Starcross

Chapter Twenty

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania

 

            Roused by the morning trumpets — or the Druidth equivalent to trumpets which were curious devices that began at a wide piece that covered the mouth, extended down in a straight pipe, turning upward to the four finger studs, and ending like a J with a bulb and a small opening — Captain, for whatever that was worth, John Castle rolled off of his ‘bed’ and stood. Stretching to work out the kinks, he folded up the sheet of cardboard he used for a bed and stowed it away neatly because the camp guards liked it tidy.

            Smoothing out the wrinkles in his filthy uniform, he left the lean-to made from a large piece of sheet metal and the remnants of a brick wall that he shared with four others, and fell into formation in the parade grounds before the music ended.

            When it did flood lights came on to illuminate the assembled prisoners and the fifty foot statue erected at the head of the grounds. Depicting an older man wearing a Druidth tunic with armor plating, a sword hung at his side, short hair but long dreads growing from his sideburns; Castle supposed that they were fashionable on Vasghyrr but to his they looked ridiculous. The statue stood proudly with one foot raised on a stone and looking off and away from the gathered prisoners.

            The camp Commandant then stepped into the light and began speaking in the sing-song language the aliens had, conducting a sermon to worship of the king of the Druidth. Bowing their heads, the assembled prisoners of war pretended to follow the sermon and pray to their new king. If you wanted to eat, or avoid a savage beating, you prayed to My-Nok, King of Vasghyrr and Ruler of the Druidth Empire.

            With the sermon ending around dawn Castle, along with the several hundred prisoners, made his way to the commissary to collect his breakfast. He hoped there would still be some by the time he got there as everyday about a hundred people went hungry. You could always sign up for the workforce which went out to perform back breaking work in the fields that grew plants from Vasghyrr or build housing for the conquering troopers and be guaranteed a meal but the question was: was it worth it? Odds are you’d end up expending more calories than you’d get, so Castle didn’t think so.

            Then there was the temptation to make a run for it but if someone ran they were killed, along with two others. Some were selfish enough not to care and took the chance, always getting caught, but the rest of them were responsible enough to care.

            “Wonder if it’s water soup today?” A black Marine Captain asked from in front of him.

            “Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to have grass for vegetables,” He added.

            The Marine laughed and half turned to see him. “Submariner, eh?”

            “Yeah, better than playing with bombs or storming beaches,” Castle jibbed.

            He laughed again but turned back around. “Nah, you’re just dumb enough to get locked in a steel tube hundreds of feet under water. But hey, at least we don’t jump out of perfectly good airplanes.”