After gazing up at the night sky for hours, Drake finally decided to go to bed. He trudged across the prisoner’s yard to the dormitory. At the door five boys stood watching him.
“Excuse me,” Drake paused for them to let him by. Assuming they didn’t understand, he motioned with his hand that we wanted to pass through. Not one of them moved.
“Please, let me through,” Drake took another step forward, but one of the boys shoved him backward.
Drake was in no mood to play games. He rushed the boy, ramming him with his lowered shoulder. The next thing he knew, the gang of five was on top of him. He tried to resist, but went down hard, and his face hit the ground.
“Get off me!” Drake growled like a captured animal.
The gang of boys pinned him down while chatting in their native tongue. Drake did his best to fend off the hands digging into his pockets. The gang of thieves found nothing because all his possessions were back in the spaceship wreckage. Before they let Drake go, the leader finished with a sharp to his ribs. The others took turns landing kicks to Drakes body. Then the gang disappeared inside.
Drake slowly lifted himself to his hands and knees, and then stood up on wabbly legs. Driven by pure rage he stumbled through the door. He vowed he would get revenge for the beating. As he looked around for the gang, the lights were switched off. He then felt his way to his bunk and crawled in. As he laid there, his anger turned to despair. He buried his face in his pillow so no one would hear him sob.
The next morning Drake woke to the sound of a ringing bell. He watched as the other prisoners began to file out into the hallway under the watchful eyes of a pair of guards. Drake groaned as he sat up in bed. He held his injured side, struggled to his feet and then fell in behind the others. The line snaked from one hallway to another. Soon his nose caught the scent of food cooking. Next, he found himself in a large cafeteria. He was handed a tray by someone in a dingy apron. Breakfast was some mystery food hidden under a thick layer of gravy along with a cup of yellow liquid. Drake took his tray to an empty table. He sat alone poking at his meal with a spoon. For the first time since his capture one of the other prisoners spoke to him.
A thin boy with dark curly hair stood over him but Drake couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“I’m sorry but I don’t speak your language.”
“Do you mind if I join you?” said the boy.
Drake sat there with his mouth hanging open, shocked to hear his native tongue.
The boy sat down. “I’m Neo. What’s your name.”
“Drake.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Drake. You must be from the west side of the star system,” Neo began to dig into his breakfast.
“Yes, I’m from the planet Fordan,” Drake sat without touching his food.
“My grandfather was from Fordan. He taught me the language.”
“How did you end up here?” asked Drake.
“My people are nomads. We have travelled from planet to planet throughout the star cluster for many generations. We landed here, on the other side of the mountains a few years ago. We lived in an area of lush forests. At first the desert people were friendly, but then a new leader took over. That’s when they began to raid our settlement,” Neo explained.
“Why didn’t you leave?”
“The desert raiders kidnapped some of my people. We couldn’t just leave them behind. Besides, many of our spaceships needed repairs.” Neo washed down a mouthful of food with a gulp from his cup.
“What happened next?”
“We fought the desert people the best we could, but they’re fierce warriors. Eventually my family was captured, and tha’s how I got here.” Neo sat back after finishing his meal.
“How long ago was that?” Drake still hadn’t touched his food.
“About two months ago,” said Neo.
“Did they capture all of your people?”
“The last I knew, there was a remnant who escaped deep into the forest. I hope they can find a way to set us free.”
“Wow,” Drake took a sip of his juice. “What do the desert people plan to do with you and the others?”
“No one knows, but I’ve heard rumors that some have been sent to work camps.”
Drake’s heart sank. He couldn’t imagine being forced to work for the desert riders, and for who knows how long.
“So, how about you,” Neo leaned forward. “How did a Fordanian like yourself become a prisoner on the other side of the star system?”
“It’s a long story,” Drake signed.
“I’ve got time,” Neo chuckled.
“I was a passenger on a star freighter. The ship had engine problems, and we veered off course. We crash landed here and the desert people found us and brought us here.”
“What happened to your face?” asked Neo.
Without thinking, Drake’s hand reached for the bruise on his cheek. “I had a run in with those thugs sitting over there.”
“I see. Reith and his gang are bullies. I hope they get what they deserve one day.”
As the long days passed Drake and Neo spent time in the exercise yard. Every other day they were allowed to work in the kitchen preparing dinner for the others. Neither one minded the work as it was a distraction from dull prison life.
One day Neo pulled Drake aside, “I think I found a way out of here.”
“Really? How?” Drake whispered.
“After dinner is served, the back kitchen door is unlocked, and the trash is taken out. I think we can sneak out then.”
“I don’t know,” said Drake. “There are always guards watching.”
“I have an idea,” Neo glanced over his shoulder. “If we can distract the guards for a few minutes, that’s all the time we need.”
“But how?” asked Drake.
“What if one of us picks a fight with Reith and his gang. That will cause a ruckus, and we can slip out.”
“I like it,” Drake felt hopeful for the first time. “But then what do we do?”
“We find a way through the fence. I don’t think that will be a problem. It’s not guarded very well. Then we make our way over the mountains to the forest. Hopefully some of my people are still living there.”
“It will be a long trek. Do you think we can make it without getting caught?” Drake asked.
“It’s our only choice,” Neo replied.
The next evening was not Drake’s and Neo’s put their plan into motion. It was not their day to work in the kitchen. When they went for dinner, they sat at a nearby table but with their backs to Reith and his gang. Then they waited for just the right time. When the others had finished eating and began to file out, Neo signaled Drake with a nod of his head. Not a minute later a heavy boy walked past, Neo stuck his foot out. As the boy tripped, his tray, and everything on it, flew up in the air. It landed on Reith’s back on its way down. The bully flew into a rage. He and his gang jumped from their seats and attacked the boy who was picking himself off the floor.
The whole room erupted in confusion and shouting as everyone rushed to see what was happening. That’s when Drake and Neo darted for the kitchen. Two guards nearly ran them over as they went to break up the fight. A few seconds later Drake and Neo slipped out through the unlocked door and into a narrow alley. There they found trash containers and empty wooden crates, but not a guard in sight. The boys would have to figure out their escape plan as they went along, but for now they were one step closer to freedom.