Famished

by Lauren Hammond

  Tears stained my cheeks as I plopped down on my cot. Instantly, I spread my feet shoulder length apart, lowering my head as I tried to steady my breathing. Once I was certain I got a hold of myself, I lifted my head up as my mother walked through the door. She rushed over to me, concerned. She swept me up into an embrace. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” she cooed.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and sucked back the tears. “I’m the first to go.”

  My mother pulled away, an inch away from my face. She furrowed her brow, looking at me like I was speaking some foreign language. “What?”

  “The lottery. I was selected,” I cried, feeling more tears brim in my eyes.

  A wide range of emotion, passed over my mother’s face. First, it was concern, then it was confusion, now it was fear. “They weren’t supposed to draw names until the end of the week.”

  I wiped at my face with my free hand. “I guess they drew them early.”“Who else was selected?” she asked, her voice detached.

  “Colin Martin,” I answered.

  She looked away, lost in some trance. “Good. The Martin boy is strong.”

  My initial reaction to seeing my name was shock, almost too shocked to react at all. Colin acted so brave after he’d read his name, proud that he was going to be doing this service for our colony. I tried to hide my fear. I tried to pretend that I wasn’t afraid. After seeing my name on that paper, I held my head high nodding in agreement. But really, I was terrified my limbs were

  shaking. “Mom,” my voice trembled. “I’m afraid.” Who wouldn’t

  be afraid of an empty, unpredictable world? I felt like my death

  certificate had already been signed.

  My eyes were drying up and I was starting to get used to the fact that I would now be out on my own in a deadly wilderness with Colin Martin. At least I wouldn’t be alone. That made me feel a little better. When I peered over at my mother, she was the one who now had fear in her eyes. She focused on the dirt wall, eyes searing with x-ray vision. It was like she was looking through the wall, observing what was behind it.

  Waving my hand in front of her face, I tried to get her attention. It didn’t work. She didn’t break concentration. Then I positioned both of my hands on her shoulders and shook her, gently. “Mom.” She still didn’t respond. I shook her harder, desperate to snap her out of this catatonic phase. “Mom!”

  She came to attention, blinking her eyes repeatedly. “Oh, Georgina. What is it, dear?” she asked.

  I didn’t get the chance to answer her because, less than a second later my father walked into the room. “What’s going on here?” he questioned.

  My mother turned toward him, sneering. For a second, I thought I actually heard her growl at him. “Nothing.” It was a short answer, but the way my mother said was full of brutality. She thought my misfortune of getting selected first was all of my father’s fault. She pulled me back into her arms, resting her chin on top of my head.

  A frown spread across my father’s face. His youthful features aged in a matter of minutes. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?”

  “You mean your beloved council members haven’t told you?” my mother snapped.

  “Told me what?”

  “Georgina’s name was pulled for that stupid lottery.”

  “What?” A baffled expression replaced the frown. “They weren’t supposed to draw names until the end of the week.” That seemed to be the statement of the hour.

  “Yeah, well apparently they don’t stand by their word.”

  I peeked up at my father, who remained silent. He gazed at me intensely for a minute or two, then left the room.

  My mother pressed her lips into the top of my head. “Don’t you worry sweetheart, I’m going to get you out of this.”

  * * * *

  But she couldn’t get me out of it. I had to admire her efforts though. Never in a million years did I think I would see my mother resort to begging. That just shows you what lengths a parent is willing to go to for their child.

  She collapsed onto her knees in the mess hall , yanking on Mr. Baker’s pant leg. “Please Mark. Please. I’ll go in her place.”

  Mr. Baker’s eyes washed over the room, giving people a reassuring smile, and a nod. “Get up, Marcy. You look ridiculous,” he said, not breaking his smile. The last thing he wanted to do was look bad in front of the colony.

  My mother rose to her feet and brushed her sandy, blond hair away from her face. “You have kids, Mark. Wouldn’t you be doing the same thing if they were selected?”

  “No,” said Mr. Baker.

  “Then you’re heartless and you don’t deserve to be a parent.” I didn’t expect what happened next to occur. My mother pulled her hand back and slapped Mr. Baker across the face.

  Whispers broke out through the mess hall and several kids at my table turned to look at me, Colin included. “Now I know where you get your spunk from, Georgie.”

  Mr. Baker held his face, and my father grabbed my mother by the shoulders. “Come on Marcy, I’ll take you back to the room.”

  My mother dug her elbow into my father’s stomach and pushed him away. “Don’t touch me, Doug!” she shrieked.

  My father remained hunched over, exhaling slowly.“Marcy.”He grimaced.

  She spun around, pointing her finger in his face. “This is all your fault!” That was the last thing she said before she stormed out of the mess hall.

  Grace glanced at me, her eyes worried. “I think your mom has seriously lost her mind.” I was beginning to think that too.

  In my room, I took some time to myself to think. Pulling my knees to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them, hugging them. I looked up to see my father lingering in the door way. “What’s up dad?”

  One tear drizzled down his cheek. He wiped it away in a hurry, hoping that I wouldn’t catch him crying. “Can you ever forgive me, Georgina?”

  I smiled, half-heartedly. Technically, this wasn’t all his fault. There were fourteen other members of the council who had just as big of a part in this as he did. And seeing that solitary tear on his cheek made me realize that he was sorry he voted in favor of the lottery in the first place. “It’s okay, Daddy. You’re forgiven.”

  “I just hope your mother can forgive me too,” he sighed.

  “Give her time. You know Mom, she’ll come around eventually.” The only problem was I didn’t know when that would be.

  When my father left the room, I got up from my cot and walked over to a small table in the corner of my room. The round, unsteady wooden table had a half-folded over white piece of paper resting on top of it. Georgina, was scrawled across the top of the paper in messy handwriting.

  Picking the paper up, I flipped it open as I brought it closer to my face. I scanned my message. It was short, simple and to the point.

  Meet me in the rec at midnight.

  Colin.

  Even though I knew meeting him like this was risky, I went anyway. The first to arrive, I sat in the back of the dark classroom. The silence cut through the room like a sharp knife cutting through a block of cheese. Suddenly, I felt something move behind me.

  Squinting, I tried to make out the presence as my eyes adjusted to the blackness that engulfed me. “Hello,” I whispered.

  Arms slipped around my waist from behind as a warm chin nuzzled my neck. “I knew you would come,” Colin whispered into my ear.

  I removed his arms from my waist and turned to face him. “Is this what you wanted me to come for? A midnight fling?” I still couldn’t see him clearly. It was way too dark. Reaching out, I brushed my fingers along his face. When I finally realized he was about six inches away from me, I dropped my hands at my sides.

  He scooted closer to me. “That’s not why I asked you to come,” he said.

  “Then why did you?” The heat from his body poured out of him and radiated onto to me. I enjoyed basking in the warmth of him. Sometimes, when you lived this far beneath the earth’s surface it got a li
ttle chilly.

  “I wanted to talk.”

  “Talk?”

  “Yeah. To see how you were holding up.”

  “What do you think, genius?”

  “I think you’re scared.”

  “Of course I’m scared, aren’t you?”

  “Not at all. I would have volunteered for this if they would have let me. I happen to think it’s kind of ironic that I got selected in the first round.”

  “I happen to think it’s kind of ironic that I got paired with you.” If I would have known better one would think he actually planted the idea in the council’s head so I would be paired with him.

  He let out a restrained laugh. “I think it’s fate.”

  “I don’t believe in fate anymore.” The Great Famine took away every ounce of fate I had left. How could we be destined for something like this?

  “Don’t say that, Georgie,” Colin cooed. He ran his fingers through my hair, curling it around his fingertips. A spark resonated from his touch and brought goose bumps to my skin.

  Then it hit me. I didn’t feel like talking to him anymore. I had too much on my mind. All of this I want to know—how you’re feeling—bull, was making me nauseous. Scooting my chair away from him, I got up and walked toward the door. He moved behind, tiptoeing forward until he placed his hand on my shoulder.

  “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you. I will always

  protect you.”

  With that said, he brushed past me, leaving me standing alone in the doorway. That was a very gallant notion. “I will always protect you.” I just hoped that when it came down to it, Colin stayed true to his word. Not that I really needed his protection. Well, in physical battles, yes his protection could be of use.

  There was no doubt in my mind that physically, he was ten times stronger than I would ever be. But mentally, I had him beat. I was cunning, smart, and could think outside of the box in most situations.

  Don’t get me wrong, Colin wasn’t a moron. But that little light bulb in his head didn’t always flicker on when it was supposed to. Sometimes it took him a few minutes to catch onto something when he was presented with it.

  * * * *

  The next few days flew by and before I could even catch my breath, Sunday was only two days away.

  Mr. Baker had Colin and I removed from classes on Wednesday and Friday so that he could educate us on what to expect when we breached the earth’s surface. We sat at a little table in the council room as Mr. Baker paced back and forth in front of us. “Don’t expect to see the earth you once knew. There is nothing familiar. There is nothing pretty.”Colin and I nodded in unison as we continued to listen attentively. “Be on the lookout for traps set by cannibals. They are extremely smart and manipulative. They might appear to be in some kind of trouble, but they aren’t. That is their way of baiting you.” Mr. Baker stopped pacing and faced us both. “You’ll be given four hours to look for supplies. Keep to the task at hand, stay together, and do not under any circumstances, separate. You’ll each be given a knapsack with rations, water, and a list of some items we need.”

  At the moment, this seemed like a lot of information to be absorbed in one sitting. I tried to keep my mind on all the things he was telling me to do, but there were too many other things going in my life right now. My complicated situation with Colin, my parents practically breaking up, the thought that I might never actually come back to this world once I left, and the fact that since my mother’s altercation with Mr. Baker in the mess hall, she was nowhere to be found.

  I tuned Mr. Baker out as he rambled on. Hopefully, Colin would digest everything that was being explained to him. I eyed Mr. Baker oddly, wondering if he had something to do with her disappearance. Me, I wouldn’t have put it past him. The man didn’t like to be crossed. And my mother didn’t just rub him the wrong way—she humiliated him, in front of the whole colony for that matter. And my father, he didn’t have anything to do with it, did he?

  Silently, I disagreed with that theory. I had watched my

  father for the last couple days as he sat alone in the mess hall, crying into his food. That wasn’t acting. That was depression and self-blame.

  “Do you two understand?” Mr. Baker wrapped it up with a simple question.

  “I understand,” I said.

  “Ditto,” said Colin.

  Mr. Baker nodded. “Good. Be ready at noon on Sunday. You have to be waiting at the exit near the Carver’s quarters five minutes prior to departure.

  That night, I decided to sneak out on my own in search of my mother. Hours later, I had gone through every room in the entire colony with no sign of her. The only room I didn’t look in was the hole. And as I stood in front of the big boulder that served as a door, I questioned myself on whether I wanted to open it or not.

  If I opened it and she was there, I might of actually considered killing Mr. Baker. I’d wrap my hands around that chubby, little weasel’s neck and squeeze the life right out of him. And if I opened it and she wasn’t there, that could only mean that she left the colony and could never return. I bounced both scenarios around in my brain, unable to make a decision.

  Then I heard a voice coming out of the shadows.“Georgina,” the voice whispered. I spun around to nothing. The only lighting in the corridor were candles that hung on the walls.

  A tall, misshapen shadow bounced from wall-to-wall as it closed in on me. “Wh-Who is there?” I stammered.No answer. The shadow continued moving. Closer. Closer. And closer until I recognized who it was. “Mom?”

  She extended her arms to me and folded me into a hug as I collapsed into her. “Yes, sweetheart, it’s me.”

  Nuzzling my head in her shoulder, I couldn’t let go. I feared that if I did that maybe she would disappear. Maybe she wasn’t real. Was I dreaming? “ Mom,” I began, “Where have you been?”

  She smoothed my hair back but didn’t let go of me. “I’ve just been staying with the Vickers for a few days. That’s all.”

  “And you couldn’t tell me? I was worried. Why do you think I was out in this dark hallway? I was looking for you.”

  “Listen Georgie, I don’t expect you to understand. I was very upset with your father and I just thought it was best to stay away for a while.”

  She was right. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand how she could just run away from her problems when she should be facing them. It was a very coward-like thing to do.

  The last few years, we all had faced hardships, but eventually we did get through them. “Mom, do you even know what it’s been like for dad? He hasn’t eaten. He hasn’t slept. He’s been a mess! You need to talk to him!”

  She hesitated at first, then nodded. I led her down the corridor, brushing my fingertips against the moist walls. I stopped across from an open doorway and pushed her into her old room. I paused for a moment at the door. Then I heard my father’s cry of joy. “Marcy! I’m so sorry!”

  “I’m sorry too, Doug,” my mother whispered.

  A twinge of triumph flooded through me as I lied in bed that night. It felt amazing to do something good for someone else. It felt so good that it completely took my mind off of Sunday, and Colin—two of the most complicated things in my life.

  Chapter 5:The Day From Hell

  Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3

  Five minutes to noon. I stood below the rope ladder that would take me up to earth, tapping my foot nervously. He was supposed to be here by now. Where the hell was he? I glanced up at the rope ladder trying to decipher exactly how high up we would be climbing. Ten, maybe twelve feet.

  Colin jogged down the corridor, stopping right in front of me. He had two knapsacks with him. One on each shoulder. He took the one off of his right shoulder, handing it to me. I snatched the knapsack forcefully. “Geez, it took you long enough. Mr. Baker said we had to be here five minutes before noon.”

  Colin roll
ed his eyes. “Mr. Baker is the reason I’m late.” He held up his knapsack, shaking it at me. “We wouldn’t be going anywhere without these knapsacks.”

  “Whatever.”

  My father emerged from his room, followed by my mother and Frankie. He carried two surgical masks in his hand and passed one to me and one to Colin. “Put these on when you get up there,” he instructed. “We don’t know what kind of toxins remain in the air.”

  Frankie lunged for me as a crowd began to form in front of us. She slid her arms around my waist, squeezing. “Frankie,” I forced out, “I can’t breathe.”

  She loosened her grip, still holding on. “Be careful.”

  I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, hugging her. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone.”

  My mother moved forward, prying Frankie off of me. Mr. Baker pushed his way through the crowd of onlookers, coming to a halt in between me and Colin. He looked between us warily. “You have four hours. There is a watch in one of your knapsacks. You must be back within that four hour mark, no later. And remember what we talked about in our sessions. This will not be the earth that you knew.”

  Colin motioned me over to the ladder. “Ladies first,” he crooned.

  I put my mask on, grabbed both sides of the ladder and began the climb. I could feel the ladder pull as Colin climbed up behind me. Claustrophobia began to set in as the tunnel surrounding us got smaller and smaller.

  Halfway to the top, I stopped looking over my shoulder at the ground. I tensed up realizing that if I slipped, my limbs would be contorted and mangled on the concrete. Colin shook his head, knowing exactly what I was thinking. “Just keep going,” he commanded. “I’ll catch you if you fall.”

  Once I reached the top, I placed my hand flat on the boulder above me and started pushing. It didn’t budge. I pivoted around on the ladder, facing Colin, and rammed myback into it. It still didn’t move. Colin climbed up farther, sliding his body over the top of mine. Our combined weight on the flimsy rope ladder made it dip. “The rope is going to snap!”

  “It’s not going to snap,” said Colin, who seemed sure of himself. “You need to chill out.” Colin placed both of his hands flat on the boulder. “We’ll push together. One…Two… Three.”I shoved into the rock, letting out a loud grunt as I felt the rock going up into the air. “Keep pushing!” Colin shouted. I bent my knees to give myself some more force and continued pushing.