1 Caves, Rats, and Breakfast

The cold seeped throughout his body, the heavy liquid hugging his skin. He had felt the tingly sensation coursing, enveloping, and wrapping all around and inside of him. A comfortable feeling arose as the waves washed by his face as his body was afloat in the boundless ocean.

The ocean slowly shifted, flowing into a flame, a scorching heat enveloping him. His hands burned, his hair seethed, and his skin charred. The feeling of rebirth was imminent.

A cry could be heard, and the young boy awoke to someone shaking him awake.

"A-7! Wake up! It's time for breakfast!" The blonde-haired child looked at A-7 enthusiastically. Aroused from his slumber, he looked around, half asleep. The dimly lit room was a tiny one, barely capable of fitting two bunk beds a couple of meters apart. Two other children were getting ready, their disheveled hair waving in the air as they scrambled to the dining hall. The blond boy with his blue eyes was waiting for A-7 to answer.

A-7 yawned. "Good morning A-6…" He swung his thin, torn blanket off of his legs and wobbled off of the bottom bunk.

"Come on! Hurry! Bacon today! I can smell it!" The ecstatic child was jumping around the room, throwing A-7's white clothes at him. Groggily, he changed from his white pajamas into his normal clothes and was immediately tugged by A-6 out of the door.

The hallways were made of solid, black rock. There was an occasional plip-plop from the water droplets coming down. The two had no shoes, but they had grown callouses on their feet, protecting them somewhat from the pebbles and rocks on the floor. Running in the darkness, the two walked into a large chamber, torches lining the walls. A long table filled with six children were excitedly waiting for their meal had greeted them.

"Morning A-6, A-7!" A cheerful girl with big brown eyes had approached the two.

"Good morning, A-2!" A-6 grinned at her.

"Morning…" Half-asleep, A-7 waved his hand at A-2 and took a seat next to her. A-6 was sitting to the left of A-7, eagerly holding his hands in front of him above his plate to devour the bacon.

As the smell got closer, the chatter came to an abrupt stop. A large figure with a cloak was pushing a cart across the floor. He lifted his right arm and a tentacle appeared. Every morning, the children had witnessed this sight, and it had always mesmerized them. The tentacle that came from this man had quickly distributed the food off of the cart and onto their plates.

The children looked towards the man, waiting for him to take a seat with watering mouths. When he did, he took off his hood. His face was slightly distorted with a greenish hue that plagued his skin. His right eye had a scar streaming down the side of his face. Smiling, he looked around the table.

"Thank you for waiting, everyone. You may begin eating now."

"Thank you for the food, Father!" The children began to dig in with their hands, picking up the hot scrambled eggs and bacon and quickly put it into their mouths. Meanwhile, the man simply watched them eat, the crooked smile was still plastered on his face.

Smacking his lips, A-6 finished his breakfast quickly and looked around the room until his eyes fell upon Father. "Hey, A-7, why is it that Father has a weird arm?"

"Weird? It's always been like that, remember? I think it's normal, even if it does creep me out sometimes. But, despite its abnormalness, he's still Father. It's best not to disrespect him."

"Yeah, you're right! Father does everything for us! I love him a lot!" He grinned at A-7 and then at Father.

"Father has fed us, washed our clothes, taught us… oh, there are just too many things he's known for! I can go on all day!" A-2 was speaking in reverence after thinking of how much he truly does for all eight of them.

When everyone had finished eating, they had all looked in his direction, waiting for the daily schedule.

"Today, is a special day, my children," his scratchy voice sounded. "I am pleased to announce that A-1 is able to ascend today. Yesterday's tests proved that she had the capability of becoming a named. Congratulations, my dear." Claps came out from everyone and words of praise was thrown around.

"Good job, A-1!"

"I'm so jealous of you!" Several children were showering her with envy and love as their family member was able to be named.

"Today, we will be testing the boy's group starting with A-5. I will call the next person when he is done using the normal method. The results will come tomorrow. Momentarily, you may all play."

Cheers came out from them all. "Thank you, Father!" Everyone but A-1 and A-5 had left. The two had followed Father in the opposite direction.

"Wow, I'm so jealous that A-1 is becoming a named." A-2 rang out. "I'm so proud of her for acing that hard test."

"Yeah! That's amazing! I can't wait 'till I can get named!" A-6 was brimming with energy. A-7 had nodded in agreement.

The trio was following the rest of the children down a dark hall to the play zone. Everybody was chatting non-stop amongst themselves. Eventually, they ended up in a room that was surrounded by rocky walls with a bright lantern planted in the middle. There were several boxes surrounding the lantern filled with chalk, toys, books, and other goodies for the children to play with.

"I can't believe it's almost been eight years since we were born!" A-6 said as he rummaged the box for some chalk.

"I can't believe it either! We've lived our entire lives in here, as just one, big, family!" A-2 smiled. "Although we're a family, I still can't wait for the day I get named and get to go to the surface, with everybody!"

A-7 sat lied down and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, I want to go up there someday too. I've read that on the surface there're lights that shine in the ceiling when it gets dark. The book called it a 'starry night sky' with little dots littered limitlessly." He extended his hand, looking dreamily as if he were able to grasp at the fabled blackness that lit the world. A-6 started to trace A-7's body with thick white chalk.

"I want to ride on a Wilde!" A-6 happily chirped. "I'm gonna tame it, pet it, and ride it everywhere I go!" After tracing A-7, he then drew a Wilde underneath his legs. The Wilde was cat-like with a chain tail. The claws were sharp-looking and its fangs dripped with poison.

"That's too dangerous!" With a worried face, A-2 scolded him. "A Wilde can tear your body apart before you even see it!"

"Nah, that won't happen. I can give it some delicious bacon and it will like me!" A laugh came from A-7. "What's so funny?" A-6 pouted.

"Nothing." He smiled. "These days will last forever. When we're named, we'll all ride on a Wilde!" A-6 nodded vigorously.

At that moment, a rat had scurried up to him. "Oops! Looks like I have to go. Wish me luck on my test!" A-6 grinned.

"Good luck!" The five other children called out to him before resuming their activities.

"Good luck, A-6."

"You better pass!" We made a promise to go up together!" A-2 shouted after him.

Sitting up, A-7 watched as his brother as he walked into the darkness of the cave hall. "Do you think he'll pass?" He asked tentatively.

"Of course! Then you will pass! You two will wait for me to come as well, right?"

"Definitely. Let's explore the surface together, with everyone."

—

Some time had gone by until another rat came and leaped towards A-7.

"Looks like it's my turn." Following the rat into the darkness, he heard everyone wish him luck from behind.

Stretching down the long and gloomy cave, A-7 began to think in solitude. "Hrm. As normal is it may be today, I guess what A-6 said at breakfast does make some sense… What did happen to his arm?" Sighing, A-7 felt defeated. Of course, Father wouldn't want to reveal such secrets.

"Although Father has cared for us, there are simply too many things we don't know about him, but, maybe if I ask he'd share it with me." Shaking his head, he decided against doubting nor questioning the man who had cared for him his whole life and continued to walk down the path in silence.

Several corridors went by until he found himself in front of a wooden door. Light streamed from behind it, scaring the darkness away. The rat had squeezed itself underneath and disappeared from A-7's field of view. Opening the door, he was greeted by a large room with several shelves and cabinets lining the walls. Various bottles with strange-colored liquid sat atop of them. Many minerals and ingredients were stored away as well. There was a flight of stairs to his right and a table where he'll lay for the test.

Father had come out of the room across from A-7, putting a glove on his hand with his tentacle.

"Ah, A-7, you're finally here. Come, lie down on the table like always." Walking up to the wooden table, he got on top and got into a sleeping position.

"Sorry I'm late, Father."

"No worries. Better late than never as I say." His crooked smile gleamed with warmth, causing A-7 to also smile. "Well then, we might as well begin the test." Towering over A-7, Father had looked at him with dancing eyes.