Sounds of water slowly dripping from the pipes, weeping of silence echoed across the walls, the shining metallic halls held its misery and entertainment.
Of its many chambers, men and women clothed in one piece, bare feeted, marched in two files. The slivery shine of the walls, and cold and damp atmosphere sipping into their bodies deepen their dread.
At the far end of the chamber, sat two ladies of identical resemblance. Both well suited in black, their cleavage lay bare. Seated before desks at both walls, they catered to the each line, type out at the black monitor before them. Behind them stood men fully suited in green combat gear, from head to toe.
They lines moved slowly by, their information being documented. On the left were the women and the right were the men.
"Next," both ladies called, as the next in both lines step forward. Moving and speaking incomplete unison, they took the necessary information of both.
"Place your hand here to register," they both completed. On their desk were two arm scanners, an identification machine. However, there was something different about both. On the right, the scanner was just an semi-circular of a device, but on the left it was fully circular.
The moment the lady placed her hand through it, a device clamped on her arm. It's centre, was a round blue sphere pulsing within light and a faint energy.
"You are now C14," the woman on the right said. "Next," she even give her a second glance. The lady moved forward, tears brimming in her eyes, yet she knew not to say a word or even cry.
"Your are now B14," the women on the right said. "Step forward, Next." The moment he stepped forward, the guard flanked him, and placed collar on his neck. In its centre was a sphere, just as the women. Yet it's colour was different, it was green.
Beyond the guards, where Doors of Erasure. The lines filed in one by one, erasing who they once were.
"You are now B15… C15."
"Next."
"You are now B16… C16"
"Next."
As C16 moved forward, she couldn't hold back a tear. As a single drop flowed down her cheeks. Immediately, an electric plus shot through her body, electrifying, yet leaving still conscious.
That single, increased their ever growing dread. However, who oversaw them paid attention. The guards simply dragged her paralysed body beyond the doors.
"Name," the woman on the left asked the girl before her. But she gave no response. The scene just now, had left in a stun.
"Name!" She yelled out, bringing her back to her senses.
"Mira Elira." She final spoke.
"Age,"
"20"
"Reason"
"Debt," Mira answered with a sadden look.
"Place your hand here to register," she gestured at the device before her. Mira placed her through the scanner, as the device clamped on her hand. "You are now C17. Next."
Mira knew not to say anything, but she tried to hold a conversation, "Can I ask you a question."
They lady paid her no heed, "Next."
But Mira still tried to get her attention, "Please, just listen for once."
"Next"
She was about to try again, when the guards gave her a stern look.
She moved forward slowly, dragging her feet across the cold floor as long she could. Eventually she stepped through the Doors of Erasure.
Darkness immediately befell C17, her heart began to race, her body shivered. Her eyes could see nothing only the screams and moans echoing, bouncing across the metal walls.
After C17 had stepped through the door, one of the guards approached the lady at the desk, speaking to her in a whisper.
"'There's something strange about C17.'"
"'Elaborate.'" Her eyes focused on the monitor. "Age."
"'C17 showed signs of resistance.'"
"Reason," she asked the lady before her. The right operated in monotone.
"'None them had shown signs of discomfort or instinctual reactions, after happened to C16,'" they said looking at the long line before them.
"Place your hand here to register," she directed the girl.
The guard continued, "'meaning, our ability still works, yet she resists.'"
"You are now C18… B18" the one on the right spoke long side her.
"Next."
"'What do you want me to do?'" she finally spoke to the guard.
"Name."
"'Assign C17 to me.'"
"'Very well,'" she pulled out C17's file adjacent to one before her, C17 assigned to Gn54
"Age."
"'Thank you.'" They said as they stepped back.
Memories of the life she once had flashed before C17.
The Red Sector, everyone knew what that meant, very low of society, the bottom. And Mira and her family were of the very bottom.
Her family had survived long in the Red Sector.
Her mother worked five jobs, her father, a lowly worker in a factory, while she and her siblings sold scraps to make ends meet. However, their struggles never got to them. They were the very few harmonious and loving family with such a sector.
They were poor.
But they laughed.
Meals were small but shared. Evenings were loud with stories and arguments over nothing. In a place where desperation swallowed families whole, theirs remained warm.
Until it didn't.
Her father entered a gambling den once.
Just once.
At first, nothing seemed different. Then came late nights. Then missing wages. Then excuses that stopped making sense.
Debt followed quickly.
Food disappeared from their table. Arguments replaced laughter. The man who once carried Mira on his shoulders began returning home with hollow eyes and shaking hands.
Loss turned to anger.
Anger turned to violence.
Every small mistake became a reason to shout. Every silence felt like walking on broken glass. The home that once protected them became something to fear.
And then, one day, their mother vanished.
Mira and her siblings searched everywhere to no avail.
No one had seen her.
Their father did not look.
His gambling only worsened, as if chasing something already lost. Days turned into weeks where his shadow barely crossed their doorway.
Until one dusk, long after the children had fallen asleep, he returned.
Dust clung to his clothes. Blood stained his sleeves. The smell of alcohol, perfume, and smoke followed him like a second skin.
He pounded against the gate with desperate hands.
"Mira!" he shouted into the night.
'C17, what an interesting life.' A chilling voice cut through her thoughts. However, they came from within. Her ears heard and her eyes saw none, only moving forward. Those before hadn't said a single word. The voice was clearly resounding in her mind.
'Quite the sharp mind.... Apologies for the late introduction, I'm Gn54, you've been assigned to me. Let's have a wonderful time until you... Ha haha,' their laughter was unsettling, 'until we meet.' Just as the voice had popped into her head immediately disappeared.