The entire batch of students including me sat in our chairs in the large open court of the academy, eagerly waiting for the headmaster to deliver his graduation speech. After 18 years of learning, i can join the explorers. Everyone chattered as we waited, beside me, my 2 best friends sat. Josh and Oliver, we dreamt of exploring the outside. For anything beyond this city, hopefully we can be in the same exploration group. For as long as we were friends, i was always the one that went along with everything, Josh was more of the leader, Oliver was the sarcastic joker making jokes whenever we were down.
"After 18 years huh, we can finally have permission to leave." Oliver chuckled.
The headmaster arrived, walking up on the podium above us. Standing behind the microphone.
"The 50th batch of students, today is a great day. Where we all can graduate from the life of learning the basic needs to live life. Today, we can finally choose our specializations, where we can join the jobs we wish to work for. Outside of the court, are buses. Entering those buses you make the biggest step of your very lives. Each bus is for an occupation, from cooks to maintenance workers, to explorers. Banners hang on the side with the logo of the branch you wish to join. Congratulations to all of you, and best of luck to your future occupations and may your presence bring us closer to making this city greater and bigger." The headmaster concluded.
Everyone erupted into clapping, happy and excited to join their branches. The applause slowly died down as we started exiting out, Oliver, Josh and I stayed together.
Outside, buses parked on the side, in different colors with different banners.
"Well I guess we should find the explorers bus." Josh led us, moving through the students to find the explorers bus.
"There" Oliver points at one bus, with people already entering inside the bus. The bus was cyan with the banner of binoculars on the side. A man stood next to the door guiding people inside the bus.
"Come on, before everyone sits there!" Josh exclaimed, we ran to the bus. Walking inside the bus, at the very back. 3 empty seats were left.
We sat down on the seats. Breathing sighs of relief from luckily finding seats before the whole bus becomes full. The door on the front of the bus closed, the man from earlier walking inside. Standing in front of us. The bus began it's move.
As we went through the city, train's moved above, on rails connected from one building to another in the sky, not bound to the ground. Drones flew above everything, carrying materials around the city. Above everything was a glass dome, that encircled the entire city. Blocking any toxic air from entering inside.
"Hello everyone! I'm a trainer from the explorers branch. We will be heading out of the city into the expansion camps outside, this may be the first time for a lot of you to be exiting the city. For 2 years, we will train and learn how to survive in the brown lands. Once we all arrive and get the lay of the floor all of you will be staying on, all of you will be given the standard pack all explorers need to have. You will all receive a large backpack along with 2 small satchel bags. Containing rations, a plasma pistol, a self powered flashlight, some water, among other equipment." The man explained.
The bus moved across the city, passing cars and walking people. Stores opened, selling food or other goods.
"For the first few weeks, all of us will stay at the explorers building. On there you will be taught the things needed first before the real thing. After the few weeks we will head out of the city, to another camp outside. Once we arrive at the building, follow me and don't wander off." The man added.
High rise buildings stood alongside the rails, connecting the train around the city. Around us high rise buildings housing the people stood, lights on most windows.
The bus came to a halt. Stopping at a building unique from the rest. The building stood higher than the others, stairs leading up to the doors of this place unlike the rest.
"Were here, the explorers building. Where the people like you will begin your journeys on becoming explorers to survey the outside of the city and outside the expansion area. Time to exit the bus everyone."
Students stand up, shuffling about. Trying to get out of the bus.
"Let's wait till everyone is off." Josh advised.
After most got off, we stood up following the crowd from behind.
"I wonder what we can see aside from brown beyond the city." Oliver pondered. Following alongside us.
Outside we hear the normal life of the city, the electric cars moving around making little sound, people walked about.
"Follow me now." The man led us to the stairs. To the building.
"Back then in the early days, our methods were less advanced than this. Best way to learn is putting the explorer recruits outside the city for a given amount of time. Many survived, learning took little time because of our old method. But it was risky and times change fast." The man explained ot us as we walk on the stairs.
Out of the stairs, we see the entrance of the building. Looking up, it's like the top of this building reached to the clouds. We walked to the entrance of the explorer building, around us. Lush gardens of green with some birds flying around, even small fountains in the middle of these gardens.
Inside the building, the cold air hit me quickly. On the first floor, people walked around carrying tablets bearing the logo of the explorers in the form of an armband on their arms.
"We will head up, to the quarters where all of you are staying. Each room is made for 4 people and it includes all the basic utilities we all need. Schedules for the day are posted up on the doors.
The elevator was large, looks like it can carry 50 people or more.
"Our branch as you know, is the branch that has the most contact with the outside than any other. Due to this, we must be trained rigorously to be prepared to fight the elements of the brown land."
The elevator's doors shut, in seconds, I feel it go up. Looking at the dials and what floor we were on. The numbers rapidly increased. 23, 24, 25, 26 going up and up. Reaching 50, the elevator became slower. And stopped at 59. The doors open to a corridor. Doors on both sides stretching out the whole place. With holographic signs on each one.
"These are the quarters all of you will be staying. I will give you time to pick your rooms and get settled, memorize the room number. Fortunately, an hour from now is lunch time. If you hear the bell, stand outside your doors."
"Come on guys." Josh led the way, students walked into the doors finding a place for them to stay.
Josh opens a door, inside it was empty. The tag on the door read "5014"
The room had bunk beds on both sides. A tv hung in the middle of the place, with a window behind it.
"Alright dudes, get rested." Josh sat on the bunk bed on the right, sitting on the bed beneath.
"i call top bunk." Oliver climbed on the bunk bed, lying down above Josh. Guess i can do the top bunk on the other bunk bed.
On the bed, I look up to the ceiling, lying down. Contemplating on how it all led up to this.
Outside of the window, the view of other high buildings and even the path of rails.
"Well, were here. The final step before we can become explorers for the city." Josh said, lying down.
Attached on the door, a small pad. Looking closer, it's a schedule. A holographic one just like the sign on the other side of the door. The list showed the times of the day, the subjects or topics on those times. Lunch is at 2:00 pm, an hour after, survival? That's a subject?
"What are the subjects there Edmund?" Josh asked me. Oliver above him, was already sleeping.
"One here says survival."
"They're gonna teach us how to survive on the outside? What will they teach then, rationing?"
"I don't know."
"Guess we'll wait then, for now let's just rest till lunch comes. I'm getting hungry from the graduation."
Heading back to bed, i started resting, on the comfortable soft mattress and the softer pillow. Next to me is a folded blanket. The room was cold, in the form of small vents giving cold air to the room.
My dream finally came true, I'm becoming an explorer. Maybe there is some life beyond this city, another city like us perhaps.
But today marks the end of my 18 years learning maintenance, cooking and other things. And begins the start to exploring the outside of the city, to help them expand and to see far beyond the brown we see now.