The Pattern
Darrell led the trio of boys in a different direction. He watched their mournful gazes, wondering if they were concerned for the girls' wellbeing or their own. He decided it was equal measures of both. They walked toward the Grand Entrance from the Deck.
"Where is she taking the girls?" Will's voice interrupted the tapping rhythm of their feet.
"Hmm?" Darrell asked pretending not to hear what the boy had said.
"The girls, when will we see them again?" this time Copenhagen had asked, louder and more aggressively.
"Soon enough I expect," Darrell shrugged a shoulder elegantly. "Now, hush and follow along."
Darrell was pleased to see his young apprentice standing nervously beside the door. The perfect someone to lead the boys on a bit of a venture before taking them to their living quarters. He'd be able to go to his office and sort through his observations.
"Anthony!" Darrell smiled grasping the young man's shoulder. "Take these young men to Living Quarters 40925 please."
Anthony's mouth opened like a fish out of water he gaped. Darrell didn't wait for a response but continued down the hall leaving three little boys and an astonished young suit.
"What's going on here?" Mazen asked Anthony, anticipating that his capacity for shock was a sign of weakness.
"You don't know?" Anthony responded to the question with a question. He had returned to his serious calm demeanor.
"Are there 40,925 living quarters?" Copenhagen asked making idle chatter.
"I've never been in every room, I wouldn't know all of what's where." Anthony confided.
"But, why not?" Mazen asked, "Aren't you important?"
"Everyone here has a part to play in the Pattern." Anthony declared stiffly, and the tightening of his back announced that he would answer no more questions.
While the others were tag-teaming Anthony, Will was studying the lobby. There was rich cherry paneling lining the floor and tracing a line of paneling along the wall. Painting hung at different heights and every so often they passed a bust or suit of armor.
"We've passed that armor before," Will said after they had walked for some time.
"Nonsense, I know my way about the building even if I haven't been in every room." Anthony growled, he turned left and led them up an inclined hallway. Then right then right again.
"What an odd building design," Will sighed.
"Indeed," Anthony sniffed.
They reached a corridor made of glass, the ceiling and walls were all made of the same clear glass. Trees grew wild on the other side, and Will stopped to appreciate it.
"The Great Outdoors," Anthony explained waving a hand to it.
"Where is she taking the girls?" Will's voice interrupted the tapping rhythm of their feet.
"Hmm?" Darrell asked pretending not to hear what the boy had said.
"The girls, when will we see them again?" this time Copenhagen had asked, louder and more aggressively.
"Soon enough I expect," Darrell shrugged a shoulder elegantly. "Now, hush and follow along."
Darrell was pleased to see his young apprentice standing nervously beside the door. The perfect someone to lead the boys on a bit of a venture before taking them to their living quarters. He'd be able to go to his office and sort through his observations.
"Anthony!" Darrell smiled grasping the young man's shoulder. "Take these young men to Living Quarters 40925 please."
Anthony's mouth opened like a fish out of water he gaped. Darrell didn't wait for a response but continued down the hall leaving three little boys and an astonished young suit.
"What's going on here?" Mazen asked Anthony, anticipating that his capacity for shock was a sign of weakness.
"You don't know?" Anthony responded to the question with a question. He had returned to his serious calm demeanor.
"Are there 40,925 living quarters?" Copenhagen asked making idle chatter.
"I've never been in every room, I wouldn't know all of what's where." Anthony confided.
"But, why not?" Mazen asked, "Aren't you important?"
"Everyone here has a part to play in the Pattern." Anthony declared stiffly, and the tightening of his back announced that he would answer no more questions.
While the others were tag-teaming Anthony, Will was studying the lobby. There was rich cherry paneling lining the floor and tracing a line of paneling along the wall. Painting hung at different heights and every so often they passed a bust or suit of armor.
"We've passed that armor before," Will said after they had walked for some time.
"Nonsense, I know my way about the building even if I haven't been in every room." Anthony growled, he turned left and led them up an inclined hallway. Then right then right again.
"What an odd building design," Will sighed.
"Indeed," Anthony sniffed.
They reached a corridor made of glass, the ceiling and walls were all made of the same clear glass. Trees grew wild on the other side, and Will stopped to appreciate it.
"The Great Outdoors," Anthony explained waving a hand to it.