Fly Away

I froze in my tracks. Waiting in the conference room, stood a man of about twenty, he was dressed in a nice business suit. He had red hair that was spiked. A scar was over his left eye.

“Hello, Cassie.” he spoke. “I’m here to offer you a place in our School.’

My brain kicked into escape mode. I spun around, ready to run out the door. I was stopped as he stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

“Please take a seat.” he motioned to a chair, “We have quite a lot to talk about.”

I backed away; my brain trying to think of a way to get myself out of this room. I could think of nothing, so I did as he asked, sitting down. He walked passed me toward another chair in the room. My escape mode flipped back on as the path to the exit was cleared. I sprung to my feet, turning for the door. I was abruptly stopped as a strong hand grabbed my arm. I turned back around to se him standing right behind me.

“This would be over a lot faster if you just sat down and listened to my offer.” he pulled me back down into the chair. “I don’t understand why you are so scared about a offered place in a school.”

I watched him drag his chair around the room, to rest it against the door. I glared at him as he sat down.

“I don’t want any spot in a “school”,” I said, using air quotes, “that you represent, Ari.”

He snickered, folding his arms across his chest.

“I guess you do know about the School.” he laid his right leg over his left knee. “That gives me even more reason to give you our little offer.”

I growled in my throat, “So what is your little offer?”

“You come to the School to become one of us.”

“Are you crazy?!” I exclaimed, “What makes you think that I would agree to that?!”

“Because your friends are compatible to our research purpose.”

“More like human experimentation.” I mumbled.

You are more compatible than they are. If you agree to come with me, your friends will not be touched.”

“Little offer? More like bribery.” I yelled.

Ari pinched the bridge of his nose. I heard him mumble, “Why did they say we couldn’t just take them. I hate all this talking.”

That statement made me understand just how important this was to the School. They were wanting to make sure that I would agree so I wouldn’t run away. They were willing to give up multiple subjects just to get me to go with them. How special was I to them?

“What would I be agreeing to if I said yes?” I asked.

Ari smiled, “You would become the next human experiment, as you call it, and we will leave your friends alone.”

“And if I told you to buzz off?” I smirked at him. He smirked back at me, giving me a chill.

“I would give the order for your friends to be taken as I take you out of here against your will.”

I really was stuck. They had thought this through. I was screwed no matter what choice I made. But I did know one thing, I was going to wind up with the School either way, but my friend weren’t.

“How can I know that I can trust that you will keep your word, Ari?” I asked, “How am I suppose to know that my friends would be safe from the School?”

“My dad was put in charge of this assignment. I have to listen to him, or the others at the School might experiment on me too. That really isn’t something that I want to happen.”
I looked at him. I really couldn’t blame him. I really didn’t want to go to this place, let alone be experimented on. He was following orders to cover his own ass. But could you really blame him?

“What will it be Cassie?” he asked me. “One or five?”

There was only a moment of silence before I answered.

“One.”