Chapter 58: Watch Tower (2)
We got out of the train. First was Sir Apollo and Miss Aura, followed by Luna, Cain Victoria, me, Ethan and Gin. We were greeted by the strange smell from afar, the rose scented interior of the train. The air smells like metal and the smell of fresh smooth iron and cleaning substance. I gulped. I feel like suffocating because of the lack of natural air in this place.
They were many people on the place. But everyone was busy, rushing to important matters. And almost everyone was wearing white uniforms usually seen on laboratories. There were masks on mouths and gloves on hands while they push metal boxes with wheels not knowing what they contain. Some of them turned to look at us but didn't say a word, soon they returned to their works.
A woman came to greet us. She was in a uniform composed of a navy blue pencil skirt, white blouse and black vest. She was also wearing black heels that created sounds on the floor when she walked to us. Her hair was a bun and there were no creases on her clothes.
"Welcome to the Underground Level of the Linus Building. Team Hesperia, please follow me."
Her voice was more energetic than the one on the intercom. She walked on the front and the whole group followed.According to her the building we were on was divided into three parts. The first one consists of floors on the underground level. Here you can find the central train station, work station, underground operating system, underground transportation and different parts I couldn't understand. The second one is where you can find the hotels where the Heads of the different towns, school officials and parents will be staying. The last one is the Watch Tower on the very top. It is where the people can watch the Game from security cameras installed in the arena.
While we were walking I couldn't avoid observing the whole place. There were several enormous entrance gates that were open and a sliver of sky can be seen from the outside. There are trains that were on halt on the station like ours while some tracks were still vacant.
I looked at the stations and signs above it. Station 1: Dione. Station 2: Kimmye. Station 3: Shou. Station 4:Shinoua. Station 5: Hesperia. Station 6: Prum. Station 7: Boran.
I stopped walking when I saw Station 7. There was no train parked there yet. They haven't arrived. I suddenly feel weak when I think about how any time now Lucas and I would be on the same location. It hasn't ever dawned on me that we would be seeing each other in this way.
I avoided looking at the station and returned my attention to the group that was already a distance away. They were walking to a dimly lit corridor away from the stations and work room. I immediately followed. There, I noticed that Gin and Sir Apollo were missing from the group.
"Where's Gin?" I asked Luna when I reached her side.
She slightly turned to me. "They need to meet the Heads to inform the official arrival of our team", she answered. Oh.
We rode on a metal elevator to reach the lobby on the floor above. Compared to the underground the lobby was almost empty. The people who greeted us were few. White walls and floor, black decorations, silver ornaments like frames and vase, that's all I could see. Why is everything so calm and serene? It was far from what I expected. It was a game, a survival game.But it was as if to them this was only a procedure -an examination.
The card for the hotel suite of the group was given to Miss Aura. It was on the 48th floor. We entered the elevator silently. It hasn't sunk in to me and my group yet that we were really already here. When we reached the designated floor we immediately went inside our assigned suites. I felt grateful that it looked normal at least. The things in the room were colored like the maroon carpet and brown sofa. While I surveyed the suite, Miss Aura reminded us of the schedule of activities until the official game which will start tomorrow.
"Tomorrow is the official opening day of the Linus Cup", she said. "We'll have The Introduction to the Council at nine o'clock in the morning. And in the afternoon is the official farewell to your parents. You'll be isolated from anyone starting six o'clock in the evening. You're not allowed to see your teammates or anyone from Hesperia. And in the morning, you'll be transported to the arena."
I tried not to listen to what Miss Aura was saying. Not because I don't care but because I don't want to hear the words that will dictate our safety or death. I know she's trying to sound proficient and calm. But I feel the fear in her voice. And even though I don't like to admit it, I was feeling the same. I went to the room where the assigned bedrooms are. I opened the door and saw the interior. Simple. There wasn't anything much inside. I shouldn't have been surprised. We'll only be using it for one night after all.
I approached the glass wall that was covered with a thin, white curtain. I gently pried it open. I saw the view of the front of the building, the fake sea that surrounded us and the metal train tracks on the middle. But my attention wasn't on these things. I blinked and got nearer to the glass wall. It created a sudden light electrical buzz when it touched my palm on the glass. I immediately retracted my hands. Security features. I scoffed. Aren't they being too strict? It's just a freaking glass wall. Do they think someone could escape from here?
I stepped back from the wall while observing something I noticed. I was staring at it -the arena. I was right. The sceneries I saw weren't real. They used the force fields to cover the real thing in front of the building. The height of that force field was only for sure a few meters for I can see it from where I'm standing, I clearly see the faraway island where there was a silhouette of trees, mountains, the river and some red, green lights that appeared on the setting sun.
I tried to calm myself while examining the place.The building was far from the arena itself but with the proper devices and technicalities I'm sure as hell I can see the happenings of the arena from here. Maybe that's the reason why the upper part of the building is called Watch Tower. I feel as if the breath was knocked out of me because of the things I've thought. I wonder if this was also what the other groups were doing on their suites. Are they also watching the place where they could die?
I don't know how many minutes I've been standing near the glass wall just staring outside. I went back to the present when I heard the same mechanical voice on the intercom.
"Welcome Team Boran. Please proceed to Station 7."
All my thoughts were completely erased with what I heard. They are announcing every team's arrival. I feel my heart suddenly beat faster. Lucas, Lucas is here. I retreated from the glass wall, confused on what to do. Lucas doesn't know that we are on the same place this time around. I need to see him. I need to talk to him.
I quickly left the room. I met Miss Aura and Luna who questioned me. "I just need to see something", I answered before leaving the suite. Miss Aura said something but I barely heard it.
I immediately got on the elevator and almost trembled when I pushed the button to the lobby. How long does this take? Will I reach him? I waited till it descended, cursing silently every time uniformed workers got on with me. The others gawked at me as if wondering what I'm doing outside. But I don't have time to pay attention to them. The descent went longer than I expected. When the elevator opened in the lobby, I run towards the elevator for the underground. While running, I heard the intercom again.
"Team Boras has arrived."
S**t! I hastily entered the underground elevator and pushed the first level button where the stations were. I keep tapping my shoes on the metal floor because of impatience. When finally the door opened, I was again met with the intense light and the metallic smell of the air. I went out and was almost running towards the Station 7. My breath almost stopped when I saw that a train had stopped that almost looked like our own. I speedily approached it. I stopped on my tracks when a girl got out of the train, she looks my age. The girl walked hurriedly like she was the last one left.
"Wait guys, I found it!" I heard her shout.
My gaze landed on wherever she was running to. In a dark corridor like what we went through recently were several silhouettes of people walking together. I stayed at the side of the entrance and tried to peek on them. Until I saw a familiar back of a guy that was familiar to me. He was talking with someone, when he slightly faced me when he heard the girl's voice who was catching up to them.
"You really are slow."
He laughingly said. And I felt weak where I stood. The girl finally reached them and continued conversing with them as they walked. I turned around and I couldn't do anything to stop my cries. I covered my mouth to stop the sounds. I remember the day when I last saw his smile, the day when we were atop a hill, talking about our dreams.
"Shia! You really are slow. Come on!"
That time I felt that nothing bad would happen to us. But in a second, everything changed. Now we're both enemies in a survival game, different teams, one reason. I wiped away the tears that slid down my cheeks. I know I've already decided and I need to follow it. But from what I saw, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm scared.