Plutonian

Chapter 42

The slave quarters are quiet at this time of night. When the steel door that shuts us in squeals open, I automatically wake up and rub my tired eyes to see what is happening.

More and more of us sit up in our beds and a feeling of trepidation slowly builds in the pit of my stomach when I see two armed Plutonian's walk in. Their heavy boots echo across the smooth cement floors as they march past the first few beds and then head down an aisle.

I look around me to see most us seated with our blankets pulled up to our chins. Everyone looks as frightened as I feel and their eyes are fixed on those two tall, domineering looking males.

My breath catches when they turn and head right my way. My fingers dig into the sheets around me and when they finally stop right outside my bunk I feel a ball of anxiety fill my throat making me choke.

"Number seven-two-zero-three?" One of them asks me in a deadly calm voice. He looks very young. A junior officer with silver crew cut hair and straight eyebrows that bunch together when I don't answer.

"Your officer just asked you a question." The other equally young looking Plutonian stares daggers at me and his hand immediately goes to his waist band where his snap gun sits.

I quickly nod my head, keeping my head low and try not to stare at them so openly knowing it will offend them.

A small shriek escapes my lips when one of them grabs me by the wrist and yanks me to my feet. At thirteen years old, I barely reach their chests. The officer who pulled me up has to bend down slightly to see my face when he speaks again.

"We have information regarding a conversation you had with a fellow slave. Something about betraying your creators and escaping this planet."

My body goes rigid at his words and I don't know what to say or do. I can feel everyone's eyes on me and I suddenly have the strongest urge to look for Stela. We'd only just had this conversation a few hours ago the construction site by the pits.

I told Stela I hated being here with the Plutonian's and that I would escape the moment I had the chance and my best friend had agreed with me wholly.

I keep my head low but my eyes flit to the side, to the bunk behind mine where she sleeps. Were they going to punish her as well? The thought makes me shiver with fear and a profound amount of guilt rushes through me.

"Do you deny it?" The other officer asks me.

I bite my quivering lips hard and keep my eyes fixated on the boots of the officer standing in front of me. I slowly shake my head as I lie to them which doesn't work in my favor at all.

The Plutonian grabs my hand and brings his snap gun down on my forearm swiftly. The smell of burning flesh wafts in the air around us and my screams immediately fill the deadly silent room. My arm feels like it has been set on fire.

He releases me and I fall to the floor holding my arm as I rock back and forth sobbing.

"You're lying. You conniving little piece of filth," He then grabs my ear and pulls me up making me scream again. "Scream one more time and I will burn out your tongue."

My mouth shuts quickly but I continue to whimper as he drags me to the bunk behind mine with my ear. It feels like he's tearing my skin in his death like grip. It takes all my effort not to scream again.

I clutch the side of my head and look up to see Stela sitting on her bed with her hands wrapped around her knees.

"Number seven- two- one- five, tell us what she told you this afternoon during your lunch break. Tell us what you reported." The officer looms over her bed as he orders her.