"line up!"

everyone on campus scrambled out into scattered groups and did what they were told. they lined up.

mommy and i fell into line as well. i didn't recognize anyone around me. there was something in me that wanted to let fear take over but daddy always said to be brave. it was times like that when i missed daddy.

"when it's our turn, take the food they offer and put it in this container, alright?" mommy commanded and handed me my pink lunchbox that i brought to school.

i smiled to myself and wondered if i would meet william in the camp. he always gave me a tootsie roll during recess. grey said that just by liking william i would get cooties but he's just jealous.

"mommy, when are we gonna go home?"

mommy knelt down to my level and ran her hands through my hair, tucking a silly strand of brown hair behind my ear. her touch was comforting but i had a feeling i wouldn't see william for a long time.

—

  it had been a few weeks and we were still in the camp. i asked mommy why we didn't have a pink tent and she told me to look around. everyone else had the same dark green tent we had.

  green was never my favorite color. i always liked pink or purple. daddy used to joke about how pink was a girly color but i liked the girly color. it reminded me of a garden of flowers.

grey taught me how to kick a ball properly while mommy went back in line to get our breakfast. they served each person an egg and half a fruit for breakfast. i always called dips on the red apple.

"grey?"

he made a humming noise and looked at me, then turned back to the ball that he dropped on the grass.

"are we ever going home?"

"i don't think so."

"why?"

"mommy says it's because it got destroyed."

"oh."

that would mean i lost my doll collection and all the other toys our aunts and uncles had given us. grey comforted me by pulling me into a light hug and kissed my forehead.

ever since we left agson mommy had started to keep to herself. grey says it's because the big guards will take her away if she doesn't keep quiet, but i don't believe him.

after all, grey always teased me for things that weren't even true.