13 stared glumly at the tasteless meal on his tray, listlessly poking the 'nutritional food with a plastic fork. The cafeteria was filled with the low noise of hushed conversations from the other kids, but he sat alone at his table tucked away in the far corner. He knew he should force down at least a few bites, but his stomach was in knots.
"Hey," came a soft, familiar voice. 13 looked up to see 11 and 12 standing over him, trays of equally unappetizing food in hand. Without waiting for an invitation, the twin sisters plopped down on the bench across from him.
"How are you holding up?" 12 asked gently, her eyes filled with concern. Though she kept up a cheerful demeanor, there was an uncharacteristic seriousness in her pale amber eyes.
13 just shrugged and went back to mindlessly pushing around the mush on his tray.
"Yeah, I figured as much," said 11 flatly, her piercing dark eyes seeing right through his attempt at nonchalance. She tentatively tasted a spoonful of her meal and immediately made a face. "Ugh, this stuff tastes like paste."
"Could be worse," 12 said optimistically. "At least it's not the slop they served us yesterday. That stuff was absolutely revolting."
13 almost cracked a smile at their familiar banter. He envied the easy camaraderie the twin sisters shared. They seemed so comfortable together, so at ease with each other, even in a wretched place like this.
"So what do you think about getting out of this prison?" 12 asked conspiratorially, dropping her voice to a hushed whisper.
13 rolled his eyes. "You know you should at least try and keep your voice down," he said, taking a quick glance around to see if anyone had overheard.
12 rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Oh please, you know they're always listening anyway. Might as well speak plainly."
"You're crazy," 11 said, still keeping her voice low. "We'll never get out of here. This place is locked up tighter than a maximum security vault."
"Never say never!" 12 said cheerfully, refusing to let her optimism be dampened. "We just have to keep thinking positive."
"Positive thinking isn't getting us out of here anytime soon," 13 retorted. "We need an actual, actionable plan."
"Well what do you suggest?" asked 12, unfazed as always by the two's pessimism.
13 leaned back, chewing his lip thoughtfully. "Well hypothetically and I stress the hypothetical part we would need to case the place. Look for weak spots, routines we can exploit. Though I doubt there are any flaws there for us to take advantage of."
11 vehemently shook her head. "Forget it. Even if we somehow managed to get out, then what? We're just kids. We wouldn't last a single day out there alone."
"So we find help," 12 countered without hesitation. "There must be kind people out there willing to take us in, give us a real home." Her voice took on a wistful, dreamy tone as she imagined some picturesque, idealistic life - a loving family, home-cooked meals, playing freely in the warm sunshine. 13 hated to burst her bubble, but false hope would only lead to bitter disappointment in the long run. Luckily he didn't have to as 11 spoke up.
"You really think anyone would want to deal with a couple of strays like us? They'd probably look at us like freaks." 11 said bitterly, the words coming out more harshly than she intended.
12 gave her a sharp, reprimanding look. "We are not freaks," she stated emphatically.
"Oh yeah? Then how come we're locked up in here like lab rats while normal kids get to live normal lives?" 11's retorted.
"Shhh, keep it down," 13 urged, anxiously glancing around to see if he had drawn any unwanted attention.
11 slumped back dejectedly in her seat. "It's pointless to dream about escaping. This is our life now, like it or not. We just have to accept it."
"I absolutely refuse to accept it," 12 declared vehemently, her delicate features set in hardened determination. "I won't let them break my spirit. Someday, somehow, I'll find a way out of this awful place if it's the last thing I do. And I'm taking you two with me."
12 reached out and gave her sister's hand a supportive, reassuring squeeze. "We'll get through this together, all three of us you'll see." Her earnest, hopeful gaze scanned 11, and 13's faces. "It's going to be okay. I know it's hard to see that now, but we have to keep hope alive."
13 wished he could share in her relentless optimism, but the darker, cynical part of him remained unconvinced. Still, looking between the two sisters, he felt the faintest flicker of something he thought was lost forever - hope.
"Yeah...maybe you're right," 11 conceded softly.
12 studied her twin closely, as if trying to gauge her sincerity. After a thoughtful moment, she gave a curt, satisfied nod. "Good. We're going to need you just as much as you'll need us."
11 then stood up, picking up her untouched tray of food. "I should get back to my unit. See you guys later."
After 11 had left, 12 turned to 13 with a warm, encouraging smile. "Try not to worry too much. And make sure you eat something, okay? Can't properly plan a prison break on an empty stomach after all." She laughed airily at her own joke and rose gracefully to her feet. With a little wave, she disappeared into the crowds of kids.
13 watched her go, then stared down at the congealed, flavorless food on his tray. As much as he despised it, he had to admit 12 was right - he'd need to keep up his strength. With the tiniest flicker of optimism now ignited inside him, he forced down a few reluctant bites of the meal. Maybe, just maybe, they really could find a way out of this wretched place. Maybe they really could have a chance at a normal life beyond these walls. He didn't dare hope too much, but for the first time in ages, he felt the smallest spark of possibility.
...
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