The Moments I Recall

CHAPTER SIX

I explain my plan to Harper in the hall over breakfast.

"What if we space a kid." She says.

"We are not spacing a kid Harper. If we get out of here, we can tell people about this place, and they can get everyone out." I explain to her.

"Fine, but where are we going to find a kid?" She asks

"We won't have to, we will just follow the first man in navy overalls." 

The children start rushing out of the hall.

"Maybe we should split up around the camp." Theo says.

"The camp is huge where would we go?" I ask.

"Where the most kids play." He replies.

"Okay but what happens when we get to wherever they take them, then what?" Harper asks.

"I didn't really think that part through," I say, "Maybe we should stick together and then if one of us go in the others can find a way out."

"Look." Harper says pointing past me. I turn around I see a girl who sits alone two tables away. I stand walking up to her but a man in navy overalls comes striding down the aisle.

"You guys stay, I'll go." I tell my friends. The man picks the girl up from her seat. Her strawberry blonde hair swings in the air as he cradles her. I run down the aisle hoping to catch him at the end of the hall. He is tall and lanky, making the overalls look like a hollow shell around his body. The white bone of his human frame showing against his chalky skin, malnourish looking like the rest of them, even the fatter ones. It's as if they are eating away at themselves. He wears the same bland expression as they all do, staring out to the unknown. I follow closely as he takes long strides towards the side door that gapes wide open. Panic suddenly surges through me. I could not see beyond the doors frame, it reminded me of the deep, empty holes left in the eyes of those who become spaced. And for that reason, it triggered a feeling I have had to suppress since the first day I arrived here. The hole within the wall draws closer as we walk. My head whips toward Harper and Theo who watch intently from the end of the closest table.

"Xylia!" Theo calls but before I can react, I hit something solid in front of me causing me to fall back. The impact makes my head throb and the nerves of my lower body wince. I force my head up and stare at the man's back. He turns his body slightly towards me. I catch his gaze as he looks at me from the corner of his eye. I push myself off the floor rubbing my head to soothe its pain. At this, the man locks both of his eye with mine, turning to fully face me. I must have stood up too quickly because I feel the heat of my blood rush toward my feet. The world becomes disorientated, but I lock my knees in place. As I blink to regain consciousness then man goes back to walking through the passage. My legs carry me after him and darkness consumes me. I have lost sight of him.

"Xy...." Says a faint whisper.

"Xyli......Xyli..." People whisper.

"Xylia.... Xylia.... XYLIA!" They scream.

"WHAT." I yell. Everything around me instantly becomes lit up by deep yellow light. Harper wraps her arms around me.

"W...wait, how d...did you get m....me out." I ask breathless.

"You never left," Harper tells me, "you collided with the pickup guy Ly."

"Y.... yeah weird I kn...know but I..."

"You stood up," she cuts in, "then he looked at you and then you just sat back down really slowly, and he left through the door."

"But I, I followed him." I reassure her. "I w... went inside.... It, it was really dark and..."