"You've been here for years. So why have you just started to speak up now?" Robert asks. I try to think, because its actually really complicated. There's no reason why I just randomly became depressed about a month ago and I have no idea I've just become brave enough to speak out suddenly. Normally I'm terrified of everything, but I've grown out of everyday fear. Maybe its because I've realized that life can't actually get much worse than it is now.
"Not sure..." I begin. "Probably because the older I get the more I realize how pathetic the world has become. People are being thrown in prison for abusing children, yet all of the Masters and Mothers practically abuse us every day and they get paid." Robert looks at me. "The only people who get paid." he adds. He has a point, maybe the reason why all of the Masters and Mothers treat us like this isn't because they just don't like children... its probably because they get paid to abuse us and make us work for King Richard and the government.
"So, what convinced you to back up some insane person like me in front of thousands of people?" I ask. I guess I kind of smile... probably the first time I have in weeks. It doesn't take him long to respond, and he smiles back. "Maybe because you're the only one here who is-"
Robert is interrupted when Master Tevov opens the door. The moment he walks in, he stares down at us in fury.
"There's over thirty Masters here yet we still wind up getting lectured by this dick." Robert whispers. I struggle holding in my laughter as the burly man sits at the desk in front of us.
"Are you kidding me?" Master Tevov asks. Robert sits up straight and look him in the eyes. "What did we do wrong this time, Master?" Robert asks. My eyes widen, and I try to remember what Anne had told me. Her words 'Don't say anything more' echo through my head as I watch Master Tevov make himself comfortable in the big office chair. "You two are becoming friends, aren't you?" he asks. Robert responds to Master Tevov's question with his own in less than just a couple of seconds. "And whats wrong with that, Master? And why aren't you finishing your speech about all of this good news?" he asks.
Master Tevov looks from Robert to me, then back to Robert. "That's not important." He begins. "Both of you have individually managed to embarrass this country in minutes, God only knows what you two might stir up together. You could have been plotting my death as I walked through that door." Robert's head is on a slight tilt, looking directly into Tevov's eyes with a fake smile. "Oh how did you know?" he says softly in a slightly higher pitch tone. The look on our Master's face shows he's obviously not satisfied by Roberts' threat. "Master Tevov, there's no need to be concerned yet. I've already taken one of you heros down just yesterday, I'm not ready for another just quite yet." I say calmly with a fake smile that's similar to Robert's.
Tevov turns to face me and shows a look of disgust. "...Melanite, all I have to tell you is that you should really shut up before you get yourself killed." I refuse to take my eyes away from his, and respond instantly. "And why would that be so bad for me?" I ask. He seems puzzled by my question, and he doesn't respond. "I would die in this World War you're throwing me in anyway, so it shouldn't really matter to me... it should matter to you. That would be one less soldier for you to throw out there in what wealthy country, Joplin? Kendonia? All for what, to sacrifice another slave who was made into a soldier? Then who would serve you heros, our younger siblings? The only remaining children of Zarta?"
"Get up," Master Tevov says and he looks at me. "Both of you." he tells Robert. Each of us exchange glances, and get up from our seats. "I want both of you to leave this room knowing that if you ever say something to insult this country again, I'll take whatever nightmares you little kids have and turn them into some bewildering, unthinkable realities. Understood?"
Again Robert and I exchange glances before reluctantly responding "Yes." and leaving the room.
I follow him out into the hallway. He turns around and waits for me to catch up. We then continue making our way back out to the lot side-by-side in the same hallway I had walked through just last night when I exited the conference room.
"I'm sorry about your cousin." Rob says. My heart begins aching again at the taught of Darrel really being gone. "Its okay..." I manage to respond. He looks at me. "I remember talking to him a few times," he begins. "All he wanted to do was make people proud. That's why I can't believe one of the Masters would shoot him." His words 'shoot him' echo through my head the way Anne's did earlier. And I can't believe I really head those words... that Darrel, innocent Darrel, got shot. All because of me.
I'm surprised to see that the storm has ended. The speech had finally ended, and the child soldiers are currently sitting on the ground having conversations with one another.
We stop and face each other once we make it out to the Lot. Our conversation begins to end when I finally respond to Robert's statement. "That's probably my fault." I say. "Nah, you didn't do anything wrong. They did." he says. The boy, a few inches taller than me begins walking away. "Well, I'll see you later." he says. "Oh, yeah, happy birthday!" he says as he waves goodbye from a distance. "Thanks!" I say.
Surprisingly, Anne is sitting right up front talking with some other soldiers we know. "Mel!" she exclaims. She immediately gets up and rushes over. "What?" I ask. She finally stops in front of me. "They told us whats going on." she says. "What do you mean?" I ask. Anne hesitates.
She takes a deep breath, and responds in a much softer, lower tone. "A large group of other countries, most of them the wealthier ones, have been attacking Zarta, Priston and Danovak over the past three years, and a lot of the younger kids that have been taken here over the past three years knew about it too." she says. "But they were told that if they let any of the older slaves know about it they'd be whipped." We continue staring at each other. "So why are we being attacked?" I ask. Again, Anne hesitates to answer. "One, because the we and the other two failing countries have broken the equal trade treaty." she responds. "...And?" I ask. She looks at me in this sort of frightened manner, and that's I realize something is really wrong.
"...And the entire world wants to put an end to slavery in all three countries."
