The Freaks

chapter eighteen

It takes a long time for the next Soldier to take over my security shift.

The next man looks to be about the same age as me, with warm brown skin and dark eyes that makes him look frightening and kind at the same time. There's something about his appearance that makes him look just that little bit older than myself. Maybe it's the stubble growing along his cheeks and throat. Maybe it's the way he presses his hands to his hips and scrutinises me with a raised eyebrow, looking at me up and down. Maybe it's something else entirely. "You're one of the privates too," he says.

I stand up a little straighter, adopting a nonchalant look on my face. "I am," I reply, holding my hand out for him to take. "Private Parker."

The man takes my hand, shaking once as he replies with a smile, "We don't go by surnames unless we're around the captain. What's your first name?"

"Jackson," I say. "Jackson Parker."

I heard a few of the Soldiers around here mention the captain as they passed the hallway I'm stationed at. I haven't seen him around yet. I'm not even sure if I want to see him again. I probably have to at one stage, but I'm not looking forward to it.

I wonder if he'll recognize me.

"Jackson Parker." He repeats my fake name slowly, like he's testing it out on his tongue first. Maybe he's trying to decide whether it actually is my real name or not. "Pleased to meet you, bud," he says, dissolving my lingering worries. "I'm Diego Lopez."

"Nice to meet you too." I smile once as I push away from the wall, trying not to look at the Freaks in the cells around me.

Diego takes my place by the wall, casually leaning against the cool stone as he makes a show of leaving his hand near the hilt of his weapon while he stares at the Freaks' cells beside him. After a few seconds, his smile is replaced with a frown as his eyes linger on the ones imprisoned before him. He's staring at them like they are dirt under his boots.

He's no different from the rest of the Soldiers here.

A sudden crackling from the radio at my waist bursts from the little speakers, startling me as I make my way out of the hallway, not knowing where to go.

"Privates England, Jones, Parker and Hayes. Meet me outside the front immediately." The voice on the other side of the radio is hoarse, but I don't think it's just a bad connection. This must be the much-talked-about captain. The same man that announced my execution. The same man who will kill me if he ends up knowing who I am.

Parker and Hayes. The names ring inside my head for a moment too long. Nox and I need to get to the front entrance now.

When I finally get there, the others are already outside. They turn their heads simultaneously as I emerge from the prison. I don't meet the captain's eyes, who is obviously the tall man at the front of the little group. It really is him. He hasn't changed one bit. He's still the same gruff-looking old man.

As I make my way towards him, I wonder if he can hear the beating of my heart against my chest.

"Private Parker, I assume?" the captain says, quirking a bushy eyebrow at me.

"Yes, sir," I reply, standing in line with the others, trying to keep my head down so he can't see me properly. Two females, and two males—Nox and I.

The captain claps his hands together as if to get our attention, but our eyes are on nothing but him. "For those who just started today, I am Captain Hartman." His eyes look pointedly at Nox and me. "Nice to meet you." His tone is too dry to be considered kind.