Useful (Lesbian Story)

Chapter 5

Songs that inspired this chapter: "Stay High" cover by Against The Current; "Fix You" by Coldplay; "Brother" by Gerard Way; "Something Big" by Shawn Mendes; "Once In A Lifetime" by One Direction

Time dragged on.

Rhys carried on.

I couldn't persist.

"Rhys?" I said weakly, my voice raw and aching.

"Yes, Leela?" he asked kindly, continuing to walk.

"I can't do it anymore."

"Do what?"

"Live. Wait for the groups to come together. I'm out of energy."

"It's almost over, Leela. Just be patient. You're okay."

It's almost over.

I rubbed my stinging eyes and looked around. There was a horde of people surrounding Rhys, and groups were separated throughout the room. The arts. Science. Geography. Culture.

Math.

"H-how? How did th-this happen?" I asked, my throat tight, tears welling up in my eyes. I'd never felt so sick in my life, but I was also astonished at how smart my race was. We'd done it. In so little time, at that.

"I...don't know," Rhys said, shocked as well. "I like to consider myself quite an intelligent person, but...I just don't understand. It's escaped the capacity of my mind."

The look of awe stayed on Rhys's face and we joined the rest of the math group, me still in his arms. He set me down carefully, and I stood on wobbly, shipwrecked legs. Strangely, feeling my feet on the ground made the sickness subside sa bit.

"I refuse to say I'm impressed." Lord Torken addressed us then. "But you've done considerably well in not angering me. Now, you will be taken to your working facility, and directions as well as jobs will be assigned there. Don't complain, don't speak, don't act out, and you will survive just fine. Push me or my servants the wrong way and I will personally rip the heart out of you. I will haunt your every waking moment. Get on my bad side, and any ounce of happiness in your life will be annihilated. I am obviously not afraid to kill you. Your small minds cannot imagine what I could do."

We watched. We waited in terrifying anticipation for his next words.

"Servants, take the workers to their facilities."

Lord Torken's servants appeared from some apparently secret door behind him. They start calling out to the groups.

"Arts, follow me!"

"Science, this way!"

"Math, let's go!"

The group started to move at an irregular pace, and I almost got trampled. Rhys grabbed my hand and dragged me along behind him.

The walk was short, and our fate was right before our eyes.

"Math usefuls!" a female alien alerted us. "You are to present yourself to us, tell us your strength, and we will get you to work. Okay?" Her voice seemed calm, almost like she was trying to help us.

We nodded.

"Okay. Here we go. Rhys Addaman!"

Rhys stepped forward, dropping my hand. He nodded curtly.

"Specialty in mathematics?"

"Dynamical systems."

"Okay. This way."

The list flowed quickly. It wasn't long until I heard my name.

"Leela Jordan," she said.

I stepped forward, my head pounding, my heart stuttering.