Clips Of Shard

Prisoners

“Shard” Someone nudges my ribs with their foot. I let out a groan as pain ignites over my side. My body aches as if I had just run for three days. I can’t move my legs. I feel the cool stone against my torso. They took my shirt again. A musty smell infiltrates my nostrils. I just want to block out his voice and sleep.

“Shard get you butt up of I am going to go get the crap pot.” I manage to crack my eyes open, and stare up at my friend.

“Trace?” I wheeze. Trace had that ever fixed menacing grin on his face; like he was waiting for me to fall asleep again cause he wasn’t finished taking out my kidney. His hair hangs in this face, abscising his brown eye from view.

“Finally the dead arise. What heck is wrong with you anyways.” I don’t even bother replying to his question. As if it isn’t obvious

“Oh I don’t know, maybe being beat half to death has something to do with it, Trace.” You wouldn’t even know she was if Shay hadn’t spoken. Shayla scoots from her dark corner into the light. She raised her arms in a stretch, then places both her hand on her red hair, and starched. Shay wears a once pale blue dress that is now brown and is torn off mid shin.

“Ahh Shut of Reddie” Trace jabs. Shay’s eyes flare with anger.

“Bite me” She growls.  

“How long did they have me out there this time?” I ask, still unmoving.

“My guess is that you were out for two day but they brought you in here a little bit ago.” Shay says gazing up on the only barred window in the cell. Two days? I missed my birthday. I’m sixteen and if the breaker was right…

“How long ago was that?”

“Well the bar’s shadow moved about two inches, so…” Trace gestures to Shayla for answers. It is the only way to tell time in the prison. Shay created and she is the only one who knows out to use it. Before Shayla starts muttering about how much of a block head Trace is for not knowing how to read her sundial…. I think she called it, I spoke.

“You know what I don’t care.” I push myself upward. A burning sensation spreads through my back like a wildfire. I let an aggravated yell. Trace moves a couple paces away and sit in cross legged position.

“You okay.” Shay stands,ready to help.

“Fine” I wave her away. Gritting my teeth I force myself to sit upward. Then I lower myself backward against the wall; so as not to hurt any of my new wounds.

“You look like crap.” I can’t help but smile at Trace. I want to shake my head but I fear it would be too painful to do.

“I know” My throat feels raw like someone made me swallow rocks.

“They took your shirt again?” Shayla points out.

“What else it new” I cough out a laugh.

“They said you were a golden?” Trace states with a casualness. I am speechless for a few seconds.

“So are you?” Trace prompts with a new coldness to his voice. His smile is gone. His eyes bore into me.

“What? No.” I rush to put any thoughts of that from their heads.  Trace crosses his arms over his skinny body and studies me. No one speaks. I glance over to Shay, but she isn’t paying attention. Instead she has her head cocked to one side as if listening for something. I realize she isn’t going to be any help. I turn my eye back up to Trace.

“Trace quit acting like a child.” Shay breaks the silence.

“I’m not a child.” He spits at her. “I’m adult since yesterday.”

“Whatever.” She walks over to me. “Just wait till he is healed a little more before you go interrogating him.”

“I was just asking  simple question.” He spreads his hand, laugh with an awkward chuckle.

“Let me look at your back.” The red head ignores him, squat next to me.

“There fine, they’ll-” I motion for her to leave me alone.

“They’ll get infected if I don’t check them, you block. Now sit forward.”

“Shay really they are fine-.” I can’t let her see my back. If the breaker was right and I am a golden. My wounds would be gone.

“Just do it.” Shay set her jaw.

“I can’t” I lie. “It hurts too much.”

“Then ley down on your back.” I shake my head.

“I don’t think I am moving anytime soon.”

“Then I will just have to-.” A metallic click stops her cold. She jumps up and scurries to her corner of the cell. Trace turns so his back is to the wall. The wooden cell door opens with a loud squawk, of unoiled hinges. I grimace at the noise. A Breaker, with a pudgy belly, that sticks out from under his uniform sweeps into the room. Two other guards wait right outside.

“Where is she?” He sounds as if someone has clamped is nostrils shut. The Breaker scans the room with a turned up nose. I don’t say a thing, Trace just shrugs. It’s not there are many places for her to go, you block

 There is a flicker of movement from her side of the cell. “Girl if you don’t come out of that corner, I will have to pay a visit to your little brother.” He says with distaste, apparently not wanting to get his hands dirty. Shay steps from the darkness. She is clutching one side of her dress, as if to stop her from punching him in the face.

“Come, you cow” His cheek twitches, a forced smile spreads across his face.” Commander James requests your present in his chambers.”  Shayla walks to the door. Trace scrambles to his feet but Shayla shake her head.