Because We Had Us

Chapter 5. Maybe We're All Just Turtles

Jo

     Time was a weird concept in space. On earth we kept time by dark and light, night and day, but in space the stars were always out. When we all awoke one by one Corin went to the dining hall to smuggle us breakfast. Ruth, Miriam, and I all stayed behind, since we all broke the no mingling with other groups rule. Ruth and I didn't know what to say to each other, so I busied myself by braiding my sister's sandy blonde hair and she picked at her nails for a half an hour. 

     Corin finally returned, struggling to open the door and juggling multiple bags of freeze dried food at the same time. "I could use a little help!" He yelled at us, sounding pretty annoyed.

     "I'm braiding Mir's hair and my hands are a little full, but.." I was going to say something rude about Ruth, but then I remembered last nights incident and decided not to.

     "It's fine I got it," he seemed distracted again as he kicked his door shut with his foot and began to throw us all packets of nuts and pancakes. "Um so," he began pausing and looking back at the door, "I may have brought back another straggler."

     "What do you mean?" I didn't fully comprehend what he said because I was too busy staring at Ruth who had already eaten half of her food.

     "Come on in Laz," he called to the door. Suddenly a boy who looked to be around twelve emerged from behind the door. When he turned to shut the door behind him I realized I knew him from somewhere. He was the younger looking boy who had been at the front of the line with Ruth and I before we were taken hostage. He wore a crimson colored jumpsuit, and sported a dark mini afro that held curls sprouting from every angle of his head. His green eyes contrasted against his dark skin. He showed us a small smile and then waved shyly.

     "We have every color of the rainbow here now don't we?" Ruth talked in a slight southern voice, one that she only used when mocking people. "Might as well call us the scandalous skittle squad." She laughed way too hard at her own joke.

     "Cut it out," Corin snapped at her. "Laz tell them what you saw on your wing of the ship before you ran to us."

     "Well I was on my way to the dining hall," he began, his voice cracking after every other word. I couldn't wait to hear what rude thing Ruth had to say about the boy's voice that was suffering the harsh effects of puberty. "When suddenly people started disappearing."

     "What do you mean disappearing?" I cocked my head to the side in confusion, waiting to hear more.

     "Well people were walking next to me and then suddenly they started dissolving almost." He scratched his head trying to find the right words. "It was like when the president appeared and then disappeared to us when we first got here."

     "Like a hologram?" Ruth asked him, suddenly intrigued.

     "Yea I guess so, I wasn't sure what to do so I ran to the next wing over, which happened to be this one, and found Corin." He started to laugh. "I found him smuggling food so I thought out of all people he wouldn't be afraid to bend the rules and give me a place to stay."

     "Yea, you picked the right person, mischief is his area of mastery," I said winking at the boy who Corin called Laz.

     "So if people are dissolving into thin air then they must be holograms, but why would only your wing be full of holograms?" I looked around the now even more packed room waiting for someone to give me an answer, but no one did. From the moment we met Laz things started to get weird.

     After we ate breakfast my sister said something that shocked us all. "I want to play spa," she chanted! "Ruth can I give you a makeover?"

     "That's a hard no kid," she answered causing my sister to sulk. I felt bad, so I attempted the impossible and tried to convince Ruth to let my sister give her a make over. Miriam was way too young to handle all of this, and all she wanted was some childhood normalcy after all.