Internment

Chapter 27

"Her name is Reyna, and she's none of your concern," Liza said with a casual wave of indifference, though her jaw gave the subtlest flex at the last two words. "Now if you'd be so kind as to fetch that chocolate."

"Of course," Mrs. Adler smiled through gritted teeth and disappeared into a nearby pantry, emerging moments later with a brown paper bag. Shoving it into Liza's hands, she didn't bother hiding the sneer on her face.

Liza sifted through the bag, only acknowledging Mrs. Adler once she'd decided the amount of chocolate bars inside was satisfactory. She met Mrs. Adler's glare with another sickeningly sweet smile before saying, "Well Fran, it really is always a pleasure." With that, she linked her arm with Reyna's and spun them around towards the exit.

She walked arm in arm with Liza across the grounds, neither saying a word as Liza unwrapped one of the chocolate bars and broke off a piece, popping it into her mouth.

"Want a piece?" Liza asked, extending the bar towards Reyna.

"I thought officers only?" She arched a brow, trying to hide her smile as Liza shrugged and popped another piece into her mouth.

"What does that word mean?" She asked after a few more beats of silence passed between them. "Kapo," She repeated the word Mrs. Adler had used.

Liza shook her head. "It's just a term used for people like us."

"People like us?" She quirked a brow.

"Like you and me," She explained. "And Luca."

"You still haven't told me what it means," Reyna pressed.

She sighed. "Well I'm sure you've gathered that it's not exactly a term of endearment. It's the name they give us - prisoners who have more purpose - more privilege."

"Privilege?"

"Oh come on Reyna," Liza raised a brow. "Surely by now you've noticed the difference. The nicer clothes? The warmer coats? The shoes without holes in the toes?" Liza gave her a disbelieving look when she said nothing. "The fact that you get to sit in a cushy little armchair and read books all day? The fact that I can walk across these ground eating chocolate and not be strung up and whipped?" She added, holding up the half eaten bar in her hand.

"She looked at me like she hates me," Was all Reyna said in reply. She had. Mrs. Adler had looked at her with enough contempt to rival most SS officers.

"Well she probably does," Liza shrugged.

"She doesn't know me," Reyna said, unable to let it go. Unlooping her arm from Liza's, she crossed her arms over her chest.

Liza gave her a sympathetic look. "People like Franny Adler need someone to blame - someone to hate. And instead of directing that hate at the people who put her here, she directs it at us. She sees the little bit we have and despises us for it."

"We're still prisoners here just like her," She interjected.

"Doesn't matter," Liza shook her head. "The fact is we have something she doesn't have. That's what it comes down to."

"I didn't ask for any of this," She argued.

"Didn't you though?" Liza quirked a brow. "You knew what you were doing when you struck up that deal with the Stubaf - knew what worse fates you were avoiding by agreeing to meet with him."

She bit her lip, coming up short for a retort.

"You had a choice," Liza continued. "You could've walked away and I doubt the Stubaf would've pursued you further. But you chose to say yes. You chose to keep going back to that study each night and you didn't bat an eye at the comforts that arrangement provided."

"There wasn't much of a choice considering the alternative," She countered.

"I'm not saying I blame you one bit," Liza said gently, picking up on the defensiveness in her tone. "But people like Franny Adler see it much differently. The nasty truth behind all their hate though," She continued, her tone turning overtly haughty. "The thing they refuse to admit to themselves while they sit up on their high horses ... is if given the option, they would do the exact same thing. And they wouldn't care who they had to step on to get there ... So I'll be their villain if that's what they want," Liza shrugged. "Someone has to be."

Reyna glanced away, frowning. It wasn't fair. None of it was. Everything she'd done was out of self preservation, and she was hated for it. She swallowed down the guilt. Franny Adler didn't know anything about her. Didn't know what had happened to her. No ... She refused to feel bad. Refused to feel guilty for staying alive - for finding some shred of happiness in this place.

A hand grasping her's pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked down at Liza's hand in her's, pressing the chocolate bar into her palm. She glanced up to meet her eyes. Liza gave her a gentle smile, as though she knew exactly what she'd been thinking.

"Have the rest," She said, giving her hand a light squeeze before releasing it.

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