"Congratulations," Siggy cheered. "And welcome!," he held his arms out.
"Thanks, Siggy," I smile.
Alby told me that I'm officially in the Kitchen from now on. So that means everyday I need to get up and head over to the kitchen to help prep and cook the meals. Siggy was actually thrilled for me to join the team, he confided that Joe needed some help. I was happy, I liked the kitchen, it felt like a good fit for me. The day passed quickly, it was so easy to get lost in the repetitive movements from chopping veggies and tenderizing the meat. At lunch I collected the dishes and brought them to the Sloppers, who grunted at the work. Siggy sent me to the Bloodhouse, to ask about what meat we should have for next week and I went to the garden to collect the produce for tomorrow. Even though I liked the kitchen, I was happy to be let go after supper, the heat was stuck to my skin and I was aching for a shower.
I grabbed one of the new bras they had sent me, a semi clean outfit and skipped towards the bathhouse. I made sure that is was empty before entering, the water massaging me skin felt heavenly. If I can't remember my name by tomorrow morning, I'll talk to Alby, I thought at the water ran down my body. I didn't want to leave, but fatigue swept over me so I got dressed and left for the Med hut. The sun was gone, but the torches lit up the path, when I reached the Med hut I turned to go in, but a fire in the distance caught my attention. The Slammer... Should I go see Ben? I paused in the doorway before shaking the thought and entering.
The next morning, I woke up excited. AND MY NAME IS... Nothing. My mind was blank. It was early, Clint and Jeff weren't here yet, so I laid back in bed. I searched my brain, spraining for anything. A letter or even a syllable would be helpful, anything was better than the emptiness. Come on. Come on! Damn it... What do I have to do to remember?!... No point in trying to sleep. I stood up and put on my shoes, pushed my hair behind my ears before exiting the hut. Daylight was nowhere to be found and all the torches were out, I took careful steps trying to remember as best I could how to get to the kitchen. I got there, but unsurprisingly, no one else was there. I hopped on the counter and waited. Maybe its just different for girls. Maybe we don't get to keep our name... It's possible. I hope it's not true. Why would they do that? It's just plain cruel. It might just take more time. It takes guy a day or two, but it takes the girls a week. That's possible too, I thought swinging my legs, letting my feet hit the cabinets beneath the counter. Maybe I just need help... I should ask Hank, he's the Runner. It took him longest, that's what Zart said. Maybe he has some tips, I should ask Alby too.
"Well hello there," Siggy smiled as he passed the threshold. "What are you doing here so early?"
"Couldn't sleep," I said and hopped off the counter.
"Well, glad you're awake. Grab the pot under there," he pointed to the cabinet.
"Where's Joe?," I asked placing the pot on the counter.
"Gave him the day off," Siggy said sharping his knife.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, he needs it. He's been working his ass of in here and now he can take a breather."
"What about you? When do you get a day off?"
Siggy scoffed at the idea," Yeah right. That'll be the day. Grab that produce basket," I follow his command as he continues. "The way I see it, I've survived with one helper an before that with no help at all. We aren't quite to the point in numbers where I need two."
"Then why am I here?," I ask and hand him the basket.
He shakes his head and points to the chopping counter," Start shucking the corn," he orders. "And because, I don't want to wait until we have to many people to feed and have to train someone in a hurry. Stress isn't good for a kitchen."
"Makes sense." I take the corn out and pull the covering off to expose the golden kernels.
"Keep the husks," Siggy reminds me. "Yeah, so I'll rotate you and Joseph in the kitchen. Maybe every other day or morning and nights. Dunno... I'm going to get some water," he says before leaving.
We made some sort of corn mush for breakfast, the sun began to rise and I saw the Runners make there way over the tables. Is Ben with them? I souped out bowls with a smile, but none of them were Ben. Oh wait, that's Hank.
"Hank?," I called as he was walking away.
"Yeah?," he turned.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Uhm, sure I guess," he walked back to me.
"I was told that it took you the longest to... to remember your name..."
"Yeah," Hank agreed, pushing his thick brown curls from his eyes. I noticed for the first time the freckles that spotted his nose and cheeks, how adorable.
"Well... do you... I don't know? Do you have any tips or anything?"
"Tips?," he questioned taking a scoop of his mush. "Oh! Ouch, hot!"
"Yeah, like, what did you do? How did it come to you?"
"Uhmm," he swallowed the mouthful of food," I was working, working in the Bloodhouse," he nodded, remembering," I, uh, I actually slipped and hit my head on the counter," he chuckled. "I woke up a few second later and there it was: Hank," he smiled.
"Mhmm... thanks."
"Glad to help," he returned to his table.
It started to pick up, I smiled and gave out bowls as fast as I could while Siggy was prepping for lunchtime. I need to find some time to talk to Alby... maybe he knows something too... Once everyone leaves to do their daily tasks, I take the bowls to the Sloppers and quickly peek around, looking for Alby. I need to be quick, Siggy needs me. Maybe he's in the Homestead... I round the corner and nearly fall backwards, but I'm steadied my hands gripping my arms.
"We really need to stop meeting like this," Ben smiles.
"Ben? Oh god, I'm sorry."
"It's all good. Where are you going," he remembers his arm and pulls them away, a hint of red staining his cheeks.
"Just looking for Alby," I rub my head. Damn, that hurt.
"He's not here, maybe he's in the Garden?"
"Okay, thanks...," I turn and head back to the kitchen, resisting to look back over my shoulder. I don't have time to stop by the garden...
When I returned, Siggy was behind the kitchen in the fire pit cooking something brown in his pan. He told me to start mixing the wheat and water for bread, I did as I was told and then started kneading it. Lunch came and went, so did supper. I helped wipe down the counter before leaving Siggy alone in the kitchen. Alby, I thought turning towards the Homestead. The boys were all being loud, laughing and jostling one another. I found Alby watching two boys wrestling inside a circle, he was cheering loudly until I called to him.
He turned and greeted me with a smile," Hey Greenbean. How was the first day in the kitchen?"
"It was good, I like it," I tossed my hair behind my shoulder. "I just wanted to ask you about this whole name thing. I still don't know mine, what do I have to do to remember?"
Alby sighed," I don't, it usually just comes when it comes. Maybe you should relax a little bit, have some fun. Go get a drink, Gally made it, it's really good."
"So there is nothing I can do?," fear clutched my chest.
"Yeah, there is. You can stop worrying about it," Alby game me an encouraging smile. "Just enjoy the night," he turned back to the fight.
There is nothing I can do... I felt the pain rise from my chest. The tears blurred my vision, I kept my head down and maneuvered out of the crowd, heading to the Deadhead. How can I enjoy the night when I'm just so... so stupid. Thinking it would just come, such an idiot. What did Jackson say, slinthead? That's me, a stupid slinthead. I leaned against a tree, pursing my lips to suppress the screams that threatened to exit. Alby just doesn't understand, no one here does. Why can't I just remember? Is there something wrong with me? Did they do this to me on purpose, those bastards!
The dark shadows of the trees, shifted as a wind blew threw the Deadhead. What kind of person does this? Who enjoys torturing all of us?
