Life in the Pits

9 runs faster

...hmmm...come to think of it...what's up with the voice? Who are they? I wonder if it's any of these people...naw...their voices are different...that means there's got to be someone else...but...that means there has to be another room............

9 looks at 7 wishing he could do that but doesn't want to anger the voice

...there must be an outside...but...how? why...? who is the voice? ...come to think of it...I don't remember anything too far back...how long have I been here? what's going on?!

9 keeps running, head foreward

"Bravo 7, bravo," 1 says while clapping,"Probably the most entertainment I ever get these days. Where did you learn to do that?"

hmm....he is great at that, but why is it that I've been living with him my whole life, or so I'm think, yet I never grow tired of it.....strange

Noticing 9 run faster, 1 knocks down the tower of cards, gathers the cards, and places them in a neat pile in the center of the table.

1 walks over to 10's table and sits down,"Hey 10, did you start yet or can I join?"

Eight leaned on her hand. "We haven't started yet. What do you guys want to play?"

9 flips over the front of the treadmill as he does sometimes just after hitting the stop button, he pauses in his ground state

...this is a lie. this is fake. we are all clearly different, we have not grown up together. everything is as it should be, yet it is not. if there is an outside, what is there? ...and why were we not told of it?

9 goes to the weights and starts punching the air with a pair of 10 lb weights while jogging in place

...this is all correct yet incorrect at the same time...I do not understand.

6 walked in with his arms above his head in a stretch. He had a spring in his step as he greeted his friends as he did every day. He glanced at the exercise equipment and thought that he didn't feel like working out today. Then he glanced at the table and saw a few people there. He strode over and smiled.

"Hey guys," he greeted cheerfully. "What are you up to?"

Five giggled as she hopped out of the chair and said happily. "See you next wake Voice!" She ran into the rec room and said. "Hiya everyone!" She headed directly for an open treadmill after greeting the others. Turning it on to a good pace, she began to run at what she thought was faster than her usual pace. If she could keep this up, she would definitely break her previous running record. Her breathing was steady and in a rhythm she developed through trial and error. She knew that she could run a good distance this way so she kept the settings where they were.

...a mask...a guise...a cover...a lie...this life is a lie...I must don a mask and live as I have...I must get out...or away...where is this place...what is outside here, if there is an outside? no matter...I wear the mask of 9, I shall release myself from this place, I must discover what is going on...

9 soon grows a little tired and puts the weights back, he sits at the table, but only watches the others play cards...he noticed 5 was up and smiled
"Good wake, five!"

he called to her
...he always felt happy around her...she was always the joy of the room...

...5...are we being held captive here...and...no...5 is being held here as well...one so small and weak compared to the larger of us...no...unforgivable...

I'm not sure how these people can stand being in here so long.....hopefully I can get out of here.....with my sanity intact

1 heads over to the treadmill next to 5 and starts jogging at a speed slightly faster than last time,"Good wake 5, getting your running in today?"

At least I can feel better knowing someone is doing better than I am.....

9 is still smiling

....5 is so cute, with her positive attitude and oddly short stature....or is odd at all...I don't know...should I know? this place...I must be free from it...I must know the truth....I must figure this mystery out...but...I cannot let it be known....for if the voice is intentionally hiding all this from us...then the voice may be the problem...the enemy...

9 looks at the others with their cards

Five looked over to One and said while giving him a peace sign. "Yup yup! I'm definitely going to go further than my best. I ran a whole 1.7 miles last time and this time I'm going for a whole two!" She giggled a little more before bringing her attention back to running. She steadied her breathing once more and then continued her run in silence.

9 gave a quiet humph of a laugh and smiles at 5's giggle...she just made him happy...he thought of her as a daughter, if only he knew what a daughter was...

"Right on 5, keep on chuggin', you'll get there, I just know you will." 1 gets off the treadmill, and heads over to the table most of the others are sitting at.

"Hey, I'm cool with betting clothes, lets get it on!"

Man, when will this moron cease to impress me....I'm surprised I live with him....but it's strange, like I haven't been here all my life...I just feel trapped in here.....

" Yea Deal me in too..." 10 asked, watching the other numbers go on with their day.

Eight smiled and started shuffling.

9 observes the card playing, in hopes of learning something about the game

...and what if I discover there is something else, then what? ...should we...or I....escape and go to the other place? ...or should we stay here...no...what am I saying...I have no recolection of giving permission for my being here, therefore I am held against my will...or am I supposed to feel that way? ...no...I'm going to uncover the truth, even if it kills me. I will go from this place, to wherever else there is, if I find it not to my satysfacion, I will return with an appology...however, if the voice truly is elsewhere, and we are not being told of this other place, and we are here against our will....no....there will be blood.

"Somebody should cut," Eight said as she put the stack on the table.

Five occasionally looked over to the group that was playing cards. She liked playing cards too, but it was nothing compared to the feeling she got while running her fastest on the treadmill. She had already reached a mile and she was showing only minor fatigue. She was breathing a little heavily but that was to be expected since she was running at a faster than normal pace. If she could hold on though, she would definitely beat her record.

"8, allow me. I'll cut this time." 1 says as he gets the deck. 1 cuts, shuffles, and deals the cards.

I'm not even sure how this is done, but these twits probably wouldn't even notice....

"Hmm....what will you guys and gals bet first?"

" The question is what will YOU bet?" 10 grinned deviously.

9 observes them still...he then decides to go and run again...he steps on the treadmill and begins a jog, he looks over at 5 and says

"Good wake, five, how are you this wake?"