Running From the Metal City

Chapter Two

Chapter Two:

I woke up on cold metal, the chill had seeped into my bones as I slept. I was sore but as I began to take a mental inventory of myself, I realized that my bruises and other various wounds had healed up overnight. "What on..." I muttered as I sat up. Surrounding me where about a dozen ten year olds still asleep. We were in what looked like a basement, made of steel.

"Hey Midgets!! Wake up!!" A rough voice yelled loudly, his command echoing around the room.

Slowly I saw bodies stir, panicked faces as they woke. The room was filled with lifeless bodies of kids. They looked to be around ten years old. All of them seemed abnormally drowsy, like they've been drugged.

"Good morning, June bug." The voice sneered. yanking me to my feet by grabbing a fist full of my matted hair.

"Good morning Cole, miss me?" I said sassily, painting a perky grin on my face.

Cole smirked, ignoring my comment, "How are the clothes?" he asked, referring to what happened in the room full of clothes.

My smile dropped from my face, giving him a blank look. "Your disgusting." I sneered, shivering at the thought of what I had to do I front of him earlier.

"At least I'm not covered in bruises." He taunted me then turn to the group of children. "Everyone line up by hight," Seeing their hesitation he added loudly, "NOW!"

The kids quickly scrambled to a line according to their height. Me at the end of the line, tallest. Obviously I was oldest as well.

"Why am I here?" I asked Cole as he stood before us' checking our order. Cole walked so he was facing me.

"Speak only when spoken to." He said in a deadly calm voice, smacking my cheek with hand. My head went sharply to the left because of the impact. A sting lingered and a couple of the kids gasped.

"You know I don't follow orders." I replied coolly, almost unaffected by the hit. When you get beaten until your just shy of insanity, a girly slap didn't do much to shake you.

"You would do well to learn." Cole's voice was dark and hinted at a lot of pain in the very near future for me.

"I was just asking a question, sir." I said, emphasizing 'sir,' mocking him.

"And I was just doing my job, worthless." Cole shot back, a smirk painting his face.

"What no beautiful or June bug?" I asked acting shocked, hiding a smirk of my own.

"Cole! Get to work! She's just trying to get under your skin. Ignore her." A voice boomed from and intercom in the corner. Probably who Cole is working for.

"Right." He grimaced, clenching his jaw, and taking a few steps away from me.

I grinned, point for me. It was a small victory but a victory none the less.

"Right now. Each of you is going to walk through that door," He started, gesturing to a steel door in front of us, "and past several group leaders. If one of them chooses you, you must stick with them. Do what they say if you don't want any trouble." He said the last sentence dryly, giving me a cold look. I just smiled at him and winked sassily.

"There are some other rules though, do not steal food from the Metal Jackets, do not talk back to them, do not fight with them, do what they tell you. And you'll be just fine in there." He finished happily, flashing a winning smile.

He's probably a metal jacket... Ithought to myself sourly, "Um... two questions..." I trailed off raising my right hand slightly, "one: What happened if no one picks you? And two: what happens if you 'disobey' the metal jackets?" I finished, putting a quotation on 'disobey.'

Cole threw his head back, laughing/creeping me out. "If no one picks you... your on your own, unless someone pity's you and takes you in theirgroup." He said exposing the first question.

"Okay..." I trailed off, worrying someone wouldn't let me in their group. "What about my second question?"

"Oh..." He said, smiling as if recalling a memory, "you remember Tyler, right?" I nodded.

"Well he thought it was funny to steal some food and he got punished, and you saw what he looked like afterwards."

"That... was over... food?" I asked, struggling to keep my anger in check. "Just...Food!?" I repeated the question.

"Why yes June Bug, but not just food. Tyler broke the rules too... that has a price here you know." Cole smirked and watched as the first few nervous ten year olds went through the dark metal door. One of the girls was refusing to go in, tears streamed down her face.

"No! I won't! I wan't to go home! I don't like this!" She sobbed, sinking to the ground. The girl showed what everyone else was feeling, panicked, scared, and exhausted.

"Well, your not going to go home. And your going to go through that door, wether you like it or not." Cole said coolly.

The poor girl just shook her head and continue to let out muffled sobs.

"Get up!" Cole yelled, raising a hand to struck her. I quickly stood between them, Cole's hand hitting me by mistake.

"Get out of my way!" He shouted in my face, trying to get to the girl on the floor.

I shook my head and yelled at the other kids, "Get out of here! Take the girl and leave!"

A few of them nodded, when others stood still in shock and horror. "Leave!" I yelled again as Cole's fist came in contact with my stomach. Two of the kids dragged the crying girl out of the room, while the rest scrambled out. A few of them giving apologetic looks before they turned away.

"Must you mess up everything?" Cole said angrily, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me roughly.

"Only the wrong stuff!" I managed barley, trying to keep my head from falling back to far and injuring myself.

"Gah..." Cole shoved me too the ground. "Telling them to leave didn't do anything, the only way out of this room is the door." He smirked knowing he had won.

"They got away from you... and that's all that matters right now." I wheezed, slowly standing to my feet and leaning against the wall for support.

"Whatever." He grumbled, turning to leave the room.

I glared at him and slowly took off my sneaker, in a total lapse of judgement I threw it at his head. I didn't miss either. Throwing rocks at birds in the woods  has to pay off sometime... Right?

"Okay.. that's it!" Cole snapped. Picking up my shoe and roughly grabbing my arm. "Lets go see if anyone wants you.. hmm?" He laughed coldly, scaring me more than hurting me would of.

Cole dragged me by the arm towards the metal door where the leaders awaited.