There's something wrong with Phoebe

10 - Lily

I woke to a sharp rapping on the door. I stirred in my sleep, and the person knocked again. I jumped out of bed, fearing I’d just ignored Jack. The door swung open just as I reached it, and I had to catch the edge to prevent it knocking me backwards. I peered around the edge to see Melody, the eldest girl here, with a girl I did not recognise. She was taller than me, but her features were younger. Tanned skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. She was painfully pretty with a slight figure. I guessed her to be around fourteen.

“This is your new roommate,” Melody said, prodding the girl inside. Her eyes were wide and pleading and she looked around the room slowly. There wasn’t much to see. A bunk bed against the left wall which had occupied only me for the past year, and a chest of drawers leant against the right wall. “See to it that she falls in line.”

“I will,” I replied, and Melody shut the door. “I have lower bunk – have fun with the top one, the ceiling is low so be careful when you wake up. I’ll clear two of the drawers out for you, but I get three as I’ve been here longer. Other than that, there’s not much to say. Breakfast shouldn’t be for another hour,” I said as I checked my watch. “After that, we’ll go to class, and then lunch, and then more class, and then you come back here or something. Then we have dinner, and then we sleep. Get it?” The new girl nodded, looking scared.

I began to move clothes and possessions, not that I had many, from the top drawers, filling up the other three drawers a little more though I didn’t have much. I had three of the white suits, and two more for when I grew. Then I had a few vest tops, and two pairs of shorts for sleeping in as well as a few t-shirts and a pair of jeans. Then there was some paper and pens, as well as some weights. That was about it.

The new kid slumped down on to my bed and I shouted, “Hey! What did I just say? You have top bunk.”

“Sorry,” she croaked, clearing her throat. I guessed she hadn’t spoken in a while. She pulled on the top bunk’s edge and swung her legs a little as she failed to get up. She let go, sighing, and tried again. Her arm muscles were pathetic. That would soon change. I found it funny now how Jack had removed the steps to the top bunk. Unexpectedly, I pushed against her bottom and hoisted her up to the top. She looked a little shocked, but then banged her head against the ceiling and leant down, cupping her hand to the sore spot.

“I told you to watch out,” I said. “So how old are you?”

“Fifteen I think.” My assumptions were near correct.

“Oh great – you’re that dumb you don’t know your age?”

“No, I’m just not sure of the date.”

“It’s March the seventeenth.”

“I’m not fifteen for two months.”

“I’m sixteen in three,” I replied, attempting to make conversation.

“You had any yet?” I said, eyeing her stomach. She wore a vest top and her tummy looked fairly flat.

“One,” she whispered, her eyes glossing over.

“Girl or boy?”

“Girl.”

“A new baby girl arrived a couple of months back. Might be yours?”

“Maybe,” she shrugged. “Does he…does everyone have kids?”

“I’ve had two,” I said. “You don’t get involved with them, by the way. I had two boys. One when I was eleven – damn me for getting my period so early – and one when I was fourteen. Samson and Greg were their names.”

“Were?”

“Jack got rid of them. He has no use with boys of course. And even if they’d been girls, they wouldn’t have kept their names. Means we don’t maintain a connection. They’re his kids, not ours. If he asks if you have a kid, you say no, understand? ‘Cause you don’t.”

“So I won’t get to see my baby again?” She sounded worried.

“You’re almost fifteen, right? Do you really want to be taking care of a baby?”

“I didn’t want a baby in the first place.” I turned on her, getting angry.

“If Jack wants a baby, you give him one,” I said, through gritted teeth. “It’s an offering! It’s thanking him! You don’t disobey him, or I get punished too. I’m supposed to keep you in line, get it?” The girl nodded, looking even more scared. “He only wants the best for us,” I said, getting calmer and carefully shutting each drawer. “Oh, and what’s your name by the way?”

“Phoebe.”