There were gone. All of them, just like that. I shook all over, not wanting to believe my own eyes. I had left the compound for just a moment, to go to the market. We were out of food, and it was my turn to bring some back. Normally, this would involved some sort of trade. But we had nothing to trade, so I would have to steal. I was the smallest and most plain of the group, so this task often fell to me. It was dangerous, if I were caught I would be sent away, off world. It was kinder when they executed us.

I had watched the merchants for the correct time to make my move. They were bargaining with an Overseer. The Overseer would win this bargaining, but the merchants had fun. State the prices too high, and the Soldiers would ban the merchant from sales. Too low, and the merchant would lose respect. The Overseer moved on, happy with his purchases.

I waited, and the merchant turned their back. I was quick, grabbed a bag of goods and ran off before anyone saw me. I hated being out like this, the chances of being caught. I felt more comfortable in the compound, I was unnoticed, unremarked. Until I was needed. Then I was thrown out, to deal with merchants, Overseers, and the hard environment.

I sensed something was wrong as I descended back down. The air was...wrong. Did the enviro-filters fail again? No, this was far worse. I dropped my bag of food, and looked around. There was no sign of any one. No signs of struggle. This was a cleansing. Every now and then, the Overseers “cleanse” the compounds. They vaporize the unwanted, its quick, and only leaves an odd scent to the air. My entire compound was gone, and I would have been with them.

I pick up he bag off food, just for something to hold on to. Still shaking, I had to think of what to do next. I could try to move to a new compound, they may accept me. No one would return to this compound for sometime, once cleansed, it is left empty, occasionally used as storage. We never figured out why this is, we just hoped it never happened to us.

Empty. Alone. But I had this large bag of food. And now no one to share it with. I wouldn’t have to steal for weeks, months if I was careful.

This might work in my favor. I could be fed, get strong. And then decide my next move.