ship,
however the walls on either side were made of a thick, clear plastic that
allowed you to see directly into each of the cells. Each cell had a bunk bed in
it for two people. It was separated from its neighbour by a thin wall of metal.
The plastic walls had small circular holes cut into it at intervals at about
eye height. It reminded Sarah of a zoo she had been to once when she was
little. The air holes resembled those that were punched into the sides of the
reptile tanks.
“Where is
everyone?” It was April who spoke. Apparently she didn’t mean to ask out loud,
because she threw a quick, concerned glance at Ms Hutchen. Ms Hutchen, who was
reading the numbers above each door and comparing it with what she had on her device,
couldn’t have cared less that she spoke without permission now that her shift
was technically over.
“They’re all at
dinner. They won’t get back for another half an hour. There are some protein
bars on your bunk.”
Ms Hutchen
started ascribing them cells. Sarah and Marland were next to each other. April
was across the corridor from them, and Heather, much to Sarah’s relief, was separated
from them by a good seven cells. Ms Hutchen watched impatiently as they all
entered their correct cells before leaving. The door closed behind her with a
thud.
Sarah sat down
on the bottom bunk. It was unmade, but there were sheets, a blanket and a cheap
toothbrush and hairbrush in a neat pile down the end. The top bunk was made by
an inexpert hand. There was less than a metre between the side of her bed and
the metal wall opposite. At the far end of the cell was a small toilet and hand
basin tucked behind a thin partition. There was a door, but much like the
showers it couldn’t be locked. She stared around dismally and caught site of a
protein bar on the floor, obviously having slid off the bed. She picked it up,
peeled off the wrapper and starting eating, more for something to do than
because of actual hunger. There was nothing at all stimulating about the room.
Apparently Heather had felt the same, because she was back from visiting her
room and was standing in the corridor near their cells. Sarah finished her
protein bar, got up and walked out to the corridor. The others had done the
same. Even talking to Heather was preferable to sitting in there any longer.
“Alright, we’re
in this shit together,” said Heather, apparently forgetting that only
twenty-four hours ago she had ground Sarah’s face into the floor with her foot.
“So if any crap goes down, we have to make sure we’re on the right side.”
April coughed,
drawing Heather’s attention.
“How old are
you?” asked Heather in disgust, looking the small girl up and down. “You look
like, what, ten?”
April narrowed
her eyes slightly. “I’m thirteen.” She had not been impressed by Heather’s
grandstanding and then easy capitulation in the showers. “You stabbed a guy,
right? Let me guess, you stabbed him in the back?” The question was more a
challenge than a polite enquiry.
“In the stomach,
he was pissing me off.” The obvious implication was that April was also getting
dangerously close to pissing Heather off too, so she better watch out.
“I agree with
Heather,” said Marland, much to Sarah’s, and even Heather’s surprise. “We
should watch each other’s backs.” Marland’s hands were shaking and Sarah felt a
pang of sympathy. She felt her original plan of keeping to herself and trying
to go unnoticed shatter. Much to her surprise, she realised that she wanted
friends. What’s more, she wanted to be friends with Marland. And if they were
all looking out for each other, then maybe, she told herself, having friends
might even work out to her advantage. Back home she had been comfortable with
being alone, here it felt like being alone was unsafe.
Sarah nodded.
“Ok, we’ll keep our ears open and eyes peeled. If anything happens we’ll let
the others know.”
Heather was
staring at them as if
however the walls on either side were made of a thick, clear plastic that
allowed you to see directly into each of the cells. Each cell had a bunk bed in
it for two people. It was separated from its neighbour by a thin wall of metal.
The plastic walls had small circular holes cut into it at intervals at about
eye height. It reminded Sarah of a zoo she had been to once when she was
little. The air holes resembled those that were punched into the sides of the
reptile tanks.
“Where is
everyone?” It was April who spoke. Apparently she didn’t mean to ask out loud,
because she threw a quick, concerned glance at Ms Hutchen. Ms Hutchen, who was
reading the numbers above each door and comparing it with what she had on her device,
couldn’t have cared less that she spoke without permission now that her shift
was technically over.
“They’re all at
dinner. They won’t get back for another half an hour. There are some protein
bars on your bunk.”
Ms Hutchen
started ascribing them cells. Sarah and Marland were next to each other. April
was across the corridor from them, and Heather, much to Sarah’s relief, was separated
from them by a good seven cells. Ms Hutchen watched impatiently as they all
entered their correct cells before leaving. The door closed behind her with a
thud.
Sarah sat down
on the bottom bunk. It was unmade, but there were sheets, a blanket and a cheap
toothbrush and hairbrush in a neat pile down the end. The top bunk was made by
an inexpert hand. There was less than a metre between the side of her bed and
the metal wall opposite. At the far end of the cell was a small toilet and hand
basin tucked behind a thin partition. There was a door, but much like the
showers it couldn’t be locked. She stared around dismally and caught site of a
protein bar on the floor, obviously having slid off the bed. She picked it up,
peeled off the wrapper and starting eating, more for something to do than
because of actual hunger. There was nothing at all stimulating about the room.
Apparently Heather had felt the same, because she was back from visiting her
room and was standing in the corridor near their cells. Sarah finished her
protein bar, got up and walked out to the corridor. The others had done the
same. Even talking to Heather was preferable to sitting in there any longer.
“Alright, we’re
in this shit together,” said Heather, apparently forgetting that only
twenty-four hours ago she had ground Sarah’s face into the floor with her foot.
“So if any crap goes down, we have to make sure we’re on the right side.”
April coughed,
drawing Heather’s attention.
“How old are
you?” asked Heather in disgust, looking the small girl up and down. “You look
like, what, ten?”
April narrowed
her eyes slightly. “I’m thirteen.” She had not been impressed by Heather’s
grandstanding and then easy capitulation in the showers. “You stabbed a guy,
right? Let me guess, you stabbed him in the back?” The question was more a
challenge than a polite enquiry.
“In the stomach,
he was pissing me off.” The obvious implication was that April was also getting
dangerously close to pissing Heather off too, so she better watch out.
“I agree with
Heather,” said Marland, much to Sarah’s, and even Heather’s surprise. “We
should watch each other’s backs.” Marland’s hands were shaking and Sarah felt a
pang of sympathy. She felt her original plan of keeping to herself and trying
to go unnoticed shatter. Much to her surprise, she realised that she wanted
friends. What’s more, she wanted to be friends with Marland. And if they were
all looking out for each other, then maybe, she told herself, having friends
might even work out to her advantage. Back home she had been comfortable with
being alone, here it felt like being alone was unsafe.
Sarah nodded.
“Ok, we’ll keep our ears open and eyes peeled. If anything happens we’ll let
the others know.”
Heather was
staring at them as if
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