Chapter 1.2

I was violently shook awake by a sharp breaking of the vehicle, as my entire body was thrown to the right, but I caught myself on the seat just before tumbling over. I took a couple of seconds to orientate myself, before the slamming of car doors and sunlight flooding the back of the car.

"You are now property of Garlantia, you will do whatever we tell you to do without question."

He stared blankly back at the women, eyes blinking away the sunlight; being owned by Garlantia meant little to us, we were always property of someone- a change of hand didn't matter.

"You will eat when you are told, you will sleep when you are told, and you will fight when you are told. Any questions?" she asked.

When she was met with silence, she gave a cold smile, "good. Now follow me."

We jumped down from the truck one by one and trailed after her as she marched up to a large building. Either side the front door were two men with rifles slung over their shoulders. When the women approached, they leant forward and opened the door for her, and when we were all inside, they gently put the door back into place as if not to make a sound.

The interior was grand; the floor was cream marble, and there were elegant vases topping the oak side tables lining the walls; directly opposite the entrance was a set of stairs that were much wider than the function required. It was safe to say, I'd never seen anything like it. We all stopped to gasp in awe but were hushed along with a harsh "move it!" from the women at front.

We were led behind the stairs, where, in its shadow, was a small passage. Last in the line, I couldn't see over their heads and the passage was too narrow to see round them properly, so it was until we entered the room that I could see what we were in for. The room was set out like a hospital wing or infirmary, but there were no patients- the beds were empty, and the room was consumed with a sense of stillness, as if time stood still here. There were tall windows either side of the room, but even then, the room seemed cold and dull. Nestled beside some complicated looking equipment, was an elderly man wearing white lab coat with glasses propped onto of his balding head. He fiddled with the wires on the machine as seemed so consumed with his work, he only looked up when the women cleared her throat with annoyance.

"Ah, yes, you're back…" he studied the line of children, "you got five this time, must have been a good batch."

She shrugged, "just do your job old man." She snapped.

"Yes, yes I know. You there!" he points at the taller boy at the front, I see his shoulders stiffen in fear and take an unconscious step back into the girl who was standing behind him. "I wont bite. Now come here." He waved him over, and reluctantly he approached the doctor, with some last minute adjustments on the machine, he gave the boy two rods before a complex series of buttons and switches were pressed. After a few moments all the fear had drained out of the boy, leaving behind an expression of peace and comfort, and a small smile was working its way onto his face before the rods were snatched from his hands. The boy stumbled back and the forming smile vanished from his lips only to be left with a blank stare. Suddenly, a feeling of dread darted through my stomach, it caused such a shock that I almost bent over in two, I struggled to keep upright and calm my churning stomach before one of them noticed, but no-one was looking at me; they were pulling the girl forward for her to do the same, and then again, as the rods touched her hands a peaceful look came across her face and was snatched away as the rods were pulled from her grasp. Something was wrong with that machine, and the bad feeling only got worse, but the time I was called, it was almost unbearable. Something inside was screaming at me that this machine was dangerous; but when he put those rods in my hand the voice went quiet; it felt like something was moving inside my body- an energy buzzing through my body. The sensation was great- more than great, it was like nothing I ever felt before. Like a type of euphoria.

But then I remember how awful I felt beforehand, the feeling of dread and uncontrollable fear, and I began to be suspicious of this feeling. Then im struck with another impression, and I reluctantly let that energy go, I let out of my body and into the ground under my feet. Muscle by muscle I relax the power and slowly calm every inch of my mind, letting go of that great euphoric feeling. But even as I did it, I felt a great loss, as if I'd missed out on something fantastic.

Gently, the doctor took the rods from my hands, and I gave a sigh of relief. I don't know how long I could have carried on like that.

"Well?" the women demanded, "I got a strong reaction from him in the orphanage."

"I think you're mistaken." The doctor replied calmly.

"What?! I don't make mistakes old man."

"The machine doesn't lie." He shrugged, "he's just a normal kid."

"Retest him!" she demanded, "I'll bet anything you like that you're wrong."

"Fine." He sighed, he shoves the rods back in my hand and turns on the machine. I brace myself, for a second I'm tempted to let it in again, just so I could feel like that again. But that dread- that horrible feeling- it was real. That machine was dangerous, I don't know how or why, but I don't want to be deemed not-normal by that thing. I let it gently flow through my body and into the ground.

"Your machine must be broken" the women insisted, when there was reaction from the machine.

"It worked with all the other children. Four children is a good haul, I would leave it at that." He advised.

"I wasn't wrong old man!" she argued again.

"There no way it can be falsified. It seems like youre wrong this time Malisa."

"Don't address me in such an informal manner!" she snapped, then turning her cold glare at me, "Worthless brat!" her palm strikes me across the face, and the force makes me stumble back. My eyes water from the sting, but I look at my feet, hoping not to provoke her any further. She hits me again, this time the ring on her forefinger catches my face, and it scrapes across my face, drawing a thin line of blood.

I refuse to cry, I will not show weakness to this woman. I ignored her, the doctor and the pain in my face, and concentrated on moving the feeling smoothly through my body and out again. Thankfully, the doctor takes the rod from my fingers which had gone white from gripping them.

"I have no use for something so useless." She glared at me hatefully.

"What do you want to do with him?" he asked.

"I don't care. Do what you want. Maybe one of the front-line squads would want him?" she shrugs.

"Ok, I'll send him to Rickon's squad, their brat got killed last week."

"I don't really care what happens to him." She turns her back, and without another word, she leads the other children back the way they came. That's the last time I see her for many years. I lift my head just to see the last of them disappear down the dark passage before the doors swing shut after them. Silence. I stand there for a moment, almost stupefied as the doctor fiddles about with his machine again. I wonder what had just happened and what on earth I do now but before I come to any conclusions, the doctor moves.

He grunts as he eases himself out of his chair, his movements stiff and painful, "this way." He orders. He pulls me by my shoulder roughly, and we go through a different passage further into the building. After not too long, the passage widens into a central room, buzzing with people. Large lights hang from the ceiling which were illuminated, even when the large windows on three sides of the room gave enough sunlight to see. The room was filled with clusters of people gathered round tables of different sizes, in deep conversations. Most were dressed in military uniform I didn't recognise, but the flag hanging on the main wall gave me all the information I needed. Matron had sold us to the military of a neighbouring country.