Coup D'état *Discontinued

Night Six

                There seemed to be more people tonight than the first night I’d come to the surreptitious meeting. I followed Nat through the thick crowds that gathered as we entered in from the back. The people moved easily around us. He glanced back once to see if I was still there, but continued a brisk pace.

                Finally he broke through, stepping into an opening in the middle of the crowd. I stopped in my place at the front of the rows of people. A silence hushed over the crowd as all eyes fell upon the leader. I watched his own eyes as they surveyed the audience before him. His lips parted as he began with the familiar incantation.

                “I am not a number.” He shouted. His voice was thunderous, radiating authority. It flowed easily from his lips.

                All around me I heard the same words uttered in unison. “I am not a number.”

                “I am a human being.” With every word, his eyes roamed over the crowd.

                “I am not property!”

                My lips were silent. I ached to join in with them, but it felt wrong for me to participate in this ritual.

                “I don’t belong here.”

                “This is not our home.”

                “We are humans!” The last word was shouted in a surprisingly powerful tone from Nat. His word silenced all in the crowd as they waited respectfully for him to continue.

                “Someone, a trusted brother of us, betrayed his own kind.”

                Surprise resonated in the small clearing we gathered in. Yet, no one made a comment on his statement.

                “Issued out today was a reminder that anyone caught in the act of rebelling would be severely punished.” He continued.

                My eyebrows furrowed together.

                What was he talking about?

                “Word had leaked out about our little raid to happen. The little bastards knew we were up to something within hours of our meeting.”

                If this was true, why hadn’t they tried to stop the meeting from being gathered? Why had Nat put everyone in such a risk to evidently pull them from their cabins when the creatures would be watching?

                “I’m stating this as a reminder for everyone. If you’re not here for humanity, you’re nothing better than those things that have enslaved us.” His words were sharp. “I don’t need some little freak leaking plans out.”

                My lips twitched to voice a question, but with a last minute thought, I decided to keep it to myself.

                Unfortunately, my actions hadn’t gone unnoticed. Nat’s eyes darted over to me sharply, “Would you like to include something?”

                Hesitantly, I shook my head softly. The cold look he gave me didn’t leave me in question with who he was directing his words to.

                “Oh come on. You look like you have something strong you wish to express with the rest of us.” His words were tauntingly mean. His eyes teased me. While his words seemed to be intended to embarrass me, his eyes bore into mine with curiosity. He was interested in what I had wanted to speak before.