The 'Cafeteria'

*BANG*

No one in the hall flinched, except for some newlings. But most of them we're nearing the ages of 3-6.

It seems that someone couldn't disemmble the bomb in time, how... sad? It is unfortunate that they were too weak to protect themselves from all this, death is considered a blessing especially if it was a short one. It is the only definite way of escaping.

But, weakness, is not accepted here.

A pair of grown men in white coats, masks, and goggles walked, almost in synchronisation, coming from the double doors on one end of the dormitory hall. As they arrived in the failed student's room, they entered, silently but scarcely. They don't want to be harmed either... Despite forcing children to do so. Hypocrites. These were the cleaners.

"The morning siren is starting to get on my last nerve." I muttered just below my breath, despite my annoyance I did not show it on my face. As you get older here, you tend to hide your expressions and emotions more naturally. The newlings are excused from this... 'tradition' as they are young, and will eventually develop it into their attitude as they become more familiar with the... nature of the 'community'.

I didn't move; none of them did either. All the older children stood there in silence, not one moving. The little ones fidgeted a bit but not in a distracting way, here the younger you are, the less strict they are on you. Yet the younger you are the less you can recognise that privilege.

The children in the hall aged through 3 to 12, after your 13th birthday, you move to the secondary building. But we'll explain the system a little later from now.

The men exited the failed room after they 'cleaned up', comes with the name I suppose.

The men carried a black bin bag, with the form of a human inside it.

It smelt like burnt oats with fish, but more repulsive than it would actually smell like, most children had to put their hand over their mouth to prevent the incoming contents of yesterday's dinner.

A red liquid seeped from the bag, the metallic stench suffocated the noses of anyone near and it came to me too. The failed room was just 2 doors from me.

The men in white had the black bag between them as they dragged it across the floor. They went through the doors, only to be seen, when one of us fail... Again.

Here, it's like a boarding school, but not.

As such, we call those who fail: The Expelled.

A smudged red trail followed behind the men, it disgusted some but there was no other reaction. The newlings may hold some pity though. Although the majority, only felt indifference.

The siren then stopped.

We're supposed to exit the dormitory hall from the the opposite door from the one the men went through.

The students formed a line walking in the middle of the hall simultaneously, one behind the other. The door whizzed back and fourth as the children marched through. The was a 3 metre distance between each of them allowing them to not be affected by physical touch. Some of our abilities have some kind of effect when it comes to physical touch, resulting in the distance between us, we have to stay in perfect condition, for the 'lessons'.

In the line, there was eldest in the front, youngest at the back. It was also arranged this way through the hall. As you get older, you move rooms, putting you closer to the entrance.

It helped give mental preparation for what comes next, as when you get older, they keep moving you to the front, helping us be prepared for any situation.

They said that here, everything has a reason.

But the fact still stands that the reason is more likely to shoulder negative intent towards us, in terms of emotionally and physically.

It was my turn to go through the doors, and so I did. The room I entered was large, as large as a high-school cafeteria, because it was.

The room us children are in is 'The cafeteria'.

It was set up like that one hall from Harry p*tter, yet it was laid out smaller, and there were only 3 tables, not 4.

There was also a counter at the back facing of the hall from the opposite side of the hall. It was for collecting of our meals, in the counter if you entered through the double doors you would reach the kitchen. No one knows what happens in the kitchen, and honestly, I hope I never do.

The three feasting tables were set up like this:

Table 1: Furthest from the door, for the students aged 3-5

Table 2: In the middle between the 2 other tables, for the students aged 6-8

Table 3: closest to the doors, for the students aged 9-12.

I sat on table 3. As an 12 year old, obviously I would go on table 3, tomorrow is my birthday, January the 1st. Tomorrow, I'll be 13 years old. And when I become 13, I go to the secondary building where you get transported outside the facility.

A blond woman with an attractive hourglass figure strode upon the stage, she appeared, seemingly from nowhere. She stopped in the middle of the stage, she faced us students. Without the need to raise her voice or anything of the like she simply stated in a kind, gentle tone

"You may be seated, children."

But it was not received warmly, no, it sent shivers down our spines, because even with a gentle tone, everyone there knows that she was not gentle, what, so, ever. Her name was Clarissa Kelton, and she was the Head scientist, but for us, we call her

'The Headmistress' for the fact that since this place was set up like a school, we should give her a nickname relating towards that. To keep the theme y'know.

"Today is New Years Eve, so that means some new students shall be joining us tomorrow~"

Her sickly sweet voice disgusted me, how can someone be so pure sounding and looking, yet be such a cruel 'white lotus' inside. I felt extreme revolt towards her because of this fact.

"Let's give them a warm welcome when they arrive~"

Oh no. Its that tone again.

The Headmistress is in another mood.

That means classes today are going to be more painful...

Tomorrow my body is going to ache, a lot. On my birthday too...