MIRR/OR/ED

|Chapter 13|

Chapter 13. Starlite sky

• • •

Stepping in through the doors Tom holds open, he takes each of our head counts as we enter. The aroma from the kitchen fills the room, and voices echo in from the dining hall. Sensations erupt through my nose causing my stomach to rumble in response since I haven't eaten anything all day-- besides the apple.

"Smells good!" Devins excitement laces through his hunger driven words as I can only guess he's starved.

"Food is ready to serve, everyone to the dining room!" Tom shouts from the middle of the concrete room, making sure his voice cascades down the corridors of the camp. Gathered groups disburse as they line themselves out the doors of the kitchen.

"Elders and children are always the first to go, but there are more children than elders so that's the good news." I laugh, looking over to Devin's face unphased as he doesn't recognize the joke.

"You'll get used to it here." My shoulder shoves him to the side and he offers a faint grin.

We step up to the line just outside the kitchen corridors. Chatter fills the air with bits of conversations. A normal evening for the camp. Although things have changed a great deal in the past forty eight hours, there is an almost nostalgic feeling settling into my veins-- I can't help but bask in it.

"Hey!" I hear the familiar voice pierce through the others and Lilly pounces up next to me, giving small sorries to the ones she's skipped ahead of. "What we havin'?"

I smile at her. "I don't know, it smells like spaghetti though."

As the line shrinks and we inch closer to the long metal countertop lining the kitchen behind it, we get up to the front and the chill of the metal presses into my hands as I prop myself up against them. The people at the end of the line disburse and it's our turn to get a tray, familiar camp members smile back at the passing duty members serving their portions. I give the older woman serving me a thankful smile and turn towards the rows of tables, setting my plate down on the closest one.

Lilly follows behind and sets hers on the opposite side, followed by Devin setting his tray next to me, and we all eat in silence with our faces buried in the trays. Each of us is too hungry to have a moment to speak. Until the rest of the line comes to fill the seats beside us, Blake and Allison, one of the many to sit down plop a spot next to Lilly. Maria edges her way in next to me, giving a small "sorry" to the people beside her.

The energy of the table builds as the new bodies have filled the empty spaces, the chatter of the other voices blends together as I am aimlessly digging into my food. My growled stomach easing its pain with each bite.

Blake begins between his comping bites. "So, Devin. How was it being captured?" His awkward question sits on the table between us like an unwanted food. I see Devin's hand stop, the spaghetti linked between the blades of his fork fall to his plate.

"Umm," He starts. The sound of his fork hitting his metal tray rings through the pause in his words. I look at Blake with cold eyes, but he doesn't meet mine. "It was interesting..." Devin continues forking at his food, obviously losing the want to eat.

"No one's ever run away after being captured. I'm just wondering, how did you do it all by yourself?" Blake responds, his words lacing with accustation. The tone of it dances on my irritation and I jump at him in defense, not intending to do so. More of a reflex than anything.

"I think you should take your questions to Tom since he's the one that has the 411." I say plainly, noticing the gazes of those around me. Blake finally meets my gaze, his hard eyes glisten from the fluorescent lights above us and I can almost read sorrow from them. Finishing his food he gives a small grunt before picking his plate up and walking off, leaving Allison behind.