The Trials

Chapter 2

The boy with the blonde hair reaches his hand out to help me up off of the ground, 'it this a peace offering?' I think to myself. There are so many questions running through my head right now but all that I can manage to say is "Um... Thanks"

"No problem, so, you gotta name?" The boy says like he's said it thousands of times before.

Oh crap, what is my name? "it's uh... J... J... James" I stutter as I tell him.

"The names Ben, let me tell you how things work around here. You are the newbie here, so we will assign you a job"

A job? What is this kid talking about? I look around and I am amazed. We are standing in the middle of an enormous dome, and inside there is a farm, what appears to be a sleeping quarters, and there is another two buildings that I don't know what they are.

"Let me show you around" said Ben.

Ben tells me to follow him, and to not ask many questions. First we go to the farm and he tells me that this is where I will be working for the next few months or so. Next he shows me one of the two buildings and he tells me that it is the slaughter house and that if I'm squeamish I shouldn't go in.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about where you are. This is the dome, no one knows how they got here, and no one knows how to get out. We have everything we need though, food and fresh water. Hell, we even have toilets! The fact of the matter is we're stuck here and so are you, so make your self at home."

"Alright, thanks for the tour" I say sarcastically.

"Ya, no problem." he says and then walks away.

Now I am all alone, so I walk outside and try do something to get my mind off of what has happened and where I am.

"Hey!" says this kid as he runs up to me. He has dark brown hair and is very skinny and short. "My name is Joe, I saw you come out of the box this morning and I thought I would say hello, also you look confused and it looks like you could use some help. What is your name?

"It's James" I say with my voice still shaking.

"Let's go get you cleaned up then, James."

I look down at myself and I forgot about the goop that I was covered with, maybe that is why people we're looking at me strange.

"What is this stuff?" I ask not knowing to expect.

"I'll tell you after you clean up, I don't want you to freak out until t is off of you."

I agree and he takes me to the same house that I am staying in, and shows me the showers. He hands me some fresh cloths and tells me to throw the others away.

The shower has been the best thing sense I got here. The warm water is invigorating. I get out of the shower and I try in the new cloths, there is a t-shirt, jeans, socks, shoes and a jacket. Everything fits me almost perfectly, it's like they were expecting me...

Once I get out of the bathroom I see Joe. "So tell me, what was that stuff?"

"Oh, that um... that was... It was blood and other body part-type things. We don't know how that stuff gets there, it just sorta, you know, gets there." Joe says this like nothing is wrong with what was just all over my body.

I start to feel light headed and I think I might puke, but I hold it back for the sake of keeping my dignity.

"I heard that you work in the barn scooping animal droppings. It just so happens that I do too! We can be cleaning buddies!"

Joe says this like it is a good thing! "Cool..." I say hoping he doesn't sense the sarcasm in my voice.

"Come on, we better get to work." Joe says.