Blue as a Fedora

Chapter 8: The Fedora

Every part of her body was aching. Her nerves were screaming and shrieking and her muscles felt as though they'd been deflated. Given no lunch, no dinner and barely a handful of water, it was an exhausted Malvina who joined the line of women who were being shepherded back to the bunks, Malia following closely by her side.

It must've been midnight. The light-posts that obscured the almost pitch-black darkness were the only sources of light. As Malvina saw other lines of women being led to other places, she could smell a disgusting stench in the air that was coming from the structure with the chimneys. It took a moment for her to realise that the camp had smelt of this all day.

Malvina felt too weak to do anything except rest, whether it was on the softest surface in the world, or on the cold, hard bunks that they were offered. It didn't matter. Sleep was better than absolutely anything. Except food... or water. Oh, how thirsty Malvina felt.

Weakly looking up at Malia, Malvina saw specks of blood and dirt on her sister's face, but she was otherwise okay. She had performed well at the digging, and Malvina saw how the guards had given those who were stronger more food and water. Malia did attempt to give the food to Malvina, but was instantly told off. Even though she was one of the stronger prisoners, Malia looked extremely exhausted.

Guards poked and shoved at Malvina's back so she would speed up, but she didn't even notice. It wasn't until, squinting through the darkness, Malvina saw a little, quick figure bobbing towards their line, that Malvina's senses started to catch up with reality.

"Ella?" she said. Malia, hearing Ella's name, looked to where Malvina was staring, and also spotted the little figure. Once within the light of the lamp, there was no mistaking the little face and blonde hair. Ella beamed at the sight of them, looking unharmed and healthy.

"What happened to you?" Malia whispered, hugging Ella and trying to walk at the same time. "Are you okay?"

"Completely fine," said Ella happily. Malvina could now see the building with their bunks, swimming into view from the darkness of the night.

"Where have you been?" Malia said, starting to sound a little accusatory.

"Hör auf zu reden!" one of the guards growled. Malia rolled her eyes and muttered something in English.

"I told you before: exploring," said Ella, saying this as if it were obvious.

"Why Ella? What's the point?" Malia muttered bitterly.

"Because I'm working a way out of here."

They were creeping closer to the doors now. Malia gazed, completely startled, at her little sister. Malvina weakly lifted her head to her as well, feeling a little confused.

"Ella," Malvina said weakly, flinching with every step she took, "we can't. The guards are really strong and – and mean. Look what they put in my arm..."

Malvina rolled up the sleeve of her right arm to reveal a set of numbers inked into her wrist:

D 2 6 5 5 1

"They didn't even try to make me feel okay," Malvina croaked. "They did it so harshly."

And in fact, there was blood trickling down from the dark little numbers etched upon her skin, tinted black from the ink.

"They tattooed us after our work," Malia muttered, also showing her numbers. "They did it to all the women here." She gestured to the women in the line. Ella looked sadly around her, also looking a little guilty, as if she were the reason this was happening.

"I suppose you don't have any numbers on your skin?" Malia said, now sounding a little vicious.

"Well, no I don't," Ella said nervously, looking down at the bone-strewn floor. "But I've been working out a plan. We should be out of here soon enough."

"Stop saying that," Malia spat, now sounding even more vicious. The guard opened the door to their bunks. Malvina clambered in unsteadily, her weak legs having difficulty supporting her. Malia continued to glare angrily at Ella from behind Malvina.

They reached their bunks, and Malvina sub-consciously rubbed her fingers softly and carefully on the numbers on her wrist, her skin having yet to heal. She sat down on her bunk, looking weakly at the ground.

Suddenly, Malvina felt her body tremble uncontrollably, though there was no sudden drop in temperature. She shifted uncomfortably, but did not gasp aloud like the last time she began shaking; it had happened three times that day already, and the shaking lasted for quite some time.

Malia was sitting with her legs hanging from the top bunk, shivering a little in the coldness of the night. The guard was still watching from the door as the women prepared themselves for sleep. Ella was standing in front of Malvina, but looking up at Malia.

"But Malia, I know that we can get out of here –"

"How?" Malvina coughed, still shivering uncontrollably. "There's no way out."

"Yes there is," Ella said determinedly. "We can defeat the guards –"

"Ella," Malia growled, now looking completely angry and even offended, "while you've been exploring and day-dreaming, Malvina and I have been doing – slave work! Do you now see why us two aren't as up for your imaginary escape as you are?"

Ella was now looking very ashamed of herself, but kept her gaze with Malia all the same.

"I just want to help," she whispered.

Malia growled like a lion, then, putting her legs up on her bunk, laid down looking at the wall, eliminating herself from the conversation.

Ella heaved a sad sigh and sat next to Malvina, who was still shaking like she had been swimming through a pool of ice.

"Don't worry," Ella said, hugging Malvina from her side and enveloping her in warmth. "It's okay..."

It was gradual, but Malvina felt as her trembling started to ease and, once Ella let go of her, the shaking had gone.

"Do you really think there's a way out of here?" Malvina said, her voice sounding unusually hoarse.

Ella nodded determinedly.

"What makes you think that?"

Ella leaned in a little closer and said, "The design of this camp is very systematic. All systems have flaws. We just need to find them."

Malvina didn't know what Ella meant by this, and her head hurt when she attempted to decipher any meaning, so she stopped trying.

"Are you cold?" Ella asked nervously of Malvina.

"Not really," muttered Malvina. "I just keep shaking and I don't know –"

She began coughing and retching very loudly, hurting her stomach and her head. Ella grabbed hold of her arm firmly until the coughing subsided.

"Don't talk," Ella said. "It'll only make it worse."

Ella then helped Malvina gently onto her bunk, and lay her head as comfortably as possible on the rough surface. Carefully, Ella took out Malvina's necklace from her collar and put it gently in Malvina's hand.

"It's proof of a flaw."

"What?"

"The necklace."

Ella pointed to the shiny necklace being held in Malvina's hand.

"They're supposed to take all our possessions away from us, like jewelry and stuff. The fact that they missed your necklace proves they're not perfect. It's a flaw in the system."

Malvina's throat hurt too much to respond. Just then, the guard closed the door and the room was flooded in darkness. The only noises were that of the shuffling and shifting of people in their bunks.

"Let's get some sleep," Ella said quietly, now lying down next to Malvina like a teddy-bear. "Goodnight Malvina."

But Malvina wanted to keep talking. She wanted to talk of how much she missed Mama and Papa, and how much she missed Albas and its inhabitants. She wanted to cry about how scary this place was, and how loud and mean the guards were. How they couldn't care less about food or water or happiness, and how every inch of her body ached with pain and sorrow.

But her throat was hurting, she felt too weak and she didn't know how to translate her thoughts into words. So, reluctantly, she closed her eyes and lay silently next to Ella, dreading the day that was to come.