The crunch of gravel seemed especially calm in the warm summer breeze. I was in a small group of about ten, four girls including me and six males. Ella our tour guide was talking to a non-existent audience ahead of us. When she stopped in front of a small cottage built into the large rock wall that circled the perimeter, you could suddenly feel the tension. This is where we would be living, together, for the rest of our lives.
"I have a feeling my house on the old planet was much larger than this," a small brunet said to my left. Her large gray eyes where open wide with fear and shock.
"Hell, this is smaller than my room," boomed the voice of a huge blonde male. His muscles where clearly defined, and I knew he would be talking over the room we would share.
"So you think," I glanced to the source of the noise. A tall statuesque black haired girl stood separated from the group.
"No, I know my house is better than some shit like you," the blonde snorted. "Who else has a problem?" When no one spoke up he smiled satisfied. "I'll pick where we sleep, Goth chick I hope you're prepared, because you're sleeping by me"
I guess I should explain. I'm from a different planet than this one, I would tell you more if I could remember anything, but, before we came here they erased our memory.
the inside of the small cottage is a lot bigger than on the inside. Big enough to have two rooms made inside it. Each room has five beds, with storage on top. Not that I have anything to store right now. The blonde's eyes pass over me, as he chooses four other people to join him in his room.
"Well," the small brunet, who spoke earlier, said slowly, "I'm Abigail, but everybody calls me Abby."
"I'm Elizabeth, but everyone calls me… I can't remember what everyone calls me." I say slowly eyebrows furrowed
"Erik," a tall broad shoulder dirty blonde says from the back of the room.
"My names Raven," the black haired girl from earlier spoke with a slow drawl.
"I thought that blonde was going to take you," I reply to her.
"And I thought we were supposed to remember stuff like nicknames, but obviously not, also his name is Derrick, and he wouldn't have taken me anywhere."
"Hey let's calm down," a black haired guy stepped out of the shadows, his green eyes seemed to have a glow from inside of them.
"If Derrick would've taken anyone else it'd be you big guy," Raven said batting her eyelashes.
"Call me Steve," he said barley glancing at her. Instead, he looked at me, I could feel his eyes moving up and down my body, satisfied he turned, "I'll take this bed," Steve murmured his back to us.
"I'll take the bed next to it!" Raven practically shouted.
"Actually I was hoping Liz would sleep next to me," Steve replied. It took me a moment to realize I was Liz, but, as soon as I did, my legs moved of their own accord.
"There's room for three beds against that wall," Raven practically wailed. And for some reason my fear of Raven was gone. And from somewhere deep inside I knew if it came to a fight I would kick her ass.
"Steve, be a dear and make room for Abby, thanks," I say using the most joyful voice I can."
We sit talking about random things, during which we discover that the small curtain blocking the two rooms is completely sound proof. As we all take turn holding up a curtain so we can change into the nightmare that was supplied to us. As I switch places with Raven I hear her whisper, I swear to god, I will kill you, first chance I get.
Morning arrived with the happily unaware chirp of birds. We slowly get up, our bodies unaccustomed to such lack of sleep. I blink as a film slowly disappears from my eyes, it seems like I'm the first one to actually wake up. As I turn my head to try to get rid of the soreness, I notice that a young girl, no more than seven, stands by our door.
"I am here to take you to your first chores," her high voice trills. We move fast then, sleepiness replaced with frenzied excitement to find out why we're really here. We walk on a new path that veers off to the left of the gravel one we walked down yesterday. Is I'm watching for any sign of life other than the people I'm forced to live with, I feel Steve press up against my arm.
"Ravens looking go with it," He hisses in my ear. I turn in to him faking a laugh and whispering back, "So? Why do you want to make her jealous?"
"I heard what she said to you last night, so I'm showing her that's she isn't getting to you until she gets through me," he says a cocky smile starting to form.
"Just so you know I don't need you to protect me, I can do that myself. And also you're the reason she wants to kill me. So if you really want to help me you'd leave me alone," I emphases the last three words through my teeth. Steve pulls back slightly catches himself and sticks to my arm. I don't have time to get upset, however, because just then we stop at a large structure, which the girl calls a barn. I can remember ever seeing one before, and as the stench overwhelms me, I can see why I would choose to forget any memories I had of barns. In only minutes the small girl has us mucking out the entire barn. The stench is so overpowering that my eyes tear up blurring my vision. My loss of sight sharpens my other senses, thus making the smell even worse. Since the barn is so huge hours drag by as the ten of us slowly start the long process of cleaning and restocking the straw. By the time we are called to supper my hands are full of open and bleeding sores, and my stomach cries due to the fact we did not work fast enough to earn lunch.
After the large almost picnic like supper Abby, Steve and I head slowly back home, I sit down on my bed with a sigh, finally feeling the complete soreness in my entire body. Abby and I talk, mainly about who we thought our parents where. By the end of the night we're in an agreement that they weren't farmers. It's with a finally round of goodnights to everyone in our room, except Raven who refuses to reply, that I fall asleep. Screaming muscles and all.
Next morning the small girl is back. She waves for us to follow her. Instead of turning left we turn right to a worn but otherwise unmarked path.
How long have people been here?" I ask the little girl
"Not long," she replies, her voice has a cold undertone.
"Then how is this path worn down?" I push, confused.
"Why don't you shut the hell up." Derrick growls. In that moment a wave of confidence flows through my entire body. I know that if I don't put Derrick in his place now, I'll never be able to. "Why don't you make me," I snap, turning to look him in the eyes. I can hear the sharp intake of breath of the others around me.
Derrick snorts, turns to the two men on either side of him, and then stares straight at me. At this point the group is standing still; they're in a circle around Derrick and me. "Listen well whore, I don't punch girls. But if you fuck with me anymore I'll make an exception,"
"Why don't you fight girls, Derrick? Afraid to have your family jewels bruised? Or are you such a loser at life, you try not to get beat anymore?" I jeer. The words come from somewhere deep down in me. This is who I was before I lost my memory. I intend to hold on to her tightly.
I see his fist head straight for my nose. It's like time slows, I could have easily moved out of the way. But their I stood, petrified with fear.