11 Difficult

Running away from the 'kid', I dashed outside to clear my airway. It took a while to recover, sneezing everything out.

I knew I said that I could eat anything and everything, but pepper was the one thing I couldn't stand. I didn't know why. It's just my bloody damn body.

It's like asking why I'm a girl instead of a boy. If I had my way, I'd rather be a boy. You get underestimated by being a girl, thinking they're all weak and helpless.

Well, not me. No.

And if I ever meet someone who does, I'll make sure they regret ever meeting me.

With my body finally relaxing, I sat down and thought about my next move.

I lost the edge of an impromptu interrogation, so I couldn't ask what I wanted.

But there was another way I hadn't tried before.

"Ryder? Are you there?"

No one answered. He was, after all, acting his part as the invisible guard. I had to admit it, but Ryder was far more capable than the standard guards in the compound.

I acknowledged him because through my days of boredom, I would randomly throw things in his direction—a spoon, a fork, a butter knife—just to see his reaction. So far, there hadn't been any.

Instead, what I found out as payback was that all my silverware was replaced with plastic utensils for a while. I got pissed off with the pathetic material, breaking every few minutes while I was eating, so I retaliated by recycling the broken plastic and sharpening the tips.

Let's just say I won that battle. 😎

"I've got a butter knife with me. Unless you want a repeat of our previous battle, I suggest you better answer."

"....."

Not answering, huh?

I took out the butter knife I had with me and waved it in the air to show him this was no empty threat. I meant business.

"5, 4, 3,"

"Fine, you win. What do you want?"

Ryder stepped out from behind a tree.

"Ha! That wasn't so difficult, was it?"

He rolled his eyes. "You know, you're going to get into serious trouble one of these days."

"Trouble finds me anyway," I replied, smirking. "So, tell me, what's the deal with that 'kid' Felix? Is he another guard like you?"

Ryder sighed, crossing his arms. "No, he's not. Felix is just a regular kid. His father works here, and he's allowed to roam around. But I can see why you'd be suspicious."

"Suspicious? More like cautious," I corrected. "You can't blame me for being on edge all the time."

"I suppose not," Ryder admitted. "But you need to be careful. Not everyone is out to get you."

I narrowed my eyes. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one living under constant surveillance."

"True," Ryder conceded. "But it doesn't mean you have to make enemies out of everyone."

"Enemies? I prefer to think of them as potential threats," I said, standing up. "Anyway, thanks for the info. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a breakfast part two to finish."

Ryder nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Just try to stay out of trouble, alright?"

"No promises," I replied, waving the butter knife playfully before heading back to the kitchen.

As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. Ryder might be my invisible guard, but at least I had some control over the situation. And as for Felix, well, time would tell if he was friend or foe. For now, I was just happy to enjoy my bread in peace. 🥖