It's been tough.

My whole life has been full of disappointments and disasters but there's been a bit of clarity at the end of it. The sense that I'm about to take a step into a new future which I hope is full of brightness for me.

That's what anyone wants in a place like this.

A place full of organised times, you'd think this place is for military personnel; well you'd technically be right but wrong at the same time. We're children aged whatever age you became an orphan till you turn the age of 18.

The way that came out might make it seem like any old orphan can just waltz in here, no. The headmistress travels all around the world, trying to find those orphans that are 'fighters' as she says it and who have a spark. Not many make it into these walls and very few make it out alive, it's rather intense.

Well, if you think getting in here and surviving is hard; you'd be wrong again because the final year here is hell on earth!

I've only recalled 5 students out of a possible 20 making it out of here alive and that was from the last 2 years! Then again the odds are not that bad; a 50/50 chance is better than next to nothing. But these numbers are dwindling. I mean in my year, there's only 9 and that's boys AND girls! Two completely different school sections which make up this whole school and there's only 9 seniors! In a normal school there would be hundreds but here it's in the single digits because that's how many survived out of the hundreds who first made it here; yet that's right, there was hundred of kids exactly like me who were here - that is until they died.

People outside these borders might think that this is extreme and absolutely ridiculous but it's not, these instructors are just preparing us for the outside world. Kids dying here is a daily thing, wether it be due to suicide or a misfire in training (it happens!) it's the instructors way of training us for the outside world where it's extremely brutal.

The amount of people I've seen die before me is more than a normal person should see but it happens. The only way you survive a place like this is to fight your way through and always have a positive attitude that you can do anything, it's one of the first things the headmistress says when we come back from the summer holidays.

Talking about summer holidays. It's been a fun, final summer holiday of mine before torture commences.

God, my final year. I didn't actually think I would make it but I did. Just one more year until freedom!

"Alena, welcome back!" The lady at reception said cheerfully towards me.

I've been here since the age of 5 and the instructors are always the same, well all the members of staff are the exact same; so they would all know me by now.

"Hey Andy!" I replied.

Andy does lots for this school. She's a receptionist, a whip expert, but she's mainly the schools nurse which is needed direly around here with the amount of injuries that occur. I swear sometimes this school doesn't even go by the standards of health and safety needed, have they ever had a risk assessment sheet handed to them? Most probably not.

"Here's your papers Alena. Hope you have a great last year." Andy said with a gleaming smile whilst handing over my timetable and other paperwork over the tall desk. Well, for me it seems rather tall as I'm a short person.

"Thanks Andy." I said whilst walking out the door, my head glued to the sheets now placed in my hands.

———————————————————————
Schedule
Name: Alena
Year: Senior

Timetable:

5am - Wakeup
6am - Breakfast
7am - Normal lessons (Maths/English/Science)
9am - Break
9:20am - Intense PE
11am - Lunch
12pm - Normal lessons (History/Geography/Languages)
2pm - Break
2:20pm - Weaponry training
5:20pm - Assembly
5:40pm - Dinner
6:50pm - Free time
10pm - Night training (seniors only!)
12am - shut eye

(Weekends are still scheduled as usual to be free time throughout. If anything occurs, you will be notified in advanced.).

———————————————————————

I sighed as I stared at the sheet.

On this piece of paper is my whole year; besides the graduation week and what my weekends are going to consist of.

I put my schedule behind the other sheet which I was given, which is the exact same sheet which is given out each year. It's not like anyone actually goes by it.

Rule 1:
No relationships within the two schools or within own school.

Well, that rules been broken because Daisy (the schools mean girl) and Dan have been dating 'secretly' which everyone seems to know. And not even that but Mr. Travis and Mrs. Dahlia are MARRIED! These two are husband and wife and this rule says that there is No relationship permitted between both schools. Erm, hello! Their in a relationship and it isn't even secret, everyone including headmistress Kira knows about it and their still walking around merrily! Why aren't they dead like all the kids that die because of breaking the rules?

Now that's just a conspiracy but all the kids that walk into headmistress Kira's office never come back out, and I'm speaking from first hand witnessing it. Once that child walked into Kira's office, she never came back out again!

Rule 2:
All students must attend all lessons and be on time.

That's definitely been broken by EVERYONE! I'm fairly sure one of the times I bunked I saw these kids underneath one of the stairwells in the gymnasium. Actually, I think their regular bunkers but still, we're all here!

Rule 3:
Listen to all Kira's orders (and all instructors)

Well, this one is mainly listened to as majority of people are scared shitless of Kira. Even instructors are scared of her and there isn't any need to be as she isn't even combat trained (unlike all the instructors!).

Rule 4:
Training starts as soon as orphans join - finishes at 18 (graduation)

That's if you live to see 18. But joining is spot on.

Transitioning into this life is difficult and it takes time and patience to master it but once you've got there, your there. However, majority don't even make it 'there' as they die before they do because of 'misfires' or just finding it too difficult, which usually results in them killing themselves.

You just have to think about the freedom at the end of this demented rainbow and you'll get there if you always have that goal in your head. Trust me!

Rule 5:
Boys have male instructors.
Females have female instructors.

Again, this is followed as it always has been (well since I've been here which is a heck of a long time!).

And that's all the rules. And that's all the rules I've ever read since I got here when I was 5!

I looked back up from the paper and saw the female accommodation standing before me.

Another year awaits.

My final year!