Northern Zoya Concentration Camp E 2065
The sun was already beaming down on her and it wasn't noon yet but this was nothing new to her. She wipes the sweat of her brow. "Hey 08th that foxhole ain't gonna dig itself! Dig!" A soldier barks. She knew not to complain, they weren't soldiers they were prisoners well she wasn't, she wasn't sure what she was for she gave up thinking about it a long time ago.
When lunch time came, they had an hour or hopefully an hour because the situation could turn at any moment. 08th sits down and nods to her friends Coco, Tobit and Roman.
Tobit glances at the guards who were nervous. He and Coco smile but Roman didn't share in their enthusiasm. It had been five years since they heard the good news but nothing had changed.
When lunch was over the two women go the restroom. "Life is changing," Coco says happily.
08th ponders what would life be like to no longer serve, to not worry about being able to accomplish this task and that task, not to be subjected to the perverse guards, not watching public whippings and executions via firing squad. Was there really a life outside of that?
A few hours later they were heading back inside when they see two fellow prisoners carrying a body bag. "Who is it?" Coco asks.
"It's Pablo," an older woman answers grimly.
"It's can't be?! What about the medicine?"
"The majority is going to the front lines, the rest will be saved for the Zoya soldiers here."
"So the rest of us are just supposed to... die?"
The older woman was just walks away. Tobit balls his hand into a fist. "I'm going to escape and join the Earth Coalition."
"Tobit, keep your voice down, you know what will happen," Roman reminds.
"I know but still."
"Our situation won't change."
"Roman, how could you say that?"
Roman was silent.
They hear footsteps approaching. "Come on before they see us," Coco whispers.
****
The next day the four were performing their tasks. "We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye," Coco says sadly.
"All prisoners to the courtyard! All prisoners to the courtyard!" A voice on an intercom orders.
Soon everyone was in the courtyard. "Why do you think they called us all here?" Coco asks.
"Maybe they plan to finally let us go," Tobit answers hopefully.
A few seconds later a woman appears on top of the huge wall. "Greetings, I am your new Warden, Makida Salander, Warden Grant has been transferred. I hope to get know each and everyone of you personally as guests. My door is open so feel free to stop by, there are no stupid questions. You are dismissed to your work."
"Great," said Tobit sarcastically.
An hour later they were gathering the crops. "Wouldn't it be nice to grow our own and keep them ourselves?" Coco murmurs.
The others nod.
"Hey you four, go help move those vegetable crates into the truck!" A guard barks.
As they were moving the crates an old man collapses. 08th races to help him up, she struggles but then a guard appears and yells at him to get up but he was too weak, 08th points to guard's water bottle but she is shoved and the old man is kicked several times. 08th clings to the guard's leg for mercy but he punches her in the face. "You dare put your filthy hands on me!" He kicks her several times in the stomach and more guards join in, one points her rifle at the old man while the other guards point their rifles at the other workers including her friends. Two more appear and take 08th away.
****
"Well this is certainly a surprise, your record is nearly spotless," Warden Salander observes. 08th struggles to speak but the Warden raises a finger. "I didn't recall giving you permission to speak." 08th has her head down. "The guard claims you attacked him but eye witnesses say otherwise. You should know better then to interfere but I'm going to be lenient with you, take her to the hole. You're lucky you're not going to the chamber."
08th was shivering. She hadn't been in a hole since was little and determined to never be in one ever again. But still she was thankful that she wasn't getting a public whipping or the chamber, she didn't know what was inside but the stories alone were enough for her. She closes her eyes.
She awakens with a groan as water is thrown on her face. She looks up at three guards and the warden. "I think you've learned your lesson." The door is opened and 08th is let out. "Once you're cleaned there's a shitload of work."
****
08th glances at the snow coming down and loads the last crate into the truck. She watches as its picked up by a Hunter Zaku, for a moment it looks at her with its ominous blue mono eye before taking off into the sky. She recalls the first time she saw one, she had been scared frozen and ended up pissing on herself and now it was everywhere even in her dreams, always watching, always hunting, its gaze would always be with her.
The sound of coughing snaps her back into reality, it was Coco this time but regardless if sick or not they still were required to do fulfill their quotas for the day.
Coco walks weakly and falls but Tobit catches her. "Please, I have to finish the work."
"You know you can't," Tobit says.
"Hey get back to work!" A guard yells.
"She needs medicine and rest," he explains.
"Bitch, stop lazing around!"
"She can't move, look at her!"
"You dare raise your voice at me!" The guard was about to strike Tobit with a whip but is stopped by a guard in bronze clothing. "We already have one in bad condition, no need for two." The first guard nods. "Go take her to the medical bay and be quick about it!"
"Yes, Sir."
****
08th, Roman and Tobit get Coco to the infirmary. "Doc, help!"
"This place is for Zoyanese only, either her immune system will kick in or start digging."
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" Tobit roars.
"Guards, escort these people out."
"You heard him, now move!"
They leave.
"What do we do? She's going to end up like Pablo if we don't do something!" Tobit exclaims.
08th starts weeping.
Tobit balls his hand into a fist, "I'll force them to give us medicine!"
"No you won't, you think your death will help Coco? And what about everyone else who will answer for the repercussions of your actions."
