Roots On The Rocks

Chapter 5

Mataus meets us in the entrance hall, leaning against a pole with his arms crossed. When we walk in, a smile crosses his face.

"Well if it isn't our little ghost. Haven't seen you in a few days," He chuckles. My face forms my standard reaction and scowls, making Mataus smile even more. Why does everyone here seem to smile all the time? Is this normal? Is there something in the water? Should I be smiling more? What if they think I'm bitter and don't want me here?

"Well, since you are still here, am I right to assume you have decided to stay?" Mataus asks. I hesitate then nod. To be completely honest, I haven't given staying much thought. I don't really have anywhere else to go and the idea of somewhere with relative safety is really appealing. Plus, every time I close my eyes, I see him. I wonder if he is still looking for me. Probably not. He never wanted me anyway. He was stuck with me. A cursed, useless, dangerous burden. No wonder he hated me.

"Well then glad to have you aboard," Mataus exclaims, clapping me on the shoulder. I jump at the unexpected touch, fear running across my body involuntarily. If Mataus sees it, he is kind enough to pretend he misses it. Despite his frat boy exterior, I don't believe much gets by him.

"First things first, if you are going to stay here, we really only have one rule. You don't tell anyone outside these doors about this place or any of us, even if you get caught."

This serious look isn't a great look on Mataus, seems like he is much more predisposed to joking and laughing. Even so, he is still incredibly attractive. He seems to know it too. And the message gets across.

"Not like I have anyone to tell anyway," I answer, my voice uncontrollably laced with bitterness. Odd how I would never have talked to my father like that but I can't seem to stop talking to everyone else harshly. Maybe I am making up for lost time.

Mataus laughs, ignoring my jab. "Either way, you will know everything in the next few minutes. Time for you to learn what we are here."

I can feel the excitement growing in me, the need to know what this place is and how it functions. How did they keep so many people hidden? Where does all the food come from? Where did all the people come from? All these questions race through my mind but I bite my tongue and keep quiet, afraid that if I came across too eager, Mataus would change his mind and decide I don't belong here, that I am too much of a risk, an imposition. Too much of a burden. Because as much as I don't always want to be in this place with a hundred other people, being out there alone could be so much worse. So I stay quiet.

"Welcome to the ISH. A.k.a. the Invalid Safe Haven. Everyone here was either a slave or a truval, like yourself." I don't entirely know what that means but it's not at the front of my plate right now. "We are an organization that works to help people out of slavery and give them a safe place from the outside world, either here or wherever they want to go."

"So you are a revolution group."

The words slip out before I can stop them and hand comes up to my mouth about a second too late. To my relief, Mataus just smiles.

"Not exactly. We all realized a long time ago that we don't have the power to change big things in a big way so we settled for changing small things in a big way. We rescue people from slavery, making it look like they ran away, and bring them here, providing them with the opportunity to make a better life. We can't change everything, but we can make a big change in a few people's lives. And that's our goal here," Mataus recites this all quickly like it isn't the first or the last time he will say it.

"We are run by a group of leaders you are about to meet. You can identify us by a piece of red somewhere on our person should you ever need something," Mataus gestures to a piece of red fabric tied around his arm. I feel nerves in my stomach, threatening to bring up my lunch, at the thought of meeting the leaders.