Hell is Empty

Hell is Empty- Chapter 6

We roll back into the compound and I get my first real look at the fence surrounding us. Winter is storming in and as the morning crawls later  the evening draws earlier and the sky is already darkening by the time we are unloading ourselves from the bus. The fence itself is tall enough; I’d hazard a guess at ten feet and atop it sits two lethal coils of barbed wire. I can’t see a break in it anywhere except for the gate where we entered, heavily guarded and now firmly closed behind us, probably not to open again until morning. Along the fence itself I can see other soldiers at regular intervals, but these gaps are quite wide, anyone trying to get in would be spotted pretty soon though.

“I wonder what’s for dinner.” Mia asks, lifting her head and sniffing the air in ecstasy, somehow savouring the scent of something boiled wafting outside to where we stand outside the door, fumbling with the keys in our cold numbed hands.

“If I have to guess, I’d say something Spam based accompanied by something that was originally a vegetable, probably a potato but has now been powdered and if we’re lucky, maybe a leek or some broccoli.” Unfortunately, as we step into the living area, it seems as though I am right. I sigh, already resigned to terrible meals throughout the war, but Mia’s spirits don’t seem dampened.

“Smells delicious!” She calls back into the kitchen, flopping herself down on the sofa in exhaustion. Who knew packing boxes could be so tiring?

“Thanks, I poured the sachets of mashed potato into the water myself.” Says George, ginning in that lopsided way that has become so fashionable on boys, but on George is just how his face moves. Mia regards him then sits up straight.

“You’ve got different clothes on! Why do you have different clothes on! That’s not fair; I want new clothes!” He chuckles and returns to the sound of something boiling over. “No, no! Don’t hide behind your potatoes.” Mia insists, following him back to the kitchen and leaning over the table so far that her feet rise off the floor. I follow, taking off my coat and placing it over a chair.

“Go into our room.” He shoots over his shoulder and Mia squeals, flying out of the room before her noise is even finished. “Had to guess your size, thought you’re probably about the same as Mi. I tend to go for larger stuff when in doubt though, so don’t be offended if some of the stuff’s too big. Women’s clothing sizes are confusing as fuck.”

“They make no sense to women either. Someone just pulls them out of a hat and slaps them on the label. Why’d you think women take so long shopping? We have to try on everything.” He laughs and pulls the lid off a pot to check on whether the other pot was actually boiling at all.

“There isn’t much up there. Even on donated and reclaimed clothing there’s a ration so… Yeah. This is almost done too if you want to shout everyone down. Well, don’t shout; Elise is putting the baby to sleep.” I tell him I will, then follow in Mia’s wake out the door and up the stairs. I knock gently on our door and am greeted by a cheery “Come in!” before entering.

Immediately in front of me sits a neatly folded pile of clothes that, admittedly, have seen better days, but at least are clean and more suitable for the cold months than the tank top I have been making do with since the end of summer. There’s even a questionably styled woolly hat.

To my right on her side of the bed stands Mia in the process of changing.

“Sorry, I thought you said come in!” I say, looking at the wall, studying one of the drawings very hard for a moment before the thought of that little girl makes me feel sick again.

“Nah, it’s okay. I’ve done a lot of acting in my time. You get used to not caring about getting changed in front of people.”

“Okay, well, I was basically home-schooled until GCSE.”