Part 2: Chapter 25: Evil under the surface

The booming voice stretched across the camp and Sonia lifted her head just in time to see a young woman disappearing into Roger's hut. She glanced over to Baaka, her back to him as she busied herself with a child's wound.

His observations unnerved Sonia more than Tau. The evil underneath the surface left her scared. She was not afraid of Tau, though his advancements troubled her. In normal circumstances, they could have been friends. But lovers? … That was what Tau wanted. She could never do that. It goes against every part of her being. Death was better than the alternative.

The other reason she wanted to escape was the nights. The drunkenness of the soldiers made them careless with their weapons. The flimsy walls offered little protection, her vulnerability highlighted. She locked her door by moving the pieces of furniture in front of the door. It gave her some sense of safety. There was always a guard at the entrance. He frightened her too.