Eulie: The Story

Chapter Fifteen

I felt bile catch in my throat and my head throb as I lurched forward, gagging. I could not think straight. I needed air. Cool air to feel my blocked lungs. My breaths were shallow and wheezy. I didn’t know when I started to cry but I became suddenly aware of salty tears covering my face. Of all the things that had been kept from me, this was the worst. How had I been allowed to eat it for so long? I felt anger boil up inside of me.

“Why?” I eventually choked out.

“In pre-human times, they always killed animals for produce. To eat. That’s what meat was classified as. Ruppa is the only ‘meat’ still obtained in this way. The rest are formed from a variety of different materials.”

“So…you’re just going to leave me here with these people?”

“I have no other choice, Eulie. These people are nice.”

“How long will I have to stay here?” I asked.

“Well, I already have a sixteen year lead on you,” Adrianna said.

“You’ve been here your whole life?” I said.

“Never seen the sun,” she replied, pursing her lips.

“Well, I’ll let you get acquainted, and I’ll be back tomorrow, OK?” Before I could stop her, she’d slipped behind the door and shut it closed. Everyone fell silent.

“I’m Sofia,” said a girl a little older than me with her brown hair tied up on her head.

“Hi,” I replied, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

“Is it not cool enough for you in here?” she asked.

“No, it’s fine. Just a little…shocked,” I said. Everyone else continued with whatever they had been doing beforehand, though they kept glancing in my direction.

“Your friends were too.” I nodded.

“So, is there a toilet here or…?” She stood and went over to the wall. She pulled on a brick and suddenly a hidden door swung open.

“A further precaution we had in case anybody found us,” she said, and gestured me through.

“Thanks,” I replied. The bathroom was clean and contained the bare essentials. I stripped off my clothes and pumped water through before having a warm shower. I tried to let my muscles relax under the steamy water, and stretched out, moaning as I popped my bones. The water beneath me turned a murky brown as the dirt on my feet was washed off. I dried myself using one of the many towels they had stacked up, and put my clothes back on. I brushed my teeth for the first time in days using an unused toothbrush I found still in its packaging beneath the sink. I felt a lot better when my breath was minty and my skin cleaned.

The room was full with chatter when I came back inside. “Doesn’t anyone ever hear you?” I asked.

“The room is sound proof,” said the woman who had spoken to mother earlier. “I’m Elise, by the way.” I nodded, going over to Lyla and Ryad.

“When did you get here?” I asked, sitting by them.

“Last night. That’s when the searches started,” Lyla said. “Why did you…leave?”

“I just needed to fly around for a bit and lost track of time,” I lied.

“And then they attacked?” I nodded. “Your family were so worried.”

“Yeah, they seemed a bit…off with me.”

“Well…yeah. A couple of hours after you left, I think, people burst into search the house. Your mother brought us here immediately. They demanded to know where you were, and then they took their search to the skies.” I’d really gotten away just in time. I wouldn’t have had much chance if I’d been at home when they came.