I came up close to the gates', flat like the floor, no signs' of a way in, only a thin line that ran from the bottom up, I couldn't see to the top, it ran up too high. I tried to grip my fingers' into the tiny slit between the rim of the gates', but it was hopeless. I walked against the edge of them, running my fingers' across one of the shimmering gates', listening to the squeak of my skin against the silver surface.

I felt a tremor beneath my feet, I turned to face the giant gates' and stood as still as I could, as they slid slowly open, before me. An amazing beam, shone out and blinded my vision, I remember raising my hands' across my face to shield me from the brutality of the light. I don't' remember much after that.

I woke up to find myself surrounded by strange looking people, they were gathered around me in a circle, looking down at me in a large crowd. Fighting to get a look at me. I felt like a new pet in town. Opening my eyes', I remember just laying there numbed, then one of them spoke to me.

" Where you come from, boy ? ." The voice rang out above the crowd of gathered people. The large crowd parted in the middle to reveal a man covered in a black cloth, hooded, hiding his face. " Stand up now ". He bellowed as I stood up, stumbling to my feet, I walked over to him. He looked at me and walked around me, studying my appearance. " Umm, you would make a good worker." He said , as he ushered two people from the crowd to take me down to the citie's centre.

64.