Chapter One

 Chapter One

    I found this letter hidden inside a book that my friend, Emma, had loaned me several weeks ago. I wasn't expecting to have it fall out onto the floor during my 1st period Literature class this morning. It did, though. And it got me into TONS of trouble!

    "Tatum Caitlin, Report IMMEDIATELY to my office!" A stern voice booms over the P.A. system. Before I continue with the story, you should know that the school I, along with Emma, go to is not your average boarding school. It has top-notch military personnel with guns! They are literally everywhere, even the classrooms. 

     Back to the story."S**T!" I mutter under my breath as two of the five Officials in the classroom hurriedly motion for me to pack up my things. I finished putting the last few things into my school issued backpack, then am pretty much yanked out the door.

      "Ms. Caitlin?" The Official seated at the desk in the front office asks.

       "Yes, Sir." I answer while rolling my eyes. A spilt-second later, the door opens and four more appear. 

      "Tatum Catilin?" He, one of the new officials, said. I looked up at his nameplate which read "King" in gold lettering. He saw me and said, "Yes, girl. That is my name. I know what you're thinking. Why would I have a name like that? It's my nickname."

  "So, King isn't your real name?"

  "No, it's not. Enough talk. Let's go, you little troublemaker." That ended our conversation, which I highly enjoyed. Sighing, I followed Official King, who was in the front. I was flanked on either side by two more officials and one official behind me. They forced me to walk in a straight line with my hands tied behind my back. Ten minutes later, we arrive at a closed door and stop. While the rest of us wait, one official knocks on the door. Seconds pass before we hear footsteps and the door opens to a tall man wearing the clothes that labeled him as a high ranking officer.

      "Miss Catilin, do you know how much trouble you have caused so far this year?" The Captain, whose nameplate read "Clarence", asked after I had sat down with my hands behind my back.

      "No, I only know that I've been brought to you ten times in the past month." 

"That must be MORE than enough times to get it into your mind that the more trouble you get into-"

"The more likely I am going to be expelled. Yeah, yeah. As if I actually give a f*****g s**t about the rules here.” For the ten times I'd been in trouble, this had occurred.  

"WHAT have I told you about saying that word, Catilin?!" I'm pretty sure that was at least one of many anger-filled sentences heard throughout the ENTIRE school...and no one likes and isn't frightened by it when Captain Clarence says anything like that.   

“Sorry, Sir.” I say, letting out a huge sigh of irritation. Now I was really ticked off. And I’m not just talking about being ticked off at Captain Clarence, I was ticked off at everyone at this godforsaken school. I can’t help it, though. Guess I got my short temper from my dad. Both of us have almost no patience whatsoever for people who argue with us.

“Tatum Catilin, are you paying attention to me?” Captain Clarence practically screams in my ear.

“Yes, Captain Clarence.” I reply, looking at him through my bangs sheepishly.

“It doesn’t seem like you are.” He responds. Then, nodding to the two officers who are resting against the wall, “take her to the isolation area.” They saluted him and, yanking me out of my seat, they pulled me through the door. 

“No, I don’t want to go to the isolation area. Let me go!” I scream, fighting against the ties. 

Minutes Later…

“Sit down over there, you little brat.” The officer gripping my wrists roughly sits me down. He removes the zip ties that are just about cutting off circulation to my hands. Both officers who brought me to the “isolation area” proceed to take the seats on either side of me. One of them, I can’t figure out which one, smacks the back of my head and motions for me to put my head down. I resist for several minutes, enduring the harsh slaps I receive from both sides, then I cave.

I sat there with my head facing down, just staring at the dirty floor. Suddenly, a pair of boots cross into my vision. Someone bends down in front of me and slides their fist under my chin, pushing it up. I’m staring into the dark, angry eyes of the one person no student (or rather, prisoner) wants to see…the school’s headmaster, who, by the way, is a Navy SEAL instructor for the U.S. Army.

“Tatum Marie Catilin, what did I tell you about trying to not get in trouble anymore?!” He practically yells in my ear. I flinch away from him but am shoved back into place by the officer on the side farthest from the headmaster.

“Well?!” I’m shaking now, fearing what’s about to come.

“N-n-o-o, H-h-e-e-a-a-d-dmaster.” I whisper, terrified. I receive a rough shove from either side of me in response. 

“Better, Ms. Catilin. But your behavior is still unacceptable. Therefore, you must suffer the consequences, understand?”

“I understand, Headmaster.”

“Good. Now, to give you your punishment. Since it wasn’t your first time or even your fifth time doing this, your punishment will be much more severe than it has been. You will be taken to a different building in the complex.”

“What? Why?”

“Shut up and listen. Now, this building will be where the higher ranking officers live. You will remain there until further notice. You are forbidden to do anything that you have not been told to do. You will obey all orders given to you by any of the officers. You will not talk back. If I hear that you disobeyed any of these commands, there will be a public punishment in front of the entire student body. Are we clear, Tatum Marie Catilin?!”

“We’re crystal clear, Headmaster.”

“Take her away. I do not want her to know where this building is, so give her something to make her forget our whole conversation.”

“Yes, sir.” The next thing I know, my mouth is thrust open and something is shoved in. Then my mouth is slammed shut and I’m being forced to swallow. That’s when my vision starts to blur and I black out.