a smooth, rectangular shaped piece of glass, about the size of my palm, much like the pass I was given for the Training Department. Except this one is black. Now I remember from training what card she was referring to.
"Piper, this is your Assignment Card…please be careful with it, we have only one per case and they are not replaceable." Krista smiles at me while she carefully hands the fragile card over.
I turn it over in my hand and it has the same organic look as the incandescent floor. As if the color wants to swirl and move inside the glass. Now I'm absolutely terrified that I will trip and drop it, so I clutch it to my chest with both hands.
“I can show her to the Depot room, Krista. Thanks.”
Mallory smiles fondly at her before guiding me away from the counter. As I turn and smile at Krista, she gives me a toothy grin and a thumbs-up sign.
“Your Intake Specialist usually takes you the first time…do you know where Niles is?” Mallory asks me.
“No.”
I wish I did. Right now I could use his gentle demeanor and encouraging words. As we make our way through the room which suddenly seems crowded, I listen to Mallory explain the Depot room and its functions. From what I understand from training, it’s an arrival and departure portal. I have no idea how it works and feel too nervous to ask.
We turn left when we exit the room and I follow Mallory as she guides me to the end of the long hallway. As we stop in front of the last door my nerves jerk in my legs.
Mallory takes a deep breath. “This is it…the Depot.” She reaches out to hold my hand and squeezes it gently.
“Are you nervous?” My voice is just above a whisper.
“Always a little. Are you?”
“Extremely.” We both laugh.
Mallory opens the door and I step carefully over the threshold. I am not sure what to expect, but Mallory seems confidant and relaxed while she tugs me next to her as we approach a long wall, flanked by the only two doors in the small room. There are hundreds of slashes on the white wall, and as we get closer, I see that some are occupied by the same shiny black glass that Mallory and I both hold. They stick out slightly from their docking places in no particular pattern and it reminds me of a rock climbing wall.
“Your card goes in one of the slots - it doesn’t matter which one. And a door will open for you to enter. Inside is pretty dark and the first few moments are uncomfortable, but before you know it, you’re with your Assignment. When you come back, you’ll exit through the same door and remove your card from the wall. It won’t look the same, it will be grey.” Mallory carefully runs her slender fingers over a few of the glass cards that protrude from the wall.
I struggle to imprint every word she just said into my memory but I'm afraid I'll forget something important.
“Are you ready?”
I take a deep breath. “Yes, I think so.”
“I’ll go first, so you can see what I do…okay?”
I nod and watch as she slides her glass card into one of the available slots. The door to our right slowly opens and Mallory walks confidently toward it. With her hand on the knob, she looks over her shoulder at me a final time and smiles before closing the door.
That’s it?
I stare at the wall, looking for the slot I want to use, and as I reach up to slide my glass card into the spot I've picked, the door behind me flies open. Niles stands in the doorway, looking frazzled.
“Niles?”
“Piper! I’m glad I made it before you left!” He takes a deep breath before entering and walks quickly to me. I return his hug and when he steps back he takes another breath before talking.
“I’m really sorry I’m late. I had a New
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