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“Yeah, there’s one in the back. Well, it’s more like a latrine, but it’s better than a bucket.”
She laughs. “Oh, man … I can’t believe I’m actually happy about a proper toilet.”
“Mmmhmm …” I take my scarf off my head and lay it down on the table, letting my hair cascade down. “It’s how they keep us down and force us to submit.”
She swallows and nods.
“Maybe that’s why they took me away,” she says. “Because I already grabbed the clothes and put them on. A sign of obedience.”
“Exactly,” I say, and I sit down on the chair and stare at the empty water carafe standing on the table. “I guess they know exactly what they’re doing. Even though it took me a bit longer, we all eventually break.”
She lowers her head and looks away. “I was the weak link.”
“No, every one of us has their own strengths and weaknesses. Yours is survival,” I say, playing it off because I didn’t mean to hurt her.
“What do you think they’ll do with us? That initiation, when does it end?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think they want to tell us. Information is power.”
“Right.” She sits down too.
“Where did they take you? After they took you from the cage, I mean?” I ask.
“Another hut. But there was no one there. I was all by myself.”
“What about food? Drinks? Sleep?”
“Same as here. But they kept bringing me food. I’ve never been to that dining hut.”
I sigh. That’s too bad because I was hoping she’d provide some information I could use to my advantage.
“Do you think there are more of us?”
I grab the carafe and get up. “More like when will there be more of us.”
I pour in some water and set it down on the table along with two glasses. We both drink in silence. I’m not sure what else I can say as long as I don’t know how to get us out of this situation.
Suddenly, the door opens. I look up. More women step in, but none of them seem surprised we’re here.
“Hello,” one of them says.
“Hi …” I reply, putting down my glass.
“Hello,” April says, equally unsure.
It’s two of them in total, and my eyes immediately go to the bunk beds that are lined up on the far side of the wall. Four beds. Four women.
They immediately close the door behind them and put their bags down on the cabinet. One of them walks to the kitchenette to grab a glass and fills it with water from the carafe I’ve set on the table.
“Thank you,” she says. “I was so thirsty.”
“You’re welcome,” I reply, and I clear my throat. “What’s your name?”
“Emmy,” she replies cheerfully.
“Holly,” the other one says, holding out her hand. When I grab ahold, she shakes mine vigorously, and I fight hard to release it from her grip.
“What’s yours?”
April and I say our names in sync.
“Such lovely names,” Holly says.
“Finally, we’re not alone anymore,” Emmy says, taking off the shawl around her head. Glistening, red hair appears from underneath. “It was getting so gloomy with just us two.”
Holly puts her hands against her side. “That’s no way to talk, Emmy.”
“Sorry,” she says, giggling. “I just think it’ll be so much fun with these two.”
“Hmmm …” I hum, trying to make sense of what’s happening here.
These girls weren’t accompanied by an elder sister. They had a key. And they’re way too happy to be here.
“You aren’t … captured, are you?” I ask.
Emmy pauses and stares at me. “We are all loved by God, no matter where we came from. And I am your sister now, Natalie.”
Sister.
I shiver.
Holly tries to kiss April on the cheeks, but she leans back in her chair, visibly shaken.
“It’s custom here to kiss our sisters hello and goodbye,” Holly says.
April still denies her.
“Well, then … suit yourself.” Holly marches toward a bunk bed and climbs up the stairs so she can lie down on the top one and stare at us from above.
“You’ll get used to us sisters being around you. You’ll learn to love it,” Holly says with a giant smile on her face that creeps me out a little.
“I doubt that,” I reply.
I don’t hide the sarcasm in my voice.
These aren’t the teachers that punished me earlier. These are young girls, like me, and I get the sense they aren’t very high up the proverbial food chain.
“No, I think you will love it,” she says, a serious tone in her voice. “Everyone does.”
It almost sounds like a threat. It’s probably not a coincidence these two came to live here with us. They’re probably watching us to make sure we don’t do anything stupid.
I glance at April, who doesn’t seem amused either as she watches Emmy move around the hut, cleaning up the whole place as though it needs to be spick and span before guests arrive.
