The morning horn hit like a hammer again.
Varik didn't jolt awake this time—he surfaced slowly, caught somewhere between exhaustion and instinct, blinking grainy sleep from his eyes.
Junia was already up.
Sitting cross-legged on her mat with her chin propped on one hand, staring at nothing in particular.
She glanced at him when he sat up.
"You didn't thrash as much in your sleep this time."
Varik frowned. "I thrash?"
"Not in a dramatic way," she said, flicking a crumb off her pant leg. "More like a dying fish. It just looks so creepy."
"…Thanks."
"Anytime."
The quiet wasn't heavy.
Just there.
Rhem limped past, muttering something about how his knee had decided to retire overnight. People shuffled into line, rubbing eyes, adjusting clothing, preparing for the day without anyone commanding them to hurry.
Oddly Elara hasn't been seen much lately but no one seemed to lay it any mind.
The rhythm of captivity continued.
Varik joined the line beside Junia.
She nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Try not to fall on your face when they call your number."
"What gives you the impression I'd fall?"
"You look like you might."
He didn't respond.
She didn't push it.
Assignments again.
Three slavers walked in with their ledgers and prods.
"Ninety-one."
"Seventy-three."
"Forty-two."
Varik kept his eyes forward.
Junia started humming under her breath—some old tune, off-key, but strangely steadying.
Then:
"Ninety-three."
Varik stepped forward.
His feet were already sore. His ribs ached. His arms felt like bruises held together by guesswork. But his expression stayed level.
"Tunnel crew," the slaver said.
Varik didn't look back as he followed the group out.
He felt a gaze at his back but quickly shrugged it off.
Tunnels, Routine, Wear
The crew was mostly the same as yesterday's, with only one new addition—a young woman with hollow cheeks and hands that trembled even before she lifted a tool.
No one asked her name.
They reached the collapse site again.
The slab had been moved aside yesterday. Only a dark stain remained on the stone.
Varik didn't look at it long.
He fell into the rhythm of work:
Scrape.
Lift.
Push.
Hammer.
Clear.
His breath fogged the air. His ribs dug into him with every twist of his torso, but he stayed steady.
After a while, one of the older workers spoke up. "Kid. Your grip's too tight. You'll tear your palm open."
Varik eased it.
He didn't answer.
People gave advice here not because they cared, but because someone screwing up slowed everyone down. He knew that by now.
Halfway through the shift, a stone column cracked and dropped dust into their hair. Varik ducked, heart kicking once against his ribs.
But it passed.
Later, they reached a junction where the frost was thick and the air burned cold enough to sting.
The scarred man pointed to the upper beams. "Take those. You're lighter. We need someone who won't collapse the whole thing by climbing."
Varik didn't complain.
He wedged the scraper between ice layers, working slow so vibrations didn't carry.
His breath shook slightly.
He hid it by scraping harder.
Then time flew by.
When the shift finally ended, the group dragged themselves back through the gate, where the slaver barely glanced at them before waving them through.
Varik's clothes were stiff with frost. His knuckles were raw.
Junia looked up immediately from where she was mending a torn sleeve. "Two days in a row wasn't enough for them, huh?"
"Apparently not."
"You look worse today."
"Good to know I'm consistent."
Junia scoffed. "You should be—"
She stopped mid-sentence and squinted at his hand.
"Let me see."
"It's fine."
"It's bleeding."
"It'll stop."
She clicked her tongue, grabbed his wrist anyway, and inspected the scraped knuckles. Her fingers were warm where they touched his skin, calloused from work.
She didn't make a face.
She just nodded once. "You should wrap it when it dries. Otherwise the tunnel frost will chew it out tomorrow and also potential infections."
"If I'm in the tunnels again."
Junia gave him a flat look. "You never know."
Varik didn't argue.
She let go of his wrist, acting like she hadn't grabbed him at all.
Varik lay down on his "bed", if you could call it that. All the fatigue poured down on his body at once.
He covered his face and sighed.
"What am I doing?" Varik exhaled,"I'm here slaving my ass off doing work for Gods know what meanwhile Lux is somewhere out there probably being used as some kind of lab rat. I need to leave this place as soon as I heal."
For the past few days Varik had been trying to think of any way to escape, but with his injuries, the slavers on watch and even his fellow captives watching for any deserters it became nearly impossible.
Even if he escapes he has to find a way to survive the brutality of the Outter Sector and it's blizzards.
Slowly Varik was beginning to fall into despair the more he thought about it.
Varik sighed. "Ah shit, I can only hope Lux is alright."
Just then—
"You spacing out?"
Junia tossed him a torn piece of cloth while gesturing to her hand, "Use that later."
He caught it midair.
"You really don't have to do all this," he said.
"I know."
"Then why do you?"
She shrugged.
Varik started at her, "What's that supposed to mean?"
She lay back against her mat and folded her arms behind her head. "I told you before, you're different and interesting. You seem pretty fun to be around to despite your stand-offish personality."
Varik blinked once.
"…Thanks?"
Junia smirked. "You're quite welcome."
Rhem dropped onto his own mat with a grunt. "Has the troublesome Junia finally settled down?"
Junia shot him a glare. "Say that again and I'll steal your blanket tonight."
Rhem chuckled, "And here I thought some good company finally set you straight."
Varik chuckled.
Not quite a laugh.
But close.
The night grew.
Lanterns dimmed.
The horn flared.
Chains locked on the far wall.
People sank into the rhythm of evening in captivity:
murmurs, slow breathing, quiet shuffling of mats.
Junia stretched out on her side, back facing him, but close enough that he could hear her breathing.
Before he lay down, she spoke softly—voice rough from fatigue, but not sharp like usual.
"Try to sleep before your ribs start whining again."
He blinked. "How do you know they hurt?"
"It's pretty damn obvious considering you came here all bandaged up, plus you winced when you sat down."
He hadn't realized he did.
Junia pulled her blanket over her shoulder. "Sleep, Varik. You're useless if you pass out and we don't know if we'll be on the same duty tomorrow. I might be a bit fond of you but I won't risk my neck for your screw ups."
"Same here," Varik replied.
Varik lowered himself onto his mat, staring up at the ceiling beams.
Despite his fatigue and worries he felt like he could sleep better tonight.