DETERRENT - Apply Fic

09

Work begins as dawn barely peaks over the horizon. The beds are no more comfortable than those in the Panopticon. Titus cannot make himself fall asleep. He feels each spring poking into his back throughout the evening. It is so hot he wonders why they even bothered to provide him with sheets, as scratchy as the burlap sacks used to help control the weeds on the farm. In the morning, he drags himself out of bed again. At breakfast, he glares at the plate of food Harvey made him. The eggs are cold, loose and watery, and oddly they taste of oranges, which Titus is sure very few others here have enjoyed.

Harvey watches Titus as he eats. Everyone else is tired. Norbu devours toast, tearing it rabidly with his teeth, while leaning against the doorframe with his eyes closed. Eurydice plucks each grape on her plate off the stem and then pinches it between her fingers until it is crushed. Curled in a ball on the floor with her back to the wall, Kae's overall pockets are stuffed with three apples. For later to eat, perhaps.

Rhiannon Rose is not amongst them. Her plate sits next to Harvey on the countertop.

The nine are split into the same groups as yesterday. They are lathered in sunscreen, given hats and water, and then sent off with the farmhands once more.

"I'll bring Rhiannon Rose her food," Benji offers Harvey a smile, though it is quick and brief. "Thank you for your hard work, Harvey."

Harvey nods to him. Benji grabs the plate and brings it up the stairs.

They work in the fields, this time with more regimented breaks. The farmhands still do not speak to them. They explain the job by doing, waiting for the delinquents to copy them. Then, without word, the farmhands lead the delinquents out of the field and into the shade. They stay there for a few minutes, the eight of them gathered on the stoops leading into the farmhouse, before they are led back into the fields once more to continue their work.

At lunchtime, they are all led inside. The farmhands do not join them. The group eat once more, this time with Harvey and Benji joining them at the table.

"How's Rhiannon?" Faris asks.

"Rhiannon Rose," Benji answers. He puts down his fork on the plate, folding his hands up. "She's okay. She woke up an hour ago. She'll be helping Harvey this afternoon in the kitchen, but only for a few minutes."

"Guess fainting is a good way to get out of work," Titus murmurs to himself. His hands are split open in several parts. Harvey has provided him with clothes and water to rinse the cuts, but the skin stings even worse.

Benji gets up from the table, food still on his plate. He grabs a glass container from a cupboard and begins to shove the food inside. He isn't the only one full. While Gale cannot seem to fill himself, his body swollen and aching, needing something other than rage now to fuel him, Calath does not take a bite. They are aware that somewhere distant their body hurts. Living in The Sticks where the air smells like gasoline and sewage, Calath is used to eating through disgust and discomfort. This situation is somehow more unusual.

"I can bring up a plate," Harvey stands from the table.

Benji spins around, "it's fine."

"Fucking freak," Eurydice mutters under her breath.

Benji shakes his head, "she might be sleeping again. I can bring up the food."

The room stills. Sun is shining through the window, air blowing through the windows, fresh food on the table, but something is stale. Cosmia stares forward at her glass of water on the table. She waits for it to ripple, from the wind or someone else bumping the table. She waits for something to happen.