---

"No matter who or what you are. They didn't care. To them we are monsters. To them, we are a threat. At least that's what they say to themselves to justify what they've done. Despite your background, we've all ended up on the same road. The path they have forced us down brought us together for a reason. Let's make that a reason we choose."

---

---

Sleeping in your bed, on the way to school, resting at home it didn't matter. Eventually, they came as they did for all the other children. At least for all the children still living. Whether it was expected or not the outcome was the same. Men and women clad in all black military garb gathered you along with many other children your age and stuffed you into an old community gym for about a day.

The atmosphere was chilling. No talking, no moving around, nothing. Even the bruised and battered kids weren't given any medical attention. At about midnight it seemed was when everyone was finally moved. Walking outside you saw long lines of buses. Some already had kids within them. You, along with all the other kids, were jammed into a bus that had been slightly modified. There was a gate in the front and two guards with M16's along with the driver carrying a pistol stared each of you down as you entered the bus and forced to sit. The drive was quiet except for a few younger kids silently whimpering. It was like this for a few hours.

When the bus finally slowed to a stop you noticed the sun peeking through a few storm clouds. How long had you been near all these people and didn't learn a single name? As you exited the bus a PSF pushed you towards a somewhat medium-sized building. It looked like an old administration building. As you walked inside an overpowering smell of permanent marker and rubbing alcohol filled your nose. You could see kids standing in lines and others walking out of side offices. The ones in lines were forced into rooms just as others left them. Those that had left the rooms had some colored X's on their backs. A majority of the older kids eyed the X's knowing exactly what they meant.

There were five colors in all. Green's and Blue's had no difference other than the X on their back. Yellow's had rubber gloves on their hands. Red's were handcuffed around the back. While Orange's had some sort of muzzle while also being handcuffed. No one smiled. The place around you was full of tension and fear coming from both sides.

Just as your group that you entered the building with was about to start being examined something happened. Suddenly from the back of the room and a few of the side rooms surges of electricity shot out. The whole building felt like a large magnet in a matter of moments. Then fire burst onto multiple PSF's causing them to writhe in pain. A kid in the back who had his hand on the neck of a PSF screamed, "Everyone RUN NOW!"

Some kids did as he said. A few dropped to the ground in a panic. Some stood in shock. It didn't matter what you did because seconds after the kid yelled to everyone a shot rang out through the room and then a noise that seemed to be produced directly inside your brain caused you and all the other children to writhe in pain. Some instantly began vomiting. The experience was horrid.

After a few minutes, the noise stopped and despite the echoing effect of the pain in between your ears, you were able to stand when a PSF lifted you to your feet. In front of every one were five kids, one having a bullet wound in his shoulder, and a few PSF's with an important-looking man standing near them. "I was planning on waiting to introduce myself to you all after everyone was screened, but it seems I may need to do this now."

He walked back and forth in front of you all. "Listen up! I am Lieutenant Colonel Aiden Anderson. Here, my word is law. As long as you do what I say your time here will be at least slightly pleasant. Now, I want every last one of you to look at these five and listen to what I say. Never try to escape, hurt a PSF, or break any rules set before you. Otherwise, this will happen to you." He signaled to the PSF's standing behind the five. The guards swiftly moved into action beating the kids as a punishment. Once they were done all five were bound and moved out of the building. Anderson looked at the kids before him and said, "I recommend you forget about your lives before now because that is gone. Today begins the rest of your life. Get used to it." The man left after setting a large ultimatum over each of your heads. What shall you do now?

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@AlwaysHarper Cartella

After a few more moments you are called forward and led to a small room holding only a desk and a table with some device on it. An older woman wearing a lab coat looks to you and says, "Hello. I need your name and if you would so kindly lay on that table there. I need to scan your brain real quick to make sure everything is all right." Whether you do these actions quickly or slowly doesn't affect the woman much. She appears to be half asleep right now. After the machine is done scanning you she asks you a few questions about how it feels when you touch people. Once she's done with you she gives you a few clothes and marks an Orange X on your back. She then produces something that looks like it's supposed to cover your mouth and handcuffs. "Now, sweetie. I apologize for this but you are going to need to wear these otherwise you may get hurt. Your new powers are not only dangerous to others but they are also dangerous to you." She waits for you to put on the muzzle and then proceeds to handcuff you behind your back and then sends you away.

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@silvermist1116Alki Alessi

Instantly after the Lieutenant Colonel left the room the non-injured PSF's began moving again as if nothing had happened. One grabs a hold of your arm and leads you to a side room shoving you inside. A short hyper man is instantly in your face. Asking you all sorts of rapid-fire questions. He seems to be in a rush and wants to be done with you as quickly as possible. He practically forces you onto a table with some sort of machine on it. Once the machine stops he asks for your name and then walks behind you marking a Green X across your back. Then just like that, you are shoved right back outside the room.

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@sly13Chris Daniels

You are given a good amount of time after everything that just happened due to being towards the back of the line before being moved into a room. Once you enter a younger woman is sitting behind a desk typing away on a laptop. Without looking at you she asks for your name and instructs you to lay on the examination table. She simply waits silently pecking away at the keyboard until you answer and does as she says. Once the scanner completes its job she asks if you could showcase your ability. Whether you do this or not she still places a Red X on your back, handcuffs you, and instructs you on what you are to do next.

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@alexfangtalonAlex Woulfe

After the scene that happened before you, a PSF grabs you and takes you to a different smaller room. There a plump older man looks at you and requests you give him your name and asks for your color. Whether you respond to the color question or not he has you lay on a table and proceed to scan you. When the machine finishes its job the man shoves rubber gloves at you. Once you grab them he turns you around marking a yellow X on your back. He then says, "Don't remove those and you'll be fine."

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@alexfangtalonMackie Pruett

You have time to gather yourself after watching the scene unfurl before you. After a few minutes, a PSF pulls you into a small room. The young woman gets straight to business and requests your name and tells you to lay on a machine to be scanned. After a few seconds, the machine finishes whirring and the woman forcefully marks a Blue X on your back then ushers you out.

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@AelitaJezebelleSam Maelynn

Getting to your feet you see your brother dragged off into one of the side rooms. Further back in the line you have to continue awkwardly waiting in this room for your turn. Not long after though you are pulled into a room by a PSF to see a very angry looking man. He stares you down like he wished he could choke you out."NAME!" is the first thing he says to you. He then points to a machine sitting on a table motioning for you to lay on it. After the machine finishes its whirring he yanks you away from it marking green X on your back and then shoving you toward the door.

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@morbidityMin-a Suhmoon

You feel the immense overwhelming disdain for you and the other children coming from the Lieutenant Colonel. To a point, you nearly don't sense the fear from the PSF's or your fellow children. Before you can really process in your mind that information you are nudged towards a room. Inside you see a woman drinking from a pot of coffee. You can easily tell she is exhausted and sad. Her eyes are red and puffy which is an offputting combo with the attempt at a smile she puts on when she sees you. She greets you with kindness and tries to make you feel at least a little better. She guides you to a machine and scans you. Upon seeing the results her facade drops. You can tell her heart is breaking. "I'm sorry about this but you have to wear these until you make it to your cabin." She pulls out a muzzle and handcuffs gesturing towards you asking if you want her to put them on or if you want to. After that unpleasant business she goes to you back marking an orange X. She apologizes again and sends you on your way.

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@AelitaJezebelleSol Maelynn

The insanity before you just doesn't make any sense. What is this madness? Before you can determine what you think you are roughly dragged to one of the side rooms. A short, plumb, and terrified man looks to you almost scared to speak. He meekly requests you sit at the machine. When it finishes it's course he asks for a PSF to come in also while asking your name. The PSF puts the muzzle on your face and handcuffs you pulling you out of the room behind him after the man marked an orange X on your back.

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@SkaiAlyssa Barker

You are in the back of the line not able to see well what happened even if you wanted to. You wait for a long time for your turn, being one of the last from your group that was brought in. After standing for so long you are guided to a room where a young man stands beside a table holding some odd machine he waves for you to come over and lay down on the machine. While it doing its test he asks your name and once it finishes he hands you a light bulb and asks you to try out your ability. Whether you do it or not he gives you a set of rubber gloves then turns you around and marks a yellow X on your back He says a curt goodbye sending you on your way.

---

---

All of you, whether those last few moments were smooth or not, are lead out of the building along with other kids by some PSF's. Walking outside going past a few more buildings and some tents something clearly noted by all are the large numbers of PSF's and the tall barbed wire fences surrounding nearly everything.

You walk down a pathway and then are separated into groups of ten. You are then moved into a cabin alongside those nine other kids. The keys to the handcuffs some are wearing are tossed into the cabin and the door is then locked. Tensions and fear are high, but does anyone dare speak?

Breathe. Alyssa thought with her eyes focused on her dirty white converse. She rested her chin against her knees. Her arms wrapped themselves tighter around her legs. Where she sat on the floor, she was surrounded by a sea of other children just like her. She felt like she could drown at any moment. Her lungs would fill up with the stuffy air of the gymnasium and she'd be gone. Breathe.

Her eyes dared to look around her at the other kids huddled together. Each of them equally as anxious and scared as herself. One of her classmates sat a few meters away. Alyssa remembered her bright smile in history from the day before. She was always such a happy girl. Today her eyes were red and puffy, and Alyssa could see the dried tears on her cheeks. The girl was looking around too, but before their eyes could meet Alyssa averted her own. Back to the pair of sneakers that had once been clean.

The black soldiers announced that it was time to go. Alyssa slowly rose to her feet and joined the shuffling mass that were also headed for the door. Her lungs took in a deep gulp of the chilly air as she stepped outside, and she felt much lighter than before. Her eyes scoured the buses before them before she found herself at the doors of bus number 264. She gingerly took each step, and as she looked the driver over her eyes rested too long on the pistol at his side. He shifted in his seat. His hand rested on the grip of the gun, and Alyssa met his cold eyes with her own wary gaze.

She was fortunate enough to get a spot next to a window. She rested her shoulder against the cold pane and didn't look at the boy that sat next to her. She'd already seen his black eye back in the gym. A close up of the wound wasn't necessary. Instead, as the bus eventually took off, Alyssa focused on the route that it took. She already knew her way back home from the gym. If she could remember where the buses took her, she'd be able to find her way if she needed to.

---

Alyssa was jolted from her seat hours later. She threw out her arm to brace herself against the seat in front of her and her eyes were wide as they looked out of the window. She'd fallen asleep somewhere through the ride. "No, no, no," she breathed, her frustration growing more as she noticed that daylight was shining through the overcast sky. How far had they driven? Where was she now?

As she disembarked the bus, she wore her emotions on her face in the form of a sullen frown. Another stern looking soldier pushed her forwards and she reluctantly joined the line of kids headed into the office building. The commotion inside reminded Alyssa of a processing center. She watched as the kids returned from the office rooms and noted the X's on their backs and various restraints. Her eyes lingered on each yellow X that left them. She figured that when she left the room, she'd be wearing a pair of rubber gloves as well. The muzzles were inhumane, and the handcuffs would definitely make the room feel a lot smaller. She was glad to be a yellow.

Alyssa suddenly felt the air around her intensify. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and she held her hands up to make sure that it wasn't herself that caused it. Then the building descended into chaos. She ducked as lighting erupted from all around her, and she watched in horror as a nearby guard lit up in flames. "Everyone RUN NOW!"

A few of the kids around her bolted, but the rest ducked their heads as well. Alyssa was too dazed to do anything. Her eyes were focused on the burning woman yards away from her. A gun fired somewhere that made her jump. The sound that followed it numbed her senses entirely. Her head was filled with a searing pain as her ears rang. She cried out and fell to her knees, her eyes shutting tightly to block out the fluorescent lights above. It took all of her energy just to remain conscious. What... What's happening? She grit her teeth together and whined. _Breathe...

The noise soon faded, but Alyssa still felt a dull pain in the back of her head. She remained on the floor and took deep breaths to keep herself calm. This was all too much. She wasn't sure if she could even stand at the moment. The hands that gripped her shoulders and pulled her to her feet moments later didn't care. She didn't fall, thankfully. It took her a few more breaths before she felt alright again. A man's voice filled the room. It was stern and commanding. Alyssa pushed her hair out of her face so that she could see what was going on. She had to rise up onto her tiptoes to see past the crowd that blocked her view.

The voice now had a face. It belonged to a man dressed much better than the soldiers. Alyssa instantly didn't like him. Just because of the look on his face as he paced in front of five rough looking kids. One of them had a bullet wound, and she remembered the sound of the gun firing. As the man spoke, Alyssa lowered herself back onto her heels. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see what would happen next. The grunts and yelps that occurred a second later made her glad that she hadn't continued to watch. Her eyes stared at the floor and she frowned. The agents lied to her father. They said that the kids would be taken care of. Did her father know that this was what they meant? There was no way he'd have allowed them to take her. She certainly wouldn't have gone willingly if she knew that this was what their protection looked like. Pretty little white lies.

"I recommend you forget about your lives before now because that is gone." Alyssa's hands curled into tight balls. She felt her nails digging little crescent moons into her palms. "Today begins the rest of your life. Get used to it."

The silence that followed his speech was deafening. Alyssa could only hear her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She gradually rejoined the lines that led to the processing rooms. Her eyes remained on the floor. As she slowly made her way towards the door, her hands loosened to hang limply beside her. The wait was long, and her anger faded by the time it was her turn to go in.

If she'd hesitated any longer, she would have surely been forced into the room. She stuck her chin out in a small act of bravery before she walked inside. The twenty something looking guy she found herself in the room with didn't look as mean as the armed guards outside. Still, Alyssa knew not to underestimate anyone that worked for this Lieutenant Asshole Aiden Anderson. The guy gestured towards the machine next to him and Alyssa steeled herself before she made her way to the machine. Her actions were slow and deliberate as she lifted herself onto it and laid back. She stared at the metal above her and heard him ask for her name.

"Alyssa Jane Barker." Her voice was flat as she spoke.

The scan was over in an instant, and Alyssa looked a little too relieved to sit up again. The guy handed her a light bulb. Alyssa took it with a frown and she stared down at it. Was this supposed to prove what the machine already told him? Didn't they already have a file with her name on it that told them this anyways? Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked up at him. Whatever information they wanted out of this little act, Alyssa wasn't going to allow them to have it. She held the light bulb out in front of her with one hand as her eyes were locked on his face. Instead of lighting the bulb, Alyssa let it drop. It fell to the floor and instantly shattered into a million little pieces.

For a second Alyssa regretted the action. Was he going to hit her? Would a guard burst through the door to reprimand her? She remained where she sat, but braced herself for the man's reaction. He didn't budge. Steam didn't erupt from his ears and nose. He just stood there before reaching for a pair of rubber gloves. "I don't get paid enough for this," he muttered as he shoved them in her direction. Alyssa took the gloves and slid off of the table. The man moved her to face away from them and she felt him marking the back of her jean jacket in the infamous yellow X. Alyssa quietly let him. She was too busy looking over her new fashion statement to care. Without waiting for him to put the gloves on for her, if he was even going to try, Alyssa pulled them on. They felt tight and hot around her hands. She instantly wanted to remove them. Unfortunately she knew she didn't really have a choice in the matter. The man said a terse goodbye before opening the door.

Alyssa didn't look at him as she walked past. She barely glanced back as he told the guard to find someone to clean up her mess. Punishment averted, Alyssa gratefully followed the other marked students out of the building. This time when she stepped outside, she didn't feel lighter than before. She felt the exact opposite, to be honest. Her body tensed as she laid eyes on hoards of what Lieutenant Asshole had called PSF's. The tall, sharp barbs at the top of the fences were menacing, and dread smothered out any hope of running away from this place. She was stuck here. Surrounded by black cargo with an arsenal of threats. She looked away and focused on the kid in front of her so that she wouldn't walk too far behind. How close was too close? What act of defiance was over the line? How trigger happy were these soldiers? Alyssa didn't know. Not all of them could be cruel, and not all of them could be smart enough to watch them like hawks. They would slip up eventually. Every human had a flaw. That was when she'd test her boundaries. She wasn't going to cower forever. She couldn't, wouldn't, stand to live in fear of the future.

Before she knew it, she was put into a long cabin with nine other kids of varying colors. When the PSF didn't follow them inside she felt relieved. With a disgusted frown, Alyssa pulled the gloves off of her hands and tossed them onto a nearby bed. She would have thrown them as far as she could, but something in the pit of her stomach told her to keep them close by. Would they make her wear them forever? Or at least in the company of the PSF's? She knew it was for their protection, but did they really think that they would stop her? She'd have to test it out. Not now, but when she felt comfortable putting them back on.

Now, with the door locked and surrounded by her peers, Alyssa felt like she could relax. Well, as relaxed as she could be given the last twenty-four hours. She sat down on the bed next to her gloves and pushed her hair back from her face. In through the nose... out through the mouth. She thought as she followed her own instructions. Don't lose your temper now. Not when you could electrocute the poor kid next to you. She looked up at the others in the cabin, resisting a frown as she watched the oranges remove their muzzles. The remaining kids in handcuffs lined up to have theirs taken off. She almost felt bad for not being the first to grab the keys and help them. Thankfully someone else had taken care of that. She could have said something at that moment. Maybe a joke, or a curse word aimed at the PSF's. She couldn't find the words to sum up what she was feeling, so she remained silent. Maybe someone else would do that for her, too.

Everything happened so fast yesterday morning. He was barely dressed when PSF officers came into his room and dragged him out of the house. He heard commotion downstairs and was afraid to check for fear of his power acting up. This was probably worse. His grandparents yelled at them to let him go, his mother wasn't there, probably gone to work already, and when his grandfather lunged at an officer he saw him get decked in the face with the gun, get shot, get knocked down, get beaten, 80% chance of severe injury, 15% chance of death, and 5% chance he won't be injured at all; a headache came, he yelled out, "Don't!" His grandfather stopped, when he tried again he called out, "Please! You'll die!" They stood there helplessly, Alki was lead away and thrown in the back of a black armored truck, guns aimed his way. He made sure to do as they said and he didn't speak a word. He spent the night on the floor with many other children at a community center. A lot of them cried, some where really young, and Alki didn't sleep. He spent the night avoiding the truth of who turned him in, because he didn't want to believe his father would do that. Why would he? But he was the only to know about him. He hated it.

The next morning they were loaded on a bus off to somewhere. He curled up on himself in his seat against the window and ignored the kid next to him at all costs. He's not sure what triggers his visions yet, but he knows it has to do with people. Avoid people, avoid a headache. They arrived to Du Pont Camp hours later. More like a prison than any camp he's ever seen. More imprisonment. Just what he needed. Lines of children inside and outside, kids thrown into rooms, and thrown back out with colored Xs on their backs. He's glad he didn't have his leather jacket. The paint would ruin it. Like it mattered. The situation's too dire for thoughts like that. Lightning shot out one of the rooms followed by fire and tortured screaming. A yell to run had the hall in chaos. Alki collapsed on his knees, death, death and more death. Fifty percent chance most kids would die via gunfire, 25% getting beaten if caught, 24% they'd all die, and 1% chance they all make it out alive. Bodies and blood stacked up in his mind's eye. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop! Then the hall quieted down. A man stepped and introduced himself as LTC Anderson, then the kids that caused the problem were beaten.

A PSF officer grabbed him off the floor and shoved him in a room with a man, and instructed to sit on a table with a machine.

"What's your name? Age? Height? Food Allergies?" The man asked one question after another.

"Alkibiades Alessi. Thirteen." Alki's head hurt too much to keep up passed his age and the man didn't bother to repeat himself. A green X was painted on his back and he was shoved out the door. He was back in line and led passed more buildings, camps, barbed fences and PSF officers. The numbers scared him. Just how many people were here to keep them prisoner? They eventually stopped outside of cabins, separated into groups based on X color, then assigned to a cabin. He was locked inside with nine other boys. To be around people. Just what he needed. He went to the bunk at the far end to the left, took off his shoes, laid down on the bottom bed, and covered his head with the pillow. If he can make it dark enough and block out noise, maybe he can get rid of his headache.

Sam and Sol sat together in the gym, warily watching those around them. Sam was quiet in his worry, going through everything that could possibly happen to them once their imprisonment in this building ended. Sol meanwhile tried talking to those around them, trying to distract himself from the uncertainty of the situation. Initially he had read the minds of those around, but the various theories everyone had of what was happening were frightening to think of. Better to ignore it and try to find something, anything else to focus on. No one else was willing to talk though, and he felt watched whenever he tried, so eventually he fell silent as well.

This situation honestly wasn't too surprising to Sam. He knew as soon as they started displaying new abilities that society wouldn't react well to it. He'd tried to warn Sol of that, but the guy just couldn't keep his mouth shut. Now here they were. Whatever was coming after this wasn't going to be anything good, and while he normally tried to find a bright side to everything, it was very difficult to see one for this. At least he had Sol with him. That's about the only bright side he could find.

Eventually they were loaded into the bus. Both tensed seeing the guns the men held, and Sol grasped Sam's hand tightly. They stayed huddled together the whole ride, trying to provide what comfort they could to one another until they arrived at their destination. They kept their hold on each other's hand as they exited the bus and slowly followed everyone else inside.

As they waited, a burst of electricity and fire interrupted everything. Someone called for everyone to run, and Sam gripped Sol's hands tighter to stop him from trying. It wouldn't be that easy. Sure enough, some sort of noise followed and pain, and those who had tried to escape were brought before them and beaten. Both boys were now more scared than they had ever been. Sam felt almost on the brink of a panic attack and tried to focus on his breathing and calm himself down, a lot easier said than done in this situation.

It wasn't long before they were forced to separate and brought into different rooms. Sol was first. He yelped as he was pulled away from Sam, but he resisted the urge to fight back. He didn't want to end up like the five who had just been beaten in front of them. However, he couldn't help but let his anger through when asked his name. "I ain't telling you shit!" he hissed only to have a muzzle quickly put on him by the PSF. He tried to yell past it and pull it off, earning himself a slap from the PSF before his hands were roughly pulled behind his back and handcuffed.

Sam was brought into a room not long after. He was already afraid before going in, and the harshness with which his name was demanded made him jump. "..S-Sam..Maelynn.." he answered and quickly went to lay down on the machine. Thankfully that was all there was to it. He was marked and sent on his way. Sol had been sent ahead of him, so he wasn't sure now where he was. He just followed the crowd.

He kept his eyes down mostly as they followed where they were led. When they were split into groups he was relieved to see Sol again, though...seeing his brother muzzled and handcuffed also made him feel even more hopeless and sad.

As soon as they were alone inside the cabin, Sam grabbed the key. Sol sat crying and trying to pull his hands from the cuffs as Sam moved behind him. "..Hey, look, they left a key. Stop struggling and be still a moment and I'll get you out," he said softly and Sol stopped struggling. Sam got off the cuffs and the muzzle, and they hugged each other tightly.
"Why are they treating us like fucking animals?" Sol asked through tears.
"I don't know.."

"This isn't real-" "Papa will come get me, I'm sure." "Maybe, after they do testing, they'll let us go-"

The framentend voices of children in horror were the first things that crowded Min-a's mind, suffocating her with their hidden pleas and fears. They scattered, forever changing, some full of dread, others, hope. The second thing that welled up, violently, were the images. Scattered memories people held onto, from faces, to last words, that drowned Min-a in a never ending pit of despair. Still, all of this was easier to listen to than the foolish kids that actually thought they had a chance. That THEY were the golden child, the child that would make it. Not like she had a choice in who she heard. Not yet. Still, she tried to flip past them as much as she could, unable to fathom the pipe dream that they clung to so desperately.

Min-a spoke out loud as the voices in her head flew past her like flipbook, mumbling words from each one as she tried to hang on to one person, for at least a moment. To others, she probably sounded mad, but she didn't care. Anything to figure out how to control the noise. Anything to try to get it to stop, or, at least, slow down. All she could get was phrases, tiny pieces, but it was better than the single words that would flip by, all jumbled together, but all different.

"Everyone RUN NOW!"

This voice was loud enough to snap Min-a out of her haze, silencing the noise that plagued her. Someone was yelling, frantic. Her dark eyes darted around, trying first to find the culprit that cried out. An acrid smell filled the air, smoke rising above a small group of people, all panic-stricken. Her eyes widened as they cleared out and away from what could only be considered a monstrosity. Burnt flesh peeled from what used to be a woman, her arm reached out in what she only could assume was an attempt to get help. Min-a swallowed the bile that rose in her throat, her hand covering her mouth in horror. Still, all her instincts told her to stay still, silent.

Then, the noise to end all noises happened. Min-a dropped to her knees, fingers wrapped in her dark locks as she let out a scream resembling a banshee. Her vision faded as her head hung, entire body falling limp, only to be wretched up multiple times before being laid against a wall in what seemed like a sign of defeat by one of the PSFs.

As Min-a came to, her eyes fluttering open, she noticed most people stood forward, and she was flooded with a feeling she knew well, hatred. Stumbling to stand, Min-a used the wall to get back up before being pushed forward by a PSF, tumbling towards and into a small group of people. Swearing under her breath, and forced to use a stranger to lean on, Min-a looked with the crowd and the man who radiated disdain. Min-a mind wandered at this moment, her eyes barely focused at the man in front of her. What was the word... It's not hate. Stronger than hate. Her eyes flashed towards the five. Not despise. Idiot. Her eyes then moved to the barrel of a gun behind one of the children. Loathe. That's the word. They loathe us-

Shots rang out, and for a moment, just a moment, everything was once again black.



Min-a stumbled out of the 'testing' room, muzzled and handcuffed. She was pushed by the PSFs harshly, and she could feel their fear of her heighten. The orange mark on her back changed things, and their intent and feelings quickly altered. They knew, no matter what, she was not to be trusted. She was the unknown, and they hated that. The PSFs shoved her towards the line of females, and she fell along, right behind a blonde girl a bit taller than herself. Min-a bit down against her lip, ignoring the pain soaring throughout her body. Her eyes started to shoot around, attempting to take in as little information she could. Still, though, her vision was blurry from the chaos before, and she couldn't make out much before stumbling upon the cabin. Before Min-a could process the situation someone rushed forward, helping her take off her muzzle and handcuffs. Min-a reeled back and away from the person who freed her, knowing if they touched her she could reach much farther in their head than she would ever want.

For a moment, there was silence. "So, I guess this is home..." Min-a said flatly, before taking her muzzle and putting it on the top bunk of a random bed- a way of claiming it. She looked at the others, and for a moment, she felt the animosity that some of them felt towards her and the other oranges. Pressing her back against a wall, she slid to the ground, eyes now focused on a drip of water from a pipe nearby. Home sweet home.

That step on the bus might have well been the end of it all.

That was the moment Harper realized they knew, that she had been careless, that she could no longer hide what she was and from other standpoints the scariest. Her eyes darted around to around the bus, as she was urged through the line to a seat. She didn't open her mouth to breathe, even though her lungs felt like they were about to implode.

They had guns. It concerned her, it controlled her thoughts. She wasn't going to try anything. She wasn't going to die today.

The ride was a long one but she couldn't sleep, not that she tried. She stayed up, tapping her foot lightly on the ground, looking around with her red, puffy, tear-stained eyes. She saw some of the other kids were asleep, others were like her. She met eyes with some of those kids, but no one had anything that was more reassuring than the next. She knew they weren't going to die, but she also knew from what her father always told her- There are a lot of things worse than death, and she was about to find out.

She then felt the bus stop, the men with the guns stand up, almost too fast to process. Her first reaction is instead of looking down, is to take a look out the window. To see where they were going and she did, and what felt like seconds later they were all lined up off the bus into another building. The smell that filled her noise was enough to give her a headache alone if it wasn't for the fact she had already had one.

Like a crashing wave, she heard the kid say run, and instead, she froze. She felt the tears come through her eyes as she turned around to see what had happened and the large man in front of her giving the speech. She wiped off her tears furthermore feeling the burning in her throat.

Harper made her way to the room forcing her steps forward. She felt like she was going to collapse, nevermind has to deal with more. She looked at the girl in the room raising an eyebrow at her before laying down under the machine.

She closed her eyes and opened them and it was done. She was expecting something worse, a lot worst. She sat up, looking at the lady, before answering. "Harper, Harper Azalea Cartella"

She continued to answer the questions, not immediately but after a few seconds and briefly. She let the girl place handcuffs on her but panicked seeing the muzzle. She shook her head no, tears coming out her eyes. "No, no please-" and the rest was muffled away, and she was sent on her way.

She saw the kids poor in after her all placed into lines, all with a color marking them, and soon they made their way to the camp, and into the beds. A guy came and took her muzzle off and the handcuffs for the time being. Harper looked at Min-a and the other girls in the cabin before sitting on a bed somewhat in the corner and placing her heads into her knees.

Being at the back of the line meant that Chris had a long time to dwell on his own thoughts and fears as he slowly made his way up the line. The silence in the room was almost unbearable for him. You hear every step every time a pair of handcuffs slightly clanking together. Moving his eyes ever so slightly Chris watched as the kids walked out of the rooms with some form of a colored x as well as some form of restraint.

After what felt like an eternity Chirs stepped through the door inside what reminded him of a doctor's office albeit more ominous. Scanning the room quickly Chris noticed a table and some other equipment that he guessed was for him. “Chris Daniels Jr.” Chris waited patiently as the young woman began to type away at the keyboard seemingly paying him no mind. Chris stared at the women for a brief second when he heard her ask about his powers and wanting to see it. Chris swore his heart rate skyrocketed at the demand coming from the doctor. He didn't expect anyone one especially the very people that were having kids like him under lock and key, to want him to use the power. What was worse was that he had no way of showing it without a live flame around him. “Sorry ma’am I can't do anything unless there is a live flame already,” he said through a nervous voice. All Chris could do was pray that his inability to use his powers wasn't taken as an act of disobedience.

Lucky for Chris however the woman merely gave out a small “mmh” before typing something else on her computer. After a tense few seconds, Chris received a large red X painted onto his back and a rather tight pair of handcuffs. Frowning at this Chris knew that this was probably his life now. As much as he hated it and even more so seeing those around him suffering as well he knew there wasn’t much he could do. Moving inside the cabin he was supposed to stay in he was surprised to see he was one of the last ones in. He gave the other kids a small nod before sitting down on an unoccupied bed as he continued to stare at the cuffs around his hands.

---

Alex woke up in a groggy state. He could feel the chill of the floor and something around his wrists. He soon realized that he was laying on a gym floor with his hands cuffed behind his back. Looking around he noticed a few others similar to him had limited movement. The atmosphere was tense. With the same black armor-clad men and women who had hurt his family watching over him and many other children, Alex felt anger more than fear. The hairs on the back of his neck began rising with his anger, and then they began moving.

How long had he been out for? Walking outside he noticed the sun had already gone down. He remembered being abducted early in the day. The PSF who removed his handcuffs backhanded him merely because of the slight scowl that was on his face. The bus ride wasn't any easier though. No one seemed to make a sound save for the few younger ones whimpering silently. Alex didn't know if he should feel sympathy or pity for them, but he knew this wasn't going to get better soon.

When the bus came to a stop and the small rays of sun peaked through Alex got a good look at his surroundings. There was no way he could count all the PSF's around him and the other children. The fences were taller than he could tell from the distance he was, but the barbed wire glistened as if asking for someone to get their skin caught on its sharp points.

Once in the building, the mixture of constant movement, the smell, and his grogginess caused his head to spin a little. When the electricity and fire started shooting around the room Alex quickly dropped to one knee unsure of what he should do. He couldn't find the source of electricity, but when he saw fire coming out of a boy's hands Alex thought of Sadie and how she had been lying on the ground when he passed out. He had zero time to worry when suddenly a piercing ring shattered through his head.

He fully dropped to the floor trying to cover his ears to no avail. He started to feel a gag reflex when the noise finally stopped. While on the ground he noticed the five perpetrators of the commotion, but once he was pulled to his feet he saw the Lieutenant Colonel. A look of sheer anger appeared on Alex's face at what the man said and had done to the five.

Before he could think of anything else Alex was jerked aside by a PSF and shoved into a room where a man seemed to be waiting. At the man's questions, Alex simply responded, "Alex Woulfe. What do you mean by color?" The man waved his hand and pointed to a machine saying, "Just lay on that table over there."

Alex did as he was instructed just so that he could be done with this quickly. When the man handed Alex the gloves he eyed them with a look of confusion. He was even more confused when the man turned him around and marked the X on his back. Alex slowly shoved his hands into the gloves and left the room.

As he was being moved again alongside the others Alex looked around trying to get a feel for his surroundings. Alex didn't want to stay here long, but there wasn't anything he could do about that. He just didn't know it. Once they were escorted to cabins and left unsupervised Alex began looking around the small room trying to find a way out. When he found nothing he went towards one of the empty beds and kicked it in frustration. Mumbling to himself he asked "How long are they gonna keep us here?"

---

Mackie and the few remaining schoolmates she had were collected in their school's auditorium early in the school day to make it easier on the PSF's to get them at the same time. All the kids looked to their teachers with downtrodden faces and none of the school staff seemed to show any remorse.

They were transported from there to a larger gym. Mackie sat quietly among her few peers watching as more and more kids were added to the number. They were among the first in this transfer group placed within the community gym awaiting transport so she had spent a long time stewing in her misery. Two of the boys had tried to fight back but were shut down quickly and handcuffed. The whole time they were there it was agonizing to just have to sit and wait.

Once they were loaded into the buses Mackie's heart slowly began breaking as it seemed it might be all over. All she could think about was if her mother and sister were safe and about the faces and actions of the school staff she and her peers had so deeply trusted. She pulled her knees up into her seat with her crying softly for the rest of the drive.

She nervously followed the directions and pushing of the adults surrounding her. Then chaos erupted all around her. A boy in front of her began running knocking her to the ground. It wasn't like she wasn't about to be there soon anyway. The sound that assaulted her brain at its very core was excruciatingly painful. Covering her ears didn't seem to help whatsoever.

When the noise finally subsided she slowly began to drag herself to her feet until a PSF pulled her up. The sight before her was revolting to her. How could these people do this? And what did he mean by their old lives were now gone? Mackie took a few minutes to try and locate her past schoolmates, but couldn't find any of them before she is rushed over to a side room. Before she can react a woman says something. "Name."

Mackie pauses for a moment in confusion and says, "Mackie Pruett." The woman motions to a device and says, "Lay there so I can scan you." Mackie reluctantly does as the woman says to avoid punishment. Once the machine finishes the woman marks a Blue X on Mackie's back which heavily confuses her then sends her on her way.

On the path to the cabins, Mackie primarily eyes the various X's and notices the odd differences based on color. She felt a little happy that she didn't have to be handcuffed or muzzled but instantly regretted that moment of false peace. She also occasionally caught sight of the PSF's guns. Once inside the cabin, Mackie, along with another girl, began trying to help the more restrained ones get free from their bindings. After helping the others Mackie walked over to an empty bed and laid down. At a loss for what to do she hoped that maybe, just maybe, this was all just a horrific nightmare and she'd wake up in her bed at home. She slowly cried herself to sleep not realizing that this nightmare was very real, and perhaps even worse than she thought.

---

Two years passed by slowly. Everyone's lives became monotonous. What made it worse was that everyone was separated. Nine was the largest number of people you could even speak to. You were 'allowed' to work alongside those of the same sex within your age group. Eating was done in an old cafeteria building. Only the restriction of age group was applied here. Male and female ate alongside each other, but a major rule enforced across over the whole camp was no speaking except within your cabin.

Everyone found a way around that. Someone, you don't know who, with the help of their cabin mates developed an unspoken language of foot-tapping and knocking on hard objects. It took a long time to get everyone to the point of understanding, but the Oranges helped with that. By now everyone within the camp knows exactly what the colors mean. Some began embracing their categorization and trained every moment they had within their cabin. Some abhorred their abilities pretending nothing was different about them. It didn't matter though because the hope of escaping was gone from a large majority of the children.

Not all had given up hope, but it was hard not to. Other than the catastrophe from when you first arrived, there was one other attempt to escape. It was by one cabin that had an orange who seemed to have lost his mind. He had become very skilled with his ability and his cabin mates had lost so much hope that he was able to easily take over their minds and attempt to break out of the camp. It ended quickly. The moment the ten were spotted outside of their cabin the white noise was turned on, and they were captured

The Lieutenant Colonel decided that from then on that every other week for 15 minutes the white noise would be turned on. It happened randomly but was excruciating. There was no getting used to that kind of pain. No one dared try anything again. Yet, recently a message has been going around that the time was coming. The time to escape. Everyone was informed to get ready for a signal. The origin of this message was unknown but some were able to link the message to the arrival of eight kids being brought to the camp a few months ago. Eventually, you and all the other kids noticed that the white noise machines hadn't been turned on in a while. It had been about three weeks since the last time the noise had invaded your ears.

---

---

@silvermist1116Alki Alessi, @sly13Chris Daniels, @alexfangtalonAlex Woulfe, @AelitaJezebelleSam Maelynn, @AelitaJezebelleSol Maelynn

Over the past two years, you and your cabinmates came to know each other. Whether becoming close friends or gaining a strong dislike of each other all ten of the people who have called this cabin home for two years have grown close in some way. For the two years, a few of your numbers have never given up hope on escape. others were mildly compliant. Unlike most cabins, yours still contains all ten of its residents.

Tonight felt a little lonelier than normal. One of your cabinmates had gotten himself in trouble and was in solitary confinement again, a Blue by the name of Eric. The remaining members of your cabin are the two Greens, Alki and Sam. The other Blue Raymond. The two yellows were Michael and Alex. Your two Oranges were Sol and Aaron, and the last two members are your two Reds Chris and Zack. As the small number of you tried to get some rest suddenly the ground began to shake and off in the distance you all hear an explosion.

Some of you quickly duck under your beds in anticipation of the oncoming White Noise. Waiting for about a minute each of you realizes that it's not coming.

---

---

@morbidityMin-a Suhmoon, @SkaiAlyssa Barker, @alexfangtalonMackie Pruett, @AlwaysHarper Cartella

Your cabin has been fairly peaceful. Everyone has been fairly kind except for one girl who refuses to speak with anyone else. None of you even know her name. During the two years, everyone else has been giving various levels of support to each other in the way they best know how to. When Reds were first being removed from Du Pont the two Reds from yours were among the first to be taken away. As Oranges started to be removed as well your cabin had the looming dread that your two Oranges would be next each time a removal occurred.

Tonight, the oldest girl in your cabin, Jasmine, just barely beating out Min-a, who has been voted as the de facto leader of your small group got most of the cabin together to play a small game of truth or dare in an attempt to keep everyone's hopes up. The game is just about to begin when an explosion off in the distance grabs each of your attention. Some of you hunker down anxiously awaiting the white noise. You eventually realize it's not coming and one of the girls, Annabelle, begins walking to the door.

---

---

As each of you looks to the outside you can see PSF's running about and some kids fighting them. Among the kids are even a few adults. From the looks of it, the ones fighting the PSF's are wearing white armbands and are easily overrunning the men and women clad in black. What do you choose to do?

Alki laid in bed, eyes closed, wanting to sleep, but insomnia kept him from resting. Earlier in the day one of his cabin members, Eric, was taken away again. After the first time it happened, Alki kept his distance. Eric was a troublemaker, kept wanting his freedom, he's lucky he hasn't ended up dead. Alki can't deal with people like that. The ones that trigger his power in close proximity. He's learned to stay away from those types, lest he want the migraine from hell and visions of death. Everyone else was in a somber mood, he didn't really care. Eric deserved what he had coming to him. Doesn't pay to start trouble.

His foot tapped against the metal bar at the foot of his bed, he couldn't do that when he first arrived. He was a two more inches away from his feet hanging over the end. Guess they didn't account for growth spurts as far as beds were concerned.

BOOM!

The ground tremored, probabilities of what it could be flitted through his mind. The death and carnage he saw shook him more than anything he's seen so far in captivity. He hit the floor hard. The boy in the bed next to him grabbed his shirt and pulled him underneath with him. His cabin mates knew he couldn't do for much when he had one of his fits. The visions vanished, the same times the tremors stopped. He crawled out from his place and looked outside. It was carnage outside. Adults with white armbands and kids fought the PSF. They weren't winning. Alki sunk to his knees and curled up against the wall. There was little chance of any of them making it out of this alive. The 10% of survival didn't come unscathed. Any number of injuries could happen that could slow them down and get them captured. There aren't medical services if they do manage to escape, so any injuries could get infected. He's terrified. They had a better chance surviving if they stayed put and didn't get in trouble with PSF than if they made a run for it. Alki's content to wait this out.

Two years. 730 days of... nothing. Alyssa hadn't gotten anywhere closer to getting out of here. In fact, the only places she'd gotten to other than the cabin and labor house was the nurses office and solitary confinement. The latter she'd seen quite a bit of. She'd grown a little too comfortable with those cells. At this point, she considered her time in solitary as a vacation. She was even able to have a little fun messing with the guards too.

The first time she'd gone was the second most frightening time of her life. The little light bulb display she'd shown her first day in the camps wasn't taken lightly. The next day, after a rough night of little sleep, she'd been the only one taken from her cabin. As they were taking her away, rubber gloves sticking tightly to her sweaty and nervous hands, Alyssa could only wonder what they were going to do. What they'd done to the five kids the day before was terrifying. Was she going to get the same fate? What would they tell her father? Would they make it look like an accident committed by another kid at camp?

She was relieved to find out that the punishment wouldn't be physical, but she also wasn't happy to be thrown into a small, metal room. For two days she sat in that cold cell. It gave her plenty of time to think about her situation. What she didn't think about was why she'd been sent to solitary. Such a small act of disobedience sent her here? No biggie. At least they hadn't done anything worse.

Two days in solitary, for dropping a light bulb during processing. She grew to understand that two days was the usual length of time. The longest time she'd spent there? Five days. For what? She zapped a guard for bullying another kid. Little acts like this sent her to solitary quite often. She didn't mind. If she could do one thing in this awful camp, it would be to stand up against the guards as much as she could.

---

When Jasmine suggested a game of truth or dare, Alyssa wasn't too thrilled. Yet after a long, uneventful day, she just wanted a distraction. So Alyssa joined the group in their little circle. She glanced around at the other girls and briefly wondered what new truths or dares they would commit to that night.

Before anything could begin, there was a sudden, intense thunder outside. Alyssa looked around the room, her bewilderment clear on her face. She noticed a few of the others covering their ears and awaiting the white noise, and Alyssa quickly did the same. She hadn't heard the blaring noise in a long time. She wasn't sure why the weekly siren had stopped, but she'd taken it as an act of mercy by the camp's leader. Would it still feel the same? Would it be even more painful since it had been so long? She shut her eyes tightly and braced herself.

Yet it didn't come. Instead, she heard the sounds of chaos from outside. She slowly opened her eyes and lifted herself off of the ground. One of the girls, Annabelle, was headed towards the door. Alyssa glanced around the room for a moment, feeling a little overwhelmed. What was going on outside? Was this the time to escape? While she wasn't fluent in the secret language that the kids had developed, she picked up on a few things. Was this what they were warning the other kids about?

Filled with a new sense of hope, Alyssa followed Annabelle over to the door. If this really was the day to break loose, Alyssa was all for it. No matter how scared she was of failure and the PSF's violence, Alyssa desperately wanted her freedom back. Even if she could hear gunfire and screams that made her heart begin to race and raised the hairs on the back of her neck she was determined to fight. She took a deep breath and summoned all of the courage she could before she walked past Annabelle. From her pocket she pulled two paper clips she'd picked up while visiting the nurses office a while back.

"I may not have done this before, but I've always wanted to try it." She mumbled mostly to herself, but also to the other girls in the cabin. Her voice was as confident as ever, but also had a tone of seriousness as she spoke. "If this works, I'm going out there." She pulled the paper clips apart and stuck them into the lock in the hopes that jiggling them around would do the trick. If that didn't help, there was another option in the room. She turned her head to the side and peered back at the only blue that Alyssa felt close enough to ask this.

"Mackie, could you maybe, uh... push the door open?" By push, Alyssa meant force it off of its hinges. At least, that's what she'd do if she was a blue. While she wasn't quite sure that the girl could use her ability well, she wondered if this was the day that Mackie would feel brave enough to try it out. Her eyes fell on Min-a, and she nodded her head towards her. "Min-a, you know how to lock-pick, don't you?"

Time started to become irrelevant to Min-a, who did not dare count the days as they passed by. At first, Min-a couldn't find herself, unable to stop the voices of bystanders. The intentions of others were like a weight on her back also, and trying to carry herself got more and more tiring as the days went on by. Slowly, with many visits to solitary, she was able to learn how to focus on just one person, and more importantly, how to block everyone out. Finally, her own thoughts weren't as clouded by others and lots of her frantic outbursts due to the chaos in her mind started to slow down. She was no longer as unhinged as she was in the first couple of months, and she even became an integral part of helping protect those who she now considered her peers.

Feeling the intentions of others was an easy way to know when to step into a situation, and Min-a became a great distraction for those who needed it. Sure, she had a large target on her, but that was sort of the point. When she was in a room, attention fell on her quite a bit, allowing it to be easier for others to get away with their endeavors. She knew when to poke the bear and subsequently pull information while doing so. Min-a couldn't care less about the countless times she was sent away, at peace with the fact that she was helping someone, somehow. Still, it wasn't easy, and she realized quickly that no matter what she did, some people would always look at her the same. Orange.

________________

Min-a lept from her bed, ignoring Jasmine and whatever shenanigans she was suggesting today. She didn't hate the girl, not in the slightest, however, the girl was so admirably positive through everything that it tired Min-a. Instead, she focused on the sinking feeling in her stomach, knowing this was a sign of something greater. Her eyes watched the other girls, trying to read if anyone of them was the reason for her uneasy feeling.

A blaring noise interrupted everything, and Min-a could suddenly feel it. Fear and anxiety erupted in the pit of her stomach, which did not match her own. It was nauseating, to say the least. Min-a subconsciously moved her hands over her ears, her entire body tensing as she readied herself for the impact of the white noise. Nothing. Was it true then? Did something happen to it? She had taken notice of the chatter among many Greens, and with what she good gather from them, something was amiss. They weren't using the white noise to the extent they had before, and it surely wasn't because of good behavior. Could something have happened to their beloved dog whistle?

Eyes now forward, Min-a stood up, straightening herself and readying for the moment. She watched as Annabelle and Alyssa stood near the door, and her impatient nature started to take in as Alyssa bent forward, fumbling with the lock on the door. She knew everything, including timing, was incredibly important and before Alyssa even said anything, she was beside her, hands out. Luckily, Alyssa had already relinquished her duty, dropping the paperclips into Min-a's hand. "I need someone who can blowback any guards to stand behind me," Min-a rushed, unsure if anyone would do as she said. She fumbled along with the now makeshift lockpick, her hands shaking and heart slamming against her chest. Then, a small click. A deranged smile erupted onto Min-a's face as she let out a small giggle, the door swinging ever so slightly open. Biting down on her lip, she pushed the door again, allowing it to show her and the other girls what was amiss. That was when they all saw it. The bodies. The fire. The swarms of kids fighting.

This. Is. It.