Joshua

It had been days, a week definitely more of the same day repeating. After the first failed attempt, Joshua had tried several other strategies. None had been successful. And after his own death, the day would start again with him standing in that hallway where he should have gone to gather the medical staff so Anna could intimidate them. He was beginning to think that no matter what he did, the day would start over. That he and Cam would be stuck in this never-ending cycle of hell that had once been his life forever.

On one day, several attempts into the cycle of repeating, Joshua had been so frustrated that he had gone directly back to Anna and confessed. Unsurprisingly, his punishment had been to be skinned alive. It had been an excruciating experience. Almost worse than the pain was looking into the empty eyes of the V who inflicted the pain without feeling any emotions.

He had been skinned now more times than he ever wanted to remember. Once had been more than enough, but it hadn't been the end.

Early on in the cycle, he had allowed the day to proceed and tried to beat David to stepping out in front of Anna. He had to stop anyone else from dying for him or with him. That day had ended with David being assigned the one to skin Joshua alive and Camille being assigned as an assistant. Only she and Joshua seemed to retain any memories from the previous attempt, but it was coincidences like those that made him wonder. There had just been something about David's attitude that made Anna suspect him. However, instead of skinning him, David had given Joshua an immolation pill as he took one himself. They had died, burning alive and turning into ash after announcing "Long live the Fifth Column."

He had spent a day answering Camille's questions and brainstorming possible plans. They'd hid out for as long as they could, but eventually they were found.

There had been a few days where they tried to steal a shuttle, but every time, no matter when or how they stole it, they were always shot down or stopped before they even got away. They had tried several times to leave the ship as they had tried on the first day with the same ending every time: they were discovered. It wasn't always a guard that recognized them. Sometimes one of the medical staff would call out for one of them.

He was so exhausted, mentally and physically. It wasn't an entire day so he couldn't think of something in his quarters. It always started right after Anna dismissed them after telling them to gather the medical staff again. With David jogging to catch up to Joshua. And it always ended with one or both or all of them dead.

His body ached from the memory of injuries to come.

"You have to get off the ship," David said to Joshua as he caught up with him.

"I'm not running," Joshua said, letting the exhaustion he felt into his voice.

"You're too important. The Column needs you," David continued in the same way he always said it. He walked ahead of Joshua again so as not to draw suspicious eyes to their conversation.

"You'll carry on and so will the others," Joshua replied, repeating the words he was expected to say, but putting very little effort into it.

"No, you cannot be sacrificed," David countered. "No matter what." Turning to face Joshua and point a finger at him to emphasize the faith he had in his own belief of Joshua's importance, David continued "I won't let it happen." David turned quickly and was halfway down the hallway by the time Joshua looked up. His eyes darted around to find Camille. Though he knew he needed to hurry, he was tired of this repetition and the feeling that it would never end.