First little lie ♰ Keep me breathing as the water rises up again

[beingdifferent]

[The first image the camera captures is a pair of large brown eyes, blinking sleepily before widening. They dart back and forth as their owner pulls the communicator back, showing a small pale face framed by dark curls, mouth curled into a frown. Zoom back a little more and the starry expanse from the deck is visible in the background.

The girl in the foreground bites at her bottom lip, licks it, looks around again before frowning at the communicator. She pulls it up closer, staring at the screen, and speaks one word with a distinct note of fear in her voice.]

...Mommy?

Comments

[beingdifferent]

No it isn't, that doesn't make sense.

[mistconduct]

Yeah, you want to know what also doesn't make sense?

Kidnapping nine-year-olds.

But for real, time's fucked up here. One of the many things. I think it might be like how when you're a prisoner you lose all sense of time, but that might be, I don't know, dramatic.

[beingdifferent]

The lady I talked to before you said I was here because I did something bad. Don't they tell you how long you'll be here?

[mistconduct]

That's standard prison. This is Barge prison. They keep you as long as they want.

Like I said; Admiral's a prick.

[beingdifferent]

But I want to go home now! That's not fair!

[mistconduct]

Yeah, life here really kind of sucks like that.

[beingdifferent]

[She is very quiet for a long moment, eyes downcast, then suddenly looks back up.]

Then what should I do now?

[mistconduct]

Your first day? Your very first day?

My first day was getting into a fist fight and getting locked up, so we don't...want to do that.

I dunno. Explore, talk to people, try to get your bearings?

[beingdifferent]

Will you come with me?

[mistconduct]

Yeah, totally. I can do that.

My name's Chris.

[beingdifferent]

Chris is a good name. Mine is Esther.

Do you know where I am?

[mistconduct]

Yeah, it's not a bad one.

Esther? Okay. Cool.


You're up on deck. Give me a second, I'm coming up from the way bottom of the ship.

[beingdifferent]

This is the deck? It looks just like a planetarium.

I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait.

[mistconduct]

Yeah, it looks like that all the time. Pretty cool, right?

Sit tight, I'm coming up now.

[beingdifferent]

It's pretty, but it's so big. [She moves a little further from the rail, quite literally sitting tight.]

Okay.

[mistconduct]

[As promised, Chris wanders up on deck, looking around for the little girl up near the rails]

Hey, Esther?

[beingdifferent]

Chris?

[She uncurls and gets to her feet (in patent leather Mary Janes and old-fashioned knee socks), standing no taller than his chest when she gets to his side. Formal as a princess, she extends a small hand to shake.] Hello, I'm pleased to meet you.

[mistconduct]

[Chris doesn't think much of it; he's used to people from different times and eras, and Esther's dress makes the boy in the back of his head from the steampunk breach feel more at home. He stretches out his own hand to shake hers]

Hey, yeah. Nice to meet you too. You know what cabin you're in yet? There should be like a key or a name on the door or some way to tell.

[beingdifferent]

[Good manners despite his swearing. That's reassuring.]

No, I don't. But my door at home has my name on it.

[mistconduct]

Okay. So we might have to walk around for a while trying to find it, but whatever, it'll at least get you accustomed to the Barge.

You eat yet?

[beingdifferent]

That's all right. I don't mind walking if it isn't alone.

Not since lunchtime.

[mistconduct]

Yeah, being alone sucks. But I mean, the good news is you're going to get parented. A lot. Seriously, be prepared for the amount of people who want to mommy the fuck out of you. If you don't get tired of it, it's kind of awesome.

What're you hungry for?

[beingdifferent]

Is that true? Neither Mommy or Daddy are here for me now, but someone will still want to take care of me? [Esther considers this with a tilt of her head.] Like at the girls' home and the orphanage?

Do you have spaghetti?

[mistconduct]

Yeah, it's true. Seriously, I've got more pseudo-dads than I know what to do with.

And fuck yeah, we've got spaghetti. Don't know how I'd live otherwise. C'mon.

[He holds the door open to the lower levels of the Barge]

So you were in an orphanage?

[beingdifferent]

And they just ask to take care of you?

Good. [She smiles and, before passing through the door, reaches up to take Chris's hand.] I'm glad you're helping me.

Yes, back in Russia. In America they call them children's homes.