The Cuckoo's Cage

Chapter Thirty-Two

Three days had passed since the last rainfall, life beginning to completely slow to a standstill. The first day with no rain, everyone had been able to keep their spirits up. They had talked of hope as much as they could, focusing on their possible freedom. But that night, the first death came for them. One of the women was simply too weak. She had been declining fast long before this, and despite her friend trying to bring her water through the rainfall, she hadn't been able to leave her bed. Nobody could move her, her bunkmates simply shifting to another bunkhouse whilst the others tried to forget that she was there. Several more had died the next day, and more the day after that.

Death was inescapable. Especially as no rain had come. The ten that were shot were beginning to putrefy, and the smell was nauseating, Worse still, some of the women had begun thinking of a way that the bodies might be put to better use. If they could start a fire, perhaps it was the sustenance they needed. It was only the others standing watch over the bodies that stopped them. Their situation was becoming desperate.

Anna and Elli were sitting outside their hut. Anna only letting them go outside when it was darker. She couldn't let the heat of the midday sun dehydrate them more. Their lips were already chapped and their skin itchy and dry. They could hear no wildlife, or planes overhead. They could hear no other camps, no activity, just nothingness. Elli was leaning into her, gazing ahead. Her breathing was becoming wheezy and tired. She had been complaining of a headache for the last two days, and it was only getting worse. Anna's was too. They needed water so desperately. Elli more so, because she was so much younger. Anna knew that she had very little time left before she would succumb to it; a few more days at best. They had to hope for rain, but the clouds seemed to have deserted them.

A cough broke the silence. It was Margot. She was growing worse and worse each day. Anna made sure to go and check on her every so often, but it was no use. With no water, her body wasn't able to fight what was plaguing her.

Elli looked up curiously, her brow furrowed as she stared at the ground in front of her.

"What is it?" asked Anna throatily.

"The ground," she said softly. "It's moving."

Anna looked at it. Nothing was happening. "What do you mean?"

"There's something burrowing underneath it!" she insisted.

"Elli, there isn't," sighed Anna.

"If it's a mole or something, we could catch it and eat it!" said Elli excitedly, trying to get up.

"Elli, my darling, there's nothing there!"

Elli stumbled up, Anna trying to follow her as she leapt forward towards her hallucination. Anna was terrified. If she was at this stage, time was pressing down on her little body. Elli darted for something only she could see, tumbling to the ground with a hard thud. Anna went and picked her up, struggling to lift her to her feet. She felt as if she had no energy. Even when she put her glasses on, her eyes still hurt and there was still an unshakeable ringing in her ears. Elli wavered on the spot, squinting at Anna.

"I really did see a mole," she said quietly, her bottom lip trembling.

"I believe you," Anna whispered. "But it's gone, sweet girl. It's gone."

"I'm so tired," she said, leaning into her sister. Anna could feel her slipping away slowly. She might not stay cognitive for much longer.

"Let's go to bed," said Anna, taking her and leading her as best she could back to the hut.

            She lay Elli down, lying down beside her. She began to hum something to her, helping to soothe Elli as she rubbed her hand in circles on her back.