It has been almost two weeks now since I first entered the Pit. The jobs we are assigned all suck. There are people who build cabins and other buildings to allow the Pit to hold more people. Messy and a lot of the bigger guys got assigned to be builders, their work is slow and tough. Of course they try to do as little work as possible, but the witch's commandos keep a close eye on them. Each of them carry guns and they make sure we know it. I am pretty sure they get about one building done a year, if that.
Mik and Regan were both assigned to mess duty. All they do is clean up after meals, help cook and get everything laid out. They have a pretty easy job, so they have a bunch of free time. There are many other jobs that are being done and some of them are just terrible like those who have to clean up after fights break out and must haul people back to the infirmary. Rumor is that if you get hurt real bad you can get out, but that hasn't happened yet. There was one kid who got his arm broken, they still didn't take him out. No one knows how but when he came back out, it wasn't broken anymore. The giant purple cast on his arm got him out of work for a while though.
I get a "special" job according to Ms. Crimson along with three other people because we each did something to catch her eye. Mine was the elevator and the others, I have no clue what they did.
We are the errand kids. All we do is run around our section of the camp doing odd jobs. If one of the officers needs something, they ask us and we have to do it. Mostly it's messages because apparently reception sucks and phones are almost useless down here. There is the occasional delivery we must make, but other than that it's a waiting game. We start after breakfast and go until dinner starts. After breakfast we each go to our separate waiting area and wait for orders. One person has to sit in the office building, another in the center of the cabins, someone is by the elevator entrance, and I sit by the creek all day. Which if you think about it, it's not too bad especially on days where I have to only deliver a few messages. Bad days are when I am constantly running around giving message after message. Then dinner comes around and my day is done.
Most days my thoughts wander as I run back and forth or just sit by the creek staring into its surface. I don't know if I would yet consider the people I have met my friends or not. They are criminals just like me and I don't know if I can trust them or not. I mean each of us lies, cheats, and killed. None of us are good, we all have to live with what we have done, but some of them are great. All of my roommates are open except none of us have asked each other about how we got here or our lives before the Pit, basically life starts once you step on that bus. Not one of us has had the courage to bring it up to one another. I am defiantly curious, but I don't want them to ask me, so the conversation rests in the back of each of our minds, yet not a word is spilled. However, we did ask each person's rank. Mik, Aya, and Sophie are all rank one and Regan is two; the same as me.
Mik and Regan both are amazing. Laughter fills each of us as we talk whenever we are together. Sure, I like each of the other girls in my cabin, but I'm not as close to them. Sophie and Aya are really close, always together like they are in their own little world. It took me a few days to realize it and when I did it was only an assumption until Regan asked them directly.
"Are you guys dating?" she asked them once out of the blue when all of us were outside sitting on the picnic table.
They both looked guiltily at one another before Aya spoke up. "Yeah, been for a while now."
Then Sophie being the shy girl she is whispered, "We are afraid you guys wouldn't accept us, so we kept it to ourselves."
"I wanted to tell y'all, but Sophie wanted to keep it secret."
We all nodded at them and each of us understood why they wanted it kept quiet. There are some really terrible people who are against lesbians and I really hate how people can't just let them be without giving them shit about it. It made me feel even happier when all of us agreed that it was great they found one another. Sophie still wasn't comfortable with a lot of people knowing, so we are all keeping it down about them. It's their business, so they can tell people when they are ready until then my lips are sealed.
Our cabin is peaceful and I am glad everyone is semi-normal. Messy is a complete idiot. We spend a lot of time together at dinner and in front of our cabins. Sometimes we will go for walks. We make fun of one another, tease each other, fight and argue all the time, but all of it is lighthearted. Neither one of us is incredibly mean and if we do cross a boundary we can both shake it off like nothing happened. We talk about everything and nothing. Meals, the witches, the people, food always food. Both of us love food and the crap they serve is just not edible sometimes. Messy will surprise me and offer me a candy bar, once he even pulled out pop from his pockets. I almost cried at the sight. Every time I ask his how he keeps getting it and the reply is the same each time.
"I have connections."
Right now, my roommates and I are all in front of our building because today is way too hot to be inside without a/c. The sun is starting to set and we sit there quietly just enjoying it. No one wants to talk, we have plenty of time to talk later, and are stuck here after all.
Regan stands followed closely by Mik and it's Regan who breaks the silence. "Alright guys, it's time."
"For what?" Aya asks.
"A surprise."
Just then Messy walks out with Colby, who I later found out is rooming with Messy and is rank two like myself. They walk over to us, Messy grins while Colby puffs out smoke from the cigarette hanging from his lips. How he got it will forever be a mystery to me.
"Ready to go?" Messy asks Mik and Regan. Both nod it return as I stand with Aya and Sophie.
"Where to?" I ask hoping to get more out of Messy than Regan. He opens his mouth as Colby glares at him and Mik strides to him and places a hand over his mouth. Well, it was worth a shot. Regan starts walking down the path and the rest of us follow closely behind.
We make a turn there and another here. Five minutes later we see barrel fires ahead of us. When we see them, my world goes black. Messy threw a bad over my head, Colby quickly trapped Sophie who squeaked like a mouse, and Mik captured Aya with the help of Regan. I struggled against Messy, but it was totally pointless he was twice my size at least. He lifted me up and threw me on his shoulder. Mik and Regan were snickering to one another saying how easy it was to catch us.
I was moving forward or Messy was. The only thing I could tell was that the light was getting closer and I could feel the heat on the back of my legs. Groups of people were talking all at once and I could only get parts of what they said.
"Can't wait..."
"I remember when I had to do this."
"Sucks for them."
What the hell was going on? What the hell did I get dragged into? Are they going to make me do something? Questions kept going round and round inside my head. I was set down in a chair and Messy quickly whispered in my ear, "First is the worst, second is the best, the rest are all undressed. It's time to jest."
What the hell is that supposed to mean? I haven't heard that since second grade. The undressed part, that's new. Jest, jest, what does that mean again? A joke. Someone is doing this for kicks. I hate people sometimes. Rage is starting to boil inside of me as the hood is thrown off my head and I am facing a guy in all black.
"Welcome, welcome. Newbies. Sorry that this was delayed, but there were some complications."
"Like what?" I hear myself say before I can stop myself.
"My, my. Seems we got a curious one over here. Little girl, can I ask your name?"
He is pissing me off. Little girl? Who does he think he is? He can't be more than a year older than me. In fact, you know what he can do, "You can bite me."
He laughs along with some others in the crowd that gathered behind him. Around me are others who are sitting in chairs, maybe twenty of us. Most are looking around confused at what is going on, some glare at people who brought them here, and one gets up and starts to walk away. Before he takes a second step he is shoved back down and told to stay. Guess we can't leave. I look around for Messy, Regan, and Mik but I can't see them anywhere. Aya and Sophie are sitting next to me though.
The guy is still laughing, but behind him I see a huge-freaking-tree. The guy laughing stops abruptly and walks slowly toward me. He stops and leans down next to me and whispers, "You will listen to me or you will regret you opened your mouth."
"Yes, Your Highness. Whatever you say will be my command." I say sarcastically while rolling my eyes. He can't order me around especially after this bizarre night. I am totally sick of it and he can shut his egotistical mouth.
"You're a fighter, I like that. I will teach you how to control your mouth later though." He whispers. I can feel his lips against my ear and how the grin there stays as I continue to look forward and my stomach crawls with disgust. We stay still like that for another moment. I think he is backing away, but he softly bites my ear before he straightens his back. Rage roars in my head and if my eyes could blaze red from anger they would do so now, but I keep my face a mask and quickly stomp on his foot as he walks back to the front of the group. I throw daggers at his back with my eyes and wish it were real. This isn't over creep.
He turns back around, I wish I could see his face, but it's too dark and I can't make out any features. Once he knows he has everyone's attention he continues with his little speech as if nothing happened.
"Welcome to the induction ceremony of the Pit."
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