Chapter 0: Robed and Not Ready

Chapter 0: Robed and Not Ready

My name's Mariell Knowles. I'm an introvert, a gamer, bookworm and possibly the nerdiest girl you'll ever know. And this is probably the weirdest day of my life. I look like a sixteen year old kid but I'm actually 23 years old. Probably because I'm four-foot eleven. Probably because of my pale skin. I don't know. I don't have that many friends. Sometimes I leave my Facebook account open while I play games, blog, or read eBooks so that people think I have a life. And that's about it. Nothing eventful ever happens to someone living most of their lives in a dark, locked room. Until now.

So yeah, I was falling down straight to oblivion for God knows why, naked and wet. Last thing I remember was taking a shower...huh, that probably explains why I'm in this state. Anyway, it felt like 50 miles per hour, I dunno.

Then I found myself, surprisingly, standing on a warm linoleum floor. The room has, well, no walls. All I see around me was silent, black space. Like, a cosmic kind of space. I feared I might drop if I walk too far along the edge. It was so...so amazing that I almost forgot -- well, completely forgot about a small robed man in front of me. I covered myself. Who knows how long he's been standing there looking at me?

"Done admiring the walls? Come on, then," he beckoned with an air of irritation. Perhaps he's been doing this kind of welcoming thing every time someone drops from the sky for a long time. What struck me is his weird, but familiar attire. He wore a white robe with blue trimmings along its hood. Like a mage from a fantasy video game. Out if nowhere he pulled out a set of clothes.

"Put these on, the Maestro does not take too kindly to naked Potentials." Maestro? Just where am I exactly? And what did he mean by a Potential? This feels like a video game.

I put on the clothes and they fit me like a glove. It was a set of white and red robes, complete with underwear. But no shoes at all. "Wow! What are these?" I know it's a stupid question. They're robes, of course. I put them on and brushed my dark hair to the side like I always do, and tie it in a high tail.

"They're... Let's say they unlock certain characteristics in you. There. Happy? Now come on, the Maestro awaits," he starts walking. Suddenly there's a white door materializing a few feet in front of the small man, "And if you have any more questions, the Maestro would be very happy to address them." I followed him through the door and walked on void, along walls of empty space.

At last we reach a narrow black door. Smooth and dark. I stare blankly at it for a second before I hear the short man grumble. I drop my gaze at him and allow him to open the door. "I'm not allowed to go inside the lobby. Go on ahead," he nods at the door and walks away. Suddenly he stops on his tracks. "Oh, and remember, when you're at the receptionist's desk, look for the Maestro," he added before continuing on and disappearing . I walk into the door.

It's not how I expected it. I expected some high-roofed, cathedral-like hall with lots of people in same robes like me strolling around, going to where needs be. No. Not like that.

It looked like a police reception area. Just a long hall, numerous benches on either side with people in assorted attires sitting in them. Some wearing the same robes I wear, others are in business suits, still others in extravagant attire, as if attending a party. Lots of people walk, trot, skip and run across the hall. Going about their business. Different expressions. Different people. Too many people. Oh my god. I think I'm gonna lose my mind. I shake my head. No. This is my new life now. I pull up my hood over my head. Then I start remembering my past one.

My little brother who's still in high school, probably tinkering with my computer right now. My mom, going around asking in her forensics department on my last known location. My dad, probably looking for me at my university right now, asking the other professors. My huge cat, Cookie, probably chowing down on some bird outside our house. I miss them, and my hair stands on end.

I never cried in my life. I just get goosebumps when I'm sad. People think I'm weird that way. I shake my head again. They'll miss me, but sooner or later I'd return and explain. Right now I gotta find that Maestro and ask whoever he is on why am I here. I start getting mad. Why me? There's a lot other people in the world. Why not them? Why me, a small, skinny, pale introvert with no special skills whatsoever?

I start walking slowly to the end of the hall, where the reception desk was at. The floor was dusty, like it wasn't swept in weeks. I feel like everyone's looking at me right now. I remember my first days in high school. It was just like this. Everyone stared at me. Sizing me up. If I was like those popular girls or otherwise. I paid them no attention, but they did. They bullied me, but not much. Because I got this sort of aura that scares most people into just saying that I'm a creep. But this was different. Everyone never paid me the slightest glance. I walked a bit faster. And in no time at all I'm in front of the desk.

"What do you want?" a bored voice speaks from behind the glass. Sitting there was the oldest living receptionist I've seen. She wore thick makeup which failed miserably in hiding her age. She's just sitting there, holding a showbiz magazine, in her moldy yellow vest with an ID saying "Happy to serve you! My name is Rhonda!" looking smugly at me and occasionally at the people walking behind me. "I...uhh..." I stutter. Not sure on what I'd say, the receptionist said, "Are you looking for the Maestro? If you are, I can lead you to where you need to go. I ain't got all day."

I nod. She pointed me to a purple door at the left of her desk. "Take the elevator to the 1054th floor. That should be enough. Now run along.", then she returned to her reading like nothing happened. I walked to the door and opened it.

Again, space. I got into it. The door closes behind and I can't hear anything anymore. The door behind me disappears. Everything around me disappears. Like when I walked through to the reception area. A glowing...something appears in front of me, labeled "1054". I press it and I feel that rush whenever I'm in an elevator. But it's not going up. It's going down. And left. Then diagonally right, then forward. And many other directions. I'm getting sick. Then it stops. Materializing in front of me is a maroon door. Seriously, differently colored doors are a trend here. I'm not ready, but I knock. A multitude of voices inside speak.

"Enter."

My heart races.