Alex flexed her cramped hands. She had spent hours twitching her fingers at Ellie's flickerboard and now she followed her down the hall towards the cafeteria for dinner. Humans stared as she walked by. The two guards following her kept their distance. Ellie just smiled cheerfully, greeting the people that passed as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Alex's forced smile felt more like a grimace, but she held it, trying to look non-threatening as they walked.
Ellie pushed open the metal fireproof door. She smiled and invited Alex in. The room was packed with people, which was expected at dinner time. Their chattering quieted a little as she appeared, but after only a few moments the volume surged upward. Alex was not comforted knowing she was the new topic of conversation. Jack stood up am
