Coup D'état *Discontinued

Day Five

“That means you’ve been here for 12 years…” I whispered.

                He nodded, “I’m one of the oldest here.”

                I blinked, surprised by that fact. “Are you serious?”

                “Obviously.”

                “Wow…” I whispered, staring off into the distance. He must’ve been one of the first ones in this slave business the aliens had.

                He was silent, letting me think about everything.

                I had only been here for three days working. My muscles ached so badly that I could barely get up the next day. Only the threat of death pushed me. It had never crossed my mind that I would be here for the rest of my life.

                Every day it’d be the same routine again and again.

                I was twenty-three.

                I still had all of my life to live.

                Nat tugged on my elbow gently, pulling me forward in line. He pushed a tray in between my fingers as we neared the food.

                “You ok?”

                I nodded slowly, “Yeah. It’s just… It hit me now that I’ll be doing the same thing for the rest of my life.”

                He smiled slightly, staring off in the distance, “That could change.”

                “What?” I frowned.

                Nat blinked, seeming to realize that he said that aloud. “Uh… Never mind. Let’s just not talk about this anymore.”

                I wanted to object, I wanted to learn more about this new life I was living, but the harsh look on his face stopped me in my tracks. My teeth gently bit down on my tongue to prevent any unwanted words from slipping out.

                Nat and I got our food in silence before separating to the different sections to where we sat. As I made my way to the normal corner that I ate in, I noticed that someone had already taken up the normal space.

                My face fell.

                A small boy who couldn’t be any older than twelve sat crouched in the corner talking to another girl around his age.

                I didn’t have enough confidence to sit near them or to ask them to leave.

                My eyes scanned the rest of the room as I searched for an alternative spot to eat at. The tables were packed with people, automatically eliminating them as an option. People were crowded against all of the walls bordering the Mess hall.

                It never occurred to me that I might lose my spot. It was so isolated from everyone else, so uncomfortably small, that I never thought anyone would take it. My legs shook slightly as my eyes failed to find another spot to sit.

                I looked for a familiar face.

                Nat.

                Cassandra.

                The elder man who always managed to get into an argument with Cassandra over the number-name ordeal.

                The man who had taken me to the secret meeting deep within the stalks of the plants only the night before.