Episode 2.6

"I am not prepared for what awaits me. As I enter the room, I see the first prisoners standing. Anything is better than tasting the food that everyone else reluctantly consumes. Their faces don't look too happy while eating anyway. When it's my turn, Akara smiles at me.

"What's this about?" Tosa demands to know from her. "If Torsos finds out about this, you'll be in big trouble!" She looks at the old woman incredulously. "I'm not sticking my neck out for something like this!"

"You don't have to!" Akara tells the girl. "If he finds out, I'll take the responsibility."

Tosa turns away from us with a sigh and disappears into a part that can't be seen from here.

"If you want seconds, stay a little longer," Akara says with a smile on her lips.

"Thank you!" I reply.

Next, I look around the room for a place to sit. Anywhere I can settle down to eat. I try not to stumble over any of the other prisoners who have made themselves comfortable on the floor.

However, it's not successful. Not a single free spot can be found. I'm about to settle for a spot on the floor when suddenly someone grabs my arm as I pass by them.

"To the charming lady, I gladly offer my seat."

I look surprised at Moriphos' smiling face, then at the full bowl he's pushing back and forth.

"No one can stomach this disgusting stuff anyway!" he scoffs.

"Just gotta be hungry enough!" a man at the table calls out.

"And eventually, your taste buds are destroyed," another man calls out. A chubby guy who's practically shoveling the porridge into himself.

"Eyes and nose shut, then swallow!" advises another.

"I'd rather starve than subject myself to something like this!" Moriphos snorts. He stands up and lets me take his place at the table.

"Thank you!" I smile at him before sitting down. The men at the table look at me with interest. Some even seem quite delighted. I resolve to steer clear of them.

"The ratio of ladies here has been increasing for a few days," one mentions.

I poke at the mushy mass that's supposed to be my meal with the spoon. It doesn't look appetizing at all. But the two said this is usually Torsos' meal. It must taste good, right?

I overcome my hesitation, take the spoon, and put some of the porridge in my mouth.

The men watch me with interest as I realize it looks awful but has an interesting taste. Somehow fruity and darn tasty.

They seem even more interested as I swallow the bit.

"One's gotta live off something!" I call out loud before putting the second spoonful in my mouth. I have to restrain myself to keep up my disgusted expression. This stuff is damn tasty, though!

"Brave girl!" one of the men applauds.

I continue eating.

"Come on, tell me, how long have they kept you starving?" Moriphos asks me. He looks genuinely concerned.

"What kind of guy are you anyway?" I ask curiously, instead of answering him. My previous fear of him has dissipated by now.

He looks at me puzzled.

"I'm from a place where you're considered a loony if you believe in beings from other planets," I briefly explain to him.

"I'm a Time Stormer," he tells me.

"Well, then you're one who hasn't done his job properly," a man at the table taunts. "You guys are known for never being caught. At least that's what you boast about."

Anger rises in Moriphos.

"That damned Otscharsan!" the big guy curses. He composes himself again and then continues. "We use a technology that allows us to travel through time. But only to the past and back."

I listen interestedly to his words.

"I imagine that's great," is my opinion. "You could set everything right that's ever gone wrong."

Moriphos scratches his head.

"We don't think like that," he explains. "We try to keep everything on a regulated course. Just as fate dictates." He pauses briefly. "By the way, we try to drive Torsos mad with rage, but our resolution is not to fundamentally change time."

"In theory, one could change what one doesn't like about the present."

Moriphos smiles at me. He couldn't agree more.

"It would be tempting to kill that arrogant bastard Torsos in the past," he admits. "But that would go against our code."

"Your comrades could have at least protected you from this fate here."

"They won't help me for sure." He sighs. "I'm not very popular there. I just have too big a mouth for them. And I even contradict our leader." He scratches his head embarrassedly.

I push the empty bowl away from me, then let my head sink onto the tabletop.

The others meanwhile return to their work. Moriphos looks at me for a moment longer before he too returns to the workroom.

I now gratefully get my second portion.

For the rest of the day, I try to be useful somehow, but I'm just shooed away."