Road to Rebellion

2: More Dirt

His Side

I haven't heard from her for over two days. She could be anywhere. I don't even know if she's alive.

I haven't heard her gentle steps, or seen her soft smile, or listened to her smooth voice, for more than forty-eight hours.

All I've been doing is sitting in this little cave carved out underground. Kicking walls (I can't find the door). Yelling her name. Pacing. Thinking.

A voice talks to me from some sort of hidden sound system - I can't see any speakers or holes or anything. I'm sitting in a space with nothing.

The voice greets me, clear and emotionless. "Hey, stop it."

I grunt. "Let me out and I will."

"You can't come out until you stop being so violent."

I curse under my breath and look up at the ceiling. "Fine. I'll stop. Let me out."

"No."

"Agh!" I pound my fists against the hard dirt and the voice simply goes, "tsk tsk. Stop it, that ruins the walls."

"Good! I'll gladly mark up your precious dirt hole! What have you done with Jamie?!"

"If you stop marking up your cell, we can put you somewhere nicer. Just because your hair is black doesn't mean you can't have your blond moments."

I growl at the voice like the animal I am. Then I sit down on my butt, in the middle of the floor - like the child I am. 19-year-old child. Mommy.

I doze off eventually and the voice doesn't come back (I think I scared it off. Peachy.)

Eventually though, I have to come back to consciousness, waking up in the same sad world I momentarily escaped. At least Jamie is here.

Speaking of which, where is she?

"Hey, voice!" I cup my hands and yell at the ceiling.

"What?" A disinterested tone reproaches me. I can tell now that it's female, and she's moody.

"I'll stop throwing fits if you at least tell me where Jamie is."

A loud sigh. "She's in another room like yours. But I'm the only one who can hear you."

How does that work, anyway? The invisible technology is incredible. Just smooth dirt walls, floor and ceiling. No flaws. It doesn't even look like real dirt.

"What's your name?" I attempt. She ignores me. "Did you leave?"

"Of course not, stupid. I have to sit here all day every day just to humor your stupid conversations so your stupid head doesn't go insane."

Well, that's just rude. "Can you talk to other... Guests?"

"Of course."

"Have you talked to Jamie at all?"

She huffs in exasperation and it transmits funny, sounding loud and close. She must be using a microphone.

"Please," I beg her. "Just let me hear her voice."

"You won't like it."

"I don't care!"

There was a moment of silent, and then a static noise (older technology) before the system patched through to an apparently live recording.

The sound clears to silence and I hear someone breathing. It's kind of eerie.

Then I hear the whip.

And her scream.