984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Eight

While I'm asleep, at least I think I'm asleep, pictures come to me. My mind forms Dana, Brinn, Sienna, Josh and I. We are all together laughing and talking. Then Brinn is screaming. We are running, running from something. I don't know what it is. I just have a feeling that if we get caught, it will be something terrible.

Sienna falls and Josh stays back to help her, they both disappear. Dana, Brinn, and I twist through halls. My heart pounds fast in my chest. I'm screaming and crying. 

Then I wake up. My eyes dart desperately around the room and I realize I am back in the Kitchens. I gulp in air. My heart pounds to quickly.

What happened? What was that? Pictures while I was asleep?

I fight off drowsiness and focus in front of me. Dana and another girl are peering at me worriedly.

Dana leans forward and says, "Did you see pictures?"

I nod, confused. How would she know?

Dana smiles, "It's okay. What you just experienced was a dream. A substance in the Vita stops you from having dreams when you sleep, thankfully, they seem like horrid, nasty, little things. In the old world, people went through that nearly every night. The dreams only happened because you haven't had Vita for awhile or food for that matter. These dreams won't happen again, unless you don't eat your Vita.”

I relax, but only a little. I can't imagine, going though that every night. The pressing fear, the terror, the horrifying experience. I'm glad the Vita prevents it.

The other girl has gone back to work in the Kitchen.

Dana still looks at me concerned, "You know what? I'm going to go ask J., if I can borrow just some bread to give to you. You look like your offie starving. I suppose you must be you did miss Mid-Day Meal."

As if on cue, my stomach rumbles. I've been slightly hungry before, but never this bad. Pain rip through my belly and up under my ribs.

Dana scurries away and a minute or so later, she comes back triumphantly with a thick slice of brown bread. She hands it to me, "Still warm. One of the perks of the Kitchens, we add some extra flavor to the bread. This isn't the dry, crusty, bland stuff we ate in the Complex. This is actually worth eating. Now, eat up, I need to get back to measuring out ingredients, only half an hour or so before Late Meal, okay?"

I would respond, but I've already started on my bread. It is still warm, just like Dana promised. It’s backed to perfection and flavor dances on my tongue. It's like nothing I've ever eaten before. The piece of bread is gone within seconds, my stomach rumbling for more.

I sit and wait until Late Meal. I don't dare to close my eyes again, afraid of the dreams.

Before too long, Dana walks over and says we can go in for Late Meal.

As we are twisting through the halls, Dana explains, "The worst part of working in the Kitchens is the eating hours. They can change at any time and you don't get to eat with a lot of people. But, a few other Pros are like that. In fact, most Pros eat in shifts, like the Cons, the Odds, R.I.'s sometimes probably, Cleaners. Nurses always have unpredictable hours. Actually, the only Pros that has set hours is Teachers and there aren't many of those. Of course, Charlotte will hopefully fill you in on all this tomorrow. If she doesn't, make sure you ask. The Pros here are pretty much the structure of how we run things, so it's important you know."

We walk through a doorway, the doors wide open. It’s a replica of the Eating Hall from the Complex. Long tables with stools bolted to the floor line the room. A counter stretches on one side where people serve food.