Pushing myself off the ground, I tasted bitterness on my tongue. The humiliation stung, but beneath it burned an idea, a faint spark that this might be an opportunity I couldn't afford to waste.
My nails dug into my palms, sharp enough to draw blood. The pain kept me steady. Without it, I might have already exploded, cursing the system and everything it stood for. Instead, I wiped the blood from my mouth and nose with the back of my hand and locked eyes with the woman who watched me over her shoulder. My glare spoke for me. I would reclaim those needles, no matter what it took.
"[Your first lesson today...]" The lips that wore my face moved stiffly, almost mechanical."[Basic control.]"
The words rippled through the air like a command, and the world answered. The ground trembled beneath my feet, twisting and warping out of shape. My body lurched upward, lifted as if by unseen hands. The surface beneath me narrowed into a thin, unstable platform that wobbled under every movement.
