SOC 101 (SUBJECT 2)✓

13

-RETREAT-

The enormous gates of the building had me gaping. My mother stood beside me, her hands clasped as she stood by me. I wanted to hear what she had to say, but she said nothing to me. She kept her eyes straight, looking past the gate at the sisters that stood there, waiting for me to step in.

"See you in two months, Theresa," She mumbled, her hand patting my head, "Come back the way I know you once were. Come back to me, Theresa."

She turned back, getting into the cabbie and leaving me at the gates. I numbly pushed through the gates and stepped in, not looking at the sisters for too long as I made my way towards them. Their eyes were cold as they stared at me, and I felt like they were seeing into my soul.

"Come to the dorm." Ons sister said, turning on her heel and marching forward while the other two remained at the entrance. We were probably going to be so much.

It was the season of leaving, after all. A lot of children ventured out into the outside world during this period. The retreat started up immediately after because they knew that the number of us, sinners, would surpass that of those that didn't. I wasn't too surprised when my mother had enrolled me as well; she had seen the drawings after all.

I finally noticed her stop in front of a room, the room was filled with girls my age and they curiously peered at me as we stood there. My heart thumped in my chest and I nervously looked down at my shoes.

"This is Theresa Smith and she would be joining us."

Like clockwork, they all said, "Welcome Theresa."

I smiled warmly at them as I stepped in after the sister pointed at the bottom bed at the furthest part of the room. The room had 20 beds in total and four beds remained, meaning they were still on their way. The hushed voices picked up once again as soon as the sister left and I felt out of place, realizing everyone seemed to have a friend or the other. I was the only one from my district that had insisted on going. Every other child my age had politely declined because they didn't want to lose their purification. I was supposed to be the testimony, the one that made everyone see the outside world in a new light.

- The irony

I sat down on the bed, putting my bag under the bed and laying on my back. My ears picking up soft voices but hearing none of the things they were saying. Maybe I should approach one of them to stop the loneliness I was feeling. I can't stay two months on my own, I needed someone to talk to. I looked up, finally opening my eyes only to see a figure looming over me.

"You are Theresa Smith's daughter right?" She asked, her eyes stern, and I noticed how every other girl had stopped talking to listen to what was happening.

"Yes?" I muttered, glancing around and cowering in fear, "Do you have any business with my mother?"

She chuckled darkly before moving closer to me, her body crowding my personal space, "Do I have any business with your mother? It's her fault we're here."

I froze in my spot, lifting my gaze to meet her angry eyes, "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. They had canceled the retreat this year before your mother decided her daughter was enough reason for the retreat to be on this year. We have better things to do, you know. You're all just selfish." She spat bitterly.

"I didn't-"

A voice suddenly cut me off. Her body looked bigger than ours, "Cut it out, Mary. It's not her fault her mum's a bitch."

Gasps filled the room and whispers followed while I kept my eyes downcast, biting my tongue as I knew fighting and defending my mother was probably not going to change much.

"Pardon my language," She finally said as she got up from her bed, her dress riding up as she stretched, "Ir isn't Theresa's fault."

The girl, Mary, glared at her with her brows scrunched up, "Whose side are you on, Delilah?"

"Do I look like I pick sides?" She questioned as she walked towards my bed, "I'm just saying it's unnecessary."

"She needs to apologize to all of us!" She suddenly yelled, pushing off my bed to look at everyone else in the room.

My lips quivered, and I got up from the bed, bowing to them, "I'm sorry."

No one said another word as Mary glared at me. I had expected her to forgive me or accept my apology, but a loud hiss escaped her lips instead as she walked away from me. Delilah sighed as she stepped up to me with a smile on her lips.

"Funny to see the daughter of the devoted Theresa Smith here in our midst. If only you know how much your mummy talks about you." She laughed, plopping on my bed and laying on it.

She didn't look like she cared about anything others said or the glare Mary gave her as soon as she sat on my bed. She looked carefree, almost like she didn't have a care in the world about the way everyone looked at her. A smile made its way to my face as I plopped beside her.

"Why are you here?" I whispered, not bothering to look anywhere else but at my hands.

"Here on your bed?" She questioned, her eyes snapping shut as she turned to her side. A light breeze blew into the room as she did, her dress flowing around for a bit, and I stared at the skirt I had on. I had to change my dress.

"No. The retreat." I explained as I adjusted myself.

"Oh, I got bored at home and my mum keeps bringing her friends over. I needed my breathing space." She sighed, immediately sitting up to stare at me, "What brought you here?"

I felt my cheeks heat up as I stared at the bed, "Well, I-"

"They're here." The girls squealed excitedly as they looked up at the entrance, standing on their tippy-toes as they peered out of the door.

"What is happening?" I asked, looking at Delilah then the girls at the entrance before I watched them calm down. The tension in the air was so thick and I felt the need to get up to check too. The towering heights of the people passing had me gaping as they stared at the girls at the entrance down. Boys...

"Don't you know? We live here for two months with the boys."

Two months in a mansion with all of us?

I looked down at my palm, holding my head as I breathed, "What has my mother done?"

I watched as the boys smirked at us, their eyes scanning the room and the girls in front of them. Their bodies were bigger than ours, and I stared as they walked past our room.

"Why do they seem happy? Aren't there boys in other districts?" I asked, looking at Delilah.

"It's different, those boys haven't gone outside so they don't know what it means to sin or carry out such things. These boys are here for the same reason we are, they sinned, they know what it means to do so." Delilah explained to me.

"But there's nothing that might happen with the sisters watching us," I replied, my mind racking to understand.

Delilah snorted, "I keep forgetting it's your first time. The sisters lose their bearings once it's 12 am, we all know that already."

"12 am? What happens then?"

"Oh, Theresa, that's when the fun begins."

~

Here to tell you Subject 2 will be coming to an end soon.