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I wake up with a smile on my face. Sitting up in my bed I look around. The girls are still sleeping, it must be early.
I like my new life. I like being in a school, learning new things. We learn about God’s words here, but we also learn biology, math, and my favorite, literature.
It’s been eight months since my mother put me in this school. This is the only school in our small town except for the school Nick, and most of the others go to. But my mother would have never let me go to that school anyway. She would never have let me be close to boys. This was my only option, and I’m not complaining.
I’m happy here. No one hits me, no one calls me a bad word. No one hurts me or punishes me in here. The sisters smile, take care of our needs, and sometimes they even read books to us at night. This place is the first place that feels like home.
As I yawn, I feel pain in my stomach. I get out of the bed to go to the bathroom, and that’s when I see the blood stain on my bed. The sisters have told us about periods, but the image still scares me.
I shake Bella to wake her up. She’s my best friend in this place, and I know she got her period four months ago for the first time. I didn’t see her for almost two months when her period came, and she’s been distant to me since then, but I still think of her as my best friend.
“What?” she says sleepily.
“Bella, I… I’m bleeding. I don’t know what to do.”
She sits up on the bed so quickly I feel dizzy for her. I would laugh at her, but her face is full of panic I just frown.
“Go. Go to the bathroom. Wash everything on you, okay?” she whisper-shouts at me. Getting out of her bed she gives me a small towel from her drawer. “Take this. Put it in your panties.”
“Bella,” I start, but she stops me and pushes me toward the bathroom, handing me my uniform and a pair of underwear.
I watch her in confusion, not understanding why she looks so scared.
“Bella, shouldn’t I talk to one of the sisters? They want us to tell them everything,” I say, but she shakes her head in panic.
“No. Do not ever tell anyone. Do you hear me? Don’t tell anyone, especially not any of the sisters,” she says over and over again.
I hurry to the bathroom and clean up as fast as I can. I don’t know what’s wrong with Bella, but she’s acting weird. Putting the towel in its place, I wear my uniform.
When I go back to the dormitory, three sisters have already been there, and they’re standing next to my bed. I look at Bella, she’s as white as a ghost, and her eyes are teary. Looking around to the other girls who are slowly waking up I see the fear in the eyes of some of them and confusion in others.
I walk slowly toward my bed, the sheets are taken off, sitting on my bed like a ball. The red stain is visible to everyone who looks. I’m embarrassed as I face Sister Mary.
“Veronica, I see you’ve gotten your first period,” she says softly.
I swallow and look back at Bella who is now crying silently. I frown at her, but I nod as an answer to Sister Mary.
“Very well. Come with me, dear,” Sister Mary says, and I follow them as they leave the dormitory. I don’t say anything when we walk outside away from the school and walk toward the back garden. I’m scared and nervous, like I’ve done something bad.
I look around. I’ve never been on this side of the garden. It always scares me since it’s far away from the school building and closest to the woods. As we keep walking the trees get bigger and thicker. I drag my feet as I want to run away, but I shouldn’t feel this nervous. I haven’t done anything wrong, so I keep following Sister Mary.
Finally, I see a small cabin, and we stop in front of it.
“You’ll be alone in here to pray until tonight, Veronica. And tonight, the father will see you for a very secret and special ritual,” Sister Mary says and unlocks the four locks on the door.
“Sister Mary?” I call out when I could finally find my voice.
She turns to face me. “Yes, dear.”
“Am I in trouble?”
She smiles at me, a tired smile that doesn’t reach to her eyes. “No, dear. There’s no trouble in St. Agnes Catholic School, Veronica. She protects you all.”
I enter the cabin. It’s mostly bare except a quilt in the corner. I look around the room that has nothing but a cross and St. Agnes’ figure on the wall. And I send a quick prayer to both to protect me from any trouble.
I had no idea even their power wasn’t enough to protect me from what awaited me.
Chapter 19
