Into the Darkness

Chapter 2

I don't sleep for long. I wake in a cold sweat and I'm breathing heavy. It was probably a nightmare but I can't remember what it was about. Even though I don't remember I know I was in the maze. Nothing could be scarier than that place. 

And here I am with people who completely understand. It's bizarre.

Even though my sleep was interrupted it was absolutely amazing. I feel rested for the first time. I stretch and start to replace the blankets the state I find them. I glance up to the place where the girl was sleeping earlier. She isn't sleeping now. I can only see here silhouette but he is sitting cross-legged and facing my direction. I squint at her trying to figure out who she is.

"It's Nevada. You get used to the darkness. Did I wake you?" I have a feeling she wouldn't care if she did.

"No."

She doesn't  say anything else. I don't really know what to do so I say the first thing that comes to my mind, "I like your accent."

She rolls her eyes, "I like yours" She says sarcastically.

I smile and she chuckles.  "So how do things work around here?"

"The Voice calls this place the room. We have one light." she points the the swaying light bulb, "It doesn't go out."

I nod so she continues.

"If you go to where the sleeping mats end and walk a couple of feet you will reach the loo and a few showers. It flushes but it smells all the time over there so no one really goes over there."
She points across the room past the bulb to an area where we can't see.

"That whole is just has a bunch of wood crates in them. They are all empty. On the left are supplies and the med station. We really only need it when someone new comes through or if someone does something crazy and hurts themselves." She way she says it tells me it has happened before. I can't say I blame whoever it was, "On the Right is the entertainment center."

Entertainment center? What does that mean?

She senses my interest, "Don't get your hopes up those guys have been here for four years. They made a couple decks if cards out of paper and couple of dumb board games. Occasionally the voice sends down some books like Anna Karenina or some magazine from like the 80s."

"Some entertainment center."

She seems to appreciate the sarcasm, "Yeah anyway in the middle is our kitchen. But really it's just a microwave with a bunch of crates that we use as chairs and tables."

"Sounds like you guys have a great setup here." More sarcasm.

She looks around,"It's as good as it's ever gonna get."

I decide to switch the more personal topic. Partly to get to know her and partly to try and trip her up if she is a trick although I am thinking that is less and less likely ith each minute I spend here, "So who's waiting for you on the outside."

She frowns and mumbles, "I doubt they are waiting anymore."

She seems so sad. They all seem so sad. Is it only a matter of time before I am like that too? "Well, I am sure that isn't true."

She sighs rather loudly, "The only people I have out there is my dad, my little brother and my American step mom and American step brothers."

I chuckle a bit.

"What?" She demands

I smile, "American. What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. You tell me."

I raise my eyebrows, "Come on we aren't that bad."

She grins, "Says the American"