All the #5's, including Lukas, go to their assigned area. As they were walking over to it, Lukas was hoping that it wasn't something too bad to work with. He didn't want to spend the rest of his days hitting rocks. That sounded like hell.
They all walked past a bunch of different areas. Sort of like a shitty school field trip. With all the factory lines that are outside for some reason. They saw even more young adults, wasting their lives away in this camp. Lukas got shivers down his spine especially when he saw how malnourished the first guy on the line was.
The sun was really shining directly on where they were walking. Making Lukas' skin feel like it was being slow cooked at some parts. Also Lukas didn't even bother with looking up; the sun was too bright. He could only look down and hope that the person guiding them along could see where they were actually going.
They finally make it to the very back, around the farthest from the door back inside. Lukas looked at what they were going to do, and he wasn't too sad about it. The area had a conveyor belt, with a tube all the way in the back; coming from somewhere underground. The conveyor belt itself looked run down and old, the surface had some sort of yellow tinted film all over it. Which disgusted Lukas a bit. At the other side of said belt, was a hole that they all thought would collect whatever the finished product would be.
"Alright #5's! You'll be helping your fellow comrades in mass producing… this!" The instructor pulled out what looked to be the brand new super condoms. Lukas always suspected they all were made in this way.
"This is your guy's working area! At the start of the day, each one of you has to claim a spot for the day! And you'll stay there for the next 5 hours! Breaks are only if necessary!" he stomped his foot, concluding his explanation. "NOW GET INTO YOUR POSITIONS!" he screamed, catching everyone off guard.
Lukas had already picked where he wanted to stand in his head. He walked over to the very end of the conveyor belt, and sat down. #28 happened to stand right next to him for some reason. Lukas hoped that he wouldn't be annoying the whole time.
Once everyone's position was set in stone for the day, the conveyor belt started up instantaneously. Not giving the guy in front to prepare for what he had to do. Then, Lukas realised something, they never told any of them what to actually do. And he had what he thought was the most important position. So he started to sweat like crazy. Slowly the thing inched over to his part. Somehow to his bewilderment, everyone else knew what they had to do. He thought that maybe he wasn't paying attention at some point and missed something very important. He started to worry even more, causing him to start mouth breathing uncontrollably.
"H-hey. Calm down. It says what you have to do right below you." #28 whispered to him. Lukas looked down, and to his relief, he wasn't lying. It said: put on wrapper, and seal it shut. Lukas thought that sounded easy enough.
The thing finally got to his part, and Lukas did his task flawlessly if he did say so himself. All he hoped for at the moment, is that this didn't feel like forever.
Hour 1…
Lukas' mind was starting to wander, with the task of wrapping the condoms became somewhat like clockwork for him. The others were seemingly fine from his peripheral vision. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse.
Hour 2…
Now fully in autopilot mode, Lukas' body felt lighter than usual. That didn't matter though, because the brain fog he was developing was starting to get intense.
Hour 3…
Lukas' legs were burning like hell, from not being able to sit down this entire time. He saw that some others were having the same problem themselves. But they just gritted their teeth, and kept working. Lukas was thanking whoever that he got one of the easier jobs for today. Who knows what he'll have to do tomorrow.
Hour 4…
His entire body was numb at this point. With the tv static in his mind, now at a deafening volume. At times he swore he heard someone collapsing, it wasn't like he could process it though.
Hour 5…
The alarm sound was blaring so loud, it almost gave Lukas a full blown panic attack. It also had the same effect on the others. Especially #28. The conveyor belt came to a sudden halt, waking up the rest who zoned their way through the first alarm. Their instructor came back with his own megaphone.
"Alright you Stancers! Time to get to goddamn bed!" he yelled. "If any of you try to stay back, you're done!" He stomped away, back into the building. #28 gave Lukas a push, saying: "c'mon! Let's go back already…" Lukas gave a thumbs up, noticing the bags that were already appearing under his eyes. Lukas felt his own yes, and they felt crustier than they usually would be.
Lukas and #28 began to walk back, but then he turned back, and saw that one of the stations seemed to be weirdly missing. He didn't think about it too much, once he saw Drew walking back further ahead.
The moon had started to illuminate the grass and everyone was walking back. It felt like a spotlight was placed on them. Daring to have them misbehave and see what happens.
Once Lukas and #28 finally made it back inside through a sea of people. The lack of light really helped with their eyes a lot. Finally not feeling like they were going to start to tear up every time they so much as looked up for a second. The bunkbeds also started to sound a lot more appealing after the burning sensation in the legs fully kicked in.
He found Drew, laying down on the bed, looking empty and exhausted, just like he was. Lukas ignored him for a second so that he could lay down for the first time in 5 hours. The bed felt like heaven on his bones. Which was a complete contrast from when he first got there.
After little more than ten seconds, Lukas was already out like a light. He was snoring like crazy, making sure that Drew wouldn't be getting a good sleep. He shut his eyes tightly, and wondered what Ethan and the rest of them were doing at this moment.