She refused all such morsels, but finally, one night, hunger got the better of her, and Galar, feeling benevolent, built a fire of straw and sticks, in the center of a metal aisle, between the butchering stalls. Over this, he allowed her to roast her piece of meat.
Half heartedly, she eat, then, but...it wasn't long after, it all came back up again. From that he deduced, she couldn't stomach his usual food fare.
Galar brought her a wheat type porridge, then. Even that, came back several times, before she finally tolerated it. It seemed like months before Gem kept even a small amount of food down. Her belly swelled, but her body was thin and emaciated.
When she was finally strong enough to hold down the pieces of meat for the grinder, he rewarded her by stealing portions of pork or goat for her. Roasted, these sections were savory and juicy; nothing in memory had ever tasted so good, and best of all...it stayed down.
They never went to bathe. Galar did not trust her outside the slaughter house walls. Also, he was rather an uncleanly fellow, and preferred she be like him. He had no awareness that females might be different.
Water was scarce in the butchery, mostly used to wash away blood from the carcasses. Sometimes, when Galar's back was turned, Gemma snuck a drink beneath the running tap; washed her face and hands quickly, before he saw.
The man's preferred beverage of choice was cow's milk, taken from the udder before he knocked the beast into oblivion. That suited Gemma just fine...as long as it hadn't stood for days until it soured, and grew a green slime.
At night, Galar lay on a filthy mat, covered with spatters of blood from nearby kills, crawling with lice and bed bugs; the air above it thick with straw dust and dirt. Until the allergy she developed spent itself, Gemma sneezed continually when lying beside him.
Only once, did Galar try to be intimate with her. His hand pushed tentatively at the matted, tangled curls about her face with an almost tender motion, his intention obvious, as his other hand was exploring down her leg. Gemma drew away in abject fear, her eyes pools of terror, he couldn't mistake. As she moved across the pad, to the very opposite side, and settled in the straw beside it, in a crouch, as if about to flee, he accepted the inevitable, decided to forestall for another time, and let her go.
Ever after, she made her bed in the straw beside his pad, and did not sleep with him.
****
One day Scar finally returned. The two men were arguing loudly when Gemma awoke. She knew, she dare not interrupt, so she crouched on her knees to the side of them, waiting.
"You have forgotten me," accused Scar. "Have I no place now?"
"He's still looking for a way through," Galar scolded. "You need to stay away until he forgets her. Why did you come here? You've shown him the way in!"
"No, I haven't; he was on the far side. He's given up on this side..."
"Stupid! It doesn't matter. Why did you come? Can't you take care of yourself?"
"I was lonely," moaned the other. "I'm all alone. No one will be my friend. I miss you... Why have you cast me out?"
"I didn't! It's only until he forgets..."
"I have nothing to do...I watch all the others work, but I have no job..."
"Fine! Come back, then. Stay!" Galar gave in angrily. "We will share her."
Gemma cringed, and slunk away. Galar turned suddenly, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her back. She knew, it was pointless to struggle.
After that, Galar was rough and impatient with her, again. But, the three soon learned to work as a unit. It was apparent, Scar was once more the preferred companion. Gemma was merely the side-line attraction.
She was given the duty of cooking the meat for them. Scar seemed to come and go freely. He often brought porridge back, and sometimes, stolen root vegetables, from which, Gem would make a soup.
Always, the two men kept her between them as they slept. Scar placed his mat on the other side of her straw strip. Neither man, ever, invited her onto his padded mattress. Which was fine with Gem; she hated the bugs that went with it.
****
Loni had given up. As he sat under a tree contemplating his failure, he suddenly remembered an incident from childhood:
When he had first been separated from his mother, at the age of twelve, work was unknown to him; his surroundings unfamiliar; Galar and Scar were appointed to teach him the ways of his new reality, to show him where things were, and what was required of him.
But, the pair considered him a burden, and so, much of the time, Loni was left on his own. He either tagged along behind the two older boys, or went exploring on his own, in his free time, always with the idea of finding, and reconnecting with his mother. It wasn't long, and Loni had learned well the lay of the entire Dome metropolis.
It consisted of two main systems: the inner core, which housed the cattle, and the butchery, where meat was cut, and meals prepared, for both the elite, and workers. The outer ring was all landscaped orchard, and gardens, including the gigantic waterfall, feeding the irrigation system. Out beyond the edges of this, were the guardian posts, observation screens, cafeteria, showers, and living quarters.
Above everything was a second floor; here were
