Pre-reading: This is basically the root of an idea that has been bugging me for months. I'm kind of on the fence about it and am searching for opinions and critiques galore! I won't say more, because writing is best judged without any spoilers, but thanks for reading.
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“Miss Gadelle.”
The seated woman hushed the young soldier with a simple touch of a finger to her lips. Tightening his lips, the man turned back to face the children filing into the conference room. The rustling of their cotton tunics and the slight scuffle of shoes echoed behind the gentle notes of Fur Elise. The two adults waited until all ten of the children stood at attention and the door had been shut behind them.
The lack of sound from the settled children clearly bothered the soldier. He began to fidget; first his fingers and then his feet. Finally the woman sent him a sharp glance and motioned him to approach her. She whispered something in his ear. The man straightened motioned towards several of the children and escorted half of them out of the room. Of the five remaining, three were boys, two were girls.
As the song finally came to a close and ended with a mechanical click, the scene in the room had not changed. Five children of different shapes and sizes and colours stood eerily still under the gaze of the thin yet imposing figure. Her dark, clearly tailored suit was a sharp contrast to the children’s pre-died cotton tunics and pants. Her long brown locks turned up in a tasteful knot at the nape of her neck looked like art compared to the children’s identical paige cuts.
Her eyes analyzed each child as she flipped through the folders at her side. Every once in a while, a small smile could be seen turning up the edge of her lips as she gazed from a file to a child. In her eyes, each child, for all their differences, was a perfect tool. They just each needed a perfect job. Rising, she tucked the files under her arm. Her stiletto heels clicked gently across the floor as she went and stood in front of the child at the head of the row. Darkly skinned, with a tousle of curly locks, Miss Gadelle couldn’t help but name him Romeo in her mind. Yes, his identification was 42, but his appearance was that of a Romeo.
Her fingers travelled downwards to his face, and outlined his jaw. The boy’s sable eyes never moved from where they were starring up ahead. His foot, however twitched mildly to the left. She had seen how his finger had tapped against his thigh with the music earlier. He would be a good dancer and musician, and from what she was feeling in his jaw and cheeks, a pretty boy too. He would be useful, but perhaps not the best suited for this particular assignation. She pulled out a folder and wrote down a few lines before moving on to the next child.
This one was much lighter in tone than the last one. With honey hair, hazel eyes, and a skin tone that would take well to sunlight, this boy could be a possibility. The woman took a step back, never wobbling at the height of the heels. She eyed the child’s body. Already lean muscle had formed, his breathing was easy but deep, and his eyes had a merry twinkle. He was a natural athlete and would look at home in any outdoors shop. He was indeed a possibility.
Next came a girl. Already tall, and lean, she was clearly going to be a stunning child. Large blue eyes, dark brown hair with hints of red and black, already made her eye-catching. Stepping closer, the woman squeezed the girl’s upper arm. It was muscled but not that of a heavy athlete. No, it was more like that of a dancer. Yes, this girl had potential, but she was too attractive for this particular assignment. They needed a friend not a lover. Opening up her folder, Miss Gadelle made another note.
Next came the second girl. Compared to her companion, this one looked plain. Classic American blonde and blue eyed, her face was longer, her structure shorter, but from the size of her hands and feet and from the file, Miss Gadelle guessed that this one would actually end up taller than the girl at her side. Although also leanly muscled, this child was quite different. The woman stepped back and gave the girl a full assessment. The girl stood closer to the boy on her left than the girl and looked at ease even in the tense situation within the room. A very close match. This one was a possibility.
The woman moved on with a quick note in yet another folder. The last child was thicker than any of his companions. He had also reacted well with the music. A sloppy grin would easily spread across those lips, and there was dimple. Interesting. His balance, however, was not ideal. Opening the boy’s folder she noticed a particular aptitude for computers that she had missed before. No, this one was not an option.
The woman returned to her seat, and placed the folders on the table by her chair. In a few quick motions all but one boy and one girl had left the room. The blonde and the honey boy, as Miss Gadelle was beginning to think of him, stood at attention. She pursed her lips and considered them.
It had taken years for Miss Gadelle to become good at what she did. Years as a casting director and working for a teen talent search agency had gotten her to this point. It had garnered her awards and names and connections. Now, she could plan a child’s future from one interview. She could see their strengths and weaknesses, even their future characters. Most people in the business ignored that last bit, but Miss Gadelle considered it the most deserving for consideration, and that ranking had paid off in the long run. Now, she really could put her plans into action. She gave children their jobs instead of just making suggestions. This was what she had been trained to do.
With one final look at both children, the woman finally decided. At this point it was less analysis and more intuition. One last hand signal. The boy left, the girl remained.
“What’s your name child?” The woman asked opening one file in her lap.
“Thirty-nine.”
“That isn’t a name sweetheart. I want you to give me a name.”
The girl looked confused. She opened her mouth and then shut it. She glanced around the room mildly panicked. There wasn’t a map, a sign to give her any kind of hint on what to do.
The woman in front of her sighed and leaned forward. “Thirty-nine, I want you to give me the prettiest word you know that you would like to be called.” The statement did not seem to do much for the girl, but the woman leaned back, clearly expectant.
Just as Miss Gadelle was about to shout in frustration, the girl whispered something. “What was that dear?” the woman asked, leaning forward once more.
“Ohio. I like the name Ohio.”
“Alright, give me another name. You need a second one as well.”
Once more, the room lapsed into silence as the child thought.
“River.”
The woman gave the girl another pointed look. “River? How about Rivers? It sounds less borrowed from a map.”
The girl said nothing, and the woman nodded. She motioned and the girl left the room.
Taking out a fresh piece of paper, Miss Gadelle filled out the sheet that gave her the greatest satisfaction.
Code: 39
Designation: Deep-Ops
Specialization: Guy-Girl
Expected Date of Embarkation: June 3, 2003
Under the expected fields of entry, the woman added one more.
Name: OHIO RIVERS
Gender:
Points: 1290
Reviews: 10