The Fire in our Hearts

5:00

A man had showed us to the dorms the Coals were allowed to stay in. But since they were used to all boys there were 4 beds in a room. Luckily they said I could go in the room with only one other boy since there were 6 of us. Unfortunately, I got stuck with the boy on the cart who first recognized my existence. We chose beds on the opposite sides of the room so there was a little privacy. Silently I sat cross-legged on my bed and went through the crate. Two blankets, socks, underwear, two sets of clothes,  a pad of paper, three pens, random strips of cloth, a canteen, string, and a wallet with 30riks. The basics. I laid out my blankets on the bed, hung the canteen on the bedpost, put the pad and pens on the shelf, put the boxers and boots in the crate, and slid the crate under the bed. The box was lying on the bed and I put it in my massive pocket.
I looked at the dusty clock on the wall and say 2:34. “Well, we got some time.” I said looking at the boy making his bed systematically. “Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Beck.”
“Andromeda,” I said with a smile “most people call me Andi though. Well now I bet I’m known as Snip. I better get used to it.” I waited for a response but none came. “I’m gonna explore, you wanna come with?”
“Not particularly.” He said in a stale monotone.
“You don’t wanna know the secrets of your new home?”
“I already know what I need to know.” He said looking up. For the first time I saw his eyes. They were startling and kind of unnerving. They were a strange yellow that sparkled amber when light hit them. I always thought my ash-grey eyes were strange but his almost feline eyes scared me in a way I had never felt before.
“Okay.” I said a little choked as his eyes followed me out of the room. “That wasn’t strange at all. Nope, totally normal.” I walked around the level of our dorm. It was near the ground but still phenomenal. It varied in color so it wasn’t overwhelming but it still resonated heat and light. The Fate Flame stole all attention. At the bottom it blinded you with a glaring white while at the top it softened into a gentle orange. I loved how the flames twisted into luminescent patterns and the general glow it gave off.
“Lovely, ain’t it?” A voice said behind me. I turned quickly to come face to face with a tan boy. “You aren’t a boy.”
“So I hear,” I grumbled. “And yes. I love the essence of it.”
“Essence? Big word for a Coal.” He said with a quirky smile. He was short, like shoulder-height. He had a short Mohawk and brown eyes.
“My family wanted me to have some education. I just took it farther than they expected. I loved learning. I wish I could’ve learned more.”
“You’ll learn plenty here and if you keep that enthusiasm up, you could go to a real school. But considering your gender, probably not.”
“My gender? What does my gender have to do with this?” I turned on him with eyes like daggers.
“Woah, Woah, no worries: I’ve got a strong girl at home. Stronger than me, anyhow.” He pointed to his finger that bore a black ring.
“You’re married?” I said shocked. “How old are you?”
“Old enough to tell you you’re about to be late. 4:49.”
“O’clock?”
“Better get a move on!” He laughed.
I looked at him then smoothly tried to sprint as fast as I could back to the room where we were supposed to meet. A man stood there reading papers on a clipboard. He looked up when he realized I was standing there.
“Andromeda Marley, I presume?” His eyebrow raised as he looked me up and down. “You’re a—ummm---”
“Female, I know.” I said getting tired of this realization. Soon the people trickled in. At exactly 5:00, all of us we’re here, narrowly, but here. Except one. I had counted three times but someone was missing. My roommate was there and that gave me a sense of relief.
“Edward Callaway? Where is Mr. Callaway?” The man said looking around at us sternly.
Then a distant noise broke through to us “Sir! I’m here! I’m here! Sir!” presumably Edward Callaway was now running up to join us. “Sorry, I got a little lost getting here.” He laughed nervously. The man looked down at his clipboard again made a scratchy noise, waved his hand, and to large mn appeared. They went on either side of Edward and one shoved his shoulder hard enough to turn him around. Fluidly, they went behind him, closing him off from us. “Wait, what’s going on?”
“Edward Callaway, you are hereby cast out of this society.”
All color left his face. Now his entire skeleton was paper. The guards easily pushed him away until he realized they were serious. “No! No! I was late! A minute for a life?” he started panting and screaming. He tried to fight the guards but they were too strong. “Please! I didn’t mean to do it! A minute! A minute for a life?” he stayed fighting as long as we could see him. Terrified we turned back to the man with the clipboard.
Casually he muttered “Two minutes.”