Hahaha. Shake it. Haha
Laughter echoed through the corridor.
The door at the end swung open, revealing a cluster of kids, hunched together and laughing.
I leaned in.
"Didn't they say no phones before eight, Ray? Wait, how do you even have that right now? Did you keep it overnight?"
Ray scoffs, "Oh, forget about that. Check this out."
He shoves the phone in front of me.
A fat man fills the frame.
He plants his feet.
His arms start pumping—elbows out, hands bent inward in front of his chest—thump, thump—while his knees bounce like he's walking without going anywhere. His chest jerks forward with every beat. Determined. Proud. Loud.
He leans back, places one hand on his cap and the other near his groin.
One foot slides.
The other sticks.
His arms flare wide to catch himself, fingers snapping mid-stumble. He nods sharply, as if that was exactly how it should go.
A spin.
He cuts it short, boots squealing, and throws his left arm out to the side. The right-hand locks onto his belt buckle. He freezes—then snaps his hips forward once.
Hard.
Jiggle. Jiggle.
His body finishes half a second late.
The badge on his shirt bounced as he moved.
Jenkin Pines, in full form.
'Pftt. The man's got some moves…'
"One month paid leave," Eli snorted.
hahahahaha.
Everyone laughs.
click.
"Shit, everyone act normal," Ray whispers sharply
Miss Rowe, one of the rotating instructors from the Evaluation Centre, entered the room.
Eliot had somehow gotten his hands on a mirror and was admiring himself.
Robin had jumped on a sofa and rested his head on his palm, elbow acting as a pivot.
June sat down and placed a book in front of her. Titled: Wonders of Truth in bold, only, it was upside down.
And the rest, just froze with smiles plastered on their faces.
Slap!
Ray facepalms.
"All right children, let's settle down."
Ignoring all these details, Miss Rowe proceeds into the room, the remaining children trailing behind her.
"Today marks the start of a second phase of your time here," you've learnt the general language and have built acceptable etiquettes and morals.
Now, it's time to learn a little bit about the world you live in."
Miss Rowe turns her head as she asks
"So, before we start, does any of you have any lingering questions about the world?"
Ray raises his hand.
"I have one Miss Rowe"
"Okay."
"Who would last longer in a desert? A skinny man or a fat one?"
Pftt
Laughter rolls quietly among the children.
"That question has nothing to do with today's lesson."
Another kid raises her hand,
"Does being fat make you lose water faster?"
"Well," Miss Rowe said, pausing, "let's stay on topic."
Quiet.
"Next question."
"Why are fat people fa—"
"Any questions other than fat people?" Rowe interrupted.
Quiet.
Everyone went silent.
A child raises his hand from the side.
"Yes, Thomas?"
"Why's the sky purple?"
Miss Rowe's eyes light up for a second. "Ah yes, the sky. That, brings us to the start of our lesson for today: History."
"3,000 years ago. We were all just mundane people going about our daily lives.
That is, until Orin appeared."
"What's Orin?" Eli asks.
"Orin is a galaxy.
The one that collided with ours."
I froze.
'What? Is that what happened? And 3,000 years?!'
Miss Rowe seemed to have noticed my blank expression.
"Thomas?"
"Thomas!
Thomas, Wake UP!"
My eyes snap open.
I look around in a daze.
"We're arriving at the city. Wipe your drool" Noah said.
The bus eased toward Lumel's gates.
Along the walls, thin rails hummed faintly, carrying small, automated carts that zipped packages from gate towers to nearby blocks.
A soft hum vibrated through the air as the gate panels flickered and the bus passed through.
The city spread out in tiers immediately beyond the walls. Streets were wide and clean, lined with low greenery that seemed too deliberate to be natural.
People moved in a quiet rhythm, some in crisp uniforms, others in layered tunics and functional boots, skirts or pants tucked neatly for travel.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed slightly pointy ears and shorter statures on several pedestrians
'So, they're the foreigners'
The bus weaved through the streets. Towers rose above us, smooth faces of glass and stone reflecting the soft light.
We turned onto a narrower avenue and through an estate gate that led toward the orphanage. Buildings became shorter, more residential, with terraces and small gardens stitched carefully between them.
The bus sighed to a stop.
By the time we got off the bus, dusk had settled—both suns low, their light stretched thin and amber.
The building stretched longer than it was tall, its brown walls worn smooth by years of weather rather than neglect.
Windows were evenly spaced, some glowing faintly from within. Not institutional. Just… lived in.
A place meant to hold people, not process them.
A middle-aged woman was standing in front of the building.
"Welcome, children. I'm Mrs. Brown."
She turned and proceeded towards the building
"Come, let's get you settled in. You've had a long journey."
Inside, we were led past the dining hall—still smelling faintly of soup—and a recreation room already scarred with use.
Staircases branched off toward the sleeping floors, the boys guided one way, the girls another, the separation handled so casually it barely registered.
"Okay, kids." Mrs. Brown clapped her hands.
"After you drop your luggage in your assigned rooms, you can explore the city—but, only within the residential areas" she ended with a knowing smile.
"There will be a meeting in the main common room, so I'd expect you back before nightfall."
The children leave in chatter and silent discussions.
…
They return moments before dusk ends and settle down on the sofas and table chairs in the room.
Mrs. Brown walked in, glanced around the room, and began,
"Alright, you've reached a new chapter in your life and you're here to continue the process of learning to be independent in the world today."
"Your physic training will increase and we expect you to—"
She paused, recounting the children.
"Does anyone know where Thomas and Ray are?"
Most of the children shake their heads
"I think I saw them going towards the station," Lia raises up her hand.
"They'll be dealt with when they return," Mrs. Brown said calmly.
A pause.
'If they make it back.'