I'm shackled
I smirk at the irony of that one stray thought; it was the actual truth. Maybe not literally, but figuratively.
I stand alone, the shadows of the chain-link fence covering me from head to toe. In the distance I hear not the sounds of nature, but instead the sounds of what we call a bruzak; a prison camp. I turn slowly and walk in the direction of the carakuma; a cafeteria. I get to the door and walk inside.
Dodging, I barely escape having a pudding-face. Walking to the end of the long line, I spot Jay and Bird waving to me. I nod to them and snatch a metal plate off the rack. Further down the line, I see the usual: peas, hot dogs, and ketchup. I serve myself, filling the plate. Without looking back, I walk towards Jay and Bird, dodging food scraps all the way.
"What were you doing by the fence?" asks Bird anxiously, her voice exactly like a bird's would sound in English, "We were worried about you."
"Thinking," I reply, glancing at Jay.
"Bout what?" he asks, his mouth filled to the brim with peas.
"Shackles," I said matter-of-factly, shoving a hot dog into my mouth. Bird looks at me warily, but Jay laughs, "The 'funniest' subject on Earth! Tell us why."
"Cause of the shadows by the fence," I reply.
"Oh," he looks down at his plate. We finish eating and split up. Except for Jay. He follows me, thinking I don't know that he's there. I spin and ask impatiently, "Why are you following me?"
