The cheese was greasy.The bread a little soggy in places.It tasted like something you grabbed because you didn’t have time or better options.
And I ate it anyway.
Because I was hungry.
Because I needed the energy.
Because refusing food was a stupid hill to die on.
I chewed slowly, forcing myself to pace it even though my body wanted to inhale the whole thing.My stomach cramped as it adjusted, and I closed my eyes for a second, breathing through the discomfort.
As I ate, a thought settled into my mind.If they were going to kill me, it would’ve already happened.They wouldn’t be feeding me.
They weren’t monsters who hurt people for no reason.They were idiots who thought they were in control.
That didn’t make them safe, but it meant something.
I finished the sandwich and folded the wax paper neatly, like that mattered.Then I sat there, hands resting in my lap, and let myself think.
Three days.
That was how long it had been since I’d been taken.
Three days since anyone had seen me.
Three days since I’d laughed in a stupid raccoon costume and thought the world was predictable enough to enjoy myself.
What I did know was this:
They hadn’t hurt me beyond the initial knock to the head.They hadn’t threatened me directly yet.They hadn’t asked for anything.
Which meant they were waiting.
I shifted my weight, easing myself back against the wall, and stared at the boards over the window.Light seeped in through thin cracks, striping the wall in pale gold.Dust motes floated lazily through the air, catching in the light.
Outside, everything was calm.
I thought about what the man had said.
Just shut up and wait.
They expected me to wait.They expected me to be quiet and compliant and scared enough to stay still.
That meant I still had time.
And as long as I had time, I had options.
I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes.Not to sleep, but to rest them.I counted my breaths, slow and steady, keeping myself grounded.
Stay awake.Stay sharp.Stay alive.
Somewhere out there, under the same sky, the people who loved me were looking for me.
And until they found me… I would wait.
Chapter Six
Ender