It’s night. I slowly walk, not knowing where my feet are taking me. I turn around the corner and spot two dark figures in front of a girl. I can only see the back of her head, her blonde hair brushing her shoulders. One of them is aiming their gun at her head. I try to run towards her, but I cannot move. The figure shoots her and the body falls to the ground like a feather. I scream, but they cannot hear me. Suddenly they all fade out and a figure of a pale girl stands before me. She has brown hair tied in a ponytail and green eyes. Those eyes show determination yet tiredness. Her mouth holds a stern expression. It’s me.

“You killed her” it says.

I wake up, my face drenched in sweat. I breathe hard trying to remind myself that it was just a dream. Nothing more. Just a dream. I head towards the bathroom. The cool water splashes against my face and fully brings me back to this world. I then guide myself to the wooden cupboard. I pull out a violet shirt, black jeans and black shoes. I like these colors: the black represents my strength and the violet shows my ambition.

I grab a pack of crackers and head out of my apartment. I stand in the middle of the rectangle formed by the tall buildings that people call home. The grass here is green, contrasting the dull grey surrounding it. I start walking towards the exit. A rusty, metallic gate stands tall before me. I show the guard my ID and he nods his head to another person. The gate splits itself in two with a loud, screeching sound. It’s quite early and so the streetlights are still on, filling in for the sun’s missing face. The path is in the middle of a never-ending, emerald plain.

My name is Cora. Cora Alliston. Or at least I think it is… I suffer from memory loss. A few months ago, I was part of a car crash, where I experienced a concussion. Someone found me, lying on the floor, bleeding from my head. I was then taken to the medics and woke up remembering nothing. They told me that my name was Cora and that I had recently transferred here. The city was where the 'elite of the elite' were - in short, those who would take over. Ever since then, I have been training everyday to prepare for my future duties. 

Suddenly, I notice that the street is empty and start jogging, realising that I’m late. I pick up my pace, now fully sprinting. I spot the large ten storey building at the end. It is all made up of glass, making it seem crystal blue. I barge through the doors and run past the people’s judgemental looks. I go up the stairs and head to the fourth floor. The glassy room reading 4-A1 stands at the end of the corridor. I push the door and enter.

“You’re late Cora. Again.”    

I turn to see Darius, our instructor, go through some papers whilst standing up facing everyone.

“Find yourself a spot” he says.

There’s an empty space in the corner and I quickly take it. 15 pairs of eyes throw darts at me. I try to avoid them. 

“You all need to start preparing for the final test. It is a crucial one,” he says.
“The test will reveal who is able to —” 

Before he could finish his sentence, Darius was interrupted by a woman knocking on the door. I notice someone waiting outside behind her. Actually everyone does. He’s wearing a shirt, along with a hoodie, a leather jacket and boots. All the same colour: black.

“Cora, someone’s here for you” Darius says. 

Everyone’s heads turn towards me and I awkwardly stand up and follow the lady outside. Her hair is short and blonde just like...

“Be quick,” she says interrupting my thoughts, “you don’t have much time.” The guy nods to her gratefully and faces me.

His hair is like chocolate. He has even lips, a thin straight nose and big hazel eyes. Familiar eyes.

“I didn’t think you’d be alive Naya” he says in a husky voice.

“Naya?” I reply dumbfounded. “My name’s Cora.”

“So it is true,” he continues, “you can’t remember.”

It is true that I can’t remember. I can’t remember who I was before the car crash. 

“Remember what?” I reply and look at him right in the eye. What else do I need to remember besides your eyes Jax?

“Who you are,” he says.

My gaze shifts at his wrist. I notice a slight mark there in the form of a W. No. It’s an M.
He’s saying something but I can’t hear him. My head starts throbbing as though a thousand knives are being dug deep in my skull. I place my hands against my temples, trying to stop the pain. But it’s useless. The same image keeps invading my vision. The same number.

“0100110” I whisper.

“Naya, are you okay?”

“0100110” I say, this time louder.

I lean against the glass, the pain too great for me to sustain it on my own. Air. I need air. I breathe harder trying to calm myself down. But the number won’t stop replaying in my head. And neither won’t the pain.

“0100110...0100110...0100110,” I keep repeating. 

Suddenly I feel two hands holding me. One of them belongs to the woman from before. The other to a tall guy. He holds a vial with a yellow liquid and hands it over to her. She sweeps my hair from my neck and I feel its needle sting me. With difficulty, I escape from their grip. I stumble back into the glassy room, my vision blurry.
“What did you give me?” I try to keep a steady voice.  

“Don’t worry.”

I track the voice and it leads me to a woman with dark, olive skin and black curly hair.  
“Just come with us. We will take care of you,” she says as she walks through the door. I notice the same marking as Jax’s on her wrist.

“Stay away from me,” I say.

“Cora, calm down,” Darius tries to approach me, “listen to Meredith.”

“Stop!” I scream. “Don’t come near me.”

I see some more guys stand behind her. M is carved on their wrists too. She signals them to come towards me. Two of them hold me from my arms.

“Let go!” I cry.

I strike the jaw of the guy to the right with my elbow causing him to fall back. I then lunge my knee towards the other’s abdomen. He stumbles back and I hit him in the neck. I spot a gun lying on the ground and swifty grab it. Through the corner of my eye, I see Jax fighting against the rest of them.

“Go!” he yells.

I aim for the glass and shoot three times. Blue spheres attach to it. I quickly realise what they are and duck beneath a table. The glass blasts off, its shards attacking anyone in its way. My ears are ringing, but I don’t let it distract me. I can barely move, my vision blurry and my legs weaker. I steadily get up and face the huge hole made by the explosion. I need to get out of here and find answers. I need answers.

I stagger towards the site of the explosion.

I sprint.

I jump.