Patrick stops and stretches, and we all join him. “Then you join the others.”
My stomach churns. A week ago, we had no plan, now we are about to jump in without looking. “This…it feels foolhardy.”
“Yep,” Mandy agrees. “But anything we do will feel the same. This is the only chance we’ll have for a long time, and we need to take it.”
We do, but it feels as though we are embarking on a voyage without a map or supplies.
On my walk to the lab, I expect the soldiers to stop me, or to realize that something is up. But nothing is different from any other day. They walk ahead, and I trail along. I’m sure they’re not meant to be walking ahead, but they clearly don’t want me to overhear their gossip. This morning I don’t want them talking to me in case I accidentally blurt out that I’m going to set the alien free, and that my friends are trying to bring down the leaders.
By the time I reach the lab, my heart is threatening to break my ribs. I’m out of breath from the exertion of keeping my mouth closed. I unlock the lab step inside and shut the door behind me. My legs feel weak, and it’s all I can do to lean against the door with my eyes closed.
“Are you okay?” Tiril asks.
“Just a moment.” I keep my eyes closed and collect my thoughts. I don’t know how we are going to do this. And I have some time to decide, as the guards will have a chat as they swap shifts. We need to wait for the ones who were here overnight to leave, so there are only two to fight.
I forced out a slow breath, open my eyes, and peel myself off the door. My skin is clammy, and my clothes are sticking to me. A part of me wants to call this off. To be safe. But that safety is an illusion, and the leaders have already shown me I am nothing to them except for a cog to be turned whenever they want.
Will things be better afterwards? Maybe the fact that things will be different is enough.
“It’s today.” His voice is low, as he doesn’t want his words to even leave the cell.
I nod, unable to speak.
He sits on the bed and puts on his socks and boots. Then he folds up the blanket until it’s small and compact and tucks it beneath his shirt, and into the waist of his pants to keep it in place.
“What are you doing?”
“Never give up a good blanket.”
“Is that the first rule of being banished?”
“It’s the first rule of survival. I suggest you have something to eat. Perhaps put something in your pockets, and also have a drink.” He opens the lid of the food tub and helps himself to a nutrition bar. They are brown and bland, and as tasteless as eating dirt…actually, dirt would have more flavor. Aside from a few little things I have brought him, that is what he has existed on for the last month.
He holds one out for me, and I take it.
What he is saying is the smart thing to do, but my stomach is twirling about and I’m not sure I can eat anything without throwing up.
“Are you looking forward to some fresh food?”
He closes his eyes, and his face takes on an expression of pure pleasure. “I long to hunt and feel the hot fat and juice of fire cooked meat dripping over my chin.”
The way he says it, I’m not even sure he is actually talking about cooked meat, because most guys only talk like that about sex.
He opens his eyes. “I’m also looking forward to eating some vegetables.”
It’s one of the words he struggles with in English. And I have to bite back a laugh.
“That was wrong, again?”
“If you intend to eat them raw, you could always say salad.”
“Fine, I crave salad and meat.”
“I look forward to trying your cooking. It will be an improvement on what they have been serving us for the last few days.”
Tiril holds up the nutrition bar. “Worse than this?”
“Like that, but mixed with water, so it’s kind of mushy.”
