The Clean Ones

Chapter 11

At approximately 6:58 pm, yet another guard came to escort us to dinner. He remained silent the entire way down the prolonged hallway and in the elevator ride down to the foyer. We were lead to the right this time, past several doorways, and into a vastly open dining room. A rug woven together in a pattern of various hues of reds and golds glittered across the floor from just outside the room to the very end of it. Not one, but three massive, glistening chandeliers hung from the ceiling, all of which appeared to be small-scale replicas of the one in the foyer. Underneath them was a table made entirely out of glass. It took up the entire length of the room with just the perfect proportion of chairs on either side. Mayor Johnson was already seated at the head of the table and motioned for us to seat ourselves on either side of him. Cale took the right and I, the left.

"Thank you very much, Lyle. You may go now." He addressed the guard. He bowed slightly and left the room hastily. "Ah, children. How wonderful that you made it just in time. You will learn very quickly that it is best to never be late for something even as casual as dinner." If this was casual, I'm not sure I wanted to know what formal was. Platters of concealed food covered the top half of the table and filled the air with the sweetest, most decadent aroma I had ever smelled in my life.

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting us." Cale stated with a smile.

"Why, of course!" He gushed. "What's the purpose of having nice things without being able to share them with anyone? It's so pleasant not to have to dine with just three to a table, for a change. Now there's plenty more people to enjoy it too! There's the two of you and... Oh!" He directed his attention to another guard in the room. "James, do tell me, have you seen the other children around?"

"No sir, I have not. I will go fetch them right away." The guard ducked out of the room.

"What other children?" I asked.

The Mayor waved his hand dismissively. "Now, while we wait for our guests, shall we resume our discussion from earlier? Where were we?" He said a little too enthusiastically for my liking.

"Well, sir, we had a few questions we'd like to ask, if you don't mind." Cale started. He nodded and gestured for him to continue. "For starters-"

"How do you know my name?"I blurted, only to be returned with a look of regret from Cale and a laugh from the Mayor.

"Do you always finish each other's sentences for each other? It's adorable, really. So much so that it makes me sick." He spat, ceasing his laughter. "Oh, I'm only just joking. Lighten up a bit! Seriously, you both are too serious. Here- take a drink, or two, or three." He insisted. He grabbed a bottle from the ice bucket between our chairs and grasped it in one hand. In his other hand he grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me back before shoving the bottle into my mouth and pouring some of the liquid down. Whatever it was, it was sickeningly sweet and tasted a bit like the cherry cough medicine the scientists used to force me to take as a child whenever I was sick. Once I swallowed it, it burned the back of my throat as if someone had set it on fire.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cale dig his nails firmly into the table, as to restrain himself from leaping to his feet. "Sir, please, if you would just-".

"My boy, it is too early into the evening to start reminiscing of our other lives. All of your questions will be answered in due time." He winked. Cale opened his mouth to argue but was cut off by the sound of heavy feet pounding down the hall. "Ah, our other guests must be arriving. Do come in, boys!" He called out. Although my eyes were glazed over and my head pounded, I could still make out the two the two red heads that bounded into the room. They giggled and conversed aimlessly but, when they spotted us, stopped dead in their tracks.

"What the..." Lu started, his eyes bugging out from his skull. He was not dressed in the too-tight shorts and baggy t-shirt I had seen him in earlier. He actually looked as if he had showered recently, and was dressed in jeans and a baby blue button down. Benton, who stood beside him, was dressed similarly, except his shirt was a much darker shade of blue.