The S.S Delinquent

Chapter 5 & 6

Chapter Five

   Finally, the flashing red light above the door to the entrance went off. Which was followed by a loud, irritating buzzing sound which signaled that their meal pills were about to be delivered. Everyone scrambled to get their asses to their seats around the table, because if they were not sat down waiting patiently they didn't get fed.

   Tatts felt the welcome cool breeze against her face as the thick, metal door opened up, showing her a rare glimpse of the unknown outside world. One of the long suffering kitchen workers trailed inside pushing a little tea trolley, containing enough meal pills for every inmate.

   Five seconds was all the time that was allowed to enter and leave through the door, otherwise you would be squished like a bug or painfully trapped. It was guarded on either side by the most heavily armed guards in the Orphanage. You had to have an early death wish to even consider trying to make a break for it.

   The elderly civilian worker handed out each inmate their rations in a tiny, round, disposable, paper container and a vitamin drink in silence. She barely even made eye contact with the smallest, least dangerous and cutest inmates. They were not allowed to speak to the children because if they did they would be punished for it.

   It was never the same kitchen worker either, each day was someone different and they regularly changed routines. The inmates never knew which person they were going to get as the guards did not want them building up relationships with each other.

   The civilians and fleet workers had fresh, real food served to them in their cabins from a specialist meal dispenser, much of it grown on board in the hydroponic deck. Since the robots rebelled they were no longer used for these sorts of tasks, as they couldn't be trusted.

   Inmates quickly threw their meal pills into their mouth before anyone else got a chance to steal them, then took a big swig of the green, gloopy vitamin drink to wash it down with. That was all that was needed to sustain life.

   Both items tasted foul and chemical like, but Tatts had never know any different and didn't think they tasted that bad really. It was the kids who had experienced more freedom who tended to gag on the drink. They also complained that they were still hungry more than inmates who had been locked up for longer. 

   Tatts heard them talk about all different sorts of food and drink they missed now that they were banged up. Going on and on about how they wished they had somehow managed to smuggle in pizza and chocolate with them. She had never heard of half of the foods before, let alone ever tasted them. She never would.

   She did her usual trick of throwing her meal pill up in the air and catching it in her mouth, before downing the green liquid concoction in one. Tatts wiped the back of her hand across her mouth to get rid of her green mustache and burped.

   Tatts watched with amusement as Matchsticks tried in vain not to retch, screwing his face up in disgust and holding his churning stomach. He could manage his meal pill fine, he was yet unable to drink an entire glass full of the vitamin drink.

   Pinkie was eyeing up one of the guards hungrily, she would wait until later to lure him into the bathroom under false pretenses. The guards did not appear to remember what happened them or feel any ill effects from having their energy consumed.

   The inmates were given only ten minutes to consume their meal pills and drinks. If they had not finished it by then, it was tough. It was taken away from them again and they were left to go hungry to teach them a lesson.

   The same kitchen worker would drag the trolley around again to collect glasses and paper cups, then they would leave them to it to return to the kitchens. The next time the inmates would be fed again was at breakfast time, but they had access to drinking water at all times from a shared drinking fountain.