The sky was half cast and the boy's worksheet was lit by the artificial glow of the light. His head was down and he blew his hair out of his face. At the first glance, he looked unfocused. At a second glance, his eyes were searing deep into the sheet. Rubbing his eyes with the stained sleeve of his uniform as he yawned. His eyelids fell down and he thought back to when everything was calm. When everything was quiet. When he could spend the day away in the cold air, warmed by sunny beams raining down on him.

*RING RING*

A stark contrast to where he was now.

A dull library where he was to be working on his math homework for the next period. He looked over his worksheets. His dark brown eyes appeared to glaze over as he looked over the letters and numbers that populated his sheet. Everette packed in a quick shuffle. The shoved papers into his bag got crumpled so he took an extra second for his homework. He let out a breath, turned and carried on his way out the building and then through the barren halls of the high school.

As he looked all around him he saw that Robert and Laura weren’t in their usual places by the windowsills. Everette’s breath quickened as he glanced at the clock opposite the hallway. The pitter-patter of his feet quickened on the linoleum floor. A high-pitched squeak of wet rubber came digging into his ears. He sped up faster and faster, his heart beating in his ears and a flush coming over him. Almost tripping as he saw Mr Hopkins, his math teacher.

“Sorry, sir...” with his head towards the floor.

“Come on in then. You're just before the second bell,” he replied as he opened the door.

*RING RING*

---

He was sitting in a ghostly white room.

All by himself on an awkward chair with a small glass of water beside him.

"Where am I?" he said as he realized in a few seconds or so that his words were slurred.

Everette looked about, head turning from side to side scanning the room. seeing himself in the mirror. A furrowed brow on his face and a daunting realization.

"How did I get here again?"

"Do you not remember?" the man who sat in the chair opposite me asked.

"No, I don't. Why am I here again? I... Wait."

Everette's brows furrowed as he struggled to identify the person in the sharp suit and kind eyes.

"Focus on my voice for only a second please, I'm Mr Johnson the caseworker set on your case"

The strange man asked as he dragged a briefcase up and onto the table.

"So Everette Hill, 19 male, Kansas, Fort Scott, 25 Royal Drive, living with his parents, sorry mother only, father off in New York"

Everette startled, the shock running through his brain, restarting it.

"How on earth do you know that," Everette whispered.

His mouth dried up, and his chest tightened up, with his arms cuddled around him.

"Well lately there's been quite a few goings-on but if we're lucky we'll be able to get you back where you belong."

Johnson leant and grabbed Everette's shoulder,

"Things have changed, but come with me and I'll introduce you to the members of staff."

Everette's eyes lingered on Johnson's as his eyes seemed to shift tints as the lights glimpsed through his hair.

"Look at me. You're safe now. It's ok." He said as he rubbed Everette's shoulder and patted it.

Johnson then nodded to the door.

"Let's go"

They walked.

And the door closed.

---

"What do you think about the new kid then"

Shahzad said on the other side of the mirror.

"I don't know, according to his report and his reaction inside he seems truthful" she denoted.

"They could always be deceptive, who knows what your god might be showing" she gave a look to Shahzad.

"Vitnir has seen to it" Shahzad with his head held high, with a steely gaze to the sky.

"He's never been my kind of speed, you know that. But the truth doesn't lie." Emily replied.

"Hopefully he'll be what we need."