Echoes of Betrayal: The Roots of Betrayal

~Chapter 2~

After Colonel Irons leaves the training room, I turn to Lucian. His eyes are big and scared. "Come on," I say softly. "I'll show you where you'll sleep. It's next to mine. I'm Nezzera, but Colonel Irons calls me soldier 8. You can call me Nez, like my brother does."

He nods, looking nervous. I know he's thinking about the fight he saw between me and Gideon. We fight really hard, and I hate that I won because now Gideon will get hurt, but I'm also proud because my brother is the best fighter here, and I beat him. We walk down the long, dark hallway. Lucian looks so scared, so I say, "It's not so bad once you get used to it. That's what Gideon, my brother, says."

"And what do you say about all this?" Lucian asks quietly.

"I don't know anything else," I say sadly. I stop in front of a metal door. "This is your cell. Excuse me, Mr. Guard, can you open this door?" The guard opens the door without saying anything. Lucian walks in and looks around. It's a small cell, like mine and Gideon's. There's a cot, a blanket, a small sink, and a toilet. The only difference is mine has two cots instead of one. "It's not much, but it's where we sleep. If you need anything, just knock on the wall, and I'll be there. The walls are thin, so we can talk," I say with a smile.

Lucian nods. "Thank you, Nez," he whispers, looking scared but grateful.

"Come on, let's get some breakfast. I'm hungry," I tell Lucian, trying to cheer him up.

"Okay, lead the way, Nez," he says with a little smile. We walk together to the cafeteria. It gets louder as we get closer—the noise of trays and people talking. Lucian stays close to me, looking around nervously.

In the cafeteria, there are only a few kids eating quietly. It's not very crowded, which I hope will make Lucian feel better. We get in line and grab our trays. The food is the same as always: plain scrambled eggs, a piece of whole grain bread, an apple, and a small cup of water. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. I lead Lucian to an empty spot at a long table and sit down. Lucian looks at his food, then at me. "Is it always like this?" he asks quietly.

I nod, taking a bite of my bread. "Pretty much. But you get used to it. And sometimes, they give us sweets. That's the best part."

He picks up his fork and pokes at the eggs, taking a small bite and making a face. He doesn't like it, but he keeps eating. I watch him for a moment before speaking again.

"It'll get easier, Lucian," I say softly. "You'll get stronger, and you'll get used to everything. And I'll help you."

He looks up at me, his eyes a little hopeful. "Thank you, Nez," he says, a bit louder this time. "I'm glad you're here."

We eat in silence after that, but it's not uncomfortable. It's like we're both trying to figure things out in this tough place.

After breakfast, Lucian and I walk back to the training room in silence. I can see he's worried, but there's not much I can say to make him feel better. Colonel Irons is mean and punishes us hard if we show weakness.

When we get to the training room, Gideon is already there, standing straight with his eyes on the ground. He must have heard Colonel Irons' boots too. Colonel Irons isn't back yet, but we know he'll come soon. Lucian stops at the door, so I grab his hand and squeeze it, leading him to the bench where Gideon sat before. We sit and wait.

The room feels heavy, and my heart beats fast. I look at Gideon, who looks strong even though I know he's scared. He's always been strong for me, but now it's my turn to be strong for him. The door slams open, and Colonel Irons storms in. His eyes are cold and hard, making the room feel heavy. Lucian flinches next to me, and I sit up straighter, ready to protect him if I have to.

Gideon's Pov

Colonel Irons burst through the door, his presence filling the room with an oppressive weight. Lucian and Nezzera were sitting on the bench beside me, watching with a mix of fear and concern. I stood in there, my jaw clenched tightly, refusing to show weakness.

"Soldier Seven," Colonel Irons barked, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip. "Front and center."

I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes, sir."

Colonel Irons circled me like a predator, his eyes cold and calculating. "You disappointed me today, Soldier Seven. You showed weakness. You lost to someone younger and smaller than you. Unacceptable."

I remained silent, my fists clenched at my sides.

"Do you know what happens to those who show weakness, Soldier Seven?" Colonel Irons continued, his voice dripping with menace.

"Yes, sir," I replied, my voice barely audible.

Without warning, Colonel Irons lunged forward and struck me across the face with the back of his hand. Pain exploded through my skull, but I refused to let it show. I could taste blood in my mouth, but I didn't flinch. I couldn't afford to show weakness, not now.

"You will learn from this failure," Colonel Irons hissed. "You will train harder, and you will not fail again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," I said through gritted teeth.

"Good," Colonel Irons said, his tone ice-cold. "Now, get down on your knees."

I obeyed, sinking to my knees on the hard floor, my muscles tensed for what was to come. I could feel Lucian and Nezzera's eyes on me, their silent support a small comfort in the midst of the brutality.

Colonel Irons raised his hand, and I braced myself for the blow. The first strike landed across my cheek, sending a shockwave of pain through my entire body. I bit back a cry, refusing to give Colonel Irons the satisfaction of seeing me break. I can't let Nez see me break, I have to be strong for her. I have to set the example.

Again and again, Colonel Irons rained down blows upon me, each one landing with brutal force. My vision blurred, and I fought to stay conscious, to endure the punishment without showing weakness. I could hear Lucian's gasps of horror and Nezzera's quiet sobs, but I couldn't focus on anything except the pain.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Colonel Irons stopped. I slumped to the ground, my body battered and bruised, but my spirit unbroken. I refused to give Colonel Irons the satisfaction of seeing me broken.

As Colonel Irons left the room with one last menacing glare, the door slamming shut behind him. Nez rushed to my side silent tears still running down her small face. I struggled to my feet with Nezzera's help. "Gid, are you okay?" she whispered, her voice trembling. I nodded, unable to speak past the pain.

"We'll get through this," Nezzera said, her voice filled with determination. "We have to stick together. That's the only way."

I nodded again, my gaze meeting Lucian's. Who approaches the two of us with a look of horror clear across his face. Despite the horror of what he had seen, I saw a spark of resilience in his eyes as we both share a small uncertain nod. We were a team now, bound together by the shared horrors of this place. Together, we would endure. Together, we would survive.