The first thing I saw was the ceiling. It was familiar. I tried to feel my arms. They were free. I was panting up. I sat up and looked around me. I was in my room. That means it was a nightmare. I was sweating heavily. I got up and went to the washroom. I washed my face. The splash of cold water calmed me a bit. I looked at myself in the mirror. My dark auburn hair was wet. My face looked pale as if I saw a ghost.
I came out and glanced at the clock beside my table. It was 1:00 A.M. I felt suffocated, so I decided to go out and take a walk. I got out of my room. I was in the corridor of our trainee quarters. It looked like everyone is sleeping. I hope no one woke due to my shouts.
I started walking towards the balcony. It was dark and it was the night of the full moon. The moonlight entered the corridors through the glass ceiling. It has been six months since I shifted to this place. I am now familiar with it. I remember how lost I was when I first came to this place.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize I reached the balcony. I took a deep breath. I smelled nature. It felt nice. I took another breath. This time I smelled rose, wet grass, and caffeine. Wait!!! How the hell did I smell caffeine when I was standing near flower pots. There is no cocoa plantation anywhere near, so how did I?
Before I can process my thoughts, I heard a familiar manly voice with an American accent.
"You awake," he said.
I turned back and saw a white boy with chestnut-colored hair in his night pajamas standing. His blue-green eyes were gawking at me.
" Austin what are you doing here?" I asked him.
Austin Maxwell was the first person I became friends with when I came here. He is American and is from New Jersey as I remember. He is two years older than me. I was deep into my thoughts that I didn't realize that I was staring at him.
"Hey! Are you okay haze" he said waving his hand in front of my eyes.
He was now standing close to me. I took a small step back, making a gap between us.
" I am okay" I responded stopping his hand. "And don't call me haze"
"What are you doing here at this hour?" I asked him.
"I couldn't sleep so I thought of having coffee," he said pointing to the mug in his hand.
"That is why I smelled caffeine" I recalled.
"Drinking coffee will put you to sleep?" I commented.
He laughed.
"I am drinking this, so, I can stay awake till morning. I don't have a plan to sleep tonight. I have to complete my training records" he explained.
"How unusual!" I sighed.
"What are you doing here? It is very unusual to see you up here" he asked in unison.
" I had a nightmare" I blurted it out. Why the hell I am telling this stuff to him.
"Oh, so you decided to take a walk," he said.
"Yes," I confirmed.
" I too used to have nightmares after the memory test," he said leaning on the balcony railing.
He is right. It has been a month since the memory test and I still get nightmares. But how does he know I took a memory test.
"Who said I took a memory test?" I asked him to take things out of him.
" You didn't?" he asked.
"No." I lied.
" Oh! I didn't know that. Anyways what did you see?" he questioned.
"Nothing important" I lied again.
" No worries. Do you want some coffee?" he offered.
" No thanks," I said quickly.
"I had nightmares about how my family left me in the orphanage. It was so distressing," he exclaimed.
I felt sorry for him." I understand, but don't worry you will forget it with time." I assured him.
"No, you don't understand" he interrupted. " You have a family Hazel and I don't," he said quietly.
I understand what is the feeling of losing someone, the betrayal, everything. But I cannot tell him or anyone about it. It is a secret. My personal life is a secret and I have to keep it hidden all my life.
"I am going to sleep now," I said to avoid further conversation.
I turned back and started to walk towards my room.
"Hey hazel" he called.
I looked back at him.
"You are very lucky, I hope neither you nor anyone else should go through what I went through," he said smiling.
"I also hope no one should ever go through what I went or am going through," I said.
He couldn't understand what I meant. And I hope he should not understand whatever I say.
I smiled at him and said "Goodnight Austin". I turned and rushed back into the corridor.
"Goodnight to you too" he strutted.
I heard him but I didn't turn back to look at him. I am here for duty and that is the main focus of my life. I don't have time for friends, gossip, or fun. I have to be what my people expect from me. I have to become worthy for my family and my future. Thinking about all this stuff I slowly drifted off to sleep.