Page 23 of Rebel Fates

11

HUNGER

GEMMA

When I wake up from my nap, I yell at the closed door to my glorified cell, “I’m hungry! Thirsty!” Minutes, hours, or even days could have passed since I fell asleep. I was quite hungry and thirstybeforeI slept.

No one answers.

“Open.” I touch the walls in my room, wondering about its texture. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen or felt, although it’s not like I’ve seen a lot of alien tech. It reminds me of thick leather or rubber with a smooth, soft texture. Is that a strange material for a spaceship? I don’t know. I only have been on the shuttle to the moon, and then a slaver’s ship. Not a lot of comparison shopping when I think about it.

“Food! Water!” I yell again, pressing on the wall to see if it will trigger the door to open.

I glance back at the air vent in my room. It’s smaller than the one in the storage area. No way I can climb into it. My previous experience has shown that it’s not a good idea even if I could.

“Hello?” I call into the vent. Perhaps it’s an intercom?

“Uh… Leva?” I ask.Wasn’t that the name Zeek mentioned?Must be someone I haven’t seen yet. “Leva? Can you let me out or get me some water and food?”

The door immediately slides open, and a soft light fills the entryway.

I expect to see someone on the other side, but there isn’t anyone in sight. I peek down the corridor. The ship is darker than earlier, as if it’s in nighttime mode now. I tiptoe down the hall toward the med bay. Maybe I can find food, water,andan escape pod.

I’m afraid to open any doors that aren’t already opened. What if I break into one of the male’s rooms, and they get pissed? They seem to think I’m a threat, and I don’t want them to assume my wanderings are an attack.

I come across the med bay and find it’s empty. I search around for anything that could be useful or some kind of nourishment. But there isn’t even a blanket to wrap around me.

“The storage bay!” I almost blurt, but then hiss my revelation quietly. They must have supplies there—food, and maybe clothing.

I wander to find it and come across what looks like the control room. No one is in there.

I wonder who Leva is, and why they opened my door. Where is he/she/it?

Scanning the controls, I can’t make any sense of it. The sci-fi movies have let me down—you can’t just jump onto any spacecraft and instantly fly the damn thing.

Space has been utterly disappointing so far.

Hurrying down the corridor, I find the storage bay and the armory. I stop outside the armory’s doorway.

Would it be smart to grab a weapon? Probably. Unless they kill me for having one. Maybe Zeek wouldn’t instantly shoot, but the other males don’t seem too keen on my presence on the ship.

A compromise then… perhaps something small and easy to conceal? I peruse the extensive weapons racks. These aliens seem to have a lot of firepower.

What are they? Mercenaries? Pirates? Military?

There’s everything from knives, swords, guns, to maybe… explosives? And some things that I cannot guess their use. I choose a small knife. It’s enough to make them think twice before jumping at me, but small enough to hide from sight if need be.

I slink across the corridor to the storage area to look for a container that might hold clothing or food and water.

If I don’t find something fast, I decide I should give up on the search. I’ll move on to finding an escape pod.

After several failed searches, I open a box with what appears to be huge food containers. Canned. Shit! I’m so hungry that I might bite through the hard case. But my eye goes to the knife that I just dropped on the floor.

With a couple jabs, I pop open the lid enough to get to the insides. Shoveling the sweet tasting fruit-like substance into my mouth, I take two big mouthfuls. I moan at the thought of my hunger being satisfied.

Suddenly, from behind, a pair of thick muscular arms wrap around my body, pinning my arms to my sides and preventing any movement.

Pressed against a hard chest, I kick out and wiggle to break free.

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