The Annihilation of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski Page B

floor with his back straight. “There’s a reward for any team that captures first place for three straight weeks. They drop the needle as soon as we get here. No getting naked and no suffering.”
    “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Danny grabbed the bars. He wanted to pull them apart and throttle Zin sitting so composed and unmoved. No suffering? I’d be in that game room every waking second!
    “Bad luck to tell you,” Zin said. “It’s a jinx.”
    Danny wanted to argue, but he was right. They were in first.
    “Don’t fight it, Danny Boy.” Zin took a deep breath. “Suffering is part of life. Either way, we go inside the needle.”
    “You mean you like this?”
    “Hell, no. But it doesn’t matter how I feel.” Another deep breath. “Be here, no matter what.”
    “Fine.” Danny crossed his arms and began pacing. “If you want to freeze your ass off, be my guest. I want out.”
    Reed was standing in his cell with his back to Danny. He was as motionless as Zin was sitting. The skylights began to turn, followed by another round of cheers. Light faded. Darkness settled like thick soup. Forms disappeared. Voices became bodiless chatter.
    The second round had begun.
     
    “Danny Boy?”
    Zin’s voice was soft, blending in with the docile conversations that were beginning to trail off into the silence of impending pain.
    “The game, it’s a waste of time,” he said. “We’re going to explore once we’re inside the needle. I’m going to give you the tour, show you Foreverland.”
    Danny resumed breathing like Zin had taught him. He finished his count to ten. “Sid’s going to be pissed.”
    “Good thing he’s not running the show.”
    “Then who is?”
    “You are, Danny Boy.”
    “Me?” He cringed, hoping Sid didn’t hear him. “Dude, I’m a poke, I’m not running anything.”
    “Don’t be a clown, you’re the whole reason this place was cheering about a half hour ago. They’re all watching you, Danny Boy. Not Sid. He’s just a cheerleader.”
    “You’re cracked, man,” Danny hissed. “Sid will put a black mark under my eyes after he’s done with you.”
    “You think the old men are going to let him do anything to you or me or any kid in this place? Nothing’s going to happen, Danny Boy. This place is locked down tight.”
    Danny imagined a mob of old men charging through the Yard wielding stun guns. It wouldn’t matter if they were carrying nuclear weapons, they’d throw a hip before they got anything under control.
    “What about when they threw you in a trash can?”
    “It was a trash can, who cares. It was funny. Even I laughed.”
    “So how’s a bunch of crypt keepers going to keep us from getting pummeled?”
    “Right here.” Zin’s dim figure tapped the tracker on the back of his neck. “They got some sort of remote in their pocket. They put their hand in there and they can kick a volt or two into your spine and you’re sleeping, my friend. And Sid knows it. The geezers load you on a cart and it’s over.”
    “What’re you saying over there?” Sid’s voice carried from across the dark aisle . “You got something to say about me?”
    “Nothing, Cap-i-tan,” Zin said. “Just girl talk over here, that’s all.”
    Sid grunted. His teeth ground together. He said, “You just make sure—”
    Click. Hmmmmmmmm.
    The fan engaged. The blades began to crawl.
    Conversation died.
    “Let’s get on with the suffering,” Zin said.
    Danny was already counting his breath. He glanced at Reed, still standing, still facing the other direction. It would be long and hard for him. Maybe if they held first place, he’d get a reprieve.
    But he wouldn’t take the needle, so then what?
    Danny thought about doing the same. He could talk to Reed when everyone was out. He could tell Danny more about the underlying secrets of the island, the redheaded girl, and why he resisted. Maybe they could talk long enough to sort through each other’s memories, figure out which ones were