A place to return to

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I'm surprised I didn't break out bawling right then and there.
It was all so sudden, so shocking. Supposedly this would be where I was to be staying... Yet it seemed like a dream. My collar was gone, my restraints were gone... It puzzled me...

I traced my fingers up the simplistic indents of the door, before slowly letting them fall gently to the door handle. It was so well crafted and intricate for something in a confinement centre. To be completely honest, it was the most beautiful thing I'd seen for years. Many, many years. And I hadn't even lived that long!
Lily... the person this was crafted for? Was this her room? Either way, I liked it.
"Lily"
I found myself slowly mouthing the name, repeating it in my head before the thoughts became loud enough to protrude from my head and into my voice.
Suddenly becoming aware of where I was, I flushed and quickly turned the handle.

Chunk

Locked. Of course, idiot.
My face a deep red, I inserted the key into the elegantly carved slot. A satisfying click sounded through my ears and I eased the door open. It was surprisingly heavy; I guess I thought so because we were never allowed to touch doors, never mind open them. I didn't really know what to expect.
A distracted glance to the key, as I made my way in, showed the number "07" inscribed in black ink. The number seven, my number...  I noted mentally, might need that information later.

I mean, it was small. That much had been obvious to me before I even saw the inside. However, it was paradise. Definitely more spacious than my previous cell; large enough for a huge single bed (compared to my tiny child's bed in Epsilon), a chest of drawers about waist-high, and a basin and toilet. The basin and toilet were even separated from the rest by some sort of fake wall, made from the same wood as the door handle.
Both the bed and the drawers were made from the dark trunk. The whole place seemed like some kind of luxury suite. I believe what delighted me the most was the toilet seat. I was damn pleased about being here, if it meant no longer freezing my butt off while going to the toilet.
The walls were cream, a sweet, warm contrast to the block white corridors. Wondering if all the rooms were this beautiful, I fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. This was white, but it wasn't overbearing or intimidating.

I think I dozed off. It had been a stressful day and it was bizarre being somewhere new, but the room gave me a comforting feeling. Slipping in and out of consciousness, I found myself very calm. Finally relaxed enough, my stomach started moaning about being fed.
I remember that woman mentioning something about dinner...

I shot up in my bed and glanced swiftly over the walls. I quickly found what I was looking for; a small mantle clock atop the chest of drawers. It wasn't my speciality, but I did know how to read this sort of analog clock. It read 5.57, or thereabouts.
Shit.

I didn't have any belongings, nor anything to pick up, so I just raced out of this personal haven, remembering to lock the door at the last second, before sprinting down the hallway. Hopefully in the right direction.

The Iron Lily [Boku no hero Academia Next Gen]Where stories live. Discover now