POV Seth

The screen blinked out. A few seconds later, the curfew bells chimed across the campus, signaling the legal start of the day. These two men had broken the law to hear Seth’s side of the story during a period when they suspected Seth was unmonitored. Their presence supported Seth’s fear that in the night, he could have been whisked away, never to be seen again.

The headmaster and the sergeant used their enemy’s ploy to their own advantage. It may have been luck that the enemy hadn’t made their move. There was always the possibility that their mutual enemy might lull the sergeant and headmaster into a false sense of certainty.

Both men rose from their seats and pocketed their gear. Seth panicked. Was that all? He wasn’t even close to finishing his side of the story? He probably shouldn’t have started with the transport… he probably should have just started at the end, when Squad IX...

He mentally kicked himself. “That’s not everything!” he shouted. He wanted out of the prison. It wasn’t the isolation that was getting to him, it was not knowing what was going to happen to him.

“We’ll speak again soon,” the headmaster uttered as he opened a small compartment to the left of Seth’s cell and replaced the opening with a small metal drawer. He placed a clear two-liter canteen of water and a handful of food cubes into the compartment, then pushed it through.

Seth’s breath caught in his throat. A mix of relief and fear washed over him, the uncertainty gnawing at him. “What’s going to happen to me?” he dared to ask as he collected the food and water. He was grateful for the contact with another living person, for the chance to speak his piece, and of course for the sustenance. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful.

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The headmaster never answered. He replaced the drawer with the sealed slat and left Seth to his worries. It was a cruel thing to do, to offer him hope, then leave him to silence.

Seth sunk into his cot. After a long moment of numb worry, he unfoiled his meal for the day. With nowhere reasonable to hide his stash, and having no idea if he would end up relocated at random, he opted to stow his extra food cubes in his pocket. He was sure that if they searched him; they’d take what little resources he had.

He tried to push the worry from his mind by listing the present facts.

It was daylight. He glanced toward the skylight, though he couldn’t see it through the frosted barrier. It was the best time for someone with his condition to get some sleep. It might not be restful, but he’d have a clearer mind to cope with whatever the administration threw at him. There was nothing to do but sleep.

He had an exam today. His last one. He wasn’t obligated to take the exam because of his finalist status, but he liked exams. His high scores acted as proof that he knew what he was talking about. Proof that he was on the right track. Technically, he could have left for home as soon as they cleared the Gaming Commission’s debriefing. Many of his squad had.

He never left early. He enjoyed what little independence he had while at the Academy, to the point that he’d leave on the last possible train to the capitol at the end of term. This time…

This time, he might leave as soon as he was released.

‘Coward,’ a part of him spat.

It wasn’t running; he affirmed to himself. Whatever was happening, it felt big. Bigger than him. He was just caught in the path of someone else’s war. Leaving meant whatever was happening had time to die down. With that odd peace of mind, he drifted into a restless sleep.