The Facility of Norm

Today's a special day

" Come on, Lu!" Myrtle speed walked out the door. He waved his hand for her to follow. " I'll show you where the meal room is."

The hallway was wide, although you couldn't tell because of all of the people bustling around. It was just as blank and white as the room she was just in. Lu could see a lot of large doorways like theirs. They all had garage doors that were rolled up for the moment.

As she got closer, she began to read the nameplates, automatically searching for the names Jynx or Dare. Lu at least wanted a chance to apologize.

Lu and Myrtle
Sidney and Eliot
Brant and Rachel
Kat and Dare
Tong and-

"Let's hurry, Lu! We don't wanna miss lunch!" Myrtle grabbed her hand and dragged her away. Lu resisted the urge to yank her hand away. She didn't want to hold hands with anyone in this place, no matter how innocent they seemed. But she also didn't know the way to the meal room and it was a large crowd.

Oh, well. At least she knew that Dare had a room nearby. And who knows, maybe she'll run into them during lunch.

Soon enough they passed into a room, the biggest she had ever been in. There were about ten tables, each almost as long as the room. Most of the seats were already occupied with zombified looking people staring blankly at their food.

As they walked by, one guy caught Lu's attention. She didn't get a very good look at him, but his bright red eyes bore into hers as if he hated her.

Myrtle pulled her over to a seat and said " I'll go get both of our plates." He cheerfully skipped away.

Lu twisted behind to see the guy. He was still staring at her, she could see him until a girl with medium black hair sat down in front of him.

Lu turned back around and noticed an old man sitting at the edge of a table, eating his food alone.

"Who's that?" Lu asked when Myrtle got back.

Myrtle glanced up at where Lu was looking. "Oh, that's Gerald. He's been here since he was eleven."

Sympathy and fear stabbed her in the heart as she stared at the shaky old man lifting his spoon. He had to have been in there for at least sixty years. That terrified her. Lu thought that if it came down to staying there until she died of old age, or killing herself, she'd kill herself.

Myrtle sat down next to her and clapped his hands together. " Do this."

Lu put her hands together like she was about to pray. She gave Myrtle a confused look.

He didn't say anything, he just shut his eyes. After about a minute, everyone in the cafeteria shouted in unison " Praise the Warden!"

Chills ran down her back like icy water. Everyone was incredibly loyal and brainwashed it seemed. How could she ever get out with no help, and a room with who had to be the most mind wiped of them all?

But something stuck out with the guy with the red eyes. Lu wondered if he praised the Warden too. Honestly, the idea of giving praises to the Warden disgusted her. She vowed to herself that she would never praise anyone like that. Lu didn't know much about the Warden, but she knew that she was in charge of the Facility and that she had to be the worst son of a-

"Yummy! Turkey and mayonnaise!" Myrtle interrupted her thoughts with his cheerful blabber. " Much better than when it's liver stew." He smiled at Lu. " Plus, I've got a new friend to eat with."

Lu didn't know how she felt about being Myrtle's friend. She wanted to trust him, but frankly, if it came down to an escape plan, she had a feeling that Myrtle would rat her out to a guard.