White, everything was always white. Sterile, they called it, clean, pure and just, but the color was like the grey of a prison; suffocating, overwhelming and entrapping. They liked it though, plastered steel and iron all over it just to fortify it all. Even the canteen tables were bolted down firmly and the forks and spoons were nothing more than plastic chained to the table. The plates were nothing more than cheap paper, but at the very least the food was edible even if it didn't seem like it to those whose tongues had yet to go numb to the taste. Like trained soldiers, they lined up nearly for today's menu; a bland watery soup and a whole plate of brown rice spiced bland with artificial protein and vitamins. Nobody wanted to or could complain though.

 The canteen, as bland as it was, was a god-send compared to the other 'facilities' and the only place that they were allowed to interact with one another. Under the watch of two armored guards, standing menacingly at the only exit and entrance, they were allowed to mingle to some extent. There were not many of them and conversations; whispered or not, were rumored to be monitored. Once in a while, someone was called out and sometimes they came back in shaken or sometimes they just didn't come back any more. So the way it was at a moment's notice.

 This was still home though and for most of them, nothing else existed outside of it. For Luka, it was the only thing that did exist. And what he looked forward to most as he settled his plate down on the table, greeting his friends. They sat together every meal like a cliche in a highschool though the 2nd seat to the left always felt empty ever since Michael was called out. They had never really gotten to filling his place. Luka got down to gulping down his soup since he had two more diet tests scheduled right after so he wanted to eat as much as possible because even water and brown paste was better than the foreign, often not agreeable [i]things[/i] that he would have to swallow (and un-swallow) later.

 He nearly chocked on his rice as he forked it down when there came the sudden clang of the guards turning to face the door way. Jessie, the 'athlete' of the group, turned her head, staring over everyone else at the doors. Luka's eyes scanned the room. Someone was being welcomed back considering how the guards were facing, but everyone was accounted for in the room except...wait no, Jordan had left a week ago. Then, that meant...

 "Someone new?" Jacob wondered out loud under his breath and all eyes, and minds, focused on the metal electronically locked doors as they began to slide open.