Next Generation (Paused)

5

*WARNING: Contents sexual assault and dark thoughts*

May 29, 2202

Fremont County, Colorado

It has become more noticeable that people are disappearing. People I haven't seen, even though I haven't been in here that long, are coming in, taking the transferred ones' place. I glance at Magnus, who is gladly tearing up the baked chicken that has been served to us today with mustard greens, cornbread and a small box of vanilla cake. I take my time with my food since my thoughts are taking up more of my mind than the signals my stomach is sending it.

"Do you want your mustard greens?" Magnus asks, his voice muffled since he still has food in his mouth.

I look at my mustard greens in slight disgust, "Yeah man."

His eyebrows furrow, "You sure? You sound disgusted by them."

"A memory of my mom forcing me to eat them popped into my head, so she must be telling me I better eat'em." He laughs and chokes on the food in his mouth for a moment before getting it down.

"How are you black and don't like mustard greens? Don't you live in New Orleans? Ain't that one of the cultural foods there?"

I shake my head and grin at him, "Aye, I may not like mustard greens, but I'm built like a horse if you catch my drift." His lips pucker in thought before catching on.

His laughter echoes in the cafeteria loudly as he shakes his head. "You trippin' now, brother," he jokes and daps me up. I continue to eat my food as Magnus talks to me enthusiastically about Kansas City, his hometown. He stops in the middle of his sentence and looks above my head. I tense up and clutch my fork in my hand, ready to use it as a makeshift weapon if needed. I look behind me to see Xavier standing silently while staring down at me. "Oh, what's good man?" I ask, still tense, but I loosen the grip on my fork. Despite our disagreements being over, I can't help but be on guard around him.

Don't trust everyone you see, my father's words ring around in my head. He hasn't earned my trust. Xavier takes a seat next to me at the roundtable that only me and Magnus occupy since it is isolated from the other tables. "What were you laughing about?" He directs his question at me, even though Magnus was the one dying of laughter a few minutes ago. I look at Magnus and he looks at Xavier suspiciously, glancing at me. "Don't worry 'bout it. It wasn't important," Magnus says, wiping his hands with the napkin he has. I finish the last of my mustard greens, grimacing as it goes down. They don't even taste bad.

"Did I ask you?" Xavier says, looking at him with malice.

"Whoa, he wasn't laughing, so I thought you were talking to me," he says, lifting up his hands up to display his innocence.

I clear my throat and they both look at me, "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Murder, I killed five guys and got life," Xavier says with a shrug. Wait, what? Just life? What happened to death sentences?

"No man, what are you doing at this table?" I ask.

"Why did you kill five guys?" Magnus butts in, curiosity laced in his voice.

Xavier looks at him and answers simply, "They crashed my car and took my Whopper."

"They took your Whopper and you took their life?" I ask in bewilderment.

"Of course." He nods. Of course?! This dude is wild. I shake my head at that.

"Makes sense," Magnus says, nodding his head in agreement. I glance at him for that.