Red

"Students..." A sound of a robotic voice echoed across the train, boucing off every corner. it's chaotic shallowness woke everyone up, leaving questions in the air.

Countless of grunts and moans are heard along with us, exhaustion and fatigueness are often placed inside our guts. My head was resting at Adyvanna's inclined shoulders, seems like my thoughts are heavier than I thought. I finally raised my head, helping to ease the soreness of her thin shoulders.

"It's your turn to sleep"

"Thanks. But, I don't think the Messengers will allow me though." She declined, glancing at the corner where the speaker lies.

"This train has been up for hours. What now?" Atticus hissed.

"Can't sleep?" I asked, clasping both of my hands. Suddenly, I felt the bracelet looped around my right arm.

"Neither do you?"

"Yeah, I can't sleep. Something has been bugging me off since this morning. Did the Messengers just barged in into your house to fetch you?"

"They did" He sighed.

"I think it happened to all of us" Adyvanna sneered.

"Are we gonna die?" A guy stammered. His ashen-colored hair was untidy enough to caught everyone's attention. His black hollow eyes steamed as the words spat on his mouth. Hands covering his head wearing the same bracelet as mine, with bruises and cuts. He was beside Atticus, whom is annoyed by the presence of insomnia.

"Hey, hey. No need to think it that way. What's your name?" Atticus whispered, calming the guy down.

"Tyllan. Do you think we'll really be something after graduating? Referring to what our parents taught us."

"Maybe, maybe not." Adyvanna replied.

"One thing, why do we have these bracelets?" I showed them mine, wiggling it to raise a question for themselves.

"I don't know, I can't remember anything." Tyllan answered.

"Likewise" Atticus added.

"Students of Die Zeitnehmer..." An eerie voice spoke once again, caughting everyone's attention on the train.

"I am glad to announce that the school's first priority is to produce a genius and a brilliant student, for the greater good of all. Thus, for the first day of the school's entrance. A test will be given, shortly after this.

   Every student deserves something else, unless you can't obtain it yourself. Our uniqueness and differences are given by our god. Therefore, you must prove thyselves unto them. For you are here to pay the debts of your family, and become something extraordinary.

  To close this speech, I will remind everyone else that 'Time is Gold'. That's all, may the Archons guide you."

Questions filled the air, as the train was slowly accelerating. People looked back-and-forth wondering what's going to happen next.

"What was that about?" A random student snapped.

The four of us tried to stay quiet, calming our ass off. I can feel Adyvanna's odd silence creeping through my skin, as she gripped my hands tight leaning her face closer to my ears.

"What's that?" She asked, whispering a breath while pointing a finger at the ceiling. I followed her point to where it leads to a small television, having a five minute countdown. My intrusive thoughts went invasive, I couldn't think of anything but to run.

Fifty-nine

Fifty-eight

Fifty-seven

Fifty-six

Fifty-five

Fifty-four

Four minutes and fifty-three seconds...

I looked towards my left, I see a metalic door with a sign "Car 14" written above it. I looked to my right, noticing the same metalic door. Above it, I see "Car 13" written in a silver plate.

"Ady..."

"Rei? What is it?"

I then grabbed her by her hand and went to the metalic door "Car 13", passing through every student.

"What's the matter?"

"Just. Follow me" I demanded her.

We both stopped in front of the door. In an instant, a huge metallic platform fell from the sky, landing with an impact a few inches away at our feet. A splash of red splattered, landed at my face. I see red slowly dripping at my side, looking at it. I see a student, all smashed by the huge platform.

"T-the guy j-just got smashed!" A random girl screamed.

Everyone caused a riot, panting and panicking. Teary eyes and weak legs, stumbling them down. One student kept punching the window, all screaming for help. But the window closed, another sharp metallic barrier crushed the student's arm by the strong force. Crying in pain as she was devastatingly trying to get her arm out, I can hear the bones cracking.

I looked over Adyvanna, seeing her eyes widening over the smashed body. Her uniform bathes from the blood of the student, all trembling in fear.

"W-we have to go now!" I grabbed her by the arms and ran back to Atticus.

We ran as the others did, all pushing each other. I then noticed a sharp object shining in front of me, being raised by a student. Within a small glimpse, it disappeared out of my sight. We dashed through mutiple of students looking for Atticus and Tyllan.

"Tyllan!" Adyvanna, desperately shouting.

"Atticus! Where the heck are you!" Veins are showing at my neck by that call.

"Get off me! Help me!" Shouted someone.

Tyllan?

"Tyllan!!" Adyvanna rushed towards Tyllan, who's fighting over a student holding a knife. I then sprinted over him, knocking the guy down.

"Where's Atticus?"

"I don't know! He just went over car-14 and- Hey watch out!"