Authors: Trish Marie Dawson
“Thanks.”
***
The glass feels cool and refreshing as I lean against the bay window, watching with absentminded curiosity as the children run around their large playroom. This is where I go when Niles is busy and I’m not in a training session. I looked at my profile in the Consignment Department before heading back outside. It was strange to see my picture on the massive board with my name below it and the status: ACTIVE, WAITING ASSIGNMENT. I was able to find Kerry-Anne’s profile too and it read: ACTIVE, ON ASSIGNMENT. I looked for Mallory’s profile but couldn’t find it on the wall. There has to be thousands of Volunteer’s on the board.
Not wanting to sit inside the building and just wait, I came here to watch the kids, figuring I have plenty of time before I’m assigned my first case. They have to match me with the right person, after-all.
I notice that a few of the children from before are missing and there is one that I have not seen yet. He’s thin with very dark skin, dressed in car pajamas and less eager to play like the others are, though they keep trying to engage him in some sort of activity like tag or hide and seek. Eventually he pairs up with another boy, about eleven, and they begin a friendly game of dodge ball against two girls around their age. He can't be over ten years old. Somewhere I hope his parents miss him.
I laugh watching them and hope that none of them stay at the Station for long. I’m engrossed in their game when a bright reddish-orange light beams me in the eyes, startling me, and I blink in alarm. I back away and see my reflection. My chest is ablaze.
Am I on fire!?
I pat awkwardly at the front of my shirt and when my fingers brush up against the necklace I grip it, holding it out in front of me as far as the thin chain will allow. It’s pulsating with light. I instantly relax when I realize I’m not on really on fire. But then my stomach clenches and my heart stops…I have an Assignment.
Already?
Niles! Where are you?
My eyes take a moment to adjust to the Consignment hallway after being outside and I have to step around a group of chatting middle-aged women to pass through the doorway where the massive Assignment billboard is displayed. I find my profile immediately, but it says I’m still awaiting my Assignment. I don’t remember if Drew told me what to do when my necklace lit up, and I scan the room for a familiar face.
“Piper?”
“Mallory!” I say a silent
Thank You
in my head as she leans forward to give me an awkward hug. “I was starting to freak out. I’m not sure what to do,” I tell her.
“Your first?” She looks down at my glowing necklace with reverence.
“Yes. But I don’t know where to go.” My eyes dart around the room quickly; worried I may get into trouble if I take much longer.
“It’s okay, Piper. I’ll show you. I just picked up my next case too.”
She smiles at me and walks us to the first available partition. I feel as if I’m cutting in line, but I follow Mallory anyway. The girl behind the counter is startlingly young, maybe even younger than me. She has her straw-colored hair pulled back in a loose pony-tail and is wearing a bright green shirt with a cartoon character on it that I don’t recognize. She smiles at Mallory kindly.
“Hi, Mal. Back so soon?”
“Hi again Krista, this is Piper Willow. She just got her first Assignment and needs her card.”
Card…what card?
“First Assignment?” Krista nods at me with the same look of reverence Mallory gave me when she saw my glowing necklace.
“Um, yes.” I suddenly feel shy.
“That’s awesome.” She smiles broadly and asks for my necklace. As soon as it touches her hand, the reddish-orange light disappears and it looks like ordinary glass again.
Very cool.
I see Krista fumbling with something behind the desk and then she produces a smooth, rectangular shaped piece of glass, about the size of my palm, much like the pass I was given for the Training Department. Except this one is black. Now I remember from training what card she was referring to.
"Piper, this is your Assignment Card…please be careful with it, we have only one per case and they are not replaceable." Krista smiles at me while she carefully hands the fragile card over.
I turn it over in my hand and it has the same organic look as the incandescent floor. As if the color wants to swirl and move inside the glass. Now I'm absolutely terrified that I will trip and drop it, so I clutch it to my chest with both hands.
“I can show her to the Depot room, Krista. Thanks.”
Mallory smiles fondly at her before guiding me away from the counter. As I turn and smile at Krista, she gives me a toothy grin and a thumbs-up sign.
“Your Intake Specialist usually takes you the first time…do you know where Niles is?” Mallory asks me.
“No.”
I wish I did. Right now I could use his gentle demeanor and encouraging words. As we make our way through the room which suddenly seems crowded, I listen to Mallory explain the Depot room and its functions. From what I understand from training, it’s an arrival and departure portal. I have no idea how it works and feel too nervous to ask.
We turn left when we exit the room and I follow Mallory as she guides me to the end of the long hallway. As we stop in front of the last door my nerves jerk in my legs.
Mallory takes a deep breath. “This is it…the Depot.” She reaches out to hold my hand and squeezes it gently.
“Are you nervous?” My voice is just above a whisper.
“Always a little. Are you?”
“Extremely.” We both laugh.
Mallory opens the door and I step carefully over the threshold. I am not sure what to expect, but Mallory seems confidant and relaxed while she tugs me next to her as we approach a long wall, flanked by the only two doors in the small room. There are hundreds of slashes on the white wall, and as we get closer, I see that some are occupied by the same shiny black glass that Mallory and I both hold. They stick out slightly from their docking places in no particular pattern and it reminds me of a rock climbing wall.
“Your card goes in one of the slots - it doesn’t matter which one. And a door will open for you to enter. Inside is pretty dark and the first few moments are uncomfortable, but before you know it, you’re with your Assignment. When you come back, you’ll exit through the same door and remove your card from the wall. It won’t look the same, it will be grey.” Mallory carefully runs her slender fingers over a few of the glass cards that protrude from the wall.
I struggle to imprint every word she just said into my memory but I'm afraid I'll forget something important.
“Are you ready?”
I take a deep breath. “Yes, I think so.”
“I’ll go first, so you can see what I do…okay?”
I nod and watch as she slides her glass card into one of the available slots. The door to our right slowly opens and Mallory walks confidently toward it. With her hand on the knob, she looks over her shoulder at me a final time and smiles before closing the door.
That’s it?
I stare at the wall, looking for the slot I want to use, and as I reach up to slide my glass card into the spot I've picked, the door behind me flies open. Niles stands in the doorway, looking frazzled.
“Niles?”
“Piper! I’m glad I made it before you left!” He takes a deep breath before entering and walks quickly to me. I return his hug and when he steps back he takes another breath before talking.
“I’m really sorry I’m late. I had a New Arrival to accompany to Orientation. I wasn’t expecting your fist case to come so soon.”
“Niles, it’s okay. Mallory showed me what to do.” I smile big at him, hoping my face is full of confidence.
“That was very kind of her.” He nods approvingly. “I will have to thank her.”
“She just left on an assignment. She went first so I could see what to do.” I nod at the door she passed through just moments before.
“Well, when she returns then.” He gestures to the wall. “Which one will you pick?”
“Oh, I was thinking this one.” I raise the glass key up to the wall and slide it into an empty space. Niles grins as he watches and the door to our left opens with a soft whoosh sound.
“What?” I send a curious glance his way.
“That’s the portal I used for my first case.”
“How do you remember which portals you used?” I’m surprised.
“Piper, I’ve had many, many cases. More assignments than there are portals. I guess I had my favorites.” He smiles until a funny look spreads across his face.
“Do you miss it?” I ask quietly.
“Sometimes, but my job now is equally as fulfilling.” He nods at the door, “Okay, it’s your turn. I’ll be here when you come back.”
I walk slowly toward the door and Mallory was right, its pitch black on the other side. I glance at Niles and he is nodding with a smile plastered to his wrinkled face, using his hands to ‘shoo’ me forward.
“Go ahead. You’ll be fine,” he says.
I stop at the threshold and give him a final smirk. With my hand on the knob, I hear his voice reassuring me once more.
“Good luck, Piper, I know you will do great.”
I stand absolutely still, afraid to move, afraid to breathe. With the door closed behind me, I see nothing but blackness.
It’s eerily quiet other than my own thoughts and
I’m on the verge of panicking when I feel a pinching sensation start at my feet and quickly travel up my legs.
What the heck is that?!
I dance on my toes, thinking something is crawling on me in the dark. The pinching moves over my hips and around my stomach. I gingerly touch my midsection with only my fingertips but there is nothing there, other than my clothing. The pinching works its way up my chest and a strangled sound escapes my mouth as it passes over my throat. By the time it reaches the top of my head, I’m in full-on panic mode.
I want out, let me out of here!
I scream hysterically into the darkness and suddenly the pinching stops.
Oh, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
I feel…light. Suspended, maybe? I try moving but I have no sensation in my limbs.
This is strange. Is this what being paralyzed feels like?
I can’t see anything and it’s still very dark and quiet. No, wait…I
do
hear something.
Snoring? Is that someone snoring?
Great. My first Assignment is asleep - which means I’m stuck in the darkness for who knows how long.
If I had fingers, I’d be twiddling them. If I had toes, I’d be tapping my foot impatiently. But seeming that it’s really just my awareness that is present, I have to wait.
How irritating.
The time moves slowly but eventually the snoring stops. A peek of light floods around me before it’s gone almost instantly.
Come on, wake up.
Brightness encompasses me once more and a few seconds pass by before it is gone again.
Wake up, sleepy-head.
This time, the glow of light stays put and I see through my Assignment clearly. I struggle to process what's right in front of me…is it, yes…it’s a pillow…inside a burgundy-colored case, and beyond that is a starkly furnished bedroom. I sense my Assignment stretch and I look up at the dingy popcorn ceiling as the body I'm inhabiting rolls over. The room is small, not much bigger than a walk-in closet. I’m antsy for my Assignment to start the day…I really want to know what her name is so I can stop calling her my
‘Assignment’
.
The room comes into better focus as she sits up and stretches again. I wait patiently, eager for the trip to the bathroom where I’ll see her face for the first time. The room tilts as she gazes to the left where there is a small table beside the bed with dark water rings stained into the wood. I scowl.
Ever heard of a coaster?
A cell phone sits next to a metal bedside lamp, its red light blinking furiously. It must need to be charged. We walk across the room which takes about one second…it’s a seriously small space. A door stands open and beyond it I see a toilet.
Yay! Where’s the mirror?!
As we get closer I see how badly the toilet needs to be cleaned.
Eww. That’s just nasty.
I don’t get a glimpse in the mirror right away and if I had my lips, I’d pout.
Then something strange and unexpected happens. Instead of my Assignment sitting down on the toilet, she stands - to
pee
. And that’s when I realize a mistake was made.
I’m in a man?! Oh no, someone is in deep trouble back at the Station.
I wish my arms were still around so I could cross them stubbornly at my chest in disdain.
You've GOT to be kidding me.
How is this going to work?
Somewhere, my foot is tapping with irritation. I wasn't expecting this and I surely wasn't prepared for my first case to be a guy. For
any
of my cases to be guys, actually.
Eventually the toilet flushes…after what seems like an hour of urinating.
I mean seriously, how much can a male bladder hold?!
As the mirror comes into view I want to close my eyes because I’m afraid of what I’m about to see. But since I can't close what I don't have, I'm forced to stare at the mirror when his head lifts up.
The sleepy face of the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen greets me.
This could be bad, really bad.
The last time I thought anyone was this cute, I learned the hard way that cute doesn't mean nice. I play my Trainer's voice through my head…trying to remember all the scenarios that were placed before me to prepare me for this moment. I'm completely blank.
He runs his hand along his chiseled jaw, which is full of dark morning stubble. I don't know what to think but I'm sure if I had my mouth, I’d be gawking. His lips are full and luscious from sleep and his hooded eyelids blink at his reflection slowly. I notice, as well as feel the sadness from his expression. The bloodshot white of his eyes clash against the blue of his irises and I think he’s either very tired, or hung-over…
maybe both?