In the Name of Order

Chapter 18: Money, Power, Mass

I wake up to the sound of people stampeding in the corridor just outside my room. I climb off of my bed and walk over to the door, opening it slightly in order to find out the reason for the commotion. Just as I stick my head out of the door, Saint appears in front of me, wearing a red shirt with his name imprinted on it. His hand is raised as if he wants to knock on my door, but my appearance causes him to drop his hand and rather slip them in the pockets of his pants.

"Everyone goes to breakfast around this time. You can sleep in, but the food gets cold, and the kitchen closes up in a couple of hours until lunch." Saint scans my appearance. I'm still wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday. "I figured you wouldn't read the handbook."

"I'll be out soon."

"The clothes in the cupboard are for you."

I smile at him, trying to show I'm grateful for his help. I then close my door and move to the cupboard Saint mentioned. The cupboard is full with clothing and after looking through a few items, I notice that all of them are my size. It scares me to think that the Purus know my size. I assume the other cupboards are also filled with clothing, leaving me to wonder where they get all their funding from.

After slipping off my clothing and throwing them onto my bed, I put on a beige top and slightly darker pants. There are hideous pumps at the bottom of the cupboard, and noticing the rest of the shoes are even more hideous, I sigh before slipping these pumps onto my feet. I then grab a tranquilizer Saint gave me yesterday and inject myself with it before rushing to my door.

I open my door in a hurry and find Saint waiting outside.

"Your family went on ahead. I said I'd walk you to the dining hall."

"Okay," I say as I close the door behind me.

"The showers are just down the hall and to the left. You're about to see where the dining hall is. Breakfast is at ten and the other meals are four hours after each other. There's a clock in your room. Read the labels on the doors before entering the room," Saint shakes his head as he walks with me to the dining hall, "because I'm guessing you won't read the handbook."

"Thank you. You...you look more tired than you did yesterday."

"I never slept. Eve made me record a bunch of results on her patient last night. She'll see you today. Go to room twenty-three after breakfast, and I'll see you there."

"I assume you'll be recording my results too."

"Nope. I'm there in case you get out of hand."

"Saint," a girl I saw yesterday calls out to him from behind us. "I forgot where to find—"

"Nope," Saint emphasizes the 'p' sound of the word, "you should look at the handbook first."

I continue walking with Saint and start wondering why I haven't been addressed in the same manner, especially when he knows I haven't read the handbook and that I'm not planning to.

"Relax. It's not that I think you're special or anything." He yawns. "That one just irritates me. I don't like her and her family."

I now hear people laughing and assume we're near the dining hall. "What did they do?"

"You have to spend a day with them to know what I mean. I transferred from a different Purus compound just yesterday and thought I had left her behind. Just my luck, huh?"

We now stand at the entrance of the dining hall. I'm about to thank Saint, but he pulls me uncomfortably close to him and only moves closer when I take a few steps away from him. I try turn around to walk away, but Saint grips my hand.