Tevun-Krus #35 - Best of '16

The Room - A Short Story by @VintageVulpes

She shook her head, her hand rubbing the back of her neck, "no, I was too busy thinking of all the ways I could die in the future." When Eyal clenched his jaw, making it look stronger than it already was, she rolled her eyes and stepped away from him- closer to the edge of the cement stairs leading to the courtyard. "I just don't like it. We'll be completely isolated. I hate feeling trapped," she added.

Eyal ran his fingers through his thick, black hair then stepped up to stand beside her. They stood facing the treeline a few miles out from the edge of the facility, staring at the nature through a ten foot high, chain-link fence. He draped his arm around her shoulders and leaned into her, a smile flicking across his features.

"You know," he started with a deep tone, "there's a lot you and I could get into when we're isolated... together." Eyal looked down at her and, when she looked up, he winked.

Kara laughed briefly, "you're such an animal."

"Only when I'm around you," he nudged her in the ribs.

***

The next day, 0800 hours...

A man with snow white hair and a large mustache to match stood on a raised stage, behind a tall podium. An ocean of drab army uniforms and the officers inside of them, sat in neat rows in front of him. The auditorium reverberated with murmurs as they looked up to the large screen presented with images of a large, empty room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present; your 'Nikola Tesla Transportation Room'. It can transfer fifty people at one time and absolutely not a single person more," The white haired man, the General, addressed.

Eyal leaned to his left to bring his face closer to Kara's ear, "They can't just say Time Machine?"

"Sssh," she whispered in return but despite her disapproval of his interruption, a smirk spread across her lips.

He grinned with tightly clamped lips before straightening in his seat haughtily.

"Each one of you here today will be escorting forty-eight prisoners. You will be paired with another officer and as soon as you arrive at Future Earth Security Prison, evacuate the Nikola Tesla Transportation Room-"

"Time Machine Room," Eyal corrected, his hand covering his mouth, and received a elbow in the side.

"--and take your designated prisoners away to their specific cells. Each block will have six guards, so three transports per block. Those of you who will have max security prisoners will have nine guards per block. However, I do not want you to be afraid of these men and women. They will be under sedation. Doctor Wu will explain the sedation process."

"But first," Ruth continued, "we have yet to determine the causation for Earth to be in such a state in the next century--"

A large burst of murmurs erupted and several soldiers stood and started to question the last statement.

"Sit down, we don't have the answer but I assure you--"

"When is this? Do you even have a real date?"

"Soldier, sit your ass down, all your questions will be addressed," Ruth shouted with a booming, authoritative voice. "Now, we aren't sure on the cause but we have scientists working on that now. However, that is not why you're here. Your job is to run the prison."

"Shouldn't we be trying to save the world, keeping the end from happening," another soldier shouted without standing in order to remain anonymous. "The prisons we have are fine, we need to get our priorities straight here."