Chapter 5: A Reason for Being

Rae’s POV

As the day went on I was slowly getting my voice back. It started out husky and horse, Mary seemed to enjoy making fun of it. Thank goodness it finally mellowed out and went back to normal and I decided to start asking questions.

Mary slightly sad “Well I guess it’s only natural you would want to know what is going on. It’s not fair that they keep it hidden.” Mary let’s out a long sigh “You’ve seen the power they have right?”

I nod in response.

She continues “In this world the men are able to choose what heirs are given birth. Most men want males to take over the family power and name and in time hardly any females were born. No females meant no reproducing. So, they designed a system to pull women from other worlds they deemed worthy in becoming” as she paused and looked at me.

“Reproduction?” I say aggrieved.

Mary nods in response.

What have I been pulled into, then I remember them talking about the hunt and we need to be clean. Looking at Mary “What is the hunt?”

Mary looking at the other women in the cell “Men get a rise out of hunting and capturing their prey, makes them feel dominant. When the time comes and the candidates of the hunt are selected, we are taken to the designated area and let loose. We will be given a set amount of time to flee so there is more enjoyment for them.”

I interrupt “So we are treated like animals.”

Mary looks at me “Partially, but… I think this is more or less a tradition as to insure only the strong men can reproduce.” Mary closes her eyes with a smile on her face “Not all men are monsters.”

The way she is smiling looks like she’s hiding something. “Mary?” I ask as she looks at me and I continue “How long have you been here?”

Mary’s face goes blank with no expression then finally smiles “It’s late, we should get some rest.”

Mary lays down and turns her head from me. I notice the other women were also laying down already. I reluctantly lay down. This is crazy. I close my eyes and try to calm my mind to get some sleep.

The next morning I wake up and I can tell the sun is just starting to rise through that little window in the cell. I hear a quiet voice.

“You awake?”

I look over and see Mary looking at me and I just mmm in response. Mary turns on her side towards me and I do the same, our faces aren’t but maybe six inches apart.

Mary whispers “For us to have any chance, you need to learn to control...”

She stops when she hears one of the women toss in the straw.

I grab Mary’s hand “How does it work?”

Mary bites her lower lip “Hmm” then looks at me “You have to envision the lights and control them in your mind as if they were apart of yourself.”

Envision the lights and control with my mind, sounds like some anime I’ve watched before. I wonder and look at Mary “Everyone uses lights. Is it possible without them?”

Mary confused at my questions and hesitates. “I don’t think so?”

All the lights in the hallway and in the cells light up causing all the women to moan while they wake up and stretch. Completely different then yesterday, maybe this is what normal is. After all yesterday was probably my fault to begin with. Shortly after the lights came on, like clockwork, two men holding trays of food and water show up and Jeong walking along with them.

Jeong takes one look at everyone and then opens the door allowing the two men to place the trays in the cell. After the men leave and Jeong locks the cell all the women gather and start grabbing their portion. This time I decide to get up and walk over to take a look, Mary follows grabbing my arm. When I stand over the rolls I see small swirling green lights tracing over them. Looking at the water I see those same green lights swimming around.

Mary was about to bend down, but I took a step back which caused her to stop and she instinctively pulled me away to the corner of the room. When I turned to sit down I noticed the two men were gone but Jeong still stood there watching me. He suspects me seeing them doesn’t he. Why else would he be watching me this much. I decide to lay down and pretend to go back to sleep.

Jeong’s POV

Today we’re instructed to put a double dose in the bread. I wonder looking over at the man casting the drug onto the bread “Cast the other half into the water.”

The man looks surprised “But they said to cast a double dose into the bread?”

Slamming my hands down on the table looking the man in the eye “Even if you cast half into the water they will still get a double dose regardless. Don’t question my authority soldier.”

Scared “Yes Sir” as he starts casting the same green lights into the water.

I might get in trouble for this, but I need to know. I need to know if she can see the lights.

The bread and water finished, we head down the corridors like we do every day to their cell. I see the women are calm today, that’s a relief. I open the door and usher the two inside. As they are placing the trays down I notice her. She seems rather alert today. As the men leave the cell I go ahead and lock it. As soon as I do, the women get up and head towards the food and start grabbing their share. But I don’t care about them, I want to know what she does.

She’s getting up and heading towards the food, what will she do. She’s just standing there. Is Mary going to grab some? I notice Mary moved but stopped when she took a step back. That must be her way of saying it’s not safe without words as I watch them go back to their corner. She looked at me for a brief moment then laid down to sleep. You don’t full me, I know you’re just pretending to sleep. There is no doubt in my mind, she can see the lights. Now its even more complicated.