Amnesia

16. Running the Gang

"Okay, what is it that you want?" Devan demanded.

"When did I say I wanted something?" I asked.

"I know you do."

"Of course I do, but it's not like you're going to listen."

"I could hear them out. That doesn't mean I will comply."

"Alright." His sudden change in attitude and topic surprised me. "I'd like some changes."

"Like what?"

"More freedom. I don't like being locked up in the house."

"I can't trust that you won't run off."

"Then at least give me roof access."

"I can do that."

"Less work. I'm not your slave. I don't know how it is here, but in America, slavery is illegal, and being an American, I go by those laws and not the ones here."

"You barely do the work that is asked of you. So that's a no."

"Self-defense. I want to be able to protect myself. I don't trust you to protect me. Plus, it wasn't me who needed protecting the last time we were out. And if I had my own weapon, I wouldn't have been taken by Luko's guy."

"I still don't trust you with a weapon. No."

"Be more lenient when any of us girls ask for time off."

"That's, like, that same as less work."

"No, let me explain. Being girls, we have to deal with periods and sometimes the cramps get really bad, and we need to just take a day or two to deal with that. You guys just relax whenever you want and for no reason. We have reasons, and don't get to. Feel lucky that you don't have to deal with this, and let us feel our pain on our own instead of making us suffer."

Devan rolled his eyes. "I guess I can do that."

"And you owe me a trip to the range."

"No I don't. I said if you behave. You ran away, stabbed Owen, tried to starve yourself, ran away again, and just attacked me."

"That's nothing compared to what you do."

"Don't try to turn this around."

"I am. Plus, I know that you want to know what I can do."

"You don't even know."

"A learning experience for both of us."

"We'll see how you are tomorrow, and based on your actions, I might take you on Friday."

"Yeah, and maybe I will actually have fun. Your little can game sucks."

We climbed back into the tree house and opened a couple cans for supper.

"What time is it?" Devan asked.

"Hm, well, based on the placement of the sun right now it is about five o'clock in the morning," I answered sarcastically. "How would I know? Does it look like I have a watch?"

Devan rolled his eyes. "That was more of a rhetorical question."

"You know what that word means?"

"Scout," he sent me a warning look. "The sun is setting, so we have a couple more hours before everyone will be asleep."

"Do the other boys live here too?"

"No, they just stay here a lot. But they have their own apartments like all the other men."