Eternal Survival

3.

I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane. I am not insane.

I look at the tali marks that I have left on the wall of my cell. It's been almost a month or so since I've been in this cell. I'm not hungry, or maybe I am, but I'm used to not eating, so hunger doesn't bother me, even though I know it should. I have been talking to myself to keep myself company. I don't know if it's night or day. I don't even know how long it's been since I've been in this cell. They could be making the days go by faster, so slowly that I go insane.

Just thinking about it all I start to laugh.

I think I am insane.

The door to my cell opens for the first time in months, and two guards come into the cell. It's the first time I've seen light. One of the guards grabs me and handcuffs me and leads me out of my cell and into the open, where I see other teenagers who are also handcuffed; I think I'm just like a criminal now.

I haven't seen people in weeks. Or months. 

We go through a door, I look around to see that it's the cafeteria. I see all of the kids that came with me seated at a table together, there are teenagers everywhere in this huge cafeteria.

  My handcuffs are removed by the Look Overs, and I go in line to get some food. The cafeteria ladies gave out some slimy green and brown stuff. I couldn't make out what it was. All I could see were mashed potatoes and milk on the side of the tray.

I sat down with my state while Bronwyn and the little blonde girl were sitting next to me. I gave Bronwyn a hug. I couldn't speak. No one could, I don't think. Everyone at the table introduced themselves to each other before I arrived, so Bronwyn told me who everyone was.

     Iskra is the petite blonde. She is ten years old. I'm familiar with Johnny and Cameron, and the boys that are the same age as Bronwyn are Newton.

Everyone ate their food, and no one ever spoke a word.

When our time was up, I hugged Bronwyn before being handcuffed and taken back to my cell by the Look Overs.

I lay down on my painful concrete bed, then I feel something in the pocket of my pants. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a silver arrow necklace that pointed to the side that belonged to Bronwyn and was given to her by our father when she was young.

Our father used to only give Bronwyn presents since he showed her how to use a crossbow. He was simply envious of our mother's proclivity for throwing knives. She was the one who taught me how to throw and hunt with a knife.

Father was a blacksmith, and mother was a knife-wielding hunter. One day, our mother was ordering knives from our father. They married and had Bronwyn, me, and Vera.

I put on the necklace around my neck, took a deep breath in and out, and tried to sleep by closing my eyes tightly.