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I nod, because I would much rather deal with someone that I already know.
Pushing away, she opens a laptop. Patricia asks other questions that I answer, until she asks me if I will consent to a test for sexually transmitted diseases.
Glancing up, there must be confusion in my eyes, because she says, “Due to the prostitution charges, I think they may be advisable.”
“How do you catch sexually transmitted diseases if you’re a virgin, much less prostitute yourself?” I ask bluntly.
Her mouth opens and closes for a moment, and I know I was too truthful. Dammit, I was doing so well being a damn mute.
“You’re serious right now, aren’t you?” Patricia asks, looking at me and then the computer. There’s an edge of hysteria in her voice.
“Can you tell me what’s wrong with what I said? First the Warden was upset because no one explained what happens at this reform camp, and now you’re freaking out. I’m really starting to wonder if Cinder’s prison was a better idea,” I huff, leaning against the chair.
Coughing, my nurse looks like she’s going to be ill. “Do you always make it a point to call your queen by her first name?” she asks.
“I do when she’s my sister, yes,” I sigh.
Patricia stares at me so long, another nurse comes to ask if I’m ready.
“Give me a little longer,” she calls. “We had a late start, and I’m still working here.” As the other nurse leaves, she turns back to me. “To be honest, prison is never a good option, but you’re still well and truly fucked.”
Three
SILLA
“Wait, excuse me?” I ask, sure I heard incorrectly.
“Look, I’m going to give you a super quick rundown of what I can tell you, and the rest you’ll need to figure out for yourself, Silla. I don’t know how you ended up here… Patty, just the facts,” she mutters to herself, and I wonder if my predicament managed to break her brain.
“I’m not putting that you’re a virgin in your file,” Patricia says, her voice dropping to barely a whisper. “Don’t tell anyone this, because it’ll become a pissing contest as to who gets you to fuck them. We’re also going to skip most of this physical assessment, outside of getting your vitals. So as I talk, I’ll take them.”
Yanking out a blood pressure cuff, I can see her hands are slightly trembling. Grabbing her fingers, I squeeze them. “Thank you for this,” I tell her, making a point to make eye contact.
“Your eyes say too much,” Patricia continues, swallowing hard. “Don’t meet anyone’s gaze. I noticed you look off to the side, and now I understand why.” I drop my eyes, because the full weight of them can be intense. She wraps the blood pressure cuff around my arm, continuing with her duties as she whispers furtively. “There are three sections in this reform camp, though none of their names really explain what they are. I’m going to rip the bandaid off with this: the accounting section isn’t about taking care of other people’s money. It’s sex work.”
My blood pressure rockets, and my nurse curses under her breath. Counting doesn’t work in my head, breathing makes my panic worse, so I dig my nails into my palm to find myself again.
“Why?” I croak out as Patricia tosses away the cuff and continues to fill in the rest of the physical with fibbed numbers or close proximation.
“Let me back up,” she says, her fingers continuing to type furtively. “Computer programming is a poor masking tool for grooming hackers to work for the government. They’ll provide support to those extracting secrets in undercover positions. This camp turns out the best indentured spies money can buy, because you’re always under the kingdom’s control, Silla. So—”
“Patricia, finish up!” yells someone impatiently, and she winces.
“Alright, keep your panties on!” Patricia yells back, and my lips twist into a small smile, because she doesn’t take shit, and is still trying to help me. Unfortunately, time is up. Turning to me, she looks grim as I watch her out of the corner of my eye. “While in prison, you have a small chance of being released, we’re all under the Queen’s thumb here. The employees, inmates, all of us. You’ll always have to answer to someone who is pulling your strings, or risk your life if you don’t comply.”
“So I’m fucked,” I agree, standing. “Thank you, for everything.”
I am sincere, even though my words suggest otherwise.
The privacy partition is ripped open, and I stare at the person on the other side. Someone is in a hurry.
“Good, you’re dressed,” she says with a nod. “Thanks, Patricia!”
My nurse opens her mouth, but I’m already being yanked out of the room and hustled out into the next hallway.
“I can see you’re a cutter, so I have to advise you against it,” the woman says, gesturing to my wrists.Bitch. I don’t bother wasting my breath to correct her, because it’s too much effort, and exhaustion is starting to weigh on me. “The staff will let you bleed out next time. Just accept that you deserve to be here.”
She doesn't bother introducing herself as she hustles me into a bathroom with multiple stalls.
