THE HIVE

Chapter 23

Diana blows her jet black hair off her tanned face as she glances at me multiple times while I am busy shaking hands with my new acquaintances. I catch her doing that more than once and each time I try and establish eye contact, she immediately turns her head aside. Huh, what's up with that?

She has a sharp jawline, protruding eyes and almost a chiseled nose. Quite aggressive features for a woman I'd say. Rather thin lips though. Ever since we've met, she's had quite some energy to her; even back there when we were talking about Billy while eating slop, it was her who cheered us all up with her story. So, to say the least, it was bugging me why she was acting silent all of a sudden, not to mention those frequent glances that stirred obvious suspicion.

"I'm bored," Kevin says as he leans to and fro in a bobbing motion. Too bad he doesn't have a kid his age here. Now that I wonder, shouldn't the others have come here to have lunch as well? Did I just lose them? Nobody told me where to sit for that matter.

"Hey Diana," I ask. "Where are the others? I figured this to be the only cafeteria around."

"It is. They'll be here any second," she assures me.

I observe her while Tony gets engaged in a conversation with his fellows. It's something about maneuvering the Figsies from what I can make out. If I know one thing about Diana from our very first meeting, it's that she doesn't hide her feelings too well.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, lowering my head. Hearing me say that Kevin turns towards her.

"What? Well, um... " her gaze falters and runs about towards nothing in particular as she plays a hand through her hair. Noticing it now, it's rather unkempt. Well, it suits her personality. I subconsciously shrug.

That's true, Space buddy agrees.

I nod at him, until I stop. Oh, aren't you one to talk.

"It's a good point actually. You were spacing out at work, weren't you?" Kevin says.

That makes me do a double take. It's a normal thing, but an abnormality on this world, now that I've come to understand how it works, albeit a little bit. She should have been under the brainwash protocol that is made active by Initiation. So, considering that, shouldn't she be highly focussed, no matter what happens? Like earlier, how Sally reacted. She wouldn't have said those words to me if she weren't under control. To speak out loud, she wouldn't even have to say anything to me in that vein if I were like everybody else here, moving giddily about with strings above my head. I wonder what it's like though... I have experienced total control. What's the partial version like? It's not like I want to. It's just a curiosity. And, if I want to understand what's going on with Diana better, I have to be able to relate. Does spacing out happen normally while working here? Or is it something exotic that I should be concerned about?

I shake my head from all the complex spiral of thoughts and say, "You were? What's on your mind? Something bothering you?"

She looks at me. For a brief moment I see something deep in those eyes. They thrill me, excite me. Scare me. Then, it's gone when she looks away. When she looks back at me, she just smiles and says, "Had a rough day is all."

I want to pry further, but I swallow my words. If she isn't comfortable, it'd be a waste asking. But, there's something I have to say to both Kevin and Diana, haven't I?

I lean towards them. They bring their faces closer.

"I would explain everything once we are back inside the hive when everyone's present, but- to give you the news briefly: I've found out where Billy is. Which is the good part of the news I'd say."

Their eyes shine. "Oh, the bastard's alive?!" Diana's expression is a mixture of astonishment and disgust. How apt.

"I... don't know for certain."