Page 11 of Twisted Heathens
Oh, fuck me gently. Give me strength.
“What?” I frown at him.
“You’ll do a bunch of different stuff for a couple of days, get a feel of things.”
My teeth snap together. Breaking his perfectly straight nose isn’t the best idea, no matter how tempting the thought is. I can almost hear the bone cracking beneath my fist.
“Fine. Taster it is.”
More keyboard tapping and paperwork later, I’m given a schedule that begins tomorrow and lasts two days. The variety of subjects makes me cringe. This is going to be torture. Hell if they think I’m doing sports.
“Right, picture time.”
Kade disappears out back, returning a minute later with a digital camera. I stand straight and manage a tiny, forced smile. The act physically pains me. He raises the camera, ready to snap but hesitates.
“Hang on…”
Before I can move or smack his hand away, Kade comes close and tucks stray hair behind my ear. Fingers brush my cheek, forcing my heart to stutter. Those perceptive eyes watch me and he looks like he wants to say more, but then retreats.
“Perfect.”
The lens snaps, a few shots are taken and his back turns. I don’t let out my held breath until he’s back in the office. Did I just imagine that? When Kade reappears, I force myself to act unaffected.
“Should be ready in a few hours. You’ll be able to access buildings and register your attendance then,” he explains. “It’s for the cafeteria as well. All included, three meals a day and snacks. Unless you’re one of the anorexics, they have a separate dining area and stuff.”
“Yeah, I’m not.”
“Good to know. Let’s go, I haven’t got all day.”
Four
Eli
Sail by AWOLNATION
“Fucking hot head nearly broke my ankle! What happened to playing for fun and blowing off steam? Honestly,” Phoenix drones on, stabbing his eggs. I tune out most of it. Just lift one shoulder and drop it in a half assed shrug.
“I guess you’re right. No point dwelling on it,” he adds.
Gesturing to his half-full plate, I bob my head.
“Chill, Eli. I’ll eat up. I hate Monday morning classes. It’s too early.”
I hate every second of the day, week and month. But you don’t see me bitching about it. You don’t see me speaking at all. Not when my brain is full of flavours and confusion. Just functioning is hard enough.
My tongue was stolen a long time ago. Words only pass my lips once in a blue moon. I’m too busy dealing with the constant sensory overload. Speaking only worsens my Synaesthesia. Every word and emotion brings new flavours or scents, it’s just too much.
“Hey, Earth to Eli. You’re gonna want to see this.”
He’s nodding at something behind me. Tilting my head, my eyes track across the room. Scanning familiar numb faces, some more alive than others. We’re a cacophony of failures here, in varying degrees. Some are worse than others, but we’re all fucking broken. Society’s rejects stuck in a broken system all in the name of experimentation.
Kade parts the crowd as he strides in. More heads turn when they realise he isn’t alone. Everything stops as I clap eyes on the familiar face following him, one that took me by complete surprise after my jog this morning.
Stomping in her bright pink boots, hands scrunched into balls; her temper clearly hasn’t changed. Even from here I can see her angled jaw is clenched, perfect pixie face marred by a fierce grimace. Her rage tastes like burned toast. Acrid and bitter on my palate.
“Do you reckon that’s her?”
I nod in response.