Dearest Mum,
How much I've missed you! I hope you weren't too worried when you were unable to reach me? Yes, I'm still mad at you, even more now after my recent discoveries. I always knew Jack was never to be trusted. Would you believe, he dropped me at the school gate leaving with no explanation whatsoever! I haven't set my eyes on him since he left.
Even more pressing, his never-ending lies. Mum, I don't know where he brought me but it sure isn't Geneva. The Light High, the scholarship, it's all fake and this school I have been admitted into is no place for me. The people here are by no means normal. I feel like a little mouse in the playground predators. The way they look at me…
Don't try contacting me through my phone number, they have place jammed to foreign signals not to divulge their location. Mum, whatever this is–it's so much more than me. Whether, I will be able to leave this place is something I can't say with certainity but I won't have you blaming yourself for any of this. As much as I was so right. Please, don't feel too guility.
Rest assured, I'm fine. Take care of yourself. If possible, contact Jack. Maybe, just maybe they will let me leave if we act before Intiation and there's another important matter I would like to share after you write back.
Your baby
Lil
I smile folding the paper into three equal folds. Picking up the small bottle on the study table, I spray a generous volume of my favourite fragrance–vetiver on the envelope, a smoky mixture of earth and wood hitting my nostrils.
So, what if foreign signals were jammed barring communication with the outside world.
Aching and tossing through out the night–this idea struck and it stuck since then, growing with every thought till it became an obession.
Is it archaic?
Yes.
Is it slow?
Yes, but as long as it gets the job done, it's my best bet.
More efficient than spiraling.
Grabbing my bag, I tuck the envelope carefully to the one of the side pockets.
The letter is ready.
Next is how to get it delivered.
I wasn't so dumb to think Velmora ran postal services. A quick research was all it took to confirm my suspicions.
Communication with the outside world was cut off entirely and uncovered attempts punishabe.
Students weren't even allowed to talk to their parents.
How awful.
The plan was doom to fail before it even saw the light of day.
Then, Zara's words came to me loud and clear–There's a loophole around every rule. People will always find ways to cut corners.
Also, thank God for subjectivity. In one of the books I've been reading, Feire Tarwet joked about how her batch devised means to communicate outside Velmora.
They found a loophole.
Sure, I don't know what it is.
But, the students here most definitely will and I know just the person to meet.
Something told me, we'lll meet again.
Today.
Crazy, but better than losing an opportuinity if any comes by.
I was careful not to include any of what I've learned in the past few days just in case things went south–my ignorance will take the fall.
I head out grinning like a fool. I eat breakfast quickily rushing to the Academic Wing, where Zara waited by the extrance.
"Good morning, Guide Zara." Smiling, I greet my voice ringing cheerfully in the quiet of the morning
"Good morning, Initiate." She returns, her usual stoic look softening as she gives me a meaningful look.
"Goodnews?" I freeze half worried and half shocked she broke her cut-out manual for Guide conversations.
"Yes." I reply going quiet under inquisitive look.
"Good. Let's begin." Thankfully, she doesn't probe donning her professional mask in an instant.
"This is the third and final phase of this tutorial–Acquaintance." Her voice goes solemn with each word as we walk into the Wing.
"In this phase, you will be made aquaintance with the mandatory courses offered to all trainees in Velmora. The rest are up to you depending on your career path."
"Oh!" I exclaim excited. I've long been curious if they actually studied here and what kind of subjects this kind of place had to offer.
"For this you'll being meeting with your Instructors as I know next to nothing about any of it."
"Guides aren't usually privy to such information but Understudies are. While, we walk I will orient you briefly." She adds seeing my confused look.
"Unoffically just snippets, take it as a aparting gift from me to you." I return her smile taken back by the friendly gesture.
"Sure, thanks." I bow in gratitude, she snorts shaking her head at me.
"I'll start from what your already know to what you don't. No questions, there's only about ten minutes till we get there." I nod, paying close attention.
"Let's start with HC–Historical Comphrension. It involves examining in minute detail historical events that were pivotal to our present reality, uncovering alternative paths and their consequences both good and bad.
"You mean history." I deadpan.
"Yes, what you call history on much a higher level. It is paired by a sister course for practicals." She stops walking to look back at me.
Oh, how hard could history be? I thought rolling my eyes at the dramatic title.
Historical Comphrension, please…
"Then, there's ECM–External Character Modelling." I slow down paying more attention to her next words.
"It involves learning how to create a public personae for socialization among many other purposes."
"So, acting?" She chuckles, nodding in affirmation.
Seriously
"What's the next?" I ask curiousily, when she goes silent in thought.
Despite the showy names, the courses sounded interesting.
Really looking forward to full debrief from the Instructors.
"Hmm, the ICM–Internal Composition Management. Mostly deals with psychological stuff."
"Huh, Self-Defence, Arms and Ammunition, SDAA. That's self-explanatory." I sigh, the image of the Armory's weapon-stack shelves flashing through my mind.
"Oratory. The act of public speech." She continues.
"Speech Curation and Presentation, the SCP is mostly about creating pitches– marketing ideas for investment." She says as we enter the the staff quarters, where the offices of Instructors were situated.
"Digital Navigation. The most basic use of the Internet and its subset platforms." Moving deeper, she cuts sharply leading us into a high-rise building.
"Good morning. We are here for a tutorial session." She says to the desk personnel.
"S-grade?" Zara nods.
"18th floor." I fall in step behind Zara as she walks to the elevator.
"How many so far?" She asks, when the doors of the elevators close.
"Seven" I turn watching her input the floor number on the keypad.
"The last two are the Resource Development and Sustaince, and the Political Warfare Studies, which are self-explanatory. These are the core courses here at Velmora, very essential for leadeship aspirants." She concludes, silence falling between.
Honestly, I was mostly speechless.
'The heir training nonsense again.'
I huff, clicking my tongues in annoyance.
She just had to ruin the fun by reminding that nothing about this was simple.
The doors clink open to a wating hall similar to the ground floor's.
"We are here to meet the S-grade staff team for a tutorial." The lady at the desk speaks into her intercomm.
"You are cleared." She looks up smiling.
We walk down the hall turning to the right.
"We are here." Zara stops in front giving me enough room not to crash into her, then turns to me.
"In each of these rooms, you will briefly converse with the respective Instructors. Nothing more than fifteen minutes, enough time to get a solid idea about their course." I nod in response.
Walking to the first door, I knock twice–my hand firm and steady against the wooden door.
Ms. Ira Isla – Digital Navigation. I pull at the knob, the door opens without a sound.
I step inside to a young woman sitting behind a desk, she looks up at my entrance smiling.
She loved very young, just about five years older than me
"Good morning, Ms. Isla." I greet, heeding her silent urging to sit.
"Lilliana Halecrest." she calls, eyeing me suspisciously.
"Yes, Ma." I respond lowering my eyes at her intense gaze.
"Hmm" She acknowledges lost in thought.
"I'm your DN Instructor well if you do as expected." She continues, doubt evident in her tone
Huh. I look back at her.
"The aim of this course is to ensure our young leaders are not blindsided in affairs of the digital world. The internet and social media with the right knowledge and subsequent application is a very powerful tool in any set-up of human endeavour, moreso leadership." She clasp her fingers placing them on the desk.
"We don't expect you to be an IT master, just solid enough to catch dubious works your specialist maybe tempted to carryout or even make informed decisions as it relates to wielding Informaton technology to your advantage…."
"Communication is very important for a leader in any sphere of influence. You need to know the proper communication processes required to get your surbordinates motivated, your partners invested, the public inspired and more importantly how to effectively use these…" Mrs. Eslem, the Oratory Instructor droned on and on, gesturing enthusiaticly.
Other than my word of greeting, she didn't let me say another word going on full tutorial-mode.
'She must really love her job.' I sigh helplessly nodding at intervals to match her pace.
The gruff voice of the the SDAA Instructor–Mr. Stanley Hudlin fills the room in a deep baritone timbre.
"As a leader expect to face life-threatening encounters in high-end parties, dinner parties, clubs, bars, even in the safety of your home or where ever you venture with or without your security detail. Therefore, you need to be able to protect yourself in such situations, understand?" I nod enlightened.
I move to the next room, sitting across the middle-age, spectacled lady–Ms. Davi Dev, the Historical Comphrension instructor.
"Good morning, Halecrest." She greets warmly.
"Good morning, Ma." I return her smile.
"Here in Velmora, history is a big part of what we do." She raises her hand in demonstration.
"Outlining the mistakes, ingenious steps and actions of past leaders goes far in cultivating battle-ready minds, who don't fret at trouble. So you should be prepared for wit-breaking scenarios, grit-forged drills and morally-grey choices in this course." She says, looking at me above her lowered glass.
"Okay." I reply, my hands trembling under her piercing gaze
I move through next in a daze
RMS's blue-haired Instructor–Rami Vet..
Political Warfare with the bulky Simeon Green..
SCP's Mrs. Walter….
I listen annoyed, irritation irking at my skin at Diara Tomes's words.
"External Character Modelling is more than just acting. It's all about projecting a certain kind of image that gives you an advantage in achieving your aims. It involves careful study of targets, their likes, dislikes, bias, weaknesses… weaving them into the modelled personality to increase favourability with the target…" Her eyes gleam under the lights, a fanatic smile on her lips.
They were really politicians.
Scheming, manipulative ones.
The urge to belch out my breakfast hits me knowing they were literally training thousands of young people to be psychos.
"Welcome, Lilliana." The ICM Instructors ushers in me.
"Good morning, Miss Freighs."
"No need to so formal." She smiles, waving off my greeting.
"Just call me Karen." Leaning forward her strapless gown peeking under the white coat she wore.
"I'm a psychologist, Lilliana and ICM demands I have very intimate relaions with my students" Her lips curve into a fond smile.
"Anyways, you'll get used to it." Drumming her fingers on the table softly, her eyes studying me as if examining a problem to be tackled.
She clears her throat shifting her weight againt her arm on the table.
"You see ICM is a very introspective course varying from each student." She spoke softly, a heavy, grim undertone lying beneath her beautiful voice.
I blink at her words leaning in interest.
"This course is meant to build you from inside out. More like weed out the flaws in you in order for your strengths to manifest without restraints." She continues a lazy smile on her lips.
"Here, your deepest and darkest desires, obessions,fears, traumas, grievances, hatred, jealousy, and all sorts of negative and hidden emotions are brought to the surface" I
"Velmora is no place for the weak and these emotions can serve as catylsts for growth refueled into strength,determination and anthing you need to make it here. So, don't be shy, you can share anything with me. I'm under legal oaths, be rest assured nothing will be divulged." Finished, she looks at me expectantly.
'She thinks I'm a an Implicit Extract'
"Ma, I'm a Camouflaged Extract." I inform, watching her gasp in surprise, shoulders droping in relief.
"Ha, that's great." Her expression brightens, not bothering to hide her for joy having one less mentally disturbed patient to handle.
At the very least, she wasn't gawking a the mention of my camouflaged status
I watch with a tight smile unable to decide between being happy for her or awkward about the whole scenario.
"That's good but the essence of this course still remains. We will discuss more when classes commence.
"See you after Survival Games." She says on my way out.
Survival Games? What now?
"Congratualations on the completion of your Tutorial." Zara smiles making her way to me.
"I didn't understand a thing." I snap irritated, my voice weary with exhaustion.
"No one ever does, at first. You were never required to understand, only to acquaint yourself self with the ideologies these courses are founded on." I grumble in acknowledgement as we head out of the building.
"Also, thank you for being very cooperative. Most guides don't have it so easy. Half my colleagues were blatantly expecting me to fail." Grinning, she looks at me.
"Because I'm a camouflaged extract? I ask, my brows raised in question. She nods confirming my suspicion.
"Woah." I shake my head, happy because I didn't make her miserable with my problems.
"Zara, I have a question. What's Survival Game? You never mentioned it." I ask breaking the silence when we reeach the towering gate of the the Academic Wing.
Frowning, she stops to look at me.
"I did. It's the battle for Initiation."
"It is?"
"Yes. Oh, I get your question now." She continues walking
"It's officially known as Initiation Rites: Survival Game."
"Oh!" I exclaim, pulling off my shoulders. I never imagined the two would be one and the same.
"This is it, Initiate. We'll part ways here." She sighs her voice soft as if solemnising the moment. She holds my gaze, confidence swirling in her eyes
"When we meet again we'll entry-level trainees, till then." I watch in silence her figure blurring into the distance while I remain there outside the gates. A hollowness I didn't quite understand filling my chest.
What next?
The last three days have been purposeful with her tutorials.
She was detached, cold and painfully adamant to remaining unfamiliar.
But, now I have no idea how to spend the coming days…
Before, I leave for good.
I gently poke at the side of my bag, the light weight of the envelope grounding me for the task ahead.