Volunteered

Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.

“Count me out.” The whinny nasal was unexpected. As were the words themselves. Carter blinked turned away from the monitor. Even with a roomful of people wearing matching uniforms who’d spoken he could easily determine.

She sat close to the back, and coincidently the exit, with a sullen anger in her eyes. Those closest to her scooted their chairs away. He didn’t know her. Glancing at his pad, Carter discovered it couldn’t produce her name either.

He looked up and cleared his through. “Count you out?”

“Yes.” Her eyes widened as if emphasizing her yes.

“But… this mission is vital.”

“Not to me.”

Carter’s cheek twitched, as the scuffing of chair legs over the floor intensified. She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, the complete air of contrariness.

He’d moved toward her, stopping when his boot hit the start of the stadium seating. “Disrespect will not be tolerated from recruits.”

“Good thing I’m not one.”

“You’re… not… one?” She nodded once. “Then why are you here?”

“Space if I know. One minute I’m sleeping, the next I’m shook awake in the most uncomfortable bunk ever.”

Carter squinted at the woman. The lack of records on her held a slip of truth. But how…
He spun toward the monitor. “Control,” he snapped.

An outline of a person, the closest the program could mimic, appeared. “Yes Carter, sir?”

“Are you scooping randoms again?” The seconds delay was confirmation enough. He spun back to the woman. “You can go.”

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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.