"I warned you" Gerry said, giving me a spoonful of porridge like substance.

"So did Mina" I countered before I took the bite. Honestly, I was just eating so that I wouldn't have to be near him again. I couldn't be near him again.

"Who's Mina?" Gerry asked.

"Seriously? It's-" I took another offered bite and swallowed, "It's the girl that you didn't even want to acknowledge".

"The one that can't talk?"

"Yes, that one" so insensitive.

"How do you know her name is Mina if she can't talk" he asked.

"She can write numb nuts. She has a little board she uses".

"That's inconvenient don't you think?" He asked, giving me some water.

"No, not being able to communicate is inconvenient. If my hands weren't bound I could sign" I said.

"Sign what?" he asked incredulously.

"Sign? Like sign language. I had a friend who was determined to stay deaf, even though he could have fixed it with a regeneration. So I learned sign language for him"

"I've heard of sign language but I've never seen it before" he replied.

"Well read a damn book. She taught herself but no one here uses it. Or at least no one here with free hands does" I tried to let the judgment seep into my tone.

"I don't have time to read" Gerry offered me the last bite of stuff.

"Too busy stealing candy from babies? Taking canes from cripples? Kicking newborn puppies?"

"No" he gave me a 'shut the hell up' look, "I'm head of the guard and overseer of the city. That's a lot of shit to do"

"Then why are you here?" I persisted.

After a short pause, he said "You know why. Plus Mina or whatever had something she had to deal with".

"So glad to know you're keeping an eye on my new friend" I hope she was ok. I recalled our conversation yesterday in which I asked what happened to her speech.

"Mina, do you know what sign language is?" I had asked as she entered my dark warehouse like room with food. She had cocked her head to the side in shock, but then her face lit up with joy as she nodded violently.

"Good, you sign, I'll speak" I had said with a smile.

'I cannot believe you know how to sign. No one here knows how' Mina had signed excitedly and quickly. Her dialect was a little strange but she got the basic idea. I could understand her.

"I learned for a friend. How did you lose your speech" I had been determined to find out the answer to that question.

'Something went wrong in my pod when I died last time. I can understand words and write them but when I try to speak, it comes out... wrong' Mina had explained, gesturing to the 9 on the top of her hand.

"Hey!" Gerry yelled, waving his hand in front of my face.

"What?!" I snapped back.

"I asked you if you wanted more freedom"

"What the hell kind of question is that? Of course I do!"

"Can you handle more freedom or will you try to escape or kill yourself?"

"Well I mean... I can't guarantee I won't try to escape. I'm trying this new thing where I don't lie to you. And as for the killing myself, I mean, conditions are so nice here, why would I want to? Especially if Brock comes back, I definitely won't try to kill myself then" my sarcastic statement had quickly turned into a bitter tirade.

"Wow, ok.... Why are you calling him Brock?" Gerry asked.

"Because I refuse to call him 'The Boss' or 'Boss Man'" damn, I really wish I had use of my hands for sarcastic air quotes.

"No, I mean.... Look, I'm not stupid. It may have been fifty years ago but I remember how you acted around him. The way you looked at him. The way you would follow him anywhere and everywhere. You obviously had a thing for him, whether you still do, I don't know, but you did. I don't know why, he rarely paid you any attention and he has no emotions, but I guess if that's what you want... My point is, you never called him Brock. He was always Brittock"

I shot him a snide sneer. I didn't need him bringing up my stupid, naive past.

"What can I say, he was an enigma. Now I know he's just an ass" I said rudely.

"Yeah well don't say it around him. If he has emotions or feelings, it would probably hurt them. Or at least bother them" Gerry said, turning to leave.

"Wait" I said quickly, squeezing my eyes shut and biting my lip at my momentary weakness.

"What?"

"Uhh nothing"

"Alright" he said in confusion in left, leaving me in the dark.

Alone.

___________________

"Sorry" a voice said, rousing me from my sleep only to be knocked out again by a needle to the neck.

When I woke up, I was blinded by intense light... and warmth.

"What the-" I looked around, dazed and confused. I was outside. In the sun. And was that a breeze on my skin? As my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized I was on somewhere high. Looking around I saw and began to hear thousands of voices. There was music too.

I was on the platform in the stadium.

"Like it?" Gerry's voice came from behind me. I turned slightly from my resting position on my haunches.

"The sun? Yes. Being drugged and dragged confusing places for confusing reasons? No." I said. I looked down, realizing that my hands were now manacled together in front of my body.

"I told you I was working on getting you more freedom" Gerry said.

"Well" I started, slowly standing up without the use of my hands, "it's nice to be able to move my feet" I responded honestly.

"See? I come through" he said with a laugh, gesturing to the arena.

"Yeah, but where does this go?..." I asked curiously, following the giant chain hooked to my manacles to the throne.

No....

I walked so I could see around the high back of the chair, only to reveal my worst nightmare.

Resting casually on his throne holding the end of my chain, was Brock.