Running With the Wave

Chapter 5

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Era:

It's the first chore day that Keara isn't with me. The Ringer rings extra early, and I grudgingly stumble into my corner to get changed. Pulling on my shirt and shorts, I crawl back out and kiss Keara on the cheek. She stirs and half awakes.

"I'll be back, I'm just going to do chores." I tell her.

She nods slightly and turns away from me, going back to sleep. I pick my way to the door with the kids under twelve years old, spotting Tamio and Amiya curled up together. The Scar must've worked for them, they don't have to do chores. A spark of envy burns in my chest but I stamp it out before it gets too strong. No need for that. I should be happy for them. Does that make me a bad person? No, I decide, it just makes me real. It just means that I'm not run down. I follow the others through a door way on the right hand wall, across from the wall screen. We crowd around a mini wall screen with the scheduele to see what our chores are for today.

"Are you Era?" a eight year old asks.

"Yeah." I answer.

"Great! I'm Moa, you're on kitchen duty with me." She grins cheerfully.

I study her carefully. Not that I thought she was about to attack me, but because of her unnaturally cheerful attitude and the fact that I'd never seen her in my entire life.

"You don't live in cell fifteen." I state the obvious.

"I lived in cell three until today." She explains her smile melting away, giving way to a sad expression, "It was crowded, and they only kept me there cause my mom was there to explain me the rules. She disappeared yesterday. I was told she died and they already took her body away."

I bite my lip, uncomfortable and regretting that I even asked. All of our stories are sad, and they've been made into something personnal and that people don't share.

"Oh. I'm sorry." I blush.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. But watch it, cause I'm the kind of person who will start telling you her life's story." Moa's grin returns.

Well, I've offiially decided that I like the new red-headed girl.

"Vent on me if you like." I smile back, unable to call up a grin after years of hardship.

Maybe if I stay around Moa enough I'll gain my grin back.

"So... Um, where's the kitchen?" she asks.

"Right, sorry. Forgot you don't know your way around. Follow me."

I take her small hand in mine. It reminds me of taking Keara's hand when she was younger, and I decide that this day is probably gonna be the best on I've ever had. I wish Keara was here to enjoy it with me. We walk through several more doorways before getting to the kitchen. Oatmeal steams in pots on the stoves and dishes pile high in the sink.

"I think I'll leave you to the oatmeal." Moa suggests.

"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea." I agree.

I knew how to work a stove at the very least, though it was usually Keara who did the oatmeal. No matter what I cook, it ends up tasting burnt.

I guess people will be having burnt oatmeal for breakfast this morning.

Hunter:

I still don't want to think about my discussion with Railt the day before. It's just a painful reminder that I'm the only one thinking this way, that I'm the only one realizing how exactly we're treating the women. How sick it is. I shove my vegetables around the plate with no intention of actually eating the slimy green stuff.