Questions: 6th Installment

     "What right do we have to capture you, eat you, and sacrifice you?" Nannoc looked at Lily. She seemed dumbstruck by  his question and she didn't answer him. He didn't think his question was hard to understand. Maybe Elliott  was right. Maybe Outsiders were stupid, mindless creatures who deserved to be put out of their misery by the People.
     "What do you mean 'what right do we have?' You don't have a right to do anything to us! We're just the same as you; we're equals! 'Outsiders,' as you call us, should be treated with respect. Instead of taking us captive and slaughtering us like cattle, you should, I don't know, trade with us or something! Something less violent and not involving one party being superior to the other." She looked really worked up about something. He couldn't fathom what.
     "What if some of us truly are superior to you Outsiders? Do we have a right to continue as we are then?" She looked at him as if were an imbecile.
     "No! You wouldn't because you aren't. None of you. You're all the same as we are. There's no difference. We talk, we think, we feel emotions. None of you are superior to us; neither are we superior to you."
     "But some of us are. Several of us can see in very dim light. Others are incredibly strong. A few of us are completely silent when we move. Even fewer can detect even the faintest scent or trail when hunting. And fewer yet have all of those abilities. Like me." Nannoc couldn't help but grin. He was very proud of all his accomplishments. He had taken great care to be able to become an indispensible hunter. Lily didn't seem quite as impressed at his skills as the People were.
     "That still doesn't give you the right to treat us any different than you treat your friends and family down here."
     "Um..."
     "'Um' what?" She seemed irked with him, as though he were going to bring up another "stupid" (valid) point.
     "We don't exactly have friends...or family." All her anger dissapated.
     "What do you mean by that? Obviously you all have mothers and fathers. You can't be born without them."
     "That doesn't mean we know them. We never know who are parents are. We never ask. We're born, then we're raised in nurseries with others who were born near the same time we were. When we're old enough, we're moved into rooms of four with those who are the closest to our age. Adulthood is competitive, though most often the oldest Child is chosen. We are discouraged from making friends because it detracts from our individual performance." Nannoc shifted slightly. As much as he needed to talk to Lily, and as much as he didn't mind so much now, he still didn't feel comfortable disclosing so much information about the People and how they worked. What if someone actually came down here, other than him? Usually no one did, since no one wanted the job of taking care of all the dumb millah, but what if someone did? What if she told them he had been talking to her? He just didn't like it.
     "You mean, you've never had a friend?" She sounded like she pitied him. He didn't want her pity; pity never helped anyone accomplish anything.
     "I have to had a friend! Elliott is...was my friend." Damn. He sounded like an indignant little kid.
     "What happened between you two? Why isn't he your friend anymore?" She reached out and took hold of his hand. He jerked away.
     "What are you doing?" Nannoc didn't trust this.
     "Oh, sorry. It's just a way of expressing sympathy between friends for the Outsiders." He looked at her questioningly.
     "Are we friends?" Lily smiled.
     "Of course. Now we are." She was actually kind of pretty, when she smiled.
     "Okay." He smiled back. Then his smile faded and he said, "With Elliott, as soon as he was initiated into the Adult Society, he became a pompous ass. He now thinks that he's so much more important than me and he can't be bothered to deal with a mere Child. Though, I'm only his younger by about a month. I want to be the one chosen as Cutter because it would put me at the same level with him again and I would have my friend back. I think." He looked down at his hands. He hoped.
     "Nannoc...I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think he'd be your friend again, even when you do become an Adult. Not to mention that the Initiation Ceremony would involve," she involuntarily shuddered, "killing me."
    "I know.  I don't want to do that, not any more." He fell onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "I just don't know what to do, Lily." He covered his face with his hands. "Especially if I'm chosen as the Cutter." What was he going to do?
     Lily crawled over next to him and placed her hand on the top of his head. This time Nannoc didn't pull away, he merely sighed. "You could always help me escape. We could run away together since you don't want to kill anyone. You wouldn't have to be the Cutter and I wouldn't have to be the sacrifice. It works out for both of us."
     He pulled his hands off his face, looking directly into her eyes. "Do you think we could pull it off? I'm not sure we could get past everyone."
    "Sure we can." She smiled. "I have faith in you."
    "Thanks." He reached out a squeezed her hand. It's always interesting, he thought, what emotions can do to change a person. Two days ago, Lily was merely a sacrifice. Today, right now, she was his only friend.