Ethereal

Chapter 14: The Camp

           A coughing fit woke me up.

           I groaned, gently rubbing my temples. My fingers hovered over two fresh bumps caked in blood and I hissed as the raw flesh ached whenever I tried to touch it. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, noticing that my hands were now free from their bonds. I rubbed the red sores that had blossomed across my skin. My impromptu escape earlier must have done some damage.

           Another coughing fit broke out, and for a moment I thought it was me that was making all the noise. That was until I looked up to see several people huddled into small groups around me. It was an older woman in the corner who was hacking up a lung, and by the state of her labored breathing I knew she needed to see a doctor – sooner rather than later.

            I sat up fully and looked around, trying to figure out where I was. The only source of light was coming through the cracks of the door at the other end of the room. A low hum of an engine and the vibrations of wheels rolling over gravel told me I was moving, and fast. The officials hadn't killed me, but stuffed me into another shipping container like the one I was just in earlier today – or was it yesterday? How long had I been out?

             "We've been driving for three hours now. Should be getting there soon." Said a woman sitting down a couple feet away from me. I looked first at her bloody and blistered feet, then to her hands that didn't look much better off on her lap. My eyes met hers, and the dark, empty look inside of them told me exactly where we were going.

              The Camp.

               Those two words floated around my head, my mind refusing to process them. I closed my eyes and sighed, letting myself fall back onto the metal floor of the truck bed. My fate was sealed, at least for the time being. I was too tired to feel overly upset about my destination, and I had a suspicion that the place I was going wasn't going to be as quiet or warm as where I was now, and even with the old woman in the corner having coughing fits I could still fall asleep. Just for a little bit longer. My eyes drifted shut and I almost melted into the floor, my muscles turning to mush.

                A moment later I felt myself airborne, the air flying around me until I hit the ground hard. I could feel the jagged ends of rocks digging into my side and the bits exposed skin on my arms and legs. I didn't have to open my eyes to know the fall had drawn blood – the warm liquid was dripping down my neck and arm.

                "Wakey, wakey, maggot." said the stranger.

                 "Good morning to you too," I said. I could hear the footfalls of the other train car members hopping out onto the ground. I knew I needed to stand up and move or risk another gently laid surprise, but my legs refused to cooperate, and a deep ache was radiating up from my right side.

                  "I said," said the same voice, "time to get up, maggot." A hand grabbed the back of my head and swung me upright, the sheer force of the action threatened to rip out a large chunk of hair.

                    I finally opened my eyes to see a bright sun shining down on the face of an official whose face was covered in the usual black gas mask. For some reason I wanted to tear away the mask and look into his eyes. To study the face of a man so determined to be cruel.

                 "Before this goes any further, I'd like to let you know that I prefer the name 'weasel' as it is more suited to my personality and appearance." I said. Fatigue be damned – I could take this fool with my lips stitched shut.

                The official paused for a moment, my response catching him off guard. He must only deal with subdued victims.

                 I felt the grip on my hair loosen and release me, a bark of laughter making me jerk in surprise. The same hand that grabbed my head grabbed ahold of my arm instead, lifting me onto my feet.