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“The shrale. I think I’ve heard of them.”
“They’re hard to miss. They’re the dominant species in this part of the galaxy.”
“Your parents didn’t do anything wrong?”
“We’ve all done something wrong to shrale eyes.”
Ivy sat up and got more comfortable, ensuring to keep her blanket tucked underneath her chin.
“What species are you?”
“I’m a neb.”
“Neb.”
Ivy worked her mouth around the word.
“You’ve never heard of the neb before either?” I said.
“No.”
The shrale were such a part of life in the galaxy that I found it difficult to believe there were still pockets of space that hadn’t heard of them.
What a wonderful way to live…
Until you learned the truth.
“Where are your parents now?” Ivy said.
“They died many years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
I couldn’t help but smile. It was a strange but welcome expression.
“And they’ve held you here ever since?” Ivy said.
I nodded.
“So, if you’re not a prisoner,” she asked, “why are you still here? Can’t you leave any time you want?”
Ah, the question I had posed myself many times over the years.
Why not just leave?
“I could,” I said.
“Then why don’t you?”
Because leaving was one thing. Heading to something else was another.
I had no family, no life, outside this prison. This place was all I knew. It was a part of who I was.
I didn’t think Ivy would understand something like that.
When I didn’t answer, Ivy picked at her fingers.
“You’re nothing like I thought you would be.”
