The Search for Artemis - By P. D. Griffith Page 0,26
may not leave their sides until you’ve shown them around the facility and taken them to their rooms. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.
“Good, now here are their weekly schedules. I would like you to run through them with our new students,” Dr. Wells said as he handed two crisp sheets of paper to Riley and Parker. He turned back to Landon and Celia and adopted a forced, welcoming smile. “It was very nice to meet you both. I hope you’re pleased with your new home and I think we can expect wonderful things from each of you. Remember—you are all that is holding you back from reaching your full potential.”
After what Landon discovered to be Dr. Wells’ trademark departing words, the doctor scurried across the room and exited through the back door. The four students now quietly stood in the orientation room, staring at each other, unsure who should speak first.
“So, Celia was it?” Riley started. He adopted a beguiling smirk. “I’m Riley.”
“I thought she was Riley? Isn’t that a girl’s name?” Celia mockingly returned.
Landon unintentionally let out a quick laugh that sounded more like a convulsive cough than anything. He knew that would never work on her.
“No it’s not,” Riley said unconvincingly. “She’s Alexandra Parker, but everyone around here just calls her Parker,” Riley added, attempting to save face. “I’m Riley . . . Riley Burton.
“Don’t you dare say my name,” Parker barked as her head turned sharply toward Riley. “And you better give it back now . . . before I finish what I started in the hallway.”
Riley sighed and begrudgingly pulled a small item out from his back pocket and handed it to Parker. Landon wanted to see what it was but never got a good look at it.
“She isn’t playing around, huh?” Landon whispered to Celia.
“She doesn’t look much like a kidder,” Celia whispered back through her teeth. Landon cracked a smile. All this activity was stealing his mind away from his gloom and grief.
“Hey, I’m sorry, okay? It was just a bet, and you know I can’t pass up a challenge,” Riley half-heartedly apologized.
“Whatever,” Parker snidely returned. “Come with me, Celia. I’ll show you around.” And with that Celia and Parker exited the orientation room, leaving Riley and Landon standing beside one another.
“So,” Riley said, breaking the awkward silence.
“So,” Landon returned.
“Uh . . . you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Awesome. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER FIVE
LAY OF THE LAND
Riley led Landon out of the room and down the hall. As they turned the first corner, Landon was shocked to see wooden chairs knocked over and shards of broken glass scattered all over the hardwood floor.
While Landon tiptoed around to avoid the mess, he asked, “So what’s a guy got to steal to make a girl try and crush him with this much conviction?”
“Oh, that’s not important. It was a bet between some of the guys and me. They didn’t think I was good enough to nab something from Parker without using any of my abilities,” Riley explained. “Ugh, if Parker didn’t make so much noise I would have had it, too.”
Landon didn’t say anything. He realized Riley was in his own head, probably running through the entire event in his mind, and he didn’t want to interrupt. He just followed along as Riley led them down the hallway.
Riley took Landon to a narrow, enclosed staircase, and they then proceeded down to the bottom floor. Upon exiting the stairwell, Landon was awestruck by a vast atrium. He had seen it for a split second the day before when he first arrived at the Gymnasium, but the distance hadn’t done the place justice. It covered an immense circular area, and a giant glass dome encased the entire ceiling. Running down from the dome’s center, a conical mass of mirrors refracted the light from outside, bathing the Atrium in warm sunlight. Below the mirrors, a giant oak tree grew, basking in the radiance.
The Atrium served as the central hub for travel around the Gymnasium. Students flowed in and out of the area in pulsing waves. Landon noticed that the Atrium’s entryways were like the points on a compass. In each cardinal direction, there was a long, expansive hallway with walls stretching at least six stories high, floor-to-ceiling, and they were lined in Grecian pillars. These hallways led to the far edges of the facility, but hidden behind a wall at each primary inter-cardinal point of the Atrium, there was a small door that led into a staircase like the one they’d just come from.