Brent. By leaving each morning after breakfast and going out into the wilderness inside the facility’s fences, he was left alone. He found a place where a waterfall cascaded down into a gorge and the rainbows on a sunny day were breathtaking. He sat on top of the gorge and stared at the river far below. He suspected this was where most of those that attempted to escape made the effort. He thought about the hateful things his mother had said to him before he left and he hated her for it. She was wrong about his former friends…and about him. It was at the end of the fourth week that the girl showed up at the gorge.
Her name was Pricilla but everyone called her Crazy. “Have you decided?”
Josh turned around and saw her standing behind him, “I thought you didn’t want to talk with me.”
Crazy shook her head, “Are you that stupid? What do you think would happen if I showed anyone the slightest attention?” Josh thought a moment as she said, “They’re afraid I would stab a pencil in their neck but they would take great pleasure in causing pain to anyone I happened to like.” Josh thought a moment and knew she was right. “So what have you decided?”
“About what?”
“Are you going to leave?”
Josh shook his head, “I don’t think so.”
Crazy said, “Good. I hope you stay.”
“Why?”
“You’re one of the few sane ones here.”
Josh stared at Crazy, “Why are you still here? I understand every female that comes here opts out at the first opportunity. Why didn’t you?”
Crazy sat down and shook her head, “Sometimes home is worse than where you are. My father had me sent here because I stabbed him with a knife.”
Josh stared at her and shook his head, “Was he as bad as what goes on here?”
“Worse.”
Josh sighed and said, “I’m not opting out.” Crazy smiled and leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. She turned and ran away. Josh wondered what she looked like without the shirt draped over her hair and the jumpsuit that was two sizes too big. She wasn’t crazy. That was an act. At the end of the week, Sergeant Blake came and asked for his decision.
“I’m not going back.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.” Blake turned and walked out of the barracks. Even Brent cheered his decision. That, more than anything else, made him question what he did.
• • •
“Adams.”
“Yes, Sergeant.”
“He’s chosen to stay.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your letting me know.”
Adams ended the call and knew Jeanette’s heart was going to be broken. He felt his own heart break and kept it to himself.
• • •
On Wednesday of the second week, the confrontation finally happened. The new T-Rex challenged Brent for his table at breakfast and set the time for seven that evening. Brent was scared. Josh watched him gather his residents around him, “Alright, can I count on you to back me up on this. We can take them if we fight together.”
“Oh yes, man. You know we love you and won’t let you face him alone.”
“I’ll be right there with you.”
“We’ll show them who has the power.”
Josh listened to Brent’s posse and decided that they probably could beat the other barracks. They didn’t have as many big boys as Brent had in his group. He decided that Brent would win if they stuck together. He was sitting in his normal place against the back wall that evening and Crazy came over and sat down beside him. “I’m worried.”
Josh looked at her, “About what?”
“That new T-Rex knows I’m the only female in this building. He doesn’t have any in his barracks and I suspect it’s me he’s really after. When he beats Brent, I’m afraid of what he’s going to do to me.”
“Brent won’t lose. All of the others will help him win.”
“Are you that stupid!?!”
“What?”
“No one is going to Bent’s aid. They’ll all watch him get the crap kicked out of him and will probably kick him as well once the new T-Rex finishes with him.”
“But,
Her name was Pricilla but everyone called her Crazy. “Have you decided?”
Josh turned around and saw her standing behind him, “I thought you didn’t want to talk with me.”
Crazy shook her head, “Are you that stupid? What do you think would happen if I showed anyone the slightest attention?” Josh thought a moment as she said, “They’re afraid I would stab a pencil in their neck but they would take great pleasure in causing pain to anyone I happened to like.” Josh thought a moment and knew she was right. “So what have you decided?”
“About what?”
“Are you going to leave?”
Josh shook his head, “I don’t think so.”
Crazy said, “Good. I hope you stay.”
“Why?”
“You’re one of the few sane ones here.”
Josh stared at Crazy, “Why are you still here? I understand every female that comes here opts out at the first opportunity. Why didn’t you?”
Crazy sat down and shook her head, “Sometimes home is worse than where you are. My father had me sent here because I stabbed him with a knife.”
Josh stared at her and shook his head, “Was he as bad as what goes on here?”
“Worse.”
Josh sighed and said, “I’m not opting out.” Crazy smiled and leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. She turned and ran away. Josh wondered what she looked like without the shirt draped over her hair and the jumpsuit that was two sizes too big. She wasn’t crazy. That was an act. At the end of the week, Sergeant Blake came and asked for his decision.
“I’m not going back.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.” Blake turned and walked out of the barracks. Even Brent cheered his decision. That, more than anything else, made him question what he did.
• • •
“Adams.”
“Yes, Sergeant.”
“He’s chosen to stay.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your letting me know.”
Adams ended the call and knew Jeanette’s heart was going to be broken. He felt his own heart break and kept it to himself.
• • •
On Wednesday of the second week, the confrontation finally happened. The new T-Rex challenged Brent for his table at breakfast and set the time for seven that evening. Brent was scared. Josh watched him gather his residents around him, “Alright, can I count on you to back me up on this. We can take them if we fight together.”
“Oh yes, man. You know we love you and won’t let you face him alone.”
“I’ll be right there with you.”
“We’ll show them who has the power.”
Josh listened to Brent’s posse and decided that they probably could beat the other barracks. They didn’t have as many big boys as Brent had in his group. He decided that Brent would win if they stuck together. He was sitting in his normal place against the back wall that evening and Crazy came over and sat down beside him. “I’m worried.”
Josh looked at her, “About what?”
“That new T-Rex knows I’m the only female in this building. He doesn’t have any in his barracks and I suspect it’s me he’s really after. When he beats Brent, I’m afraid of what he’s going to do to me.”
“Brent won’t lose. All of the others will help him win.”
“Are you that stupid!?!”
“What?”
“No one is going to Bent’s aid. They’ll all watch him get the crap kicked out of him and will probably kick him as well once the new T-Rex finishes with him.”
“But,
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