They called it a room, but Serena had seen movies and knew this was where they sent bad people. A room would have a pretty bed with a window and curtains and a dresser with clean-smelling clothes. Instead, she had a stinky, lumpy cot with a scratchy brown blanket that she hated. She didn't get a window, let alone curtains, and they made her go potty in an ugly pit in the corner. It smelled so bad she almost threw up a few times, but tried very hard not to, because then her mouth would taste like vomit... and they wouldn't let her have water.
The pressure in her belly increased and she knew she couldn't hold it any longer, so she crawled over to the pit to "do her business," as they said on television. She couldn't even do it in private since she didn't have any doors, just bars. Angel meowed and rubbed against her when she was done, trying to comfort Serena, but she couldn't be comforted. Her life had turned into the most horrible experience ever, and she couldn't believe it was real.
A man in black came down the hall to let everyone out, so they could spend time in the common room or play outside. The other kids walked in a straight line but none of them spoke, because if they did, the guards would hit them with sticks. One boy had a broken arm because he didn't stop talking.
In the common room, a few kids gathered around to watch television, but most of them sat at tables and waited for the list to be read. The man with the beard came in at the same time every day, and called out the kids who would be taken away. The D's always got called. They were so lucky; they got to leave.
This time, a new man came to call out the names. He was the biggest man Serena had ever seen, with one of those small beards that didn't cover the whole face, and black tattoos all over him that looked like a tribal one her daddy had. He'd said it represented the old ways, but she didn't know what those ways were. Serena slunk back behind the other kids and held Angel close to her. She wished the other man would come back.
He called out the names, but of course Serena didn't get called. She was an A, and A's never got called. All of the kids had been put into a group, designated A, B, C or D, but no one knew what the groups meant. Serena wished she were in group D, since they got to leave more than anyone else.
Unlike the other guard, who looked satisfied when he finished calling the names, this man looked sad, like Mommy sometimes did when she had grown-up stuff to worry about. Maybe he was sad the kids were getting to leave.
Fifteen D's were lead away by the men in black. Finally the second list was read. This list was never as long, only one to three kids, depending on the day, and usually C's, though sometimes B's—almost never A's.
A boy next to her leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I think they get a special vacation. It's like winning the lottery. They're so lucky."
Serena looked at his shirt. He was an A, too. They were both unlucky, it seemed. They never got picked for the vacations or to leave. This time, seven names were called by the man with the tattoos and the funny beard, more than ever before, but still Serena's name wasn't included.
Once the kids were escorted away, everyone else ran out to the playground for their "Outdoor Activity." Serena sat on the sidewalk, away from the other kids. She would have liked to play tether ball—she'd been good at it at her old school—but the big kids took over the courts and beat up anyone who tried to play.
One boy, a new kid, went to sit on the benches. Big mistake. A few older kids pushed him to the ground and kicked him, then took his seat. His knee started bleeding, and he seemed to be trying hard not to cry. He got up and walked away.
Serena felt sorry for him and patted the sidewalk next to her. "You can sit with me."
He hesitated as if scared she would bite, then sat down.
She couldn't say anything about her powers—that wasn't allowed—but she put her hand on his knee and let a small spark travel through her hand.
His eyes widened as the scrape disappeared and his knee healed.
She put her finger to her mouth. "Shhh... don't tell."
He nodded and smiled. "Thank you. What's your name?"
"Serena. Yours?"
"Tommy. I just got here, but I don't like this place. I miss my mom. She got hurt, and they took me away. I don't know what happened."
His mom was probably dead, but Serena didn't want to say that. "I'm sorry. They hurt my mom too. She's... well, I don't want to talk about it. Nobody likes this place, but at least you're a D. Means you'll get to leave, eventually. That's good." Angel walked up to them and purred. "Hey, here's my cat, Angel. She likes you."
Tommy smiled and petted the white ball of fluff. Then his face dropped into a frown. "I don't think D's get to leave, though. I heard the man with the tattoos talking to another man. They said the kids they took away would be sold as slaves."