Cannibal

The trip was long and rough. After being thrown into the mobile cage, I was lead into a train where other people sat, looking quite scared and miserable. I got quite a lot of looks, but they mainly ignored my presence. I didn’t mind. I have always been alone and never been the one to draw more than a few glances. I prefer it this way. Oh, it doesn’t matter what I prefer anymore. If I’m correct with what Grandmother had said, they’re going to make me into meat. I wouldn’t put it past our society to do such a thing.

The train stopped and we were herded out to a danky place that was covered in dirt, no signs of life found here. The tall, black brick building loomed over us, odors coming out of it as the smoke spewed up into the sky, turning it into an even darker grey. There was a light sprinkling of rain that made an attempt to clean up the dirt on everybody, but all it managed to do was make mud.

We were poked and prodded into the building and the scary reality of it all came before my eyes. Now I didn’t feel dead. Now I felt the horror. There were no happy faces, only faces full of lost hope and despair as well as the evil smirks of the workers who loved to throw the bodies into the furnaces. Screams echoed for some, but most deaths were quick. At least we have that to look forward to. This method of obtaining the meat, however, was very inhumane and insensitive. I thought at least they would kill them before they threw them into the meat grinder. Oh, this is worse than I have imagined!

“You! Blondie!” I glanced at the voice, seeing a fat man who appeared to be the manager of the place (since he was the only one wearing a suit) looking at me. He motioned me over with his fingers. I made my way over, seeing as how none of the workers objected, but wore those god awful smirks. My gut churned and I knew there were no good intentions from anyone here for my future. I stood in front of him, staring at him as his eyes wandered down my body. His tongue licked his lips as he looked up at me, a glint in his eyes. “Are you the mayor’s daughter?” I nodded. This made him grin. He grabbed my arm and started to lead me somewhere else. The other workers started cheering him, and I desperately tried to get out of his grip. It was very ineffective since he was almost twice my size.

He threw me into an office and closed the door, locking it behind him. “You sure are a pretty gal. Too bad you’re nothing but a body to be used by men like me.” He started to unbuckle his pants and my eyes grew wide.

“There is no way in Hell I am going to allow you to touch me.”

“Then touch me, or else I’m sending you straight into the grinder.”

“I would rather be there now, you bastard.” He walked over and slapped my other cheek. It only added to my rage.

“Listen here you little whore...” I didn’t even let him finish his threat before I punched him right where he was the most sensitive. He bent over and grunted, looking quite incapacitated. I took that as my chance to stand my ground and punch him square in the face. He stumbled back and I desperately searched for something to use. My eyes came in contact with a letter opener and I grabbed it. I turned back and squealed when he was right in front of me, grabbing me around the neck and strangling me. I reacted before even thinking, stabbing the sharp object into his side, right into his over-extended gut. He howled in pain, but didn’t let go. I stabbed him a few more times and eventually he just threw me down. My weapon flew out of my hands and I looked up at him, seeing a lot of blood falling from him. He was about to fall down, you can tell the lose of blood was already causing him to faint.

“If you really think you’re going to... get away... with this... think again... God has his punishment for you, you insolent whore,” he said to me and then tumbled to his knees, trying to remain conscious, but didn’t make it.

I laid there, staring at his body, watching the air flee from his lungs until everything was still.

I killed a man. I killed a horrible, wretched man.

My brain kicked into high gear. I just need to get out. This is my chance to escape. To leave, to live for however much longer. I don’t know why I just didn’t give up then, but I took the letter opener and put it in my pocket, going to the window and looking out to see the yard had been cleared. Only two guards were out, looking around from behind the fence that desperately needed repairs, the giant opening where we first got dropped off standing there as the greatest gift I could have ever gotten.

It took a bit, but I managed to open the window enough to allow myself to slide out. They were chatting with one another, something about some sport game they saw last night. I hugged the wall and went the opposite direction, rounding to the back where no one stood guard. I avoided the rest of the sparse windows and rounded, looking for an escape through the fencing, and found one in the back, far away from any windows or guards. I sprinted to it, being as quiet as possible, and slipped out. I went too fast and uncarefully, since it snagged on me and scratched my arm, but I had to keep moving. I kept sprinting to the far away buildings perhaps a mile away, where there was civilization, and best of all, places to hide.

I didn’t hear the siren until I was halfway there. I ran my heart out, my heart beating so fast. I thought I was just going to die right there and then. By the time I got to the city, I kept a steady pace of walking, trying not to draw attention to myself as I surveyed the area. Everyone looked dirty and miserable, and skinny. Almost as thin as me.

I ducked into an alley and began to take the dirt from the ground and placed it all over my body in an attempt to make myself fit in more. My hair was the biggest problem. No person from the lower class had blond hair like I do, especially one that has been maintained.

“Hey.” I jumped and spun around to a man sitting beside some trash cans, looking at me funny. “Don’t I know ya from somewhere?” I shook my head. “I swear, ya look very familiar, lady.”

“I have no idea who you are sir.” He continued to look at me. My nerves were going crazy as the look of realization hit his face. I bit my lip as he smiled up at me.

“You’re Lucy!” Now I looked confused.

“My name is not Lucy.”

“It is! You crazy broad! You’re the one who lent me that jacket at that party a few months back!” He stood up and got closer. Only then did I realize how horrid he smelt. I had to stop breathing, but that didn’t help in the least bit. It was tainting the back of my throat. I had to resist from gagging. He continued to smile at me as I tried to give him a polite one. “Here! It’s going to rain! I can smell it!” He went to one of the trash cans and pulled out a jacket that was very beaten up and dirty. I have no idea how he can smell anything past his horrid stench.

“Are you giving this to me?” I asked him. He nodded.

“Since I took yours, I only think it’s fair that I return the favor. Take it. I have so many, and it looks like you really need it, Lucy.”

“Uh, thanks.” I took it and wrapped it around myself, noticing it had a hoodie. It will have to do to conceal my hair for now. “That’s really nice of you.” He continued to smile. Since he seems to be quite delusional and perhaps even crazy, he also is resourceful. I decided to push my luck, even if I have already done so many times today. “Say, do you know any place where I can stay for the night? To make sure I don’t get a cold from the rain?”

“Yes! A pretty lady like you needs a place to stay.” He mulled over the thought in his head before he smiled widely and ushered me to follow along beside him. I put up the hoodie and zipped up the jacket, putting my hands in my pockets as the night air started to chill me to the bone. “Randy’s place is always open for people who needs a little help. He is quite the guy, also isn’t too hard on the eyes.” He winked at me. “I’m not sure if he would like blondes, but then again, I don’t know if he has a preference.”

“I’m not looking for a guy, just to survive the night.” He nodded.

“I understand. It’s tough here.” We turned the corner and a bunch of people were walking about, buying items from one another and such. It was the lower class market, basically. I immediately found the enforcers, watching over them with stern eyes. No one paid them much mind. Attention was drawn to the group of running men, all in armored suits and were looking around for someone. Probably me.

The stinky, nice man continued to lead me, talking on and on about Randy. My attention was more focused on making sure they didn’t notice me. My heart was pounding and I tried to act like I wasn’t suppose to be here, that I wasn’t what someone would be looking for.

By the time he finished speaking, we ended up at a very old car garage, male voices chatting and laughing inside. The market was far behind us and all the enforcers, giving me some relief.

“Here it is.” He walked up into the open garage and I followed looking at about four guys, three were standing around, playing with tools while one was under a car. “Boys! Lucy is back!” They all looked and grew confused and quiet. The guy under the car scooted out, and looked at me. His eyes looked from the floor, back to my eyes, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Pickle, that isn’t Lucy. That’s just some babe.”

“But her hair is just like Lucy’s,” the stinky man, that I am assuming is Pickle, said to him. He ripped off my hoodie and I grew scared as they stared at me, all the guys’ mouths opening a little as they took in my bright, blonde hair. The man who was on the floor now stood, wiping his oily hands on a rag, looking at me still.

“It is, but I’m very sure that isn’t Lucy.”

“Then why does she look so familiar?” Pickle asked. Now I was getting very worried. What would happen to me if they found out I was from the upper class? What if they found out I was the mayor’s daughter? Would they treat me like the manager at the butchery did? Would they just kill me? Would they just throw me at an enforcer?

“Maybe she’s Lucy’s sister,” one of the other guys said. The other guys looked at me with pursed lips. Pickle smiled widely and clapped loudly once.

“That must be it! You’re Katie!” They all looked at me expectantly, and I just gave him a weak smile and nodd. It will be better if I have another identity, one that explains the blonde hair, which I am so glad for meeting this crazy man.

“She sure is prettier than Lucy was,” one of the guys said. The other three glared at him to shut up.

“So, Katie, how has Lucy been doing?” Pickle asked. Now I drew a blank. I opened my mouth and closed it a few times, trying to think of something.

“Pickle,” the guy from under the car said, coming over to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. It made me jump from his contact. I just realized than he had actual muscle on his arm, and wasn’t lean or skinny. He looked well fed, a little dirty, sure, but actually has meals. “Lucy was called in the raffle a month ago.” The old man’s face dropped, a silence hanging over them.

“Oh.” He turned to me and gave me a sad smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t... I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Come on, let’s all go inside and have some tea.” The man with his arm around my shoulders began to lead me inside, and I followed, my thoughts wondering if he knew who I really was. If he knew I was lying. If he knew I was hiding, but he remained so calm. There was something definitely up with him. He had motives, I just couldn’t pinpoint them.

I was sat down in a chair at a multi-colored table with mismatching chairs. All the other guys piled in as well as Pickle, whose stench my nose was finally getting used to, but it still made my eyes water a little.

“So, Randy, Katie here needs a place to stay for tonight.”

“Oh, she does?” he said, turned away as he was preparing the drinks. I gulped quietly, feeling the tone in his voice was conveying that he knew something was up with me.

“Yeah. She doesn’t want to get sick when the rain hits.” Randy turned around and placed the cup of tea in front of me, making eye contact with me. He smile, his eyes conveying he saw through me. It was terrfying. He was playing games with me, and I didn’t like it one bit. I had my hands tied, however.

“Of course, she can stay here for a few nights,” he said, to me. They didn’t notice the exchange of silent conversation, which comforted me some.

“You’re always giving,” Pickle said with a lot of admiration.

“Someone has to be in a world where every man steals from one another.” He was walking around, giving everyone a cup, his eyes glancing at me as he said that. I grasped my chilled fingers around the mug, staring at it as the warm liquid warmed my chilled fingers. I was afraid to drink it. Perhaps he poisoned it. Or did something with it. I didn’t want to take a chance.

“You’re always right Randy!”

“Oh, yes I am.” He sat down at the other end of the table, drinking out of his cup as he stared at me, giving me a wink and a smile. I glanced at the guys and they assumed he was actually flirting with me. My gut feeling told me it was an act. He was toying with me before he finished me off.

I took my drink and gulped it, hoping it was poisoned. I was too scared to even begin of thinking of the possibilities of my current predicament.