Polly Playtime vs. Katie Steward vs. The One vs. Konrad Raab

[TheOne]

GENESIS: Chapter Five

For once in my life I feel I have purpose.  Whatever that purpose is, I don't know, but meeting her, having her taking me under her wing to train and teach ways to release all of this pent up emotion was something I had never had.  I never felt a sense of belonging with anyone, minus those I knew online, and they were few and far between now.  The "friends" of the past were basically figments of my imagination, and my new friend was someone I didn't even know the name of.  All I knew is she saw the same drive, the same passion, the same desire to let emotions be expelled, that drew me to her in the first place, and from that moment, I knew I could do something with my life... I just didn't know what...

The next few times we saw one another, she really worked on getting me up to a similar level as she was.  She was doing this all on her own.  She wasn't being taught in person. She wasn't having an instructor show her if her form was off, and honestly she didn't care.  Nor did anyone around her.  She was the resident badass, and to a degree, people knew if they got out of line, she'd step in long before The One was ever aware of it.  With me now trying to play catch up and learn everything she did, it created an even bigger sense of security in the area we were all confined to.  It gave us all solace in knowing we were beginning to find ways to eliminate having to deal with The One, or have to worry about his presence being felt.  It was a fear we all had.  It was one he was able to instill in us without any hesitation.

We were under his thumb, and we knew it...

So we, like the ones who felt smarter than his troglodyte mentality, felt we had found our own way to operate and sustain our own hierarchy.  It was an autonomous collective, but we had our own "muscle" if need be, that didn't involve him.  And that was our goal.  Like he said, he didn't want to deal with us as much as we didn't want to deal with him.  None of us knew what he would do to us if he had to "deal with us," but by his abilities and the rumors that he knows how to extort money from our parents, we didn't want to risk getting in trouble at home for something he claims we did during their time at The Compound...

But aside from that, my focus wasn't on him, it was on her.  It was on the one person who I felt I could emulate and be like, and still be myself.  And this focus transitioned into my home and school lives as well.  My parents had begun to notice a change in my mentality as well.  I wasn't as aggressive with them.  I wasn't pushing back as much when it came to their trips out there, and it was something that they definitely noticed.  They didn't know why, nor was I about to tell them.  In their mind, I was a harmless flower.  To them, I never punched the wall.  To them, this was what they were hoping for.  They were hoping I'd make a "bunch of friends," and "have fun" going out there, but that was never the case.  But I also learned that getting the wool over their eyes was simple.  Their minds were easy to keep focused in one direction.  They were perfect patsies for watching one hand as misdirection, while the other does all the work.  And for me, that's how I wanted it to stay.

Dad: Hey kid, I just wanted to thank you for being more open about going out there with us.  I told you it'd be better than you thought, plus you're making friends!

Mom: The One said he hasn't had any problems with you at all!

Me: I wouldn't really say I've made friends.  None of us have names there.  We're all just faces.  The One told us we aren't allowed to use our actual names around the kids area, or while our parents are there.  He also said we aren't really supposed to act like we know each other in public...

Dad: Oh kiddo they tell us that, too.  Truth is, they don't want a lot of people all gathering and talking about it at once since it's a member's only club.  We see people we have met, and we talk, but we never bring up The Compound or anything.  We just ask them about how the kids are, how work is, things like that.  Normal adult conversation and nobody ever knows.  So if you see one of your little friends, you kids can talk about things, just nothing to do with what you guys do out there.  If you know each other from school, talk about school.  If you know one another from some game online, talk about that.  The One is there to try and keep things quiet and safe for all of the families involved, so he has to sound more mean than he probably really is.

Mom: Your daddy is right.  If you see one of your little friends, chat with them!  We may know their parents!

I can't help but roll my eyes.

Me: "Little friends?"  I'm not a child anymore, Mom...

Mom: You'll always be our little girl, sweetie...

Dad: She's right kid... But really... You don't have to be scared of everyone around you.  You just have to be smart about what you do and don't talk about.  You both may know, but you want to be sure everything is still quiet and not something the wrong people hear about...

This was just "how it was" around my family now.  We were a family with a secret that some knew, some didn't, and some, I assumed, had heard about but didn't know the details of.  I was now part of this weird group who had to follow rules about knowing things without knowing them.  And honestly, at home, it wasn't a big deal.  I never had anyone over.  I stayed in my room.  I honestly focused on the training videos that I could do at home without equipment so I could continue to catch up to the girl I idolized more than anyone.

School, however, proved to be a different animal for the few short weeks that were left in the year.

Walking in that first day, I expected to see eyes back on me, whispers, and everything of the like that I had experienced.  But this time, things were different.  The only eyes on me were people who recognized me and almost gave me a small nod of acknowledgement, letting me know that, for once, I wasn't REALLY that alone in this world anymore.  It was a situation where, while I didn't have anyone to specifically talk to, since I was still terrified of the secrecy aspect, nobody was curious or questioning me anymore.  The only whispers were those who weren't "in the know" and still speculating.  But at this point, it was blatantly obvious how small of a contingency they were.

It seemed to filter its way to teachers as well.  I didn't know, at the time, whether or not teachers were patrons, but even they stopped looking at me with the same weird looks.  It honestly became a situation where I felt like I could finally block out the noise, and channel my focus back to school and just ride the wave to summer.

Which is ultimately what I did...

Summer itself brought weekly visits to The Compound, and with these visits changes began to start happening.  For one, we were officially members, and no longer guests.  But I had heard my parents talking about making more money through The Compound, as the owners had begun to get "messages" about what and where to invest money.  At that age, it was above my head, and when it came to my family's finances, I knew we were were well off, and I knew my parents were involved in anything fishy.  So my level of caring was negligible because I was in middle school, they were the wise ones with the money, and honestly I was well taken care of at home.

But also what summer brought was me beginning to see things around me.  Listen more.  Talk less.  And practice even more when I was around her.  For some reason, I could sense her intensity picking up, more and more, each week.  She'd send me home during the week with "homework" of my own to practice with.  She would push me to my limits telling me and encouraging me that we had a purpose and a reason for doing what we were doing.  To me, at first, it was motivation.  It was your coach, your teacher, pushing you to try harder and reach for the coveted brass ring.  To her, far more.  And more that would soon be made abundantly clear, when The One made his presence felt, and this time, made sure we knew who was in charge.

As the "former new girl" and her new protege are working on honing their grappling skills in the back of the kids recreational center, a loud referee-like whistle echoes through the entire building.  The "new girl" looks around as everyone begins to run toward the main room, and her new mentor is quick to grab her by the shirt and yank her along.  The two are among the final ones to arrive to see The One standing there with his traditional smug look on his face.  This is the first time The One has called them all "to attention" since the "new girl's" arrival, and is truly only done when big announcements are made.

"The One": LISTEN... And I want everyone to pay CLOSE attention to what I'm about to say... As of today, your world has become even more meaningless to me, which means your job of staying out of my hair has become even more important.  The owners of this establishment, The Prophets, have deemed my role that much more important as I, The One, am to protect the most important person on this entire compound, The Oracle...

All of the kids begin to look around confused.

"The One": ... I don't expect any of you to understand the importance of this because of your menial ability to comprehend such big things, but it basically is the one person who will dictate how happy or sad your future is.  SHE is the one who predicted our greatness, and SHE will be the person who continues to do so.  And if I have any say in it, I'll be sure to find out some things about myself to ensure NOBODY ever can take this from me.  So from now on, there will be a sign installed stating when The Oracle is in session.  During those hours, if I even hear a cough out of any of you, I'll see that your family regrets ever stepping foot on MY grounds.  And not just your parents, but ESPECIALLY you.  The Oracle is the most important person here, and you all BETTER understand that.  You are nothing.  She is EVERYTHING... And the quicker you understand that, the quicker you have a much easier time around here with me... Got it?

The kids nod in unison.

"The One": Good...

The One turns and leaves with an evil grin on his face, and slams the door behind him.  The kids slowly look around, confused, and scared, before realizing the only "good thing" to do is to return to what they were doing.  The "new girl" slowly turns and begins walking back toward her and her friend's training area, and it's her friend who's loose lips begin to shed light on The One.

Girl Mentor: One day... One day I'm taking that asshole down...

Me: You mean The One?

Girl Mentor: Yeah... Well, we are!

The "new girl" freezes.

Me: We?!

The "new girl" is once again dragged along by her shirt.

Girl Mentor: Keep walking... Yes we... And hopefully more of us once we can get all of the truths we need, and we are ready to fight to bring this place down...

Me: Bring it down?

Girl Mentor: First by challenging The One and his authority, taking control, and then destroying it from the inside out.  It's the only thing that can happen...

Me: But...

Girl Mentor: Listen, New Kid, there's a lot you don't know, yet.  The One is only there because, at the time, he was the strongest of the strong.  He called out the previous "One" and challenged his authority, and from what I understand, it was a fight to the death, with The One, now, winning the battle.  That made him, basically, the new "God" of this playground.  It's just a title.  Another nameless name for the person who is in charge of being the enforcer, and getting away with murder.  And honestly... My whole reason for training is to take the power from him, find out more secrets of this place, and lead the revolt against the people who, I believe, are stealing from our parents and our families.

Me: So you want to fight that guy?

Girl Mentor: To the death, if I have to... I can't stand how he treats anyone here.  I keep the hard attitude because I want the respect, but I also want everyone here to know that if they're in danger, I'm stepping up for them.  So I want The One's head, eventually.  And once I'm The One, nobody will be able to buy me off.  Nobody will be able to bribe me.  I'll be able to train more people without anyone knowing, and we can take The Compound over.  We can expose this place, and we can be the heroes.  We can be the ones remembered for the liberation of this place.  The saving of our families and friends.  We won't be nameless or anything anymore.  We will be the ones who are remembered...

Me: We are just kids... That's an adult... A big one at that...

Girl Mentor: And everyone has a weakness, kid... You, me, and that big dick at the front gate.  It's a matter of finding it and using it against him.  That's why I'm doing my thing, and that's why I don't associate with anyone but you.  I see the same anger inside you.  That's why I picked you.  That's why I am bringing you into the fold.  It's time we begin our fight back...

Me: But...

Girl Mentor: No... No buts... This isn't something we are doing tomorrow.  It's something we do when it's right.  No talking about it with anyone at all.  We just practice, and prepare...

The "new kid," still feeling the superiority of her mentor, simply goes quiet and goes back to practicing for the rest of the time she is there that night.

This girl, she meant business.  She opened my eyes to the fact that people not wanting to be there was something not just unique to us.  Apparently she felt there was a large contingency of people she could rally to help overthrow the rule of The Compound, but to me, I didn't see it, or understand it.  All I understood was the fact that I kept feeling the positive effects of the workouts and saw the skills in myself developing.  Whatever that was I was developing into, I didn't know, nor did I care.  She trusted me to be by her side, and everyone else trusted her to protect them.  I had no reason to not see her as the mentor and the role model she was to me.

But what would the costs be?

What was this fight?

What was this coup?

This girl had a plan and she was sticking with it.  Apparently my arrival she felt was an integral piece.  Now my job was to simply stay the course.  Worst case scenario, she does whatever she's doing and the rest of us play dumb, right?  Or would we be drug in?  And what if she did challenge The One and power took over her as it's obviously consumed the man who holds the title now?  How would she know how she'd handle that kind of power, or was she so driven by the idea of making things truly right, and being the heroine of the story, that power wouldn't do to her as it does to many.  My mind was cluttered, but the workouts and training kept me from worrying and thinking about it constantly.