I Am Entertainment.

 PREFACE

The cold, dusty floor of my cell had a cockroach on it. I looked around to the other children, to see if any of them noticed it. Would it be a sin to kill something unwanted? I supposed not- since the people who took care of us did it daily. They had trained us to think we were unwanted. I was one of the younger kids to believe in something better than what was here, but the other 5-6 year olds were beyond my help; only asking the same questions over and over- questions I had no answer for. They sat in other corners, crying or trying to sleep. Since I was six, I was responsible for some of them. But instead of comforting the crying little boy who sat in the opposite corner, I was focused on the cockroach that was slithering towards me. I took my thumb and squished it, the shell cracking under the weight of my hand. I knew it would take more than a thumb to kill the wriggling beast, but I withdrew my weapon and went over to Braxton, the crying boy.

“Stop crying,” I hissed, crouched in front of him. He wiped his sullen eyes, and looked up at me. His cheek bones were prominent; all the children’s were. We never had enough food, and when they graced us with the rewards promised, the scraps of bread were molded and stale. The water had a green tint to it and a bland taste, but it was water.  Enough to survive.

“Why are they doing this to us?” Braxton asked, and as usual, I had no response. He closed his little eyes and sobbed silently, and when his breathing slowed, knew he’d gone to sleep.

I went back to my corner, and waited till Dawn, unable to sleep.