Silver Domain

Miss Linda comes to collect Lue for supper. She follows her through the narrow, rocking corridor into a dining room with panelled walls. There’s a table where all the dishes are highly breakable. There are only three empty chairs as everyone waits for them.

“Well, it’s been an exhausting day, ” says Miss Linda.

The supper comes in courses. Thick carrot soup, green salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit, and a chocolate cake. Throughout the meal, Miss Linda keeps reminding us to save space because there’s more to come. But they are stuffing themselves because they've never had food like this, so tasty and so much. This is because probably the best thing they can do between now and school is put on a few pounds.

“At least you all have decent manners, ” says Miss Linda as they finish the main course.

The five people who ate everything last year were like savages eating with their hands. It completely upset my digestion.”

The five that went last year were the kids from the Vistancia who had never, not one day in their lives, had enough to eat. And when they did have food, table manners were surely the last thing on their minds. But Lue hates Miss Linda's comment so much that Lue makes a point of eating the rest of her meals with her fingers. Then she wipes her hands on the tablecloth. This makes her purse her lips tightly together. Now that the meal’s over, she's fighting to keep the food down. She can see Eve’s looking slightly green, too. Neither of their stomachs is used to such rich fare. But if Lue can hold down Eve's concoction of mice meat, pig entrails, and tree bark — a winter specialty — she's determined to hang on to it. It was time for them to sit together and have a chat in another compartment.

They were embarking on a journey to a new domain, a place of higher learning that promised to unlock the secrets of the world around them.

But this was not a world like any other. It was a dystopian world, where the air was thick with smog and the skies were perpetually grey. The students had grown up in a society that valued conformity over creativity, and they had been taught to accept the status quo without question.

As the train wound its way through the bleak landscape, the students looked out of the windows, taking in the desolate scenery. They saw crumbling buildings and abandoned factories, the remnants of a once-great civilization that had been brought to its knees by greed and corruption.

Despite the bleakness of their surroundings, the students felt a glimmer of hope. They were heading to a place where they would be encouraged to think freely, question authority, and explore creative ideas. It was a chance to break free from the shackles of their past and forge a new path for themselves.

As they arrived at their destination, the students stepped off the train and looked around. They saw a domain that was alive with energy and creativity, where people were free to express themselves and pursue their dreams. It was a stark contrast to the world they had left behind, and they felt a surge of excitement at the possibilities that lay ahead.

And so, the five students began their journey into the unknown, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that awaited them in this unexplored domain of higher learning. They knew that it would not be easy, but they were determined to thrive in this dystopian world and to make a difference in the world around them.

As the train pulled into the Silver Domain grand station, all of them stepped out onto the platform, stretching their legs after the long journey. They looked around in wonder at the throngs of other students from different sectors who were also gathered there for school.

Eve let out a squeal of excitement as she spotted her friends in the crowd. "Oh my gosh, guys, look at all these people!" she exclaimed, pointing to the sea of students around them. "I can't wait to make some new friends this year!"

Lorek rolled his eyes at Eve's enthusiasm. "I just hope we can find our way around this place," he muttered to his friends. "It's massive!"

Lue looked around with a grin on her face. "I saw on the catalog which was kept in the train there's a pretty sweet gym here," she said, flexing her muscles. "I can't wait to hit the weights and show everyone what I'm made of!"

Ayaan smirked at Lue's bravado. "Good luck with that, Lue," he said. "I heard the gym's always packed with jocks like you. You might have to wait in line for hours."

"You little..." Lue showed him her fist.

Beric listened to his friends' banter with a smile on his face. He wasn't much of a talker himself, but he was happy just to be part of the group. "I just hope we can all find our way to our dorms," he said quietly. "I don't want to get lost in this huge place."

As the group made their way through the bustling station, they continued to chat and joke with each other, excited about the adventures that lay ahead. The air was filled with the sound of laughter and excitement, as students from different backgrounds and interests came together to start a new school year.

"Sector five!" Miss Linda ran in an awkward way. "Sector five" she yelled.

The whole group stopped on their feet as they turned toward her.

"What happened Miss?" Lorek asked.

"Where do you think you are going?" she asked, catching her breath. "Do you want to get lost here? Follow me!" she gestured to them with her hand.

As the escort led the way, all five students followed in silence, their footsteps echoing softly on the polished floors. They walked in a straight line, their eyes fixed on the teacher's back as she weaved through the crowds of people. The escort stopped abruptly in front of a large door, and the students stopped behind her. She opened the door and motioned for them to enter. The students stepped into the room, their eyes widening at the sight before them.

As all the students from different sectors were escorted into the waiting room, a tense atmosphere hung in the air like a heavy cloud. The room was packed with students from different sectors, all sitting in silence, their eyes fixed on the door.

The very first thing that struck five students was silence. It was so quiet that they could hear the soft hum of the air conditioning and the sound of their own breathing. They looked around nervously, wondering what was going to happen next.

They noticed the diversity of the students in the room. There were students from all walks of life, dressed in all kinds of clothes, and each one looked more serious and focused than the last.

Tension was evident. The air was thick with anticipation and anxiety, and it was clear that everyone in the room was feeling it. It felt like something of importance was about to happen, and nobody wanted to be caught off guard.

Something they couldn't ignore was the security personnel stationed around the room. They were all dressed in black, with stern expressions on their faces, and they looked like they meant business. It was clear that they were there to keep everyone in line.

The thing that caught their eye was the clock on the wall. It seemed to tick away the seconds with a loud, ominous sound, heightening the tension in the room. The five students looked at each other nervously, wondering what was about to happen next and how they were accustomed to making it through this tense environment.

As they waited in the room, the tension only seemed to grow, and they could feel their nerves starting to fray. They hoped that the orientation would start soon, so they could get some answers and figure out what was expected of them in this strange and intense environment.

"Why aren't people talking to people from different sectors?" Eve asked in a whisper.

"Because no one is so energetic as you to start a stupid conversation," Lorek said seriously, sinking into his chair.

"And I thought talking to a wall was boring!" Eve said as she chuckled, her voice echoing in the room.

Everybody's eyes are on her as she slowly realizes it and calms down clearing her throat.

"That's why I like to talk to the ceiling," she continued, "It's a lot more interesting." She nodded trying to remove herself from the awkwardness.

On the other side, Lue and Ayaan crack up on Eve's stupidity, trying not to laugh out loud and be embarrassed about it later.

The door opened with a bang. A tall slender man, wearing a blue hat, wrinkles on his face, wearing a blue suit with brown boots entered and stood in front of every sector student. He observed each of them. His eyes moved from the left and circled all the way to the right.

"I will be calling each sector one by one. All five students must come outside and the others," he paused as he raised his brow and looked around the room again, "should sit here in silence."

He fixed his collar and walked towards the door. "Sector one" he yelled.

Everyone froze at the sudden yelling of the weird man.

The students got up and walked out of the door. The man came back after a few minutes.

"Sector two!"

He kept rambling on until the last sector was left. They were finally alone in the room, sitting silently. Waiting for their turn, curiosity kills them about what is going on outside. But no one dared to move because of how intimidating the man was.

The door opened in full swing, which almost gave Beric a heart attack.

"Sector Five!"

"You don't have to yell like that. It's just us here," Beric muttered.

As they walked through the door they found a man standing right in front of them waiting for them.

The young man stepped confidently towards them, his tall, lean frame clad in a crisp, fitted suit that spoke of success and ambition. His hair was expertly styled, with just the right amount of gel to keep it in place without looking stiff. His sharp features were perfectly groomed, with a hint of stubble adding just the right touch of ruggedness.

"Hello students, I am Ender. Your instructor."