It was late and Anna was tired. She’d had a long day, what with school, gymnastics and now an extended cheerleading practice to get the team ready for a competition at the end of the month. The coach had been working them hard for the past 2 hours at this point, and she didn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon, yelling at them which manoeuvres to perform, offering them little praise when they performed well, but quick to berate them when they made the slightest mistake. Anna looked around at the rest of the team, most of them completely worn out and disheartened, their effort going unnoticed.
Another hour passed. It was now 9PM. Sweat dripped from Anna’s forehead, her Angel Grove cheerleading uniform clinging to her skin, causing discomfort. Every limb ached and she felt dizzy.
“Alright, you can go.” The entire room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. People hurriedly gathered their things and left, Anna joining them. She was far too hot to wear a coat, instead leaving it behind in her locker. This was a decision she regretted almost immediately upon setting foot outside. The cool air nipped at her skin, and the rapid change in temperature caused her to feel ill. She thought of returning for her coat, but just sighed and started the journey home.
When she finally arrived it was just before 10. She could think of nothing else but her bed and flopped down onto it when she got home, almost immediately drifting off to sleep. Her stomach, however would not let her sleep, waking her up with groans of hunger. She forced herself up and downstairs into the pitch black kitchen. She glanced at the clock on her way. Almost midnight. She was just in the middle of preparing something to eat when she felt something behind her. She turned slowly to see a blinding light, throwing up her arm to shield her eyes. “What-!?” Before she could finish the sentence she had been whisked away from her kitchen.
When she lowered her arm, she could see a large circular room, very futuristic with numerous computers, lights and what appeared to be some kind of robot. A quick glance around told her she was not alone, a few other people also in the room. “Who are you people? Where am I?” She asked, a quiver in her voice.