Heathen Wall/Chapter One

Previous chapter: Prologue

Next chapter: Not released yet

* Jason

Other:

* Ashley

* Kate

* Samantha Burrab

* Sawyer

As Jason neared the dining hall, he knew Ashley was close behind him. Something about the way she walked was... weird. It had an odd kind of shuffle to it. Of course, he didn't want to look back at her, lest she snap at him. He knew that she preferred not to talk about or even reveal her problems.

He reached a chair and sat down, and Ashley sat almost across from him, yet a couple of chairs off. He noticed that her eyes kept darting around, and pointedly avoiding one space. He dared glance at that space and saw Samantha there.

Sawyer sat at the head of the long table, his elbows and forearems on the long metal board with his fists interlocked. Victoria was fidgety as per usual, twisting her hair around her index finger. She was next to Ashley. Two nervous-looking people, side by side.

Three people came into the room, carrying plates. One held dishes of slabs of meat, stacked three to a plate. He must have been balancing like an acrobat. Jason couldn't imagine doing that, and not failing within two seconds. The second one held bowls filled with what looked like tomatoes, beans, and asperigus. The third simply held platters, with forks, knives, and one ladle on them. They set them on the table and Sawyer nodded.

"Making use of the rest of the deer Shawn caught yesterday, I see."

"Yes." One of them said.

The people with the plates sat down in the three empty seats.

Sawyer took a knife and cut the meat slabs into slices as if they were cakes. Everyone selected a platter and took a slice of meat and a ladleful of stew.

As they ate, Jason realised that it was Monday. Role assignment day. Jason crossed his fingers in his mind that he wouldn't be assigned cottonwork.

When everyone was finished, an expected throat clearing rang around the room. What was unexpected was who it came from.

It wasn't from Sawyer like it usually was.

It was from Ashley.

*Is Ashley assigning jobs now? Why?*

"Uh, sorry, Sawyer, I know that you need to assign jobs, but, I-I, uh, have an announcement to make." She took a deep, shaky breath. Jason leaned forward about a millimeter, anticipating what she would say next. "I'm really sorry about this, I didn't want me to be in hiding for more than one thing either, but..."

She looked Jason in the eye. There was meaning in that look. Was she expecting him to say something? What? But it only lasted an instant.

"I-I'm gay."

Oh. *That* was the significance in that glance.

Ashley wrinkled her nose and looked down, hands in her lap, shoulders hunched.

"Just... don't overreact. Please."

A still, silent, tense mood enveloped the whole room, and to Jason, the whole world.

People glanced at each other, and Jason felt like avoiding their gaze. They were harboring not one, but two queers.

At least he wasn't alone anymore.

Sawyer looked like he couldn't decide whether that had been too awkward to say "Anyway..." to, or whether it was more important to assign jobs for the week.

An appearant eternity later, it seemed he made his decision, because the throat clear that should have come a while ago came at that moment.

"Kate, bring me the bowls."

Kate nodded, went to the main room, and came back with two bowls. One held leaves with someone's name on every one, and the other held jobs for all of them. Samantha had been added last week, he remembered. She placed the bowls in front of him, and they looked each other in the eyes for a second. Kate returned to her seat.

"We have some... special jobs this week. The arrival of Samantha has alerted me that we are not secure enough, and don't get enough information. So, two of you will be sent as spies. And those two will go to the Church, believers who come from Yakima. You will be informed the rest of your backstory should you try out for this job. We will be holding a contest tonight. Everyone who wishes to try out, remove your leaf from the bowl."

Ashley was the first to pop up, smirking. She walked up to the head of the table and fished her name out. She returned to her seat. A few others did the same, yet less confidently.

Jason weighed it in his mind. He was a pretty good actor, and could get out of a change of having to do cottonwork, but it was a lot of pressure. He could go back if he decided to try out, but not if he didn't.

He walked up to the bowls, hands shaking, and removed his name. He walked back to his seat with it.

Sawyer spoke. "Anyone else?"

Everyone who handn't removed their name shook their head.

He drew names and jobs, and Jason felt a twinge of guilt for those who got the jobs he hated.

"Alright, then. Everyone who removed their name, follow me."

He walked to the main room, and they all followed him. Kate followed as well, even though she hadn't removed her name.

"Everyone, your first task is to pretend that you just found out that I don't believe the Bible. You need to call the police and make sure that I don't get away while they give me my suitcases and put a tracking device on me. Kate will be the police."

Ashley went first. She went up to him, a disgusted look on her face. She grabbed his shoulder.

"How *dare* you. I thought we were friends. You betrayed me. We can't have you brainwashing our children, polluting our society with your-" she shook his shoulder. "Scientology! Police!" She almost shouted. Kate walked in. "Take this *Heathen*away from me. I can't look at his dirty face any longer." She made a spit noise in his general direction and shoved him away by the shoulder, towards Kate.

They both clapped respectfully. Ashley smirked and went back in the crowd.

Everyone else took their turn with various degrees of skill and drama. Finally, it was Jason's turn.

"Break a leg!" Ashley whispered as he walked.

He had no time to ask before he was acting as though he was completely shocked.

"You're-you, don't, I can't believe it! How could you betray me like this? Police! Come as quick as you can! Someone! Help! Heathen! I have a Heathen!"

He clasped his hand onto Sawyer's shoulder.

Kate walked up to them.

"Here!" Jason said. "He's here! I have 'im!" Kate pretended to put something on Sawyer's back.

Sawyer stood up.

"You all did great. Kate and I will discuss who won. You all, stay in here." Sawyer and Kate started whispering to each other, and so did the others.

Jason sent up to Ashley.

"What was that injury wish about?" He tried to joke.

Ashley looked amused.

"That's not what it was. It's a theatre thing. That's what they say to wish each other luck. Er, said. What they said." She pursed her lips, probably swallowing a sigh.

"Oh. Since you were a theatre person. Right."

"Yep." She stared past him. So that was the end of that conversation.

He started talking to someone else about solar panels and how to build them, as they knew and he didn't. A while later, when it was already night, Sawyer and Kate stopped talking and looked at them.

Gradually, everyone fell silent after many people shushing each other.

"We have decided." Kate said. "Ashley and Jason will go together. The rest of you, go back to the dining hall with Sawyer to be assigned your normal weekly jobs."

Everyone except Ashley, Jason, and Kate left the room.

Kate smiled.

"You two will be acting as a couple from Yakima. You came here because Ashley's mother was found out as a non-believer and they let Ashley go because she believes, and Jason went with her because you are, after all, a couple."

Ashley nodded.

"Sounds good." Jason said.

"You need to go to Church every day, and go into the woods at night. If anyone asks, it's to pray. What you need to do is walkie us back the information. We have a channel set up for you. Channel 63. We will give you your walkie-talkies tonight. Leave tomorrow."

Jason and Ashley nodded.

"Go to the sleeping quarters, and get your walkies from Sawyer there"

They left, and when they got to the sleeping quarters, Sawyer handed them their walkies.

"Get some sleep." Sawyer said. "You'll have a long day tomorrow."

Jason lay awake on his cotton mat, and he didn't know for how long. Eventually, though, he slept, and dreampt of all the ways that everything could go horribly wrong.