Tess emerged from the bus onto the sun-baked earth, the fine dust kicked up by the departing vehicle causing her to cough. Her full black attire contrasted sharply with the bright brown surroundings, and her black cap cast a dark shadow on her brown face as she stood motionless, taking in her new location.
Taking a moment to survey her new surroundings, Tess gazed in awe at the colossal wall and towering rusty gate that loomed in the distance. The entire District had a gritty, dust-covered appearance, giving it a weathered and worn feel.
As she made her way towards a cluster of benches, she noticed the trees swaying gently in the hot breeze. Positioned beneath them, the benches were the only source of shade to be found. Suddenly, Tess squinted as she realized that the area was not as empty as she first thought. There were people, almost indistinguishable from the landscape, quietly waiting as if expecting some grand life-calling.
As Tess scanned her surroundings, her gaze settled on a girl with jet-black hair fashioned into a long, single braid cascading down her back. Shorter locks framed her round face, and Tess blinked twice to confirm the ends were dyed a vibrant shade of red. Dying one's hair was considered taboo in most, if not all, Districts. What madness!
Ignoring the bench, the girl lounged on a pristine leather suitcase that sported an unmistakable white price tag. Tess rolled her eyes at the ostentatious display. The girl was too busy admiring herself in a mirror to notice Tess's disapproving stare.
Her designer boots and bubblegum pink outfit screamed "rich," and Tess couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Where did she expect to store all that luggage? Certainly not in the cramped dorms that Mid-Sentries were infamous for. Ha ha!
Tess's attention then shifted to a guy who was partially obscured behind a bench, seated on the ground under a tree. With one leg propped up and the other stretched out, he appeared to be napping, his head hung low and his black hair obscuring his face.
As Tess drew closer, however, she realized that he was wholly absorbed in reading something on a sleek black device. The sight wiped her mind blank. Was he seriously reading out here for hours from boredom? Could this be her fate too?
As she turned her attention to another figure nearby, Tess noticed a girl sitting cross-legged at the end of a bench, surrounded by a pile of belongings. Her eyes were closed, and her curly shoulder-length hair draped across her face, leaving only the tip of her nose visible.
Dressed in black and white, she appeared to be in a peaceful state, lost in meditation or perhaps deep in thought. Tess cast her as a peace and tranquility weirdo. Or she could be doing a voodoo ritual.
As Tess scanned the scene before her, she couldn't help but think that the people around her were an odd mix. She couldn't understand how the girl with her eyes closed could possibly be so serene with the threat of a Sybervirian attack looming at any moment. It seemed like a recipe for disaster.
And then there was the ragamuffin guy, sprawled out on the bench with his headphones on and a family-size bag of chips resting on his belly. His soft snores filled the air, a testament to how completely he had tuned out the world around him. Tess wondered how he could be so relaxed when danger lurked around every corner.
Despite her misgivings, Tess settled onto the bench directly across from the ragamuffin guy, taking in the view of the eclectic group of people around her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about them all. The voodoo ritual to her left only added to the strangeness of the scene.
Tess abandoned her suitcases and settled onto the bench, placing her bag beside her. The oppressive sun beat down upon her, causing sweat to bead on her forehead and trickle down her temples. She removed her cap, feeling the welcome rush of air on her scalp. Locks of her shoulder-length white hair fell into her face and she ran her fingers through to move it aside.
Tess knew her long hair would only get in the way in the Mid-Sentry and decided to have it professionally cut, rather than have some MS off run a razer over her head as punishment. As irrational as it may sound she never doubted those MS dogs when it came to their stupid games.
She took out the envelope she had received in the mail months ago and began to read the golden words at the bottom again.
Primus Mid-Sentry
Enrolling a new generation of highly skilled troopers to help in the fight of protecting mankind.
Like all the other times she had read it, not a single muscle in her face moved. She thought of a better slogan which included the fight against themselves. But as she ran her fingers over the physical envelope, feeling its texture under her skin, she couldn't bring herself to throw it away. It was worth keeping.
As she thought back to her suffocating Devast, her frown deepened. She couldn't shake off the feeling that her actions on that day might have been the reason why she was being summoned to join the new Mid-Sentry. The memory of that day still haunted her, and she couldn't help but wonder if her past was catching up to her.
Tess glanced at her other hand and noticed her fingers were clenched into a tight fist. Sometimes she scared herself. She tried to push those thoughts aside, but her mind kept coming back to the hug from Jeremy. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she realized that she couldn't stop thinking about him.
Tess's fingers trembled with excitement as she reached for the gift box, her heart racing with anticipation. The weight of the box felt reassuring in her hands, as if it held a promise of something truly special. Jeremy had instructed her not to open it until she reached Primus, and she had dutifully obeyed. But now, as she sat outside the gates of the HeadQuarters, she could wait no longer.
"Oh my gosh," she gasped. What if it was a love note? How romantic. After their two years in the Mid-Sentry they would see each other again and he would propose to her. She held her breath.
With trembling fingers, she pried open the lid of the box, her heart pounding in her chest. The box seemed to glow with a soft light, as if radiating the love and affection Jeremy had poured into it. For a moment, Tess could feel his presence beside her, could hear the soft cadence of his voice whispering in her ear.
Suddenly, she became aware of the presence of someone else on the bench beside her. With a start, she turned to see a girl sitting there, watching her with curious eyes. Tess's heart skipped a beat, and she recoiled into the arm of the chair in shock, her body tensing with fear.
"Freck!" she blurted.
Tess exhaled, relieved that the girl wasn't a threat. It was the red-head girl who looked in the mirror. It caused her to relax and move away from squishing her bag into the corner of the bench. She loosened her grip on the box slightly to protect it from anything.
With Sybervirians being a normal part of the world for centuries, being overly terrified or being suspicious of danger was wise. So the girl was unshaken by Tess's overly dramatic response.