Intertwined

Loss of Appetite

"So Axel," Noah snickered. He had already showed his distaste in Axel's name right after they met. 'Is that really your name? What are you, an ice skater or something?'

"So Noah," Axel sneered back, coping his tone. "Can you cut the cigarette bullshit? You're really sinking up the place."

Noah jumped down from his cot he was standing on, ripping the cigarette from his mouth. "I earned this, and in case you haven't figured it out, nobody messes with me here."

Axel suddenly felt the cool, concrete wall against his back. He had been slowly backing away from him.

"That's what I thought." Noah gloated. He then began to pace back and forth.

"Listen, this place isn't a prison as more as it is a camp. A training camp to be more precise but, with less training and more fucked up experiments."

"What do you mean? What did they do to those kids out there?" Axel asked, fear lining his voice.

"You've seen what's outside." Noah sighed, pointing to the door. "It's Hell out there. These people want to create super soldiers that will eventually bring back peace but, with every step they take, they destroy every last drop of peace left in this damned country."

He sat back down on his cot and for the first time he genuinely looked concerned for Axel.

"Its inhuman what they do. You've got maybe a day at most." He mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Enjoy what?!" Axel yelled, "What the hell are they going to do? Answer dammit!" He was tired of begging left in the dark, but all he got was a blank face in return.

"Enjoy your last day being human."

                                          ~

"I know how to walk, may I remind you!"

Guards began to shove them through the
crowed hallways overflowing with shuffling kids. It was so packed, Axel thought he may have stepped on someone but, he couldn't be sure. The lunch bell had rung but, it sounded more like a alarm than a bell.

The lunch room itself was large but definitely not big enough to hold so many people. Axel drudged his way though the lunch line and quickly sat down next to Noah, the only person he could call his "friend." He tried to enjoy his serving of slop but the rotting smell and glassy stares from the other kids wasn't helping his appetite. Despite the hundreds of people in the room, not a single sound could be heard.

"These people, they look-"

"Inhuman?" Noah interrupted.

"...Yeah." Axel breathed out but, then quickly turned to Noah. "How come you're not like them?"

"Shut up." He answered, "We're not supposed to talk right now."

After a long while, Axel finally mustered up the courage to eat his food. Noah had inhaled his and he was still alive. But, after his first bite he almost spit it all up when a loud crash boomed across the cafeteria.

"It seems that some of you need a reminder about what we do here!"

A large, bald, middle-aged man in a navy suit came bursting through the double doors. Following right behind him was armored guards escorting one of the in-prisoned kids who looked around sixteen years old.

"What is are number one priority here at the New York institution?" The man politely asked, greatly changing the tone of his voice.

"Safely and justice for all." All the kids answered back, including Noah through a smirk. It was all bullshit and he knew it. 

"Well if you know it," he raised his voice again, "Then why don't you act upon it!" He grabbed the kid by the shoulder and pushed him to the front. "We found this piece of trash in the trash behind the kitchen. Now Daniel, what were you doing in the trash bins?"

"Looking for some-something to e-eat." The kid gasped through tears.

"Looking for something to eat?!" The man yelled, "You're acting like we don't feed you!"

Axel looked down at his tiny pile of slop. He knew where this kid was coming from. He couldn't live off this crap.

The man turned back to the crowd. "As stated before, this is completely unacceptable. We just had the same case last week from Jenny and then Daniel here, does it anyway. Which means he gets a larger punishment."

Axel squinted his eyes to get a good look at Daniel and quickly shut them at the horror he saw. A large rope was tightly twisted around his neck and hung down his back.

"As warden, I declare that punishment to be death."

The guards marched toward the middle of the room taking Daniel with them. Axel noticed a small stand on the floor and a metal bar hanging from the ceiling, which told him that this was a common practice. He turned to Noah hoping that there was something they could do but, Noah just tightened his jaw and looked to the ground.

Daniel struggled as they tied the rope to the bar. He unleaded a ungodly scream as they finished tying the knot. His legs shook as he tried to balance his tiptoes on the stool below him. His hands turned purple from griping the rope for his life. His face red and running with hot tears. The look in his eyes was fully aware. Taking in every last detail of the world around him and how he despised that world. Hate burned within every inch of this body as the stool was kicked out from under him.

He kicked looking for something to ground him but all he found was the cold, still air below his feet. Unnatural noises rang from is mouth as a last call for help. No one came.

A small snap confirmed he was dead.

So that's the 4th chapter! Hope y'all enjoyed it! 😋😋😋😋 I really enjoyed writing it and I hope it brightens up your day!!!!!!