"The Departure"

A week passed in an instant and it was time for Theo to leave.

On the day of his departure.

"Morning, Theo!" Neil greeted me. He motioned for Theo to sit down next to him, and he complied, ready to hear what his father had to say.

"So, off to join the military, huh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You excited or what?"

Theo paused for a moment, considering his response. "Yeah, I guess I am," he said with forced enthusiasm.

Neil studied Theo's face and let out a chuckle. "You're not fooling me, Theo. I can tell you're not exactly jumping out of your skin with excitement," he said, detecting Theo's lack of enthusiasm.

Theo shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't thought about it that much," he replied, trying to avoid the subject.

Neil leaned in and fixed his gaze on Theo. "You're gonna face challenges," he said, in a more serious tone, "and you're going to have to work hard to keep up. But that's what makes it so rewarding. You'll learn to push yourself harder than you ever thought possible, and you'll come out the other side stronger and more confident."

Neil paused and continued, "You will meet some of the coolest people you'll ever know, but it's a competitive world out there, and if you don't take it seriously, you'll fall behind in a heartbeat."

Theo listened intently, taking in Neil's advice, and nodding silently. Although he was not particularly competitive by nature, he knew that he never did anything halfway.

"Thank you for your advice," Theo said, grateful for their rare heart-to-heart conversation.

"Good luck, my boy!" he gave Theo a hands up and got up.

Neil walked into the kitchen where Laura was busy preparing breakfast. "So, how did it go?" she asked without turning her head.

"I don't think I did a very good job with him," Neil confessed, his voice filled with self-doubt. "I kept changing the subject, and I didn't say what I wanted to say."

Neil sighed. "I'm not good at this, am I?"

"You aren't," Laura replied, causing Neil to let out a small laugh.

"But it's the least I can do for him," he said, "But don't you have anything you want to say to him?"

"I...I don't," Laura's voice cracked as she spoke. Laura's expression shifted, her eyes clouding over with emotion.

She didn't say anything else and left the kitchen to set the breakfast table. Theo wished to talk to her before he left, but she remained silent. However, her pained expression betrayed her true feelings.

As the minutes ticked by, Theo realized that it was almost time for him to leave.

Theo stood at the doorway, his bags packed and ready for departure. Laura had been holding back her emotions, but as the moment of his departure approached, she couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She hugged him tightly, her worry and concern evident in her eyes.

"I wish I could stop you from leaving," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

"It's okay, m…mother," Theo gently pried her arms from around him. "Don't worry, I'll take care of myself," he said, trying to ease her fears and reassure her. She reluctantly let go of him, her eyes wet with tears.

"Farewell, Theo."

"Farewell."

As he hopped into the car, Theo knew there was only one place left to go. The car pulled up in front of Benedict's house, and Theo saw him waiting outside to bid him farewell.

"So, off to the military?" Benedict asked, his face filled with sadness.

"Yes, off to the military," Theo replied. "Unfortunately, I won't be seeing you for a while."

They both fell silent. "Cheer up," Theo said, giving him a playful slap on the back. "It's not like we're saying goodbye forever."

"Why'd you hit me so hard, you bas**rd!" Benedict cursed, although Theo could see a hint of a smile on his face.

"Now that's more like you," he chuckled, relieved to see that Benedict was finally shaking off his gloominess. "Goodbye, for now, Benny."

"Go to hell! You can die for all I care," Benedict replied, turning back towards his house. His words were sharp.

"I will see you on the other side then," Theo replied, sarcastically.

With all our goodbyes said, Theo set off for the military, ready for whatever lay ahead.

**********

When Neil handed Theo his luggage at the bus station, a pang of sadness shot through him.

He hugged him tightly and whispered, "I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Theo seemed a bit surprised by his emotions, but he hugged him back. "Thank you. I appreciate it," he replied, not fully comprehending the depth of Neil's words.

The bus was about to depart, so Theo quickly boarded and waved goodbye. "Goodbye, son! Keep in touch with your old man," Neil called out, watching as the bus disappeared into the distance.

Lost in thought, Neil remained at the bus station. It was then that an old man with a black cane approached him.

"It seems like you truly care for that boy. Are you worried?" he asked, observing the worried expression etched onto Neil's face.

Neil looked up, his eyes meeting those of the old man's. "Yes, I am," he replied.

"He's like a son to me. I can't help but worry about what might happen to him now that I'm not there to protect him. What if 'he' tries to harm him? Theo isn't ready for it yet."

The old man pondered for a moment before speaking again. "No one is ever truly ready for what life has in store for them. But the boy needs to overcome his obstacle to become stronger. You can't be there for him every time."

Although Neil knew the truth in his words, his worries still weighed heavily on his heart.

**********

Theo boarded the crowded bus and surveyed the seating options. Scanning the bus, he finally spotted an open seat and settled in. As he looked around, he noticed two military officers seated at the front, constantly observing the students on the bus. Theo couldn't shake the feeling of their watchful eyes on them, making him uneasy.

Trying to distract himself, he pulled out his phone and began playing a game. But his mind kept drifting back to the officers at the front. Time crawled by, and it felt like an eternity until the instructor passed out snacks and water bottles. Theo ate and drank, feeling his tense muscles begin to relax slightly.

Suddenly, a wave of drowsiness hit him, and his eyelids grew heavy. He struggled to keep them open, but he couldn't fight the overwhelming urge to sleep.

When he woke up, he felt disoriented and confused. His heart raced as he quickly removed the blindfold that obscured his vision, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Despite his best efforts, all he could see was an expansive stretch of greenery that lay before him

Theo's legs trembled as he tried to stand up, but he immediately stumbled back to the ground. Beside him, the other passengers from the bus were also struggling to regain their bearings, each of them recovering from a powerful sedative.

The sun shone brightly. From its angle of elevation, it indicated that it was around 10 am. Theo calculated the time and realized that they had been unconscious for nearly a day since they departed on the bus at 11 am the previous day.

Panic began to set in as the reality of their situation dawned on them. The passengers found themselves in an unfamiliar location, with no knowledge of how they had arrived or how to get back.

The fear and uncertainty were palpable amongst them, and they all shared a common thought: "Where are we?"

Suddenly, a commanding voice cut through the tension. "Attention everyone, please remain calm," it announced authoritatively. "Some of you may be experiencing numbness or headaches, but rest assured, it will pass within an hour."

'A heartseer?' Theo was confused. The voice was directly transmitted in his head and it continued, "You are currently in the center nine of the military academy, where you will be undergoing a series of tests. The tests will commence in two hours, and until then, you will be provided with food and a chance to rest."