Species

Chapter 6

         "You won't know yet." Naomi said quietly and calmly.

Chloe looked into Naomi's eyes and saw concern. In a state of panic she looked around the room. There were men she hadn't noticed before standing guard around the room. One of the men made eye contact with her for a moment before he began talking into his ear device. She quickly looked away afraid she'd get in trouble and possibly dragged again.

     Her eyes scanned the ladies around her again. Without her glasses some of them were fuzzy, but she focused on their stomachs. Their giant t-shirts made it hard to tell if they had bumps or not. Then she saw a few women stroking what was now made obvious to be baby bumps. 

      Her breathing sped up into hyperventilating. She didn't even realize she was panicking and spiraling. Her mind was trying so hard to grasp what was going on. Looking back at the Girls sitting at her table. They were all watching her intently. Suddenly aware of her melt down and embarrassed, she tried to cover her mouth and calm herself down. She averted her eyes and noticed Tiffany's bump. Tiffany's bump. It was so close to her, so big, and so real.

        "I think I need to go to my room." Chloe stated standing up quickly, almost too quickly. Nausea and dizziness hit her like bat. "Woah!" she grabbed the table for stability. 

"Chloe," Naomi stood up next to her and gently grabbed her arm helping to stabilize her. Chloe took the time to check Naomi's mid section. To her surprise and relief she did not have a bump.

"Chloe, you need to eat." Naomi insisted. Chloe could hear worry in her voice. Naomi was right; she knew it. She glanced down at her plate and made a quick decision. Grabbing her blueberry muffin and chocolate milk she was ready to go. . . or so she thought. 

She looked at the double doors and then frowned feeling deflated. "I don't know how to get to my room." she stated sadly feeling defeated. She fought the tears that begged to run down her cheek. "I just want to go to my room." her voice broke. "Can't I eat in my room?"

"Chloe, do not cry. Not here. Not now." Monica whispered urgently. "They see that as misbehaving." she explained. 

Chloe took deep breaths sitting back down trying to control herself. She tried so hard and mental begged her body to calm down, but it refused to listen to her so she just held her head staring down and focusing on her breathing.

        Sophie, who was sitting across from Chloe, gently pushed her plate toward her reminding her to eat something. Chloe lifted her head, flashed Sophie a thankful grin, and then began to eat a strip of bacon. It was so delicious that before she knew it she had eaten all of her bacon strips and moved on to her muffin and drank all her milk. She forgot where she was for a moment. 

        A few women from the table over got up, tossed their plates in a bucket, and left the room.

"We can go now?" Chloe asked the girls at her table. They nodded with their heads hung not looking at her. 

She heard someone clearing their throat behind her. Slowly turning, she found the mean blonde man standing behind her.

"I'm escorting you to your room." he stated. His eyes were filled with this anger. He looked at her like he hated her and wished to spit in her face. But why? Had she done something to him? 

Impatience clear on his face, she nodded and stood up grabbing her plate. "Bye," she whispered to the girls. The guard she'd made eye contact with earlier, was behind her and took her plate for her. "Thank you," she whispered to him ignoring the blonde man's burning gaze.

        Grabbing her roughly by the arm he lead her through the doors and to her room. They had to go through the dreaded hall. She gasped at the sight of it and froze digging her heel in the ground for just a moment. The memory. The screams. It was too much.