Coup D'état *Discontinued

Day Eight.

When I returned that evening, Nat was out cold. I pulled the slices of bread out from under my shirt that I had managed to sneak out. I set them gently by his head. He would be starving when he awoke.

                I figured this would show him how grateful I was.

                Jacob came in after me, noticing my stance before Nat’s bed. His eyes moved from my face down to Nat’s sleeping one to the bread.

                “He could get in serious trouble for that.” Jacob said.

                I shrugged, “I’ll take the blame.”

                “You’ll both be screwed.”

                “He’s going to be starving when he wakes up.” I argued. “He watched over me last night. It’s the least I could do. Literally,”

                Jacob shrugged, “I warned you.”

                I scowled at him and chose not to respond.

                Jacob sat down on the bed that I had seen him occupy with Eddie many times. I was sure that he took the top bunk rather than make the elder man climb up there. Jacob seemed to be attached to Eddie, showing him the utmost respect.

                I took a seat next to him, leaning against the wall.

                “Where do you work?” He asked softly.

                I glanced over my shoulder to where my work partner slept, “With Nat in the fields. We’re Cutters.”

                The slang came natural.

                Jacob cringed, “You picked a tough one. Not many girls that I know willingly went to the fields for their job. And the few that did changed before they were locked in.”

                “I didn’t know anyone else.”

                “So?”

                I shrugged, “It gets a little bit better every day. Some days I can go almost an hour without taking a break.”

                “Must’ve been Hell the first few days.” He grinned jokingly at me.

                “You wouldn’t believe.”

                He chuckled, letting the conversation fall through. I stared off at the door. Out of my peripheral, I could tell that my new friend was watching my work partner intently. I frowned slightly, and glanced over my shoulder.

                “What are you staring at?”

                “He needs to wake up.”

                “Let him sleep; he needs it.”

                Jacob shook his head, “If Red or Cassandra come in and see the bread, there’s no doubt that they will report it.”

                “Why would they do that?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Who would send a fellow human to the enslavers?”

                Jacob’s face darkened, “People who are more concerned with saving their own ass than with anyone else’s.”

                I had gotten that vibe from Cassandra the first day I met her, yet I continued to follow her like a lost dog because I had no one else.